Hi I'm Mariam Bagersh

Product designer, brand strategist, and general problem-solver for projects creating impact.

Profile image of Mariam bagersh

I'm a senior product and brand designer with 9+ years’ experience, working with mission-led organisations on inclusive products, brand identity and design for global markets.

I work at the intersection of brand and product design. Not because I couldn't choose, but because separating them has never made sense to me. A brand that doesn't live inside the product is a promise that breaks on first use. A product with no brand is a tool no one trusts.

My background is in typography and graphic communication, I was trained to think about how form carries meaning. That's still how I work. Whether I'm running workshops with a founding team, designing a curriculum platform for 28,000 teachers, or building an identity for an NHS clinic, the question underneath every decision is the same: does this work for the person who needs it most?

I'm a generative designer, someone who holds the whole picture: brand, product, culture, ethics, people, systems. I'm big-picture and fast-moving. If you need someone to help figure out what to build and why, let's talk.

How I use AI in my design process

I use AI as a tool for exploration, synthesis, critique and documentation, not as a replacement for research or design judgement. My approach is to use it where it can help me explore ideas, challenge assumptions or work through complex information. I remain responsible for checking outputs against evidence, making design decisions and protecting the people the work is meant to serve. I also believe in being transparent about where AI has meaningfully contributed to a project.

Teaching & Workshops

I've taught creative leaders, young people, and online learners. The topics vary, but the focus is the same: helping people design for those who are usuallyleft out of the room. I also offer free mentorship on ADPlist.
Book a call on ADP ⤴
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Coming soon
Design essentials
A course for designers who want to create work grounded in Ethiopia's own visual culture rather than imported conventions. We'll explore how history, language, typography and context can shape more thoughtful design decisions.
Express your interest  →Laptop screen showing a virtual space titled 'WHAT IF: CONCEPTUAL AFRICA' with instructions for a guided tour, clickable artworks, a Spotify playlist link, and navigation tips.
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Past Courses
FutureLearn × Livity
Cultivating Diversity through Research and Insights
Co-created with Ryzard Akita for Livity. Teaches creatives in leadership roles how to approach diversity in both research and recruitment.
2021
View course  →Five people standing on a stage with microphones, engaged in conversation or presentation, with focused expressions and casual to semi-formal attire against a dark background with stage lighting.
Samsung
Not A School
View Overview  →
2019
A workshop for young thinkers on sustainability, using UX methods to examine their own day-to-day lives and find personal ways to act.
A diverse group of fifteen people smiling and posing for a selfie inside a modern indoor space with large windows and plants, seated on tiered steps and platforms.
FutureLearn
Empathy Mapping
View course  →
How to use an empathy map to make sense of a user interview and build a deeper understanding of user needs.
2019
Two women having a discussion at a table with a brick wall background, one wearing glasses and a blazer, the other in a gray shirt, with text identifying Mariam Bagersh as a Digital Brand Strategist and Fricanduo Co-founder.