Product & Design Leader.
10 years across UX, research, design and product, most recently as Product Design Principal at the NRL. I focus on creating experiences that balance user needs with real commercial outcomes.
Recent Work
Three projects, three different problems.
Selected work across app, platform and web, spanning the full NRL digital network.
NRL Official App
Ground-up redesign and ongoing product and design leadership across the NRL's flagship app.
3M+ WAU693% video liftiOS & Android
Rugby League World Cup 26
Dynamic, multi-state design for a global tournament audience, built around ticket sales and content for fans.
Global audienceWeb platformTicket-led
NRL Account
Network-wide re-platforming, single sign-on and a personalisation layer connecting fans to the full NRL ecosystem.
4M+ AccountsPersonalisationSecurity
Career
10 years across strategic and experience design and product.
Full TimeNov 2022 - Aug 2026
Product (UX/UI) Design Principal at National Rugby League
Led product design across the complete NRL digital ecosystem, directing research, experience strategy and design across 10+ platforms including NRL.com, the NRL App, Club Websites and Apps, MySideline, MyLeague, Fantasy, Tipping and grassroots products. Managed a design team and senior stakeholder relationships, oversaw vendor selection and procurement, and personally delivered research, IA, design systems and usability validation alongside directing the team. Redesigned the NRL App from the ground up to 3M+ weekly active users with a 693% lift in video engagement and 9% YoY growth, and led NRL Account, the network's single sign-on platform. Established research frameworks that drove growth across the network while meeting business goals under tight deadlines across a large, multi-stakeholder portfolio.
Full TimeNov 2020 - Nov 2022
UX Lead at National Rugby League
Led UX research, design and testing across NRL digital platforms. Managed a design team, led fan research and co-design workshops uncovering how fans consume content and data throughout the week and on game day, presenting findings to senior management. Delivered designs across NRL.com, the NRL App, Club Websites and Apps, and multiple digital products.
ContractJun 2020 - Nov 2020
User Experience Specialist at Dept. of Communities and Justice
Led UX projects across external and internal platforms for Corrective Services, Victim Services and Anti-discrimination NSW. Conducted user research, ideation and co-design workshops, created information architecture, user flows and wireframes, and completed usability testing. Presented designs and design processes to senior management and commissioners for product approvals.
ContractApr 2019 - May 2020
User Experience Designer at National Rugby League
Worked across the network's core products, including NRL.com, Club and Membership Websites, Play Rugby League, Touch Football, MySideline, NRL Account, the NRL App, Club Apps and the Voice: NRL Skill. Led end-to-end UX projects covering competitor analysis, data synthesis and insight development, workshop and co-design facilitation, ideation, information architecture, wireframing, prototyping, and testing and iteration. Managed stakeholders and collaborated closely with designers, product owners, and internal and external development teams.
Full TimeJan 2017 - Apr 2019
UX Designer at Kinlab
Worked in the strategic design team across sport, aged care, insurance, voice-led technology and social wellbeing projects for clients including Sports Australia, Cricket Australia, Golf Australia, Surf Life Saving Australia and Rest Superannuation. Responsibilities spanned user research, co-design and innovation workshops, data synthesis and strategic opportunity development, product and service design, information architecture, wireframing, prototyping, usability testing, customer journey mapping and service blueprinting.
InternshipAug 2016 - Dec 2016
UX Intern at Symplicit
Worked within the strategic design team across a series of projects for clients including the Australian Sports Commission, Surf Life Saving, Football Australia, Canoe Australia, Golf Australia and Feros Aged Care. Covered landscape reviews, competitive and comparative analysis, user research and synthesis, persona and archetype development, and product design.
Domain Expertise
Product, design, and the depth behind both.
01
Product Leadership & Strategy
I lead product strategy and prioritisation, translating business goals into direction for cross-functional teams. Experience spans stakeholder management at executive level, vendor selection and procurement, and identifying strategic opportunities that shape a product's direction, not just its interface.
02
Design Craft & Systems
Hands-on design leadership across complex, multi-platform products, balancing user experience, visual craft and technical feasibility. I build design systems that scale across dozens of products while staying close to the detail, wireframes, prototypes and pixel-level execution myself.
