0
0

Alexander
Fandén

0
0

What I do

0
0
0
0

What I do

0
0

I’m a Design Systems Designer with 12+ years of experience in product and design.

Over the past few years, I’ve evolved the Agoda Design System across three core tracks: foundations, process, and education. That’s meant making it accessible, brand-aligned, and flexible enough for white-label needs. I’ve also built the frameworks, tools, and rituals that help teams ship faster and with more confidence.

How I Work

How I Work

I care deeply about design quality. Not just what moves metrics, but the kind you feel when every detail is intentional, and the system becomes something people want to use, not just have to.

I want to do the best work of my life, and help the people around me do the same. That means setting a high bar, staying curious, bringing care to the details, and keeping the process full of energy and laughter.

Processes and tools help move things forward, but nothing beats sitting down with engineers and product partners to solve problems together.

AI and Design Systems

AI and Design Systems

Lately, I’ve been exploring how AI can lower the barriers between the system and the people using it.

I’m especially excited about its potential to reduce complexity behind the scenes, so high-quality design feels more accessible, intuitive, and less manual.

Mindset

Mindset

I feel lucky to do what I love. I enjoy untangling messy problems, sweating the details, and helping teams build better products — together, and with a bit of fun along the way.

I’m still figuring things out, always learning new things with passion and curiosity, and I hope I always will be.

If there’s one theme to my career, it’s saying yes to new challenges and figuring it out as I go. Starting a design agency in high-school. Moving to Thailand at 20. Leading a dev team without formal training. Taking over a Design Systems team in the midst of a huge design refresh.

None of it was smooth. All of it was worth it!

0
0

Links

0
0
0
0

Links

0
0

Resume

E-mail

0
0

Find me

0
0
0
0

Find me

0
0

LinkedIn

DS Slack

Medium

0
0

Experience

0
0
0
0

Experience

0
0

July 2024—Present

Principal Designer

Design Systems, Agoda

July 2021—June 2024

Lead Designer

Design Systems, Agoda

July 2021—June 2024

Senior Designer

Packages, Agoda

July 2021—June 2024

Product Designer

Supply, Agoda

July 2021—June 2024

Product Development Lead

Diakrit

0
0

Testimonials

0
0

  • When Alex commits to something, you can trust he'll deliver. His proactive approach and strong self-direction enable him to spot problems, craft solutions, and execute independently with minimal oversight. Alex spearheaded the evolution of Agoda's design system from a Figma-only resource to full codebase integration.

    Dynin Khem

    Design Director at Agoda (ex-Amazon, Kraken)

  • Right from the start, Alex painted a bold, clear vision for our design systems and scalable architecture, breaking down complex ideas into actionable steps. Thanks to his hands-on guidance and genuine commitment to excellence, our work flowed seamlessly and consistently raised the bar.

    Parnrawee Ninlaphan

    Design Systems Designer, Agoda

  • Alex is the best designer I’ve ever worked with. He has deep knowledge and experience in design systems and was the one who introduced me to them. What makes working with him so easy isn’t just his design talent, but also his technical understanding—his grasp of CSS and React components makes collaboration between design and engineering seamless.

    Kanokphol Techarattanaprasert

    Design Systems Engineer, Agoda

  • Alex was one of the reasons I decided to join his team. He's the kind of designer who is truly passionate about the craft and quality. You can always count on Alex to lead by example and look out for his teammates while still effectively managing stakeholders. He is one of the best designers I have had the pleasure of working with and learning from.

    Tanisa Law

    Designer at Agoda

  • Above all, Alex isn’t just a leader—he’s my personal role model. He drives collaboration with contagious enthusiasm, shares his expertise freely, and celebrates every team win—big and small. Under his guidance, we didn’t just work side by side; we grew stronger, more connected, and inspired to exceed our own expectations. Any team would be lucky to have Alex showing the way.

    Parnrawee Ninlaphan

    Design Systems Designer, Agoda

  • His strong soft skills make him a fantastic communicator and presenter, and he’s constantly inspiring those around him with his unique perspectives. Working with Alex was truly enjoyable. He helped our team develop a product design mindset, bridging the gap between engineering and design. He is the best designer I have worked with, no doubts.

    Michael Abadi Santoso

    Staff Software Engineer, Agoda

  • I had the privilege of working closely with Alexander, and despite being separated by an ocean, he made collaboration feel effortless. Alexander is exceptionally detail-oriented and thorough in everything he does - even his work-in-progress concepts come beautifully documented. He knows exactly when to make smart trade-offs without compromising quality, and he's an outstanding advocate for design thinking throughout any organization.

