Anca Sofan, Lead Product / UX Designer at BoatyardX, plays a key role in shaping the intersection of design and product strategy. With 18+ years of experience and a base in Cluj-Napoca, Anca leads cross-functional teams in building user-first digital solutions that are both intuitive and scalable. She’s known for her collaborative spirit, strategic mindset, and her ability to turn complex challenges into elegant, impactful experiences—whether she’s mentoring teammates, leading discovery workshops, or navigating delivery with product teams.
What is your role at BoatyardX and what does a typical day look like for you?
I’ve recently stepped into the role of Lead Product / UX Designer (because one hat just isn’t enough)—a natural evolution that blends my passion for design with a growing focus on product strategy. Most days are a balancing act between user research, design work, roadmap alignment, and keeping communication flowing across design, product, and development. I bounce between Figma, Miro, Jira, but I also spend a lot more time zoomed out—making sure we’re solving the right problems and staying aligned with the bigger picture. There’s never a dull moment—which is just how I like it.
What challenges have you faced in your role and how have you overcome them?
Start-up projects can be… fun. You’re constantly trying to keep users happy while navigating ambitious ideas, unclear pathways, competing priorities, and the occasional moving target. The trick? Early alignment, strong discovery, and having the confidence that as a team we can figure it out together. I’ve learned to embrace the grey areas, ask the uncomfortable questions, and create space for better decisions – not just faster ones.
What have been your proudest achievements while working at BoatyardX?
Definitely the Butterfly Project (not its real name, but it stuck). It started as a super complex, lingo-heavy vision and turned into more than a platform – it’s a bridge between tech and the urgent need for sustainability in biodiversity conservation. I led it from discovery and design to live, shaped the product goal, and helped the team bring it across the finish line. The best part? Knowing it helps real people make smarter, greener decisions and sets the stage for future environmental innovation. Watching it land well with the client and end users was the kind of validation that comes with great satisfaction.
Join BoatyardX
Spread across 5 locations, Cluj, Iasi and Brasov (Romania), Dublin (Ireland) and Chicago (US), the BoatyardX team continues to grow. With customers in North and South America, Europe, Northern Africa and South-East Asia, the team spans the key working timezones. Expertise is enhanced across the teams through establishing technical competency groups led by experienced leaders, charged with ensuring best practice and efficient learning across all the organisation.