03
Sport & Fan Insight
A deep understanding of sport, its players and its fans, built from years working inside the game at the NRL. That extends through research work across Cricket Australia, Golf Australia, Sports Australia and Surf Life Saving Australia, giving me a broad view of how fans and athletes engage with sport across different codes and contexts.
04
AI & Automation
Building with AI and automation across everything I do, not just at the NRL. Proficient with Claude, OpenAI, Make and Zapier, using them to prototype in days rather than weeks and ship working software independently, including two production apps built and shipped solo.
05
Real Estate & Financial Services
Practical knowledge of the real estate and financial services sectors, built through an independent venture designing and building a property-tech product from the ground up, alongside research-led design work for Rest Superannuation. Gives me a working understanding of agent, buyer and seller workflows, and how people make high-stakes financial decisions.
See full expertise →
What People Say
From the people I've worked with.
I valued the opportunity to work with him and would have no hesitation recommending him for a senior product design or design leadership role.
James NewmanSenior Product Lead, National Rugby League
He brings a great combination of UX expertise, leadership, and a calm, solutions-focused approach to every challenge.
David OlivettiProduct Manager, NRL
He is an exceptional UX designer and leader who can develop a UX project plan and execute with the team from research through to design, user testing and iterations.
Ashleigh BradleyManaged Dan directly at the NRL
See more recommendations →
Recent Work
Three projects, three different problems.
Selected work across app, platform and web, spanning the full NRL digital network. Each case study below covers the challenge, my approach, and the key decisions behind it, not just the finished screens.
NRL Official App
Ground-up redesign and ongoing product and design leadership across the NRL's flagship app.
3M+ WAU693% video liftiOS & Android
Rugby League World Cup 26
Dynamic, multi-state design for a global tournament audience, built around ticket sales and content for fans.
Global audienceWeb platformTicket-led
NRL Account
Network-wide re-platforming, single sign-on and a personalisation layer connecting fans to the full NRL ecosystem.
4M+ AccountsPersonalisationSecurity
Also Shipped
Other platforms across the network.
A few more from a much longer list, kept brief on purpose.
17+ Club & State Websites and Apps
MySideline · Grassroots Registration
My League & Play Rugby League
Touch Football Platform
Fantasy & Tipping
Voice: NRL Skill
Career
10 years across strategic and experience design and product.
Five roles, two industries, all grounded in research-led product and design work that holds up under real commercial and stakeholder pressure.
Full TimeNov 2022 - Aug 2026
Product (UX/UI) Design Principal at National Rugby League
Led product design across the complete NRL digital ecosystem, directing research, experience strategy and design across 10+ platforms including NRL.com, the NRL App, Club Websites and Apps, MySideline, MyLeague, Fantasy, Tipping and grassroots products. Managed a design team and senior stakeholder relationships, oversaw vendor selection and procurement, and personally delivered research, IA, design systems and usability validation alongside directing the team. Redesigned the NRL App from the ground up to 3M+ weekly active users with a 693% lift in video engagement and 9% YoY growth, and led NRL Account, the network's single sign-on platform. Established research frameworks that drove growth across the network while meeting business goals under tight deadlines across a large, multi-stakeholder portfolio.
Full TimeNov 2020 - Nov 2022
UX Lead at National Rugby League
Led UX research, design and testing across NRL digital platforms. Managed a design team, led fan research and co-design workshops uncovering how fans consume content and data throughout the week and on game day, presenting findings to senior management. Delivered designs across NRL.com, the NRL App, Club Websites and Apps, and multiple digital products.
ContractJun 2020 - Nov 2020
User Experience Specialist at Dept. of Communities and Justice
Led UX projects across external and internal platforms for Corrective Services, Victim Services and Anti-discrimination NSW. Conducted user research, ideation and co-design workshops, created information architecture, user flows and wireframes, and completed usability testing. Presented designs and design processes to senior management and commissioners for product approvals.
