Portfolio
UX & MARKETING
DESIGNER
UX that thinks like a brand.
Valerie Olšanská
Brand · AI Video · Creative Direction
KOMERČNÍ BANKA — Case study
THE LOAN THAT DOESN'T SCARE YOU
One brand, two lenses — how a UX flow becomes brand and communication.
Role
UX & Service Designer. 4.5 years at KB, doing UX for the whole Consumer Financing tribe (loans, credit cards, overdraft). On this flow I own UX and service design.
Team
We prepared the design together with a service designer, the legal and compliance teams, and development.
Output
Two complete online flows — Personal Loan and Loan Consolidation.
Challenge
Taking out a loan is one of the most nerve-racking moments a person goes through online. It's about money. A commitment for years. A quiet fear: "am I making a mistake?" And jargon most people don't really understand.
Meanwhile, the bank promises its product as fast, clear and requiring no trip to a branch. My task was to make that promise real — to design the online loan application so that people feel control, clarity and trust the whole way through. Not anxiety.
The brand promise is "fast and clear". My job was to make sure people actually feel it — exactly at the moment they're deciding about money.
Approach
We built on data and on how people actually behave.
Design thinking workshops
Facilitating and bringing business, legal, compliance and development together in one direction.
Qualitative & quantitative testing
Not impressions, but verified behaviour.
Continuous design
We keep iterating the design based on production data, even after launch — not just before it.
A calculator that thinks like a human
Tests showed that people don't think about a loan the same way. Some start from the amount they want. Some from the term. And some from how much they can afford monthly. We designed a calculator with three inputs, where people can calculate from any of them.
The bank has one logic in its system. People have three.
Fewer screens in difficult terrain
In close cooperation with the legal and compliance teams, we reduced the number of screens in the application. "Simplicity" isn't made here by adding — it's made by negotiating with regulation about what really has to be visible and when.
Making a regulated process light is a craft in itself.
Guidance instead of rejection
The most anxious moment of the whole flow is a rejection. I focused on making sure that at this moment the client doesn't feel a closed door, but gets a clear and human direction on what to do next.
We turn the hardest moment into guidance, not an ending.
Document upload — where colour changed behaviour
From production data we knew people upload documents wrongly when proving income. We redesigned the "what I can and can't upload" screen — and the test showed something seemingly small yet essential.
This is where UX meets brand: a visual decision that changes behaviour.
Principle
The same screen works completely differently with coloured icons.
Before — black & white
It has to be read. Until people understand what each icon means, they lose time — and anxiety grows.
After — coloured
Green says "this is fine", red says "careful, not this". It speaks before you can read it. Colour here isn't decoration — it's an instruction.
Result
The whole application happens online, the client doesn't need to visit a branch.
The "fast and clear" promise is now real — the client takes out a personal loan entirely online, without a branch, with control and calm at every step.
Loan consolidation
Consolidation where we also handle the transfer of loans from other banks for the client — again without visiting a branch. We tested both qualitatively and quantitatively. And one of the decisions nicely shows how close UX and language are: how to name it — consolidation or merging? We didn't pick one. We used both, each where it makes sense.
Tab — product list
Consolidation
The professional term as an anchor — that's what people search for, and it sounds trustworthy in banking terms. But right below it, a human sentence takes over.
"Merge your loans up to CZK 2,500,000"
After the click — the intro screen
Loan consolidation
Inside, where people need calm rather than jargon, human language takes over.
One word decides whether a person feels trust or resistance. That's tone of voice in practice — and also a UX decision about when and with which word you guide a person.
What this says about me
Looking back, in this regulated, nervous and jargon-heavy process, decisions were made at the intersection of UX and brand at once. Customer journey, UX thinking and language went hand in hand — one wouldn't work without the other.
How to guide a person through the whole flow. What to show and when. What colour an icon has. How to name a thing. Whether we turn a "no" into a "yes, like this".
I design things that stand on human psychology and on language.
Together with the team we turned a bank loan into a human thing — and this is exactly where you can see how close UX and brand are.
