Fractional product & UX leadership
In short: Senior product design and UX leadership, part-time - fractional leadership, AI workflow strategy, design system audits, and advisory for teams in South Africa and beyond. 15+ years in, two agencies founded, allergic to theatre.
I'm Bjorn Byrne - a UX designer and product strategist with 15+ years in the trade, based in Johannesburg, working with teams across South Africa and remotely. I've founded two agencies (Dynamite and Media Rocket) and spent the last few years helping teams ship products people actually use - increasingly with AI in the loop, and only where it earns its place.
What I do
- Fractional product & UX leadership. A senior product design head, part-time. Roadmaps, north stars, design direction, hiring frames - without the full-time salary. Typically one to two days a week, embedded with your team.
- AI workflow & product strategy. Deciding where AI actually belongs in your product and operations - and where it doesn't. Diagnostics, pilot-to-production planning, and workflow automation that quietly removes the work nobody wants to do.
- Design system & UX audits. A blunt, actionable read on your product's UX or your design system's real state - adoption, governance, and what to fix first. See the deletion test for a taste of the approach.
- Advisory. A standing slot for founders and product leads who want a sparring partner. Bring a problem, leave with a slightly different problem.
How an engagement works
We start with a call - no deck, no discovery-phase theatre. If the problem is real and I can help, we agree a cadence: fractional (weekly, embedded), project (fixed scope, fixed price), or advisory (recurring slot). If I can't help, I'll say so on the call and point you at someone who can.
Who it's for
Founders and product teams in SaaS, fintech, insurance, and B2B services - in South Africa or anywhere remote-friendly. The common thread: you have something real to build and you'd rather ship it than talk about shipping it.
FAQ
What is a fractional product designer?
A senior product design leader who works with your team part-time - typically one to two days a week - instead of joining full-time. You get 15+ years of experience on the problems that need it, without the executive salary, and without the six-month hiring process.
Do you work with companies outside South Africa?
Yes. I'm based in Johannesburg (SAST, UTC+2 - a comfortable overlap with Europe and workable with the US East Coast) and most engagements are remote. In-person works for teams in Gauteng.
What does an engagement cost?
It depends on cadence and scope, and I'd rather give you a straight number on a call than a vague range here. Fractional retainers are priced per day-per-week; audits and projects are fixed-price. Book a slot and ask.
When should I not hire you?
If you want someone to execute a finished spec without questioning it, or you're looking for "adding AI" as a headline rather than a solution to a named problem - I'll be annoying. I've written about why.
Get in touch
Email [email protected], book a slot directly, or use the contact form on the homepage.