Portrait of Christian Samek

Hi, I'm Christian

I’m a UX/UI designer with a strong web development background. Web design has been a passion of mine for over 20 years, and I’ve been working professionally since 2015 — building eCommerce experiences ranging from design systems and information architecture to complex configurators and responsive UI.

I like taking complicated problems and turning them into simple flows and clear interfaces. I’m hands-on from concept to implementation, with a strong focus on usability, performance, and clean visuals.

Outside of work, I enjoy photography, CGI/3D, and building small side projects — usually with way too much attention to detail.

👋   Say hello!   👋

Skills

Methods

Design Thinking
Lean UX
UI-Design
User Research
Interviews
Personas
User Stories
User Journeys
Problem Framing
Value Proposition
Ideation
Competitive Audits
User Flows
Storyboards
Prototyping
Wireframing
Affinity Mapping

Tools

Figma
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Illustrator
Blender
Prestashop
Adobe Indesign
Adobe Premiere
Adobe After Effects
Wordpress
Cinema4D
Fusion 360

Technical

HTML/CSS
SASS
Astro
Git
Accessibility (WCAG)
JavaScript
NodeJS
TypeScript
REST APIs
PHP
SQL
GSAP

Experience

Druckraum.at

2017 - Now

New Theme

2025

I developed a new PrestaShop theme for druckraum.at to give the shop a more modern, approachable look and support a smoother shopping experience. Starting from a Bootstrap 3-based legacy theme, I redesigned key UI elements and improved the overall visual hierarchy to make the interface clearer and easier to use. I focused on UX-critical areas like navigation and checkout to reduce friction and improve conversion. The layout was rebuilt to be fully responsive using CSS Grid, so the experience works reliably across desktop and mobile.

My role: Team Lead · UX/UI Design · UI Modernization · Responsive Layout (CSS Grid) · Navigation & Checkout UX · PrestaShop Theme Customization

Online Configurator

2025

I worked on a newly developed online configurator built around real user needs and complex option logic. The main challenge was making a large number of choices feel simple — guiding users through the setup without overwhelming them. The configurator offers a smooth flow with transparent pricing, strong performance, and reliable error handling to build trust and help users avoid mistakes early. I implemented the UI using HTML and CSS and also led the project as Team lead, coordinating UX decisions with backend development and stakeholder priorities.

My role: Team Lead · UX Design · HTML · CSS · Error Handling · Performance-focused UI

Web-to-Print Design-Tool

2024

I designed and built a high-performance web-to-print design tool that works well on both desktop and mobile. The editor stays directly inside the product page, which reduces friction and supports higher conversion. For mobile, I used familiar patterns from iOS/Android photo apps, so the experience feels intuitive, fast, and easy to understand.

My role: Team Lead · UX/UI Design · Figma · Responsive UI · HTML/CSS Implementation · Testing

Website design and implementation

2017 - Now

For druckraum.at, I built the website from scratch and developed the full corporate design from the ground up. Using PrestaShop as the platform, I customized the theme into a consistent, premium-looking UI and improved the UX continuously through iterative updates. I also created a scalable design system and refined the information architecture to make navigation clearer and help users reach decisions faster throughout the customer journey.

My role: Team Lead · UI/UX Design · Corporate Design · Design System · Information Architecture · PrestaShop Implementation

JavaScript Course — Udemy

2025

I completed an intensive JavaScript course on Udemy to strengthen my programming fundamentals and improve how I build interactive, user-friendly web experiences. This course supports my UI/UX work by helping me prototype faster and collaborate more effectively with developers.

Focus areas: DOM manipulation · Events · Functions & Objects · Async concepts · Practical projects

Google UX Design Professional Certificate

2023

I completed the Google UX Design Professional Certificate, working on end-to-end UX case studies from research and problem definition to prototyping and usability testing. The program helped me strengthen my process and deliver user-centered solutions with clear UX logic and consistent UI.

Focus areas: UX Research · Competitive Analysis · Personas · User Flows · Information Architecture · Wireframing · Prototyping (Figma) · Usability Testing · Accessibility (WCAG)

Prestocaffe.cz

2018

Prestocaffe.cz is a website project for the Czech market, created with a long-established coffee roastery known for premium quality. My goal was to turn the brand into a modern, high-end digital experience while keeping the warm atmosphere you associate with Italian coffee culture. Because of language barriers and different design expectations, the project required a lot of alignment and iteration. I created high-quality renderings and built a consistent design system — inspired by the feeling of a traditional Neapolitan coffee bar.

My role: UI/UX Design · Corporate Design · Design System · Product Renderings · Visual Direction

Web Developer Training

2017 - 2018

I completed a web development training program at BFI Vienna, covering both front-end and back-end fundamentals. I worked with PHP, MySQL, and JavaScript, building database-driven websites and interactive UI components. For my final project, I developed a custom online configurator for a large printing client, combining Ajax-based interactions with a strong focus on usability.

Skills: PHP · MySQL · JavaScript · Ajax · SQL · OOP · JSON/XML

Printshirt24.at

2016

For Printshirt24.at, I built a custom T-shirt printing website using Deconetworks, with a focus on creating a clear ordering process and a consistent brand experience. The initial layout was very basic, so I improved the UI structure, strengthened the hierarchy, and aligned everything with the corporate design. The result is a cleaner, more modern experience that feels more trustworthy for customers.

My role: UI/UX Improvement · Corporate Design Alignment · User Flow Optimization

Leubrainstimulator.at

2015 - 2018

Leubrainstimulator is a puzzle game that combines playful challenge with brain training in a modern, high-quality experience. I built the website end-to-end, translating the product into a clear digital presence with a smooth user flow and consistent visual design. Alongside theme customization, I created supporting visuals, photography, and copy to strengthen the brand and communicate product value with a confident tone.

My role: Concept · Theme Customization · UI/Visual Design · Photography · PrestaShop Implementation