How to communicate a loan so the brand doesn't blend in with the competition — audit, strategy, copy.
My own strategic concept. Built on the brand's publicly available communication and my own analysis — it's not an official intention or communication of the bank.
1. Starting point
Who we're communicating to and what that person is really dealing with.
A loan client wants a solution right away — but fears unclear terms, loss of control and hidden costs. Three decision drivers: control, simplicity, transparency.
More personal creative projects
NEW CREATIVE PROJECT · AI & ME ValeriaFuega
Valeria Fuega AI Artist
❤️🔥 Valeria Fuega is my new creative project — a space where music, movement and visual art meet.
It's inspired by the word fuego — fire.
Not as destruction, but as inner energy, passion and movement.
Fuega isn't a dictionary word. It's a feeling. A state. An energy that awakens from within.
Valeria Fuega's music combines:
· Latin rhythms,
· sensual movement,
· magnetic energy,
· feminine strength.
Calm on the outside. Fire within.
This project connects real performance with AI tools — not to replace people, but to amplify their expression.
2 days
from idea to first post
13
songs on Spotify
110
followers in the first week
Challenge
Create a full-fledged AI artist from scratch — concept, visual identity, music, video and social media presence — one person, no production budget, in minimal time. The image had to be authentic, not templated — rooted in real energy and culture.
"I drew on my own energy — Latin dance, music, salsa, reggaeton, afro, reparto. Valeria Fuega isn't an invented character. She's a concentrate of what I live."
Approach
1. Concept and identity
I defined the artist's character — feminine fire, Latin energy, a strong yet sensual image. I created the visual world: colours, mood, aesthetics. Name, biography, tone of voice.
2. Music production
13 tracks created with Suno using custom prompts matching the artist's style. Genres: latin pop, timba, reggaeton, dancehall, salsa, reparto, afro beats. Lyrics in English and Spanish. All released on Spotify.
3. AI video and content
The first full music video — from story to edit, 40 hours of work from idea to final. Some songs got a video teaser on Instagram. Every visual is built in the brand's unified aesthetic.
Tools: Midjourney · Higgsfield · Kling AI · Suno · CapCut
Results
Organic interest with no budget
Two weeks after launch, a Colombian online radio approached the project on its own with an offer to put Valeria Fuega's tracks on air. Inbound interest without any paid promotion.
The whole cycle from concept to distribution
One person — idea, brand, music, visuals, video, social media, Spotify. Proof of concept: a modern music artist can be created and launched by a single creative producer with the right AI stack.
STREET SALSA BRAND IDENTITY
Prague has good dancers. But styling, musicality and a personal character in movement — that's what's missing from Prague's social dancing.
Street Salsa isn't about more figures. It's about how you dance — energy, style and confidence on the floor.
Same steps. Different energy.
1 200
launch reel views, organically
8
signed up for the workshop
Challenge
Create a personal dance brand from scratch — with clear positioning, a visual system and a content strategy — and use it to launch group classes in Prague. No agency, no budget. Just concept, visuals and content.
"I travel to world festivals, I watch the level of social dancing in Prague and I see a gap. People know the steps — but they lack style, musicality and their own energy. I decided to change that."
Target audience
Who the clients are
People who have been dancing salsa for a while — any age, any gender. They know the basics, go to parties and festivals. But they feel their dancing still looks the same. They lack individuality, style and freedom in movement.
- They know the steps, but look like everyone else
- They don't hear the music — they don't know when to hit an accent
- They have no body movement or style of their own
- They don't know what to do when the partner leaves room for a solo
Approach
1. Brand strategy and positioning
I defined a clear USP: not teaching figures, but styling, musicality and body movement. I created one main slogan that holds all communication together — Same steps. Different energy.
2. Visual system
A complete brand book — neon palette (pink #FF1B8D + electric blue #245BFF), three-layer typography, rules for every visual. A post system: split screen, body in motion as the hero, a neon line as a cut of energy. One style, one vibe — the profile started to feel like a brand.
