Design Portfolio
Daniel Swartz UX & Product Design
I’m a UX and product designer based in the San Francisco Bay Area with over 15 years of experience shaping complex systems into intuitive, data-driven products. My work spans cloud data, fintech, search, content management, and ad tech—mostly in fast-moving startup environments where design decisions have an immediate business impact.
Originally a front-end developer, I bring a hands-on understanding of how design and engineering intersect. I lead projects end-to-end—from discovery and ideation through launch and iteration—partnering closely with product, engineering, analytics, marketing teams and customers to ensure every solution aligns with real user needs and company goals.
Whether it’s optimizing database performance dashboards, designing internal CMS tools that scale content creation, or simplifying fintech workflows, I focus on clarity, usability, and measurable outcomes.
I’m based in Redwood City, CA, and would love to connect about how I can help your product thrive.
Cloud Data, Fintech, Search, Ad Tech, Consulting
Recent Roles & Projects:
Founding product designer at a cloud analytics startup. Leading design for the core product—data pipeline and data warehouse analysis tools and dashboards—working closely with engineering, product, senior. management and customers.
Bluesky Data (2023-24)
Contract UX designer at a database optimization startup. I redesigned and enhanced design for tools helping engineers compare configuration changes and understand performance impacts, collaborating with founders and engineers.
Case Study: DB Instance Dashboard
DBtune (2025)
Head of Design at database optimization startup leading design for tools that helped users compare configurations, monitor performance, and apply tuning recommendations, working closely with engineers and DBAs. Was first design hire.
Case Study: Application Redesign | Additional Work Samples
OtterTune (2022-23)
Founding designer for mobile-centric social app built around the idea of sharing where you planned to be in the future (concerts, dinners, conferences, etc.) so friends could easily join. Think of it as a mix between Twitter and event scheduling—posts were tied to upcoming events rather than just status updates.
Appearix (2020-21)
* click on an image to enlarge
Recommendation from a Senior Executive at Bluesky Data:
“… a remarkable ability to synthesize diverse viewpoints and preferences into universally embraced designs … Daniel’s commitment to user research, paired with his collaborative mindset, makes him an indispensable asset to any team.”
My Design Process
* Zoom in on mobile to read.
The user experience (UX) design process is a dynamic and iterative framework that guides product development from initial exploration to final delivery.
Explore & Research: This is where it all starts—figuring out the problem and gathering insights. It involves getting to know your users, talking to customers and stakeholders, analyzing data with tools like Google Analytics, and diving into market research. These findings lay the groundwork for everything that follows.
Iterate & Define: Here’s where ideas start taking shape. It’s all about brainstorming on whiteboards, sketching out concepts, and building low-fi prototypes. You share these ideas with the team and stakeholders, gather feedback, and tweak until everyone’s on the same page. Once it’s solid, you get sign-off to move forward.
Design & Prototype: Now it’s time to get detailed. High-fidelity designs and prototypes are created, focusing on both how the Movsesianproduct looks and works. These prototypes help bring ideas to life, and feedback from presentations helps refine them further. Everything is broken down so engineers have a clear path to build from.
Develop & Test: Finally, the product gets built. Designers and engineers work closely together, using style guides to keep everything consistent and testing, testing, testing..
Post-launch tweaks and improvements keep refining the product through A/B testing and ongoing data and customer feedback.
Recommendation from the VP of Engineering at Topix: