Madsen ValeProduct DesignerBerlin
I design products, lead teams, and ship my own apps.
Hands-on at every step, designing, mentoring, shaping processes, backing bold ideas.
AI Manifesto
AI Removes Friction,
AI Removes Friction,
Not Judgment.
01
I use AI as a tool, not a replacement.
02
I don’t chase speed without intention.
03
I set different guardrails for enterprise and personal work. I know where the line is.
04
I question the output. I know where AI helps and where it falls apart.
05
I protect sensitive data. I respect creative work.
06
I catch bias in outputs. That’s my responsibility.
07
I don’t skip the conversation about what AI means for our industry.
08
I know when AI isn’t the right solution. And when it isn’t the ethical one.
M.V.
Berlin, February 2026
Process
What I Bring &
What I Bring &
How I Get Involved
I turn ambiguity into direction
I partner with teams that know their product can be better, but are not always sure where to focus. I improve key entry points, complex flows, and conversion funnels. I test, iterate, and use what we learn to shape what comes next.
- Early-Stage Discovery
- User Research
- Opportunity Mapping
- Growth Design
- Stakeholder Alignment
I design and ship the actual thing
I work hands-on from early concepts to shipped features. I prototype at any fidelity, shape the details, write code, build design systems, improve the processes around them. Quick to build, solid enough to evolve.
- AI-Assisted Development
- Visual Design
- Design Systems
- Rapid Validation
- Accessibility Compliance
I give teams momentum
I build processes that stick. Tooling that scales. Measurement that matters. I hire the right people and flex with freelancers and agencies when needed. Better work becomes the default.
- Design Leadership
- People Management
- Hybrid Team Scaling
- Process Design
- Maturity Uplift
Case Studies
Designed it.
Designed it.
Shipped it.
Shipping Design at Enterprise Scale
Led the design and integration of a contactless fuelling payment feature into the Mercedes-Benz ecosystem.
10+
business units
1K+
users interviewed
Making Live TV Feel Like Streaming
Redesigned Zattoo's flagship Recordings feature, improving content discovery and watch duration.
15
platforms
3M+
households
Little Things
Award
Host
Feature
Feature
Article
Host
Host
Demo
European Design Award
Universal Music TalkDesign, Build, and Ship an App with AI
Universal MusicIntroducing Mercedes-Benz Fuel & Pay
Mercedes-BenzA Cross-Media Experience for Coping With Isolation
United NationsGetting the Best Out of Design Mentoring Sessions
UX Planet ArticleThe Subtle Art of Not Giving Up on Your Design Portfolio
UX Collective AwardEmmy® Award: Technology & Engineering
ZattooThe Hype Summit
ZattooThe Hype: A Design System Is Born
ZattooGet Override, a Sketch Plugin
Sketch
Maker's Life
Zero to App Store
Frido & Friends is my passion project where I design, build, and ship products to tackle everyday challenges.
2.5M+
Eyeballs
$0
Funding
#2
Product Hunt
Voices
Working With Me
* Now talking in #would-hire-again
* Topic is 'What's it like working with Madsen?'
head_of_designHe takes action, gives structure to chaos, and makes life easier across product, engineering, design, and support. I would always hire him again.
product_ownerAt Mercedes-Benz, he framed problems deeply, moved fast on first approaches, and kept challenging assumptions to find better solutions.
product_designerHe nurtures designers, aligns people, and builds a strong design culture that sticks.
product_designerThorough and strategic, great at cutting red tape, and built a design system from scratch with stakeholder buy-in.
design_directorAn extremely talented designer who raised platform quality through finely crafted interfaces, strong guidelines, and proactive cross-functional collaboration.
ceoPassionate and dedicated, improving usability without losing sight of business goals. A strong recommendation.
hr_leadStructured, creative, and highly professional, but also a very nice colleague everybody would love to work with.
tech_leadHelped us ship top-notch products, establish a design system, and get engineering and design speaking the same language.
marketing_directorDeep user empathy across markets, plus the perseverance, boldness, and creativity to exceed goals.
menteeKind and easy-going. It felt like talking to a friend, with clear guidance on client vs consultancy paths.
product_managerAt Universal, he introduced new ways of working, aligned stakeholders through better product conversations, and turned vision into pragmatic user improvements.
madsenall real quotes btw. no one was bribed or threatened.
