Hi. I'm Frank. I design behaviors, not just interfaces.

I'm Frank Barnhardt, a Product Design Lead based in San Rafael, CA. Twenty years of turning complex problems into experiences that actually work — from first concept to final deployment.

I work across the full design stack — brand, product, and enterprise systems. With AI in the workflow, one designer can now do what used to require a team. I use that deliberately.

1. Design Systems + Enterprise UX
2. AI-assisted Product Design
3. Digital Products
4. Brand Identity

End-to-end design lead for teams that need strategy and execution in the same person.

1. Project managers who need high-skill, low-ego delivery
2. Engineers who need a partner that speaks their language
3. Creative directors who need ideas that sell before they're built
4. Stakeholders who need to trust the person in the room

I built a four-level framework for how AI participates in product design — not as a trend, as a practice. Most designers are still figuring out what AI is. I'm already designing systems around what it does and where it breaks.

"AI is a material, like paint or code. Use it when it makes the work better. Put it down when it doesn't. That judgment is the job."

1. AI as productivity tool
2. Human in the loop
3. Agents in systems
4. Right tool, right job

If you're building something in healthcare, AI, or anywhere the design stakes are real — I'd like to hear about it. Send me an email and tell me what you're working on.

I'm currently open to full-time roles and select consulting engagements — particularly in healthcare AI, AI-native products, and enterprise UX.

hello@fbdesign.org →

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