3. Content strategy and tutorials
A series of dance tutorials showing styling and footwork — content that educates and proves expertise at the same time. Reels system: hook 0–2s, before/after contrast, mini value, CTA. Every post built according to brand book rules.
Results
Organic content with no budget
The launch reel with a free workshop was reposted and reached 1,200 views — well above the profile's usual average. It spread organically through Prague's dance community with no paid promotion. 9 sign-ups for the first workshop.
A complete brand system
Brand book, visual templates, content strategy, reels system and carousel templates — all ready for bootcamp communication, collaborations or expansion into other formats.
Workshop results
Understanding the method
All participants understood the concept of the styling method and its 5 pillars — body movement, dynamics, musicality, head & eyes, flavour from other styles. The workshop confirmed the idea works in practice and is clear to dancers of different levels.
Direct interest in paid classes
From the workshop alone, 3 participants signed up for a paid bootcamp in June — 2 right on the spot, 1 after a short consideration. The interest arose naturally, without any pressure or follow-up campaign.
3
signed up for the paid bootcamp
+1
new inquiry via stories
100 %
organic, no paid ads
Through reposts in stories, a girl who hadn't known about the workshop found it and wrote on her own asking about classes. The content kept spreading without paid promotion.
KAVÁRNA NÁHODA BRAND CONCEPT
A fictional café — a refuge for sensitive souls who find themselves between life phases: between relationships, between professions, between cities, between certainty and chaos.
A place for those on the edge. Where you can be lost, undecided, melancholic — and nobody will make you look for answers.
Maybe you're here by chance. Maybe that's exactly why.
Challenge
A personal creative project — to invent and visually develop the concept of a fictional café from scratch. No client, no brief. Pure creative freedom with a single goal: to test working with AI tools and create a first AI promo video.
"It was my first attempt with AI tools — but above all a personal project born from a real feeling. I myself was going through a similar period of life at the time, and Kavárna Náhoda was a natural reflection of what I was experiencing. I wanted to create the space I was looking for myself back then."
Approach
1. Concept and positioning
I defined a unique brand concept — a café as a safe space for people "in between". Target group: sensitive souls looking for calm, slowing down and an atmosphere without pressure. I created the tone of voice, copywriting and brand story.
2. Visual identity
A complete visual system — a colour palette inspired by melancholy and introspection (ink blue, dusty lavender, muted copper), Cormorant Garamond typography, moodboard, interior visualisations, a menu design with original drink names.
3. Atmosphere and experience
I designed the whole brand experience — the scent of the space, a musical backdrop (piano, ambient, melancholic jazz), quotes on mugs, questions on tables. Including the concept of dating evenings where guests choose a colour according to their emotional mood.
4. AI promo video
The first AI video in my work — a promo spot for Kavárna Náhoda. Working with the AI tools Midjourney, Leonardo, Runway ML and Kling, from generating visuals through creating moving images to the final edit.
Tools: Midjourney · Leonardo · Kling AI · Runway ML · CapCut
Deliverables
Brand concept & positioning
Colour palette + typography
Copywriting — brand story, quotes, menu
AI promo video
Moodboard & visual identity
Interior visualisations (AI)
Experience and atmosphere concept
Dating evenings — event concept
About me
I'm a UX & Marketing designer at the intersection of UX/UI, service design, brand, marketing and visual communication. I look at projects from multiple perspectives, from user needs and how a digital product works to brand, communication and the final visual experience.
For more than 4.5 years I've been working at Komerční banka, where I started as a UX/UI designer focused on the online arrangement of consumer loans in mobile banking. I still develop, test and optimise this customer journey, and my responsibility has gradually expanded to credit cards and overdraft as well.
My role has gradually expanded towards service design. I work with end-to-end processes, lead design workshops, connect business, UX, development and other teams, and help turn complex requirements into feasible solutions. Thanks to that, I think about design in a wider context, from the user through the product to brand and communication.
Alongside product work I do brand, marketing, creative direction, AI video and visual storytelling. I create visual concepts, graphics, digital content and video. I also have experience with web projects, information architecture and WordPress, Joomla and Wix systems. Previously I worked as a remote graphic & UX/UI designer, collaborating with private clients on visual communication, social media content and promo videos.