ContractApr 2019 - May 2020
User Experience Designer at National Rugby League
Worked across the network's core products, including NRL.com, Club and Membership Websites, Play Rugby League, Touch Football, MySideline, NRL Account, the NRL App, Club Apps and the Voice: NRL Skill. Led end-to-end UX projects covering competitor analysis, data synthesis and insight development, workshop and co-design facilitation, ideation, information architecture, wireframing, prototyping, and testing and iteration. Managed stakeholders and collaborated closely with designers, product owners, and internal and external development teams.
Full TimeJan 2017 - Apr 2019
UX Designer at Kinlab
Worked in the strategic design team across sport, aged care, insurance, voice-led technology and social wellbeing projects for clients including Sports Australia, Cricket Australia, Golf Australia, Surf Life Saving Australia and Rest Superannuation. Responsibilities spanned user research, co-design and innovation workshops, data synthesis and strategic opportunity development, product and service design, information architecture, wireframing, prototyping, usability testing, customer journey mapping and service blueprinting.
InternshipAug 2016 - Dec 2016
UX Intern at Symplicit
Worked within the strategic design team across a series of projects for clients including the Australian Sports Commission, Surf Life Saving, Football Australia, Canoe Australia, Golf Australia and Feros Aged Care. Covered landscape reviews, competitive and comparative analysis, user research and synthesis, persona and archetype development, and product design.
What People Say
From the people I've worked with.
Dan is a thoughtful, highly capable designer who combines strong UX and UI craft with a genuine curiosity for users and an ability to collaborate effectively across multidisciplinary teams. I valued the opportunity to work with him and would have no hesitation recommending him for a senior product design or design leadership role.
James NewmanSenior Product Lead, National Rugby League
Working with Dan has been an absolute pleasure. He brings a great combination of UX expertise, leadership, and a calm, solutions-focused approach to every challenge. He is passionate about delivering the best user experiences and has a natural ability to identify user pain points, simplify customer journeys, and ensure every interaction across web and mobile is a positive one.
David OlivettiProduct Manager, NRL, worked with Dan on the same team
Dan is a pleasure to work with. He is an exceptional UX designer and leader who can develop a UX project plan and execute with the team from research through to design, user testing and iterations to ensure the fans get the best experience through each of the NRL platforms. His stakeholder management is high-level and he is a great team member.
Ashleigh BradleyDigital Transformation & Program Delivery Leader, managed Dan directly
Dan led the Design and UX function with strong design acumen and always championed a fan-first premium experience across the entire digital product suite. Throughout our time his work consistently delivered meaningful outcomes for both the game and the broader NRL community.
David SzantoData Analyst & Strategist, NRL
He is an excellent communicator, critical as a user advocate, which culminates as what is best for the consumer. He's a very approachable individual, and has a good sense of humour outside the office.
Simon DouglasDeveloper at Streem, worked with Dan on the same team
Education
Grounded in business & design practice.
2021
Leading with Emotional Intelligence at Australian Institute of Management
2016
User Experience Design at General Assembly
2013 - 2016
Bachelor of Business, Major Management at Griffith University
Companies Worked With
Across sport, health, government & financial.
Sport12
- National Rugby League
- Cricket Australia
- Surfing Australia
- Hockey Australia
- Golf Australia
- Australian Paralympic Committee
- Sports Australia
- Football Australia
- Canoe Australia
- Kelly Slater Wave Co
- Adelaide Crows
- Western Sydney Wanderers
Government2
- Department of Communities and Justice
- SafeWork NSW
Health3
- Feros Aged Care
- Surf Life Saving Australia
- Disability Services Australia
Financial2
- Rest Superannuation
- Virtual Ark
Expertise
Product, design, and the depth behind both.
Product strategy and design craft, backed by genuine research depth and a track record shipping at scale. Below is where that comes from, plus the full skill set and tools I bring to it.
01
Product Leadership & Strategy
I lead product strategy and prioritisation, translating business goals into direction for cross-functional teams. Experience spans stakeholder management at executive level, vendor selection and procurement, and identifying strategic opportunities that shape a product's direction, not just its interface.
02
Design Craft & Systems
Hands-on design leadership across complex, multi-platform products, balancing user experience, visual craft and technical feasibility. I build design systems that scale across dozens of products while staying close to the detail, wireframes, prototypes and pixel-level execution myself.
03
Sport & Fan Insight
A deep understