Hi there, I’m Ruth O’Donoghue. Powered by cats, curiosity, and an unreasonable number of browser tabs.
I design thoughtful, intuitive tools that make complex systems feel human.
Side Quests
I love taking part in game jams, building small prototypes with friends, and capturing moody shots of the Irish mountains. One of the latest games I helped create is Aquamariner - a relaxing, chill fishing game, now on Steam. My photography is all about mist, light, and the quiet stillness of wide-open landscapes.
CURRENTLY
(RE)READING
Refactoring UI
by Adam Wathan
CURRENTLY
TINKERING WITH
Lottie animations
in React
CURRENTLY
LEARNING
Component logic in
React to speak
fluent dev :)
CURRENTLY
UNLEARNING
Perfectionism
(one layout at a time)
How did I get here?
I didn’t start out in product design - I studied game development in Dublin Institute of Technology, where I first fell in love with crafting interactive systems that feel intuitive and engaging.
That curiosity led me into the world of VR and AR, where I explored how emerging tech could tell stories and solve problems in new ways.
Over the last six years, I’ve built a career as a product designer focused on B2B tools and platforms. I thrive on simplifying complexity; whether that’s designing admin dashboards, creating scalable design systems, or partnering closely with engineers to ship thoughtful, human-centred experiences. I currently work for Kubicle, an Ed-Tech platform aimed at solving B2B training challenges.
My technical background still shapes how I think: I love solving messy problems, prototyping fast, and designing with an eye toward real-world constraints.
What managers say.
As Ruth’s manager, I had the pleasure of seeing her grow into a confident, proactive product designer with a keen eye for UI and a strong grasp of user needs. She brought structure to the team – facilitating meetings, aligning stakeholders, and always staying curious and up to date with industry trends. Her ability to empathise with users and translate that into clear, intuitive design made a real impact.
Fun fact: Brian devours product books for fun — we even started a Kubicle book club to swap ideas.
Ruth approaches design with a sharp focus on user experience and flow, always striving to create intuitive, elegant solutions that genuinely meet user needs. Ruth holds herself to incredibly high standards and brings a level of thoughtfulness and care to everything she does. Beyond her design expertise, she brings strong leadership and exceptional soft skills, making her a standout collaborator in cross-functional teams. Any team would be lucky to have her.
Fun fact: Cormac is infamous for his lightning-fast, perfectly timed custom Slack GIFs — an art form in themselves.
What co-workers say.
Ruth is one of the rare designers who truly understands how devs think. Her knowledge of design systems, the DOM, and layout makes implementation seamless. She's collaborative, intuitive, and always puts the user first. Handoffs were smooth, and she could jump into a call and prototype ideas live with no friction.
Fun fact: Deb once debugged a layout issue using only Paint.net and instinct.
When I worked with Ruth, she consistently went above and beyond the expectations of a designer. She wasn’t just a strong team player, she brought sharp insight and deep knowledge of UX and user-centred design to everything she touched. She never hesitated to take initiative, tackling complex challenges head-on and stepping up for projects others avoided due to scope or uncertainty.
Fun fact: Merina is a qualified yoga teacher, and her Spotify playlists power half my design flow.
Working with Ruth is a dream for any developer. She brings empathy and clarity to every design, and genuinely values collaboration and iteration. Ruth doesn’t just hand off mockups; she actively involves developers in the design process, listening to their input, asking the right questions, and making sure implementation is considered from the start. She thrives in remote environments, staying communicative, proactive, and genuinely enjoyable to work with - no matter the time zone.
Fun fact: Simon owns 100+ board games and ran our fiercest virtual games night at Kubicle.
