Sandile Nkosi

** ******* **, ****, ********, ****5

Email: adzylh@r.postjobfree.com

Phone: 248-***-****

Citizenship: South African (US Green Card holder)

Languages: English, Zulu, Sesotho (Native) and intermediate Afrikaans Portfolio: UX Design Research Multi-Disciplinary Design Portfolio LinkedIn Career Profile

Sixteen years’ work experience in South Africa and abroad, including; founding two sustainability-focused businesses in the fields of industrial design and communication design; lectured undergraduate students on design thinking, business studies and entrepreneurial endeavours as well as taught English as a foreign language. Soon-to-be Google UX Design Research Certified (August 2023).

Work Experience

Operations Manager. Protovate (January 2018 – July 2023) Founder of manufacturing business focusing on small-space furniture for compact living in South Africa. Activities included: design consulting for clients; expanding current market share; identifying appropriate, innovative furniture products for future development; overseeing production team and quality control, negotiating contracts and price structures with retailers, robust management and organizational skills and new talent sourcing. Part-Time Learning Facilitator. Tshimologong WITS University (July 2023) Worked with a small team of fabricators and engineers in the makers space to develop and create typically CNC-manufactured products. Developed and facilitated a 5-day fabrication training program on laser and CNC technology, focusing on problem-solving, teamwork and collaboration. This program up-skilled youth in emerging technologies increasing youth participation in the digital economy.

Part-Time Manufacturing Instructor. Made in Workshop (May 2021 – June 2023) As an instructor and maker at the largest DIY workshop and makers space in South Africa, I oversaw daily operations of the facility as well as the machines and engaged frequently with makers to problem solve their project design and manufacturing. I have a strong understanding of the DIY and maker-space industry, and I am passionate about helping others learn and create. Part-Time Lecturer. University of Johannesburg (January 2018 – December 2020) Developed curriculum and taught the second year Entrepreneurship Module to Design students. The teaching approach was underpinned by Design Thinking philosophy and methodology. The purpose was ideation development and market opportunity identification for a conceptual design. Art Director. Print Savvy (July 2014 - November 2017) Acquired new clients and suppliers; managed design and production team; offered customised, turnkey solutions from concept, through branding strategy to final marketing material. English Lecturer. Joongbu University, South Korea (March 2010 – June 2014) Tasked with developing comprehensive English language courses and syllabi to enable teaching of students at a range of proficiency levels. Taught students with career paths in business studies, flight attendance, police officers, media studies and journalism. Creative Art Director, Daejeon Access, South Korea (September 2011 – May 2014) Created visual graphics and designed layouts on a freelance basis for a bimonthly digital and print magazine targeting the English-speaking community in Daejeon, South Korea. Guest Speaker. Oakland University, USA (January 2013) Guest lectured on "Transnational Communications" in a Communications Theory course for undergraduate students.

Creative Art Director, Guerrilla Marketing (February 2008 – January 2009) With focus on unconventional design and layout, utilised Adobe Creative Suite to create new brands and enhance existing artwork, oversaw quality control, prepared brand content for final production.

Design & Layout Desktop Publishing, Y&R (February 2007 – January 2008) Focused on using Adobe Suite to create layouts for retail advertising campaigns and print. Recognition and Business Incubation Training

2021: DTI Design Competition Finalist: Runner-up in sustainable manufacturing category 2021: CSUN Innovation Incubator: California based entrepreneurial incubation program 2019: 6

th

Cairo International Exhibition on Innovation: Special guest exhibiter 2018: Orange Corners Business Incubation Alumni: Entrepreneurship incubation 2017: Global Entrepreneurship Awards: Finalist, African Diaspora Innovation Start-up 2016: Sophiatown BizCre8: 15-month business accelerator focused on sustainability 2006: SABS National Design Achievers Awards: RSA representative in Germany Education

Google UX Design Research Professional Certificate (Coursera) Completed 7 certificate courses on user-centred design, user research, prototyping, wireframing, and high-fidelity responsive designs. Developed expertise in Figma, Adobe XD and creating user-friendly, intuitive products. Masters, Industrial Design (University of Johannesburg) Completed a master's dissertation on The Design of Innovative and Sustainably Produced Furniture for Compact Living in Johannesburg and registered design patents with Technology Transfer Office (TTO) from the University. Focused on Human-Centred Design (HCD) methodologies. Teaching English as a Foreign Language Qualification (English Access) 100 hours of training including theory and practical classroom teaching exercises

2022 – 2023

2018 – 2021

2009

Bachelor’s, Visual Communication (University of Johannesburg) Business Management, Social Design and Sustainability, Communication Strategy and Design Principles.

2002 - 2006

Skills

Figma, Adobe XD, Invision, Illustrator, InDesign, Freehand. Inkscape, Photoshop, Aspire, Corel Draw, SheetCam, Microsoft PowerPoint, Excel and Word. Competencies

UX Researcher, Wireframing, Storyboarding, Responsive Design, Affinity Diagrams, UI Design, UX Design, Fidelity Prototypes and Social Good Design. Research

Usability Study, Design Thinking, Design Research, Human-Centred Design and Research Through Design.

References

Prof. Thea Tselepis

Associate Prof: DHET-NRF SARChI in

Entrepreneurship Education

University of Johannesburg

Phone: +27-83-22-65-808

Email: adzylh@r.postjobfree.com

Prof. Martin Bolton

Head of Department: Industrial Design,

University of Johannesburg

Phone: +27-82-63-84-818

Email: adzylh@r.postjobfree.com

Prof. Timothy Tiemann

Managing Director CSUN Innovation

Incubator

California State University, Northridge

Email: adzylh@r.postjobfree.com

Henry Levine

CEO

Made In Workshop

Phone: +27-83-269-****

Email: adzylh@r.postjobfree.com

Software

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