Ko Punithavelu

Hello there!

I'm Ko

I'm a Lead Product Designer focused on transforming complex product and service challenges into scalable, inclusive design systems.

I work at the intersection of business strategy and real human needs. I don’t just design interfaces — I design operating systems for complex organisations. From helping citizens navigate NSW Government services, to transforming high-stakes financial journeys at Australian banks, to building healthcare SaaS products like Synapse AI from scratch, I focus on turning institutional complexity into clear, usable, and scalable experiences.

My portfolio spans end-to-end product design — discovery, service blueprinting, BPMN-aligned process redesign, design systems, and close collaboration with engineering. I believe great design should be predictable, fair, and resilient under pressure. By staying close to the code, I ensure what ships is exactly what was envisioned: accessible, compliant, reliable, and built to last.

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15+ Years Experience
WCAG 2.2 Certified
Govt. + Finance + Healthcare Specialist

What I Solve

I turn messy, legalistic, financial, and clinical complexity into effortless human journeys — from government services and banking platforms to healthcare SaaS products like Synapse AI, built from the ground up.

HOW I LEAD

I align cross-functional teams around a shared vision of quality, scalability, and technical governance — shaping strategy, workflows, and design systems that stand up to real-world pressure.

Where I've Been

Led large-scale delivery across US, Australian, and NZ organisations including ANZ, Macquarie Bank, ME Bank, NZ MBIE, NSW DCS — and founded Synapse AI, a healthcare SaaS platform designed for trust, compliance, and clinical precision.

What People Say

Trusted by design leaders, accessibility experts, and cross-functional teams

LinkedIn Recommendations
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I had the pleasure of working with Ko on several projects. He is passionate about inclusive design and accessibility and is keen to find solutions that work for all customers not just some. His creative and analytical skills combined with an inquisitive nature and willingness to learn and grow means having someone like Ko on your team is a real bonus. As others have said, Ko knows his craft and is valued by his clients and teammates.

Greg Alchin
Accessibility and Inclusion Lead (Service NSW)
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Ko is like a UX swiss army knife. He can do just about anything you can imagine with UX. I appreciated Ko's ability to partner with the client, to design awesome experiences, and also his technical chops. Ko is a designer, a UI developer, a software engineer, and a researcher and just a great guy to work with.

Daniel Laughlin
Global Experience Strategy @ IBM
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When I first met Ko I was incredibly impressed by his considerable international experience in Process and UX design thanks to his role as Design Practice Lead for Virtusa. We then set him the challenge of uplifting the home loan process at Macquarie, which he promptly did, leading to dramatic improvements in touch and cycle time as well as improved customer experience. I was fortunate enough to work with Ko at 2 different organisations and would gladly work with him again. He offers a rare set of skills and experience that enable him to straddle both business and technology.

Jason Cross-Martin
Transformation Program Director @ Optus
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I had the pleasure of working with Ko on several projects. He is the unique ability to quickly analyze client challenges, assess alternatives and develop customized solutions to meet business needs. Change is often difficult and clients actually enjoy The changes brought by Ko's UX. He brings a wealth of experience to drive lasting change and speedy adoption of solutions. Bottom line, Ko knows his craft and is valued by his clients and teammates.

David Stout
General Manager @ Capgemini
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Ko is a true professional who goes where he is needed to do the job that needs to be done. Our time together was spent on a large project for my former employer. We were both focused on the user's experience and Ko flew into NYC from Florida weekly to help us make the application delightfully usable. Ko assimilated quickly to the multi-faceted, multi-disciplined teams while producing high quality work. An expert in the field of User Experience. I hope I work with Ko again some day. An asset to any team.

Charles (CJ) Cuccaro, CUA, CXA
UX Lead @ S&P Global

Impactful Design for Brands

Clients I've had the privilege to collaborate with in the past.

Australia & New Zealand

NSW Government logo
MBIE logo
Pega logo
ANZ logo
Macquarie logo
Optus logo
ME Bank logo
Toyota Financials logo

International Clients

Bloomin' Brands logo
Blue Cross logo
BT logo
Centene logo
Chase logo
Citi logo
Motorola logo
NHS logo
Vermont logo
Prudential logo
Quest logo
Standard Chartered logo
Smith & Nephew logo
S&P Global logo
TRG logo
UnitedHealth logo
Wells Fargo logo
Wyndham logo

Design projects

Selected works where research meets rigorous design to bridge the gap between user needs and business goals.

Professional Profile

15+ years designing inclusive, accessible experiences for government and enterprise

Senior Product Designer (Contract)

NSW Department of Customer Service - Sydney

Sep 2021 - Present

  • Spatial Data Strategy: Leading UX design for NSW Spatial Digital Twin products, transforming complex geospatial data into intuitive, interactive digital interfaces.
  • Accessibility Leadership: Championing digital inclusion by conducting comprehensive accessibility evaluations and executing data-driven redesigns rooted in WCAG-aligned testing.
  • Product Ecosystem Excellence: Delivering end-to-end enhancements for high-traffic NSW Government services, including:
    • Customer Profile: Streamlining identity and service management for citizens.
    • Strata Hub: Optimizing transparency and reporting workflows for scheme management.
    • Seniors Card: Modernizing the digital experience to improve accessibility for older demographics.
ESRI NSW Spatial Digital Twin Customer Profile Seniors Card Licence NSW Strata Hub

Principal UX Designer

Aaseya IT services - Sydney

Dec 2020 – Sep 2021

Led end-to-end UX and service design for New Zealand MBIE's Business Connect B2E licensing platform, streamlining complex licensing workflows to enhance agent experience, reduce friction, and improve operational efficiency across government services.

NZ Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE) NSW Strata Hub Optus Lease Plan

Principal CX Designer

Coforge - Sydney

Aug 2019 – Dec 2020

Led UX transformations across finance, government, and audit sectors—driving measurable impact and usability at scale.

Lloyd's of London Toyota Financials NSW DPIE Link Group AICPA CAG of India

Principal UX Designer

Virtusa - Sydney

Oct 2014 – Aug 2019

Delivered end-to-end UX design for leading banks, improving lending, onboarding, and user experiences through research, systems thinking, and collaboration.

  • Led UX for Macquarie Bank's Cash Management Account, driving user-centred improvements through deep research and agile delivery.
  • Designed a scalable design system for ME Bank, streamlining home loan and credit card experiences.
  • Enhanced home loan origination for a digital bank by optimising workflows and usability.
  • Created intuitive B2C, B2E and B2B solutions for clients including ME Bank, ANZ, Link Group, Macquarie, and Standard Chartered—balancing functionality with great UX.
ANZ Bank Macquarie Bank ME Bank Standard Chartered Bank

Apr 2006 – Oct 2014

  • Delivered UX initiatives for US Medicare insurance providers, boosting claims processing efficiency by 50% and reducing legal risk by 90%, and increasing customer satisfaction.
  • Designed a wound care mobile app for Smith & Nephew, enabling healthcare providers to monitor recovery via a smart bandage and deliver tailored patient guidance.
  • Designed a casual dining app, improving Net Promoter Score from -21 to +78 by redesigning end-to-end mobile ordering experiences.
Allianz WellCare Humana Centene S&P Global Smith and Nephew Baxter Cardinal Health State of Vermont OPR Bloomin' Brands

Interaction Designer

Cognizant - New Jersey

Dec 2019 – Oct 2014

  • Multi-Platform Design: Designed and launched native mobile and desktop web applications for a portfolio of Fortune 500 US clients, including CVS Pharmacy, Quest, and Blue Cross Blue Shield.
  • Complex UX Strategy: Translated intricate clinical and financial requirements into intuitive user journeys for the healthcare, pharma, and insurance sectors (Prudential, TRG).
  • Design Systems: Spearheaded cross-platform design systems ensuring seamless brand consistency and accessibility between mobile environments and web portals.
Quest TRG Prudential Blue cross Blue shield CVS Pharmacy

Education & Training

Continuous learning in accessibility, inclusive design, and UX methodologies

Education

Master of Computer Applications

Anna University

Professional Certificate in Web Accessibility

University of South Australia

Training

Designing for Accessibility and Inclusion

Intopia

WCAG 2.2 Conformance Testing – Detailed Methodology Accessibility

Deque Systems, Inc

6.25 IAAP Continuing Accessibility Education Credits (CAECs)

Expertise & Tools

I transform complex requirements into intuitive products using a strategic blend of inclusive design thinking and technical precision.

Strategy & Collaboration

  • User-Centered Design
  • Accessibility Auditing
  • Inclusive Design Systems
  • Stakeholder Workshop Facilitation
  • Heuristic Evaluation
  • Empathy Mapping

Technical Stack

  • WCAG 2.1 / 2.2 Compliance
  • WAI-ARIA Implementation
  • HTML5 & CSS3
  • JavaScript & jQuery
  • Figma
  • Pega System Design

Certifications

Current credentials in accessibility, AI-augmented UX, and design systems

View all on LinkedIn

2025

AI and ChatGPT for Efficient UX Research AI

Udemy

Gen AI · UX Research

2025

Master WCAG 2.2 Accessibility

Udemy

2025

Web Design Accessibility Certificate Accessibility

Udemy

WCAG · W3C Accessibility · Web Accessibility Testing

2025

Figma UI UX Design Advanced

Udemy

Figma · Design Systems · Prototyping · Accessibility

2025

SAP Signavio Process Modelling (BPMN 2.0)

Udemy

2025

The Practical BPMN 2.0 Master Class

Udemy

2025

UX, Research & AI Certifications UX AI

LinkedIn Learning Community

User Stories · Journey Mapping · Figma for UX Research · Design Thinking in the Age of AI

Let's Talk
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