David Nuff
Verified Expert in Design
Designer
Toronto, ON, Canada
Toptal member since June 27, 2017
David’s first job was as a junior designer on Montreal’s public bike system, named one of Time Magazine’s inventions of 2008. He has since led product design efforts for brands like Cisco, Nestlé, and the Royal Conservatory of Music. He also works in brand and visual identity—his work for the Museum of Jewish Montreal led to a spot as a finalist in Openbrand’s Rising Star 2015. In his spare time, David makes interactive art installations and paints murals.
Portfolio
Work Experience
Designer and Principal
Nuff (self-employed)
- Designed an MVP blockchain crowdfunding platform for emerging markets that placed second in the Blockchain for Social Impact hackathon (2017, financial inclusion category).
- Developed the brand identity for the Museum of Jewish Montreal, providing a context and sense of identity crucial to early-stage success.
- Created the user interface and website for Guestful, a restaurant reservation management tool that was later successfully acquired.
- Designed digital and print materials, educational and promotional resources, and branding for Transform the Sector 2017, a conference about how we can leverage new tools, models, and methods to build a data-enabled social sector for the 21st century.
- Collaboratively created Biometric Bias, an AI-based web installation about biased datasets.
Mobile UX/UI Designer
Nestlé
- Created a proof-of-concept smart prototype in Proto.io to validate initial research.
- Developed product strategy, user stories, and MVP feature roadmap with the leadership team.
- Designed the beta version of an app for testing with around 300 users.
- Created the design language and system for handoff to Nestlé's internal team.
- Liaised with product owners, developers, CMS vendors, game developers, strategists, advisory board members, and the leadership team to incorporate multiple perspectives into the final design.
Product Designer
Autoimmune Connection
- Designed a proof-of-concept prototype for a social network and symptom tracking app focused on autoimmune diseases.
- Created product strategy roadmap, MVP criteria, and future features list.
- Designed a landing page to inform prospective users of the app, drive interest, and build an email list for future launch.
- Extended the existing brand guidelines for print to apply to web and mobile while building new brand assets.
- Validated feature viability and desirability using formal and informal research methods.
Contract Senior Product Designer
Normative
- Led product design on a TV product for the world's largest IT and network company.
- Conducted the early-stage discovery, research, and design for Saganworks, a Virtual Reality/Metaverse productivity tool.
- Designed and animated a demo video for Cisco and Google, showing integration between Cisco's platform and Google Assistant. The demo showed at IBC in Amsterdam.
- Developed animation and motion graphics and created motion standards, guidelines, and workflow for the design team.
- Provided support and peer leadership to three other designers.
Mentor
DesignLab
- Obtained top percentile in student feedback (consistent excellent rating in student feedback).
- Advised on career prospects and strategy.
- Helped students learn design technique and theory.
- Handpicked by DesignLab staff to work with struggling students.
Senior Designer
Pixel Tours. Made
- Delivered a networking app for the world's leading network of chief executives that was named an organizational highlight in 2015.
- Led design of an early childhood education product with the Royal Conservatory of Music.
- Launched Yulio, a VR platform for architecture and design, to the App Store, Google Play and Samsung Gear VR. Supervised product marketing strategy.
- Co-created a hiring process and grew the internal design team from one to four members.
- Revamped the company’s web and social presence, introduced a writing component to external communications.
UX Designer
Azzimov (formerly Guidyu) Inc.
- Designed an AI enabled search product.
- Oversaw user experience of Guidyu’s products and established best practices.
- Optimized Guidyu’s first consumer app, Mobile Mall, for user engagement.
- Developed wireframes and initial visual concept for a major telecom company’s health portal.
- Created workflow processes with product manager, lead developer, and graphic designer.
2D Artist | Designer
Ludia Inc.
- Contributed to UI, in-game graphics, marketing, and packaging for a range of games across platforms.
- Developed the user interface for Ludia’s first mobile title, "Where’s Waldo: The Fantastic Journey." This helped to create standards for future iOS titles.
- Created a unique gameplay narrative and navigation paradigm for The Price is Right: Decades.
- Developed a gestural interface for "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" on Xbox Kinect.
Junior Designer
8D Technologies (acquired by Lyft)
- Contributed to the UI and motion design for a bike-sharing platform used on four continents and named one of TIME magazine’s inventions of 2008.
- Evolved internal corporate identity and stationery, including letterhead and email signatures.
- Worked on the web dashboard for the bike-sharing platform and wireless kiosk (parking).
Education
Bachelor of Arts Degree in Modern Languages/Fine Art
St. Francis Xavier University - Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada
Certifications
Certified RGD
Association or Registered Graphic Designers (Canada)
Skills
Tools
Adobe CC, Adobe Illustrator, Sketch, Adobe Photoshop, Zeplin, Adobe After Effects, Premiere Pro CC, Adobe Experience Design (XD), InVision, Adobe Creative Suite, Marvel, 3ds Max, Flash, Git, Maze, Adobe Premiere Pro, Autodesk Fusion 360, Proto.io, Figma, OmniGraffle
Platforms
iOS, Web, Android, MacOS, Webflow, Mobile
Languages
CSS, HTML, JavaScript
Industry Expertise
Architecture, Health & Wellness, Music, Games, Sports, Food & Beverage, Health
Other
Mobile App Design, Interaction Design (IxD), Graphic Design, UI Design, Product Design, Branding, Visual Design, UX Design, Mobile UI, Mobile UX, Video Editing, Illustration, Mobile Apps, Typography, Design Systems, Prototyping, Strategy, Motion Design, User Flows, 3D CAD, Typeform.io, Weebly, Animation, Logo Design, Culture, Visual Identity, Brand Identity, Packaging, Label Design, Brand Guidelines, Virtual Reality (VR), Writing & Editing, Interface Design, Interior Design, Medicine, Character Animation, User Interface (UI), User Experience (UX), Early Childhood Education, Soccer, Social Networks, Teams, RSS Feeds, Event Management, Messaging, Chatbots, Web Design, Business Card Design, Squarespace, Responsive, Blockchain Platforms, Apps, Crowdfunding, Emerging Markets, Equity, Financial Inclusion, Cryptocurrency, Hackathons, Social Media Apps, Azure DevOps
Experience
- Graphic Design - 13 years
- UI Design - 12 years
- Interaction Design (IxD) - 12 years
- UX Design - 10 years
- Product Design - 9 years
- Branding - 8 years
- Motion Design - 7 years
- Strategy - 5 years
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