Publication
Emotional Branding for Sustainable Product Design
https://www.toptal.com/designers/brand/emotional-design-brand
Danielle is available for hire
Hire DanielleDanielle Thompson
Verified Expert in Design
Designer
Valencia, Spain
Toptal member since March 15, 2016
Bio
Danielle is a user-centered product strategist with 10+ years of experience designing data-heavy systems from 0 to 1. She’s led cross-functional teams at fintech, medtech, and enterprise SaaS companies, delivering innovative, research-driven UX for platforms that now serve over 500 million users globally. Her work blends behavioral science with interface clarity, helping teams turn complex systems into intuitive products that scale.
Experience
- User Experience (UX) - 8 years
- Web Design - 8 years
- Finance - 6 years
- Enterprise Design - 6 years
- User Interface (UI) - 6 years
- Medtech - 5 years
- Mobile App Design - 5 years
- Enterprise SaaS - 4 years
Portfolio
Galileo 2.0 | Unifying Retail Analytics for PepsiCo
Dashboard DesignData VisualizationProduct DesignDigital Product DesignArtificial Intelligence (AI)Workflow Analysis
POS Redesign and Consumer Research
Product DesignUX DesignUI DesignWorkflow Analysis
Loyalty Research and Design (Singsaver)
DesignUI DesignUX DesignLoyalty Programs
Streamlining Global eCommerce Campaigns | Wonderful
eCommerce UXeCommerceAdsMedia Buying
Work Experience
Product Designer
2026 - 2026
PepsiCo Global - Digital Commerce - Fieldglass
- Redesigned core distribution workflows for an enterprise retail platform, unifying product content management across Amazon, Walmart, Kroger, and more into one system.
- Integrated AI across the platform end-to-end. Automated SKU/retailer matching, smart notifications, and workflow routing-validated against 31 real-world scenarios.
- Delivered engineering-ready design documentation, including full design token systems, component state audits, flow architectures, and development requirements, enabling handoff with near-zero ambiguity between design and build.
- Designed a platform-wide notification architecture with role-based routing: one system that any product module plugs into with zero custom code.
Technologies: Product Design, Workflow Analysis
Lead Product Designer
2023 - 2025
StubHub
- Led the complete overhaul of the point of sale (POS) system, driving a user-centric redesign that streamlined operations and elevated the end-to-end consumer experience.
- Directed research and design for a global Premier League loyalty initiative, integrating rewards into international ticketing flows and strengthening repeat purchases and fan engagement.
- Developed consumer-facing innovations in ticketing and seller engagement, applying user testing and behavioral insights to increase cross-sell revenue and overall marketplace stickiness.
- Pioneered gamification strategies, introducing progress tracking and milestone-driven incentives that boosted seller activity and overall transaction volume.
- Presented complex research findings and design strategies to senior stakeholders, translating consumer insights into compelling narratives that influenced product roadmaps and secured alignment across global teams.
- Optimized and governed the design system, enforcing consistency and enabling rapid deployment across platforms, resulting in stronger brand coherence and faster time-to-market.
Technologies: Product Design, UX Design, UI Design, POS, Android App Design, iOS App Design, App UX, Interaction Design (IxD), UI Prototyping, User Experience Design, Mobile UI Design, Branding, Mobile UX Design, Data-heavy Design, B2B, Workflow Analysis
Product Owner
2021 - 2022
St. Jude Cloud
- Directed user research and design for the world’s largest open-source pediatric cancer database, leading mixed-methods testing to ensure usability for scientists, clinicians, and researchers worldwide.
- Synthesized complex medical and genomic data into intuitive digital workflows, making cutting-edge cancer research tools accessible to non-technical audiences.
- Created and validated new workflows and data visualization tools, enabling global researchers to analyze and share genomic insights more effectively.
- Presented findings and prototypes to leading cancer researchers and institutional stakeholders, aligning cross-functional teams on product direction and usability priorities.
- Guided the development team in building scalable cloud-based research tools, improving accessibility, transparency, and collaboration in cancer research globally.
Technologies: Zeplin, Figma, UI Design, UX Design, Responsive Web Design (RWD), Visual Design, User Flows, Wireframing, UX Research, User Interviews, Prototyping, Web Dashboards, Design Systems, React Native, Interaction Design (IxD), UI Prototyping, User Experience Design, Branding, Data-heavy Design, B2B, Workflow Analysis
UX Researcher | Product Owner
2021 - 2021
Singsaver
- Redesigned and prototyped core consumer flows at speed, applying behavioral insights to optimize usability and conversion across high-traffic products.
