Customer-centric Product Consultant
Supporting early and growth-stage startups in crafting robust product strategies and engaging user experiences, driving impactful results.
“As a CEO and founder working closely with Adriana Torresan, I highly recommend her as Product & UX Leader. Approaching our work as a former tech founder herself, Adriana leads teams from experience and helps avoid the pitfalls of startup journey. She works within budget, is a strategic networking connector (development firms, advisors, mentors in various disciplines) and is critically minded with an eye towards the best measurable outcomes. Her discovery process and research come from a deep understanding of customer needs and competitive landscape. In a word, Adriana is exceptional.”
— Jenny Umhofer, President and Founder, Colledge and ColledgeNEXT
Areas of Expertise
Practice Areas
• Customer Discovery & User Research
• Competitive Analysis
• Product Strategy & Roadmap
• Product Design (UX and UI) & Prototyping
• Project Management
• GenerativeAI Trends
Specialization
• Conduct experiments to test hypotheses
• Launch new products & attain product-market fit
• Build product teams and identify vendors
• Set up and refine development processes
• Mentor new founders in the startup ecosystem
“Adriana knows how to organize chaos and build processes so that the products she works on develop smoothly and beautifully. She is a constant researcher - she is always looking for the optimal way to approach a UX problem, or is talking to customers, or keeping up with the latest best practices. As our product director, Adriana helped us take an MVP-type mobile app to the next level with users. She is guaranteed to improve and beautify any product that she works on!”
— Lyn Johnson, Founder & CEO at West Tenth
Services
Fractional Product & Design Leader
As a Fractional Head of Product, my primary objective is to orchestrate successful product launches, be it Proof of Concepts (POCs), Minimum Viable Products (MVPs), or product enhancements, with the ultimate goal of achieving product-market fit for early-stage startups. I bring 25 years of expertise in Product Management and UX/UI Design, along with founding a startup, to enhance your product strategy and elevate the overall user experience.
Operating on a flexible part-time basis with a flat retainer fee, I am committed to steering your initiatives toward sustained success in today's dynamic business landscape.
Project-based Consulting
On a project-by-project basis, I undertake a diverse set of activities in the fields of product management and UX/UI design. This includes gaining a deep understanding of customer needs and market dynamics, strategically aligning product and business goals, and managing the entire product development process from conceptualization to design, delivery, and ongoing optimization.
With a holistic approach and over 25 years of experience, I focus on creating delightful user experiences, successfully launching products, and achieving product-market fit for early-stage startups.
Advisory
Drawing from my own experience as a startup founder, along with 25 years of expertise in product management and UX/UI design, I mentor new founders in the startup ecosystem. My focus is on developing and validating problem and solution hypotheses, creating a solid business model, establishing clear product strategies and plans, setting measurable KPIs and OKRs, building and leading teams, and aligning product and business goals.
With a minimal monthly commitment and a flat retainer fee, my adaptable guidance is designed to empower new startup founders for success within the dynamic and intricate startup landscape.
Case Studies
ColledgeNEXT
ChatGPT-powered college counselor that helps high school students with the college admissions process.
Solution
Validate problem and solution hypotheses with user research (user interviews, competitive analysis) and build a low-cost proof-of-concept (POC) to gain traction and market validation.
West Tenth
Two-sided marketplace connecting women-owned, home-based businesses with busy moms.
Solution
For the mobile app, a new user onboarding flow, a new home screen, and the productization of business services were created. A new website was launched. Delivered 32% increase in activation.
Lupn
GovTech, SaaS, B2B2C platform helping mid-size cities expand community outreach.
Solution
Centralize all local government events, programs, news and alerts in a user-friendly mobile app. Secured a contract with the City of Glendale, CA serving 250,000 residents.
Age of Learning
Educational technology company helping children build a strong foundation for academic success.
Solution
Prototypes and user tests for AI-driven games, which later became the company’s flagship product bringing $120M in revenue.
Letsplay
Two-sided marketplace helping recreational and wellness organizations grow.
Solution
Managed customer research, competitive analysis, experiments, and prototyping, which led the product to pivot into a marketplace.
Walt Disney Imagineering
Walt Disney Imagineering is responsible for the Disney theme parks and attractions worldwide.
Solution
Created the StoryMarket website and pre-build experiences for park attractions on the $1 billion Magical Wristband system.
About
With 25 years of experience in various roles, including tech startup founder, product leader, and UX designer, I have worked in startup and corporate settings like Age of Learning and Disney Imagineering. Passionate for how technology can positively shape lives, my recent focus has been on generative AI-powered products, delving into rich discussions surrounding their potential impact.
Fractional Leader
As a fractional leader, I provide top-tier expertise and direction on a part-time basis, making me a perfect choice for cost-conscious startups seeking product management and design know-how.