I'm Erika Kodama, a product designer based in San Francisco with over five years of experience in fintech.

I've led design on products used by millions of workers including savings tools, earnings features, tip payout systems, and onboarding flows. The work is usually complicated under the hood. My job is making sure it doesn't feel that way to the person using it.

I work closely with product, engineering, and compliance, and I'm most useful when I'm in the problem early, not handed a spec at the end.

Outside of work I teach Pilates. It's taught me a lot about how to guide people clearly, give feedback that actually lands, and build toward something incrementally. That mindset shows up in how I design.

AI & my design practice

AI is part of my process at every stage, not something I reach for occasionally.

The most distinctive thing I've been doing lately is using Claude Code to pull directly from our GitHub repos and generate production-accurate screens in Figma. Instead of designing against a static component library, I'm working with what's actually in the codebase. It surfaces constraints early and keeps design and engineering in sync.

Day to day I use AI to synthesize research, pressure-test decisions, write microcopy, and draft documentation. It handles the mechanical work so I can focus on judgment and craft.

I'm actively looking to move from using AI in my process to designing AI experiences themselves. That's what's next for me.

“Over the past three years, Erika has helped shape nearly every product experience we offer- from core wallet features to our new tips offering. Her impact runs deep across the team and our products. Her creativity, user-centric approach and hard work have been instrumental in shaping our products and processes. We’re lucky to have her shaping the designs our users rely on everyday.”

Adam, Director of Product Design at Branch
"Erika's attention to detail is unparalleled and her openness to feedback enables her to iterate quickly and effectively. She fosters an environment where critique is embraced and everyone is encouraged to grow. She also played an instrumental role in my onboarding, making sure I felt included and confident from day one. Her combination of problem-solving skills, leadership, and design expertise makes her a valuable asset to any team."

Jooyoung, Product Designer at Branch