Danny Dang portrait

DANNY

Hi, I'm Danny!
I believe design can be playful, powerful, and poetic.

I have 7 years of experience creating digital products and a background in game design 🕹️.
I'm currently a Senior Interaction Designer at a strategic consultancy, Smart Design.

My design philosophy

Playful

Playful

By weaving fun and whimsy into the mundane, play transforms the ordinary into an invitation for exploration. In my view, play fuels innovation and is a key ingredient to unlocking delight.


“Serious play is not an oxymoron; it is the essence of innovation.”
- Stuart Brown

By weaving fun and whimsy into the mundane, play transforms the ordinary into an invitation for exploration. In my view, play fuels innovation and is a key ingredient to unlocking delight.


“Serious play is not an oxymoron; it is the essence of innovation.”
- Stuart Brown

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Powerful

Powerful

Designers carry the opportunity and burden of transforming complex problems into user-friendly experiences. We should hold ourselves responsible for creating experiences that spark connection and empowerment.


"With great power comes great responsibility" 🕷️
- Uncle Ben

Designers carry the opportunity and burden of transforming complex problems into user-friendly experiences. We should hold ourselves responsible for creating experiences that spark connection and empowerment.


"With great power comes great responsibility" 🕷️
- Uncle Ben

Poetic

Poetic

Poetry and design are both ways we interpret the human experience. They both reference something lived and translate it across mediums. Great design is intuitive, great poetry is evocative; both are resonant.


"Poetry is nearer to vital truth than history."
- Plato

Poetry and design are both ways we interpret the human experience. They both reference something lived and translate it across mediums. Great design is intuitive, great poetry is evocative; both are resonant.


"Poetry is nearer to vital truth than history."
- Plato

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Selected work

Selected work

*Much of my work is under NDA, please reach out to learn more about what I do.

Clients I've worked with

Clients I've worked with

Experience

My career so far

My career so far

I started my career in Game Design and now as a design consultant have worked with clients across many different industries picking up skills and expertise along the way.

While traversing the digital product landscape, I lean into my varied background and knowledge and constantly let it inform and drive my creative process.

I started my career in Game Design and now as a design consultant have worked with clients across many different industries picking up skills and expertise along the way.

While traversing the digital product landscape, I lean into my varied background and knowledge and constantly let it inform and drive my creative process.

Education

Education

Parsons School of Design

Parsons School of Design

BFA in Design and Technology
Focus in Game Design

BFA in Design and Technology
Focus in Game Design

S

Smart Design

Senior Interaction Designer

Interaction Designer II

Interaction Designer I

Visual Design Intern

From 2020 - present

As a design lead, I turn complex requirements into design deliverables while working with stakeholders to ensure alignment and feasibility.

I've created robust design systems, award recognized user experiences, and HMI that helped save the world.

In my time at Smart Design, I've worked with clients such as Google, Meta, Instagram, Gatorade, Merck, and Capital One.

As a design lead, I turn complex requirements into design deliverables while working with stakeholders to ensure alignment and feasibility.

I've created robust design systems, award recognized user experiences, and HMI that helped save the world.

In my time at Smart Design, I've worked with clients such as Google, Meta, Instagram, Gatorade, Merck, and Capital One.

E

EDHREC

Freelance Visual Designer

From 2020 - present

During lockdown, I was hooked on Magic: The Gathering. I redesigned my favorite deckbuilding website, posted that passion project online, and eventually gained attention from the founders. They hired me as a freelancer where I then authored their design system and worked with developers to implement it.

You can check it out here!
edhrec.com

During lockdown, I was hooked on Magic: The Gathering. I redesigned my favorite deckbuilding website, posted that passion project online, and eventually gained attention from the founders. They hired me as a freelancer where I then authored their design system and worked with developers to implement it.

You can check it out here!
edhrec.com

S

Simple Machine

Junior Game Designer

Junior Game Developer

From 2017 - 2019

I started my career at a mobile game studio, first as a developer and later as a designer. In my time there, I brought game design concepts from idea to release. I shipped 13 games, and led 3 that got featured by Apple: Calculator 2, Pop the Lock 2, and _-_

Brought game design concepts from sketch all the way to fully fledged games in the App Store. Shipped 13 games, and led 3 that got featured on by Apple.
Calculator 2
Pop the Lock 2
_-_

Photography

In my free time, I enjoy cycling and taking photos of nature and people around me.

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Danny Dang portrait
Danny Dang portrait

I'm available for new opportunites

Hi, I'm Danny!
I believe design can be playful, powerful, and poetic.

I have 7 years of experience creating digital products and a background in game design 🕹️.

Currently a Senior Interaction Designer at a strategic consultancy, Smart Design.