I use AI as another tool for creating visual concepts, video and experimenting with new forms of digital content. I've completed courses in Digital Marketing, Creative Direction, Fashion Video and Visual Communication.
Dance, music and movement are another important part of my creative work. I create choreographies and lead individual and group classes. Dance develops my sense of rhythm, timing, movement and emotion, which I carry over into video and visual storytelling too.
I studied Andragogy and Education Management at Charles University, where I gained a foundation in education, psychology, working with people and management. I also use this experience when leading workshops, teaching and collaborating with different teams.
I enjoy connecting different perspectives and disciplines and finding the way from a user need through the product to strong communication and a visual concept.
I connect product thinking with creative vision.
Education
Department of Andragogy and Education Management (KAMV)
Faculty of Education, Charles University
School Management
Bc. 2016 - 2019
Hard skills
Soft skills
Creativity and innovation, communication and teamwork, flexibility and adaptability, empathy and user-centred thinking, proactivity and problem solving.
2020 - 2022
Web design & development
I designed and built websites on platforms such as WordPress and Wix, also using basic HTML and CSS knowledge to optimise mobile display.
2021 - present
UX/UI design
I design complex user interfaces for websites and mobile apps (iOS/Android), from first sketches to final prototypes. I work with design systems, run user testing and also create digital graphics.
2023 - present
Video creator
I create videos of various genres – from promo spots for products and services to dance videos. Besides filming itself, I also do post-production and script writing.
Hobbies
Outside of work I'm fulfilled by dance – reggaeton, dancehall, afro, salsa, high heels and Latin American dances. I create and film dance choreographies and I also do fitness and occasionally beach volleyball, which help me keep a balance between work and free time. Another hobby is photo modelling, which gives me further creative challenges and opportunities for self-expression.
I'm interested in various seminars and workshops in psychology, NLP and marketing, which lets me constantly expand my knowledge and skills. In September I successfully completed the Creative Director course, which is an important milestone on my path of developing my abilities. In December I completed Fashion Video and Visual Communication.
Courses
Brand Strategy Specialization: Crafting User Experiences ONLINE COURSE, DOMESTIKA — SEPTEMBER 2026 - ONGOING
Videography - Fashion video and visual communication, AERO ŠKOLA — OCTOBER 2024 - DECEMBER 2024
Creative Director COURSE, SKVOT — AUGUST 2024 - SEPTEMBER 2024
Adobe Premiere Pro - video creation and editing ONLINE COURSE, VIDEOSMILE — NOVEMBER 2023 - JANUARY 2024
Design sprint, KOMERČNÍ BANKA — DECEMBER 2022
Service design, KOMERČNÍ BANKA — OCTOBER 2022
UI/UX design ONLINE COURSE, WAYUP — MAY 2021
and others
Employment
UI/UX designer, Komerční banka
UI/UX designer, Karlín IT group
Linguistic tester, Transperfect
WordPress developer, freelance
A test assignment for Tipli, a cashback platform with more than 1,500 shops. I went through the app and the website as a user and looked for where people drop off.
The result is a strategy in four parts: communication to drive installs of the browser extension, an activation flow for the first purchase, two UX insights from testing, and a proposal for turning Instagram into a channel that truly works on acquisition.
Role: strategy · campaign concept · copywriting · UX
The extension, the user journey and a few extra ideas.
I created a brand communication concept for Avon aimed at a young audience. The presentation has several parts: how the brand currently comes across, how the target group behaves, how the competition communicates, and finally three ad-spot scenario proposals for social media, including a storyboard.
View projectAs part of the Creative Director course I worked on a campaign focused on Parkinson's disease, where I applied new knowledge and skills. During the course I did practical exercises, from creating a creative brief and a battle plan to designing various campaign concepts prepared by the creative team led by the instructor. It also included writing feedback on every concept and finally creating a presentation in which I chose one advertising campaign concept and expanded it with my own idea.
