Toward the end of my time at Redgate I worked on the Honeycomb UX Framework; a comprehensive Figma design system covering core elements, colours, variables, and components. The system was built to be thorough enough to support consistent output at scale, and was beginning to roll out across the team when I left. It fed into a full web pipeline from Figma into Storybook component libraries through to WordPress, crafted in close collaboration with the development team.

Alongside the larger platform projects, I designed a steady stream of conversion-focused landing pages and product pages across the Redgate portfolio. That included competitor comparison pages, such as a direct positioning page for Redgate Flyway, as well as product entry pages, event landing pages, and campaign-specific pages. This work was commercially driven, aimed at capturing search traffic and converting visitors at specific points in the funnel.

The most substantial single project of my time at Redgate was the overhaul of Simple Talk, Redgate’s long-running technical publishing platform serving thousands of daily readers. Viewership had been declining year on year, and I led the UX, design, brand work end to end over roughly ten months to addres this, accounting for around 70% of my workload during that period. The brief was to reverse the decline, modernise the platform, and turn an engaged readership into a source of leads for the wider business. The challenge was doing that without compromising the editorial independence that made Simple Talk worth reading in the first place.

Event design was a consistent thread across my time at Redgate. Across the Redgate Summit series, SQLBits, DevOps in a Day roadshows, and multiple PASS Data Community Summit appearances, I produced a high volume of booth and banner designs alongside event materials including one-pagers, merch, and supporting assets. Events ranged from intimate roadshows through to large-scale international conferences, and the design work had to flex accordingly, from quick-turnaround print assets to fully conceived booth environments. In 2024 I contributed to the branding for PASS Data Community Summit in Seattle, hosted by Redgate, and one of the most significant events in the database community calendar.

The most creatively distinct project was Flyway With Us, a campaign name I coined for a Redgate Flyway international event tour. The campaign leaned into the travel theme throughout, and I led the full design output: concept, slogan, custom iconography, landing page, a plane-shaped event booth, promotional video, and swag. It was a chance to push the Redgate brand into more playful territory than day-to-day work allowed, and the result was a cohesive campaign that held together across every touchpoint. One of the more enjoyable briefs of my time there.

“Daniel was a valued Digital Designer in our brand team for almost three years. During that time he led significant UX projects, including a complete overhaul of one of our flagship websites, with millions of viewers each year, contributed to our design systems used in our products and marketing material, and delivered across a wide range of disciplines including print, campaigns, and environmental design, spearheading the design for our new office. He brought both creative and strategic thinking to the role, and consistently delivered work the team was proud of.”

“Dan throws himself into every part of design. When we worked together, he tackled everything from designing our office and building eye‑catching event booths to doing great work as a web and UX designer. Whatever the task, he brought real professionalism and a strong eye for detail.”