- Facilitated workshops with rewards, marketing, and product teams, translating research findings into actionable design concepts and roadmaps.
- Created prototypes of new features and incentive models (cashback, rewards, and alternative payments) so cross-functional teams could visualize and implement changes.
- Conducted UX audits and 40+ user tests (moderated and unmoderated) to validate design decisions and ensure alignment with consumer needs.
- Delivered measurable business impact, increasing travel insurance conversion by 15% and providing a research-backed playbook for future loyalty innovation.
Technologies: Figma, UXPin, Maze
Head of Design
2020 - 2021
Parallel
- Led market research and consumer testing to identify a new target segment, shaping product positioning and informing the go-to-market strategy.
- Conducted 40+ consumer interviews and usability studies, translating qualitative insights into design improvements that directly drove product innovation.
- Rebuilt and relaunched the platform within four months, collaborating closely with engineering to deliver a consumer-ready product at speed.
- Presented research findings and product concepts to investors and stakeholders, supporting capital-raising efforts and securing alignment on strategy.
Technologies: Product Design, User Experience (UX), Enterprise SaaS, Enterprise Design, User Interface (UI), Web Design, Rapid Prototyping, Figma, Zeplin, UX Design, Responsive Web Design (RWD), Visual Design, User Flows, Wireframing, UX Research, User Interviews, Prototyping, Web Dashboards, Design Systems, iOS App Design, React Native, App UX, Interaction Design (IxD), UI Prototyping, User Experience Design, Branding, B2B
Head of Design
2020 - 2020
Moonfare
- Established Moonfare’s first design function as the company’s inaugural Head of Design, embedding design-led thinking across product and strategy.
- Directed consumer research and usability testing (moderated and unmoderated) to define new investor personas, validate flows, and uncover emotional triggers in the investment journey.
- Guided product direction through research-backed recommendations, ensuring platform usability, trust, and accessibility for both experienced and first-time investors.
- Scaled design operations and processes by building systems in Jira, introducing modular workflows, and reorganizing the design team for efficiency.
Technologies: Product Design, User Experience (UX), Mobile App Design, User Interface (UI), Web Design, Rapid Prototyping, Banking & Finance, Enterprise Design, Zeplin, Figma, UI Design, UX Design, Responsive Web Design (RWD), Visual Design, User Flows, Wireframing, UX Research, User Interviews, Prototyping, Web Dashboards, Design Systems, iOS App Design, Interaction Design (IxD), UI Prototyping, User Experience Design, Branding, Mobile UX Design, Data-heavy Design
Lead Product Designer
2018 - 2019
Livesport Media
- Launched a new consumer-facing sports product that attracted over 1 million visitors in its first year, validating product-market fit and driving rapid adoption.
- Redesigned and rebuilt the platform with a modular system, streamlining development processes and enabling faster iteration cycles.
- Led cross-functional delivery by defining timelines, estimates, and milestones, ensuring smooth collaboration between design, product, and engineering teams.
- Executed end-to-end design implementation within three months, accelerating speed-to-market and elevating the mobile fan experience.
Technologies: Zeplin, Sketch, UI Design, UX Design, Responsive Web Design (RWD), Visual Design, User Flows, Wireframing, UX Research, Prototyping, Web Dashboards, iOS App Design, Interaction Design (IxD), UI Prototyping, User Experience Design, Mobile UI Design, Data-heavy Design
UI/UX Designer
2016 - 2016
Ferma Flooring
- Redesigned the company’s digital presence by creating intuitive user flows, rapid prototypes, and interactive demos that guided users seamlessly to conversion.
- Directed development of a customizable WordPress CMS, ensuring scalable options for product updates and eCommerce integration.
- Conducted website audits on traffic, SEO, and information architecture, driving structural improvements for discoverability and user retention.
- Delivered detailed front-end specifications and CSS assets, ensuring efficient handoff and accurate execution by developers.
Technologies: Product Design, User Experience (UX), User Interface (UI), Web Design, Zeplin, Sketch, UI Design, Responsive Web Design (RWD), Visual Design, User Flows, Wireframing, Web Dashboards, Interaction Design (IxD), User Experience Design, B2B
Lead Designer
2016 - 2016
Colon Cancer Canada
- Obtained 500% growth of the business's Instagram page traffic in six months by spearheading marketing activities.
- Led an online cancer prevention campaign targeted at millennials.
- Contributed to an optimized end-user experience by building ingenious and sophisticated web solutions for a preventative campaign.
Technologies: Product Design, User Experience (UX), User Interface (UI), Web Design, Zeplin, Sketch, UI Design, Responsive Web Design (RWD), Visual Design, User Flows, Wireframing, Web Dashboards, User Experience Design, Data-heavy Design
UX and Visual Product Designer
2016 - 2016
Nucleus Intercom
- Designed UX for one of the first Alexa-enabled touchscreen intercoms, crafted for effortless room-to-room and mobile-to-home video interaction using Alexa Voice Services.
- Aligned visual language and user flows with Amazon’s voice ecosystem, adapting interaction patterns for intuitive, voice-first behavior on both Android and Alexa-enabled interfaces.
- Collaborated closely with hardware and Alexa teams, contributing design feedback that supported Nucleus’s integration into Amazon’s smart device ecosystem.
- Targeted high-impact areas for innovation, developing solutions that enhanced both visual interface design and voice-led interactions.
Technologies: Product Design, User Experience (UX), User Interface (UI), Web Design, Mobile App Design, Zeplin, Sketch, UI Design, UX Design, User Flows, Wireframing, Web Dashboards, App UX, Interaction Design (IxD), User Experience Design, Mobile UI Design, Mobile UX Design
Lead UX Designer
2015 - 2015
Backboard
- Led direct digital marketing initiatives, campaign creation, and branding programs.
- Designed a cross-platform, easy-to-use, secure encryption module.
- Created user flows, wireframes, prototypes, and production-ready designs.
- Reworked design ideas using internal analytics and third-party data.
Technologies: Product Design, Project Estimation, User Experience (UX), Mobile App Design, User Interface (UI), Web Design, Enterprise SaaS, UI Design, Responsive Web Design (RWD), User Flows, Wireframing, Web Dashboards, Interaction Design (IxD), User Experience Design, Mobile UI Design
Creative Digital Designer
2012 - 2014
REAP Waterloo
- Led the product research on multiple Canadian technologies and looked for an opportunity to enhance the use of these technologies.
- Provided detailed specifications, mockups/prototypes, and style guides.
- Consulted for young entrepreneurs; aiding them in finding a brand, look, and feel for their new companies.
- Managed internal communications while continuously researching new software that would enhance our current communication.
- Led design research and effectively communicated findings, conceptual ideas, and designs for products and services.
Technologies: Product Design, Project Estimation, User Experience (UX), User Interface (UI), Web Design, UI Design, Web Dashboards, Interaction Design (IxD)
Other Experience
Education
2012 - 2015
Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Design
Concordia University - Montreal, Canada
2011 - 2011
Certificate in Photography and Acting
Barnard College - New York City, NY, USA
Skills
Tools
Sketch, Zeplin, UXPin, Maze
Platforms
Figma
Industry Expertise
Banking & Finance
Other
Dashboard Design, Mobile UI, Landing Page Design, User Experience (UX), Web App Design, Web App UI, Enterprise SaaS, Enterprise Design, Web App UX, Dashboards, Web UI, Web UX, Mobile Applications, User Personas, Website Redesign, Rapid Prototyping, Responsive Web Design (RWD), User Onboarding, Mobile Design, Product Design, Sass, Visual Design, UI Audits, Minimum Viable Product (MVP), Nonprofits, User Flows, Wireframing, MVP Design, UI Design, iOS UI Design, Web Design, Mobile App Design, Digital Product Design, Digital Design, Fintech, Edtech Design, UX Design, Finance, UX Audits, Medtech, Design Leadership, Data Visualization, Leadership, Information Architecture (IA), UX Research, Web Dashboards, Design Systems, Android App Design, iOS App Design, App UX, Interaction Design (IxD), UI Prototyping, User Experience Design, Mobile UI Design, Mobile UX Design, Data-heavy Design, B2B, Workflow Analysis, Project Estimation, Gamification, CRM Design, User Interface (UI), Crypto, Cryptocurrency Exchanges, User Interviews, Prototyping, React Native, Branding, Private Equity, Trading, Clinical Research, CX Strategy, POS, Flutter, Acting, Design, Loyalty Programs, eCommerce UX, eCommerce, Ads, Media Buying, Artificial Intelligence (AI)
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