View projectI created a design and content approach concept for a new Czech Television online channel aimed at Gen Z. The presentation includes an analysis of the target group, an overview of current visual trends and three concrete content concepts — a carousel post and a motion-design explainer reel — including copy and visual execution.
View projectA conceptual promo video for the fictional café "Náhoda" – a space for those who feel in between: between countries, relationships, moods or phases of life.
Visual storytelling connecting an introspective atmosphere with details like quotes on pots, the scent of incense or a ray of light as a symbol of a found answer.
The video was created exclusively with AI tools – visuals were made in Midjourney and animated in Runway and Kling AI.
The final edit, rhythm and text layering were done in CapCut.
Apartment visualisation
A video visualisation of an apartment created with AI based solely on the supplied floor plan.
The goal was to turn a basic floor plan into a realistic visual form and show the atmosphere of the interior through a smooth video presentation.
Transport
A promo video for a client providing transport for premium customers.
The video was made from a brief without a specific script, with only supplied materials in the form of 5–7 photos (of varying quality). The goal was to create an elegant and luxurious atmosphere without voiceover or actors — using only visual animation and movement.
This experimental AI video was made as an attempt to capture the invisible moments of disappointment and silence between people. Through visual atmosphere and symbolism I look for an image of emotions that can't easily be put into words.
Make it your own · Just got better
This video was made as part of the Fashion and Visual Communication course, where I came up with the concept and script, shot in a studio and did post-production in DaVinci Resolve. The dresses were designed by a fashion designer from UMPRUM, and the main idea of the video was to show the versatility of these dresses, which you can wear for any occasion.
Here I created a motivational dance video – the moment I came across this song, I immediately had a clear picture of what the whole clip could look like. I wanted to encourage others and lift their mood.
I came up with the idea and concept myself, then realised it with a friend who filmed me following my instructions. I edited the video afterwards.
Disco Queen
This project is my first attempt at creating an advertising spot and it was a great opportunity to combine creativity with technical skills.
The ad is for a cream called Disco Queen, whose bubblegum scent inspired me to a fun and playful concept.
I wrote the script, chose the music and created a storyboard where every shot matched the rhythm of the music. There was also my own ad copy for the end of the spot.
The first cut was made in CapCut, where I combined music, footage, animation and did colour correction. Then I reworked the video in Adobe Premiere Pro, using advanced tools such as chroma key, 3D effects and creating graphics in Adobe Illustrator.
Indian dance
This video serves as promotional material for a Bhangra dance instructor. It was made as a social media teaser aimed at attracting new people to this beautiful and energetic dance style.
A personal blog about NLP (neuro-linguistic programming)
I started this blog to share interesting information about how our mind works, positive thinking, and working with emotions and beliefs. I want to inspire people to improve their lives through the power of thinking.
T-shirt e-shop
This profile was created to support an e-shop with original organic cotton T-shirts. The e-shop offers two collections: one with abstract prints and one focused on designers.
View project
KB+ banking app
I work on this project as a UX/UI and Service designer.
I design the user flow of the new KB+ app, which lets clients arrange a loan online — simply, clearly and without unnecessary steps.
Building a website on WIX
I created this website for a client on the WIX platform. It's a portal with discounts divided into various categories, all of which are covered by a 15% discount. All you need to do is get a loyalty card online and visit any business from the list of partners on the site.
Go to the website
Building a website on WordPress
The website was built on the WordPress platform and is used to sell organic cotton T-shirts. I took care of the whole process – from registering the domain and setting up hosting to launching the e-shop and ensuring a payment gateway. I also optimised the site for mobile display and set up analytics tools to track performance.
Go to the website
UX/UI app
I created the UI/UX design for a mobile app focused on selling flowers, according to the specifications of a client who communicated with the agency I worked for.
Go
Star Dance
With this choreography I won the Star Dance competition among viewers, and it was shown on the programme Dobré ráno (28 Nov 2024).
The dance was to the song Espresso, and for originality I incorporated a mug, which I then played with in post-production.
Reggaeton
Concept, choice of outfit, location and creation of the choreography itself.