    Emily Simon

    Design Manager, Rocket Travel by Agoda

  • Alex brings great energy to the team. He’s supportive, always learning and sharing the latest things he discovers—whether it’s new tools, ideas, or ways of working. He’s constantly experimenting with new approaches that often lead to real improvements for the team. He manages to be both driven and genuinely fun to work with.

    Kanokphol Techarattanaprasert

    Design Systems Engineer, Agoda

  • Alex’s leadership ignited my drive to grow. As both leader and mentor, he pushed me—always with respect and encouragement—to stretch beyond my comfort zone: mastering new tools, refining my craft, and setting ever-higher standards. His feedback was straight to the point, honest, and always came from a place of real care for my growth. That perfect mix of candid critique and steadfast support unlocked potential in me I didn’t even know I had.

    Parnrawee Ninlaphan

    Design Systems Designer, Agoda

  • Alex consistently provided innovative design ideas that elevated our projects. His expertise isn't limited to design—he also excels in technical areas, contributing valuable insights on topics like theming editors and design tokens. Alex played a vital role in taking our design system to the next level, always bringing forward creative, future-proof solutions.

    Michael Abadi Santoso

    Staff Software Engineer, Agoda

0
0

Testimonials

0
0

  • When Alex commits to something, you can trust he'll deliver. His proactive approach and strong self-direction enable him to spot problems, craft solutions, and execute independently with minimal oversight. Alex spearheaded the evolution of Agoda's design system from a Figma-only resource to full codebase integration.

    Dynin Khem

    Design Director at Agoda (ex-Amazon, Kraken)

  • Right from the start, Alex painted a bold, clear vision for our design systems and scalable architecture, breaking down complex ideas into actionable steps. Thanks to his hands-on guidance and genuine commitment to excellence, our work flowed seamlessly and consistently raised the bar.

    Parnrawee Ninlaphan

    Design Systems Designer, Agoda

  • Alex is the best designer I’ve ever worked with. He has deep knowledge and experience in design systems and was the one who introduced me to them. What makes working with him so easy isn’t just his design talent, but also his technical understanding—his grasp of CSS and React components makes collaboration between design and engineering seamless.

    Kanokphol Techarattanaprasert

    Design Systems Engineer, Agoda

  • Alex was one of the reasons I decided to join his team. He's the kind of designer who is truly passionate about the craft and quality. You can always count on Alex to lead by example and look out for his teammates while still effectively managing stakeholders. He is one of the best designers I have had the pleasure of working with and learning from.

    Tanisa Law

    Designer at Agoda

  • Above all, Alex isn’t just a leader—he’s my personal role model. He drives collaboration with contagious enthusiasm, shares his expertise freely, and celebrates every team win—big and small. Under his guidance, we didn’t just work side by side; we grew stronger, more connected, and inspired to exceed our own expectations. Any team would be lucky to have Alex showing the way.

    Parnrawee Ninlaphan

    Design Systems Designer, Agoda

  • His strong soft skills make him a fantastic communicator and presenter, and he’s constantly inspiring those around him with his unique perspectives. Working with Alex was truly enjoyable. He helped our team develop a product design mindset, bridging the gap between engineering and design. He is the best designer I have worked with, no doubts.

    Michael Abadi Santoso

    Staff Software Engineer, Agoda

  • I had the privilege of working closely with Alexander, and despite being separated by an ocean, he made collaboration feel effortless. Alexander is exceptionally detail-oriented and thorough in everything he does - even his work-in-progress concepts come beautifully documented. He knows exactly when to make smart trade-offs without compromising quality, and he's an outstanding advocate for design thinking throughout any organization.

    Emily Simon

    Design Manager, Rocket Travel by Agoda

  • Alex brings great energy to the team. He’s supportive, always learning and sharing the latest things he discovers—whether it’s new tools, ideas, or ways of working. He’s constantly experimenting with new approaches that often lead to real improvements for the team. He manages to be both driven and genuinely fun to work with.

    Kanokphol Techarattanaprasert

    Design Systems Engineer, Agoda

  • Alex’s leadership ignited my drive to grow. As both leader and mentor, he pushed me—always with respect and encouragement—to stretch beyond my comfort zone: mastering new tools, refining my craft, and setting ever-higher standards. His feedback was straight to the point, honest, and always came from a place of real care for my growth. That perfect mix of candid critique and steadfast support unlocked potential in me I didn’t even know I had.

    Parnrawee Ninlaphan

    Design Systems Designer, Agoda

  • Alex consistently provided innovative design ideas that elevated our projects. His expertise isn't limited to design—he also excels in technical areas, contributing valuable insights on topics like theming editors and design tokens. Alex played a vital role in taking our design system to the next level, always bringing forward creative, future-proof solutions.

    Michael Abadi Santoso

    Staff Software Engineer, Agoda