About Michael, principal designer in Toronto

I’m Michael Saravia, a principal UX designer based in Toronto, Canada, with over a decade of experience turning complex systems into clear, usable products. I work with fintech and marketplace teams to improve conversion, reduce friction, and build scalable design systems. I started in graphic design, moved into digital art direction, and now lead product and UX strategy. My focus stays consistent, help people complete tasks with less effort and more confidence.

My strength is simplifying complexity at scale. I combine user-centred design with strong system thinking, which allows teams to ship faster with consistency. I support platform modernisation, lead cross-functional teams, and build accessible experiences that meet WCAG standards.

I work at the intersection of UX strategy and design systems. I help teams align product, engineering, and business goals into clear, measurable outcomes. Recent work includes improving acquisition funnels, reducing drop-off, and increasing attach rates through better information architecture and interaction design.

I also invest in team growth. I mentor designers, improve collaboration with engineers, and set up systems that reduce rework and increase delivery speed.

Outside the desk

I am currently focused on how UX design evolves with AI. I explore how teams can use AI to speed up delivery while maintaining quality, accessibility, and ethical standards. My work centres on keeping human decision-making strong while systems become more automated.

I share practical insights on the future of UX, UX strategy, how AI is reshaping our roles, and what we owe our users through my articles.

If you are hiring a principal UX designer in Toronto, or need support with UX strategy, design systems, or product improvement, get in touch or connect with me on LinkedIn.

I’ve been working under Michael for over half a year now, and during that time, he has significantly improved the design process within our team. He consistently encourages us to come together and thoughtfully discuss how we can make our design strategy more scalable and future-focused.

What I appreciate most about Michael is his ability to always look ahead and explore future possibilities while still being highly supportive in day-to-day collaboration. He constantly inspires me to improve, learn new approaches, and strengthen how I work with stakeholders. He is also incredibly responsive to feedback and ensures we receive UX direction and support in a timely manner.

Beyond project work, Michael has been someone I can rely on for honest conversations about career growth as a designer. He often shares perspectives I would never have considered myself and sometimes reminds me why I became a product designer in the first place. In fast-paced work environments, it can be easy to lose sight of that, but Michael has had a strong influence on helping me continue to evolve and grow as part of the design team and an individual designer.

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Yuki Tsuji
UX/UI designer at MFSG

Working with Michael as my manager over the last six months has completely transformed how our design team operates within the organization. Before he joined, our design process was largely independent and fragmented, with each designer following their own ad-hoc methods.

He stepped in and established a unified, structured workflow that replaced that isolation with a scalable system. This new approach is so well-organized that any designer could join tomorrow and immediately pick up exactly where the work left off.

Beyond the operational structure, he has been a tireless advocate for the design team, elevating our voice in cross-functional discussions and providing the “air cover” we previously lacked. Having him back us up in tough situations has shifted the culture from designers feeling like it is “us against the world” to feeling like a supported and integral part of the product team.

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Abhijeet Singh
UX designer at MFSG

Collaborating with Michael on a Content Management System migration project was a fantastic experience.

His commitment to the user experience is evident in every decision he makes, as he consistently puts the customer first, ensuring each design choice adds real value. Michaels positive and proactive approach enables him to spot opportunities across various touch points as he actively takes on diverse stakeholder input to ensure a well rounded perspective to shape the final product.

Michael fosters a culture of openness, learning and collaboration making him an invaluable resources for our team – always ready to lend a helping hand by consulting on multiple other projects. A true asset and team player, having him on board guarantees our collective success.

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Salonee Paul
Manager connectivity partner engagement at Booking.com

I’ve had the opportunity to work with Michael over the past couple of years to optimize the digital user experience for our Connectivity Partner Program. It’s a very large, complex, and fast-paced project with a great number of cross-functional stakeholders and high visibility.

Michael leads his initiatives and stakeholders within the project with confidence and determination. His innate curiosity leads to important discussions and ultimately, user-centric problem solving. Furthermore, he’s diligent with research and getting to the root of our objectives which is truly invaluable to the work we do.

He’s always ensuring that we follow brand guidelines and do the right thing for our company whilst still keeping the end user (our partners) in mind. I enjoy collaborating with Michael, and can rely on him for meeting deadlines and delivering quality work. He would be a great asset for any company who values having a dedicated, collaborative, and reliable UX expert leading their projects.

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Daalina Dinaali
Global Marketing, Events, Operations & Partnerships at Booking.com

We worked together on a few projects in the last years and every time I have seen Michael extremely detail-oriented, easy to communicate and get required information. He is well structured in his projects, storing data/ inputs and communication that gave insights and helped in driving value-based conversations.

It would be nice to see him carry these traits onward as they are helpful for his stakeholder and we (as a stakeholder) can completely rely on him.

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Dishant Bhasin
Global senior project manager at Booking.com

Michael is an amazing designer, with a very strong work ethic and an eye for detail. He is very innovative and always looking for new solutions and ideas that can advance his knowledge to exceed others’ expectations and goals. He is extremely dedicated, passionate and hardworking and always has a great awareness of new creative strategies and technology, which made him such a great asset to Roots.

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Alex Contini
Senior web designer at Roots

Michael is a very dedicated individual who is dedicated to seeing progress, meeting deadlines and delivering committed projects. He works with his team to mentor and guide them while networking with others to progress his own skills. He is a joy to work with.

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James Connell
Vice president e-commerce & marketing at Roots

Michael is a very knowledgeable and hard working web developer. I’ve collaborated directly with Michael in creating content for the ALDO Group e-commerce website. He has consistently stepped out of the box to produce great quality and dynamically rich content. Furthermore, his curiosity and eagerness to learn has acquired him additional skills in the content management domain via ICE3 CMS. I would absolutely recommend Michael for any future endeavors for his ability to adapt in a variety of environments, his ability to comply with deadlines, his amicable personality and his coding skills in which he is always trying to push the limit. A great pleasure to have worked with him.

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Giuliana Elia
Website administrator at ALDO Group

I worked closely with Michael and he is definitely the most detailed-oriented designer that I have seen. He leaves nothing to chance. He is a bright, hard working designer who is a pleasure to have in a studio. He is absolutely reliable and his work is impeccable. Michael took ownership of the Call it Spring brand, immersed himself in the products and the business goals. He takes pride in his work, never misses a deadline and is always ready to give you a little bit more than you asked for. As a Web designer, Michael is curious about coding, keeps up to date with best practices and always interested in finding new UX solutions to put the user at the center of his design.

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Jason Martin
Senior web designer at ALDO Group

Mr. Saravia is an action-oriented individual with innovative ideas and an ability to “think outside the box”. What distinguishes him from his peers is his business approach and a true understanding of the end consumer. In an ever-changing environment, he has proven to continuously adapt and meet tight deadlines. Michael is a pleasure to work with; a strong asset and team player.

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Gianna Caucci
Ecommerce merchandiser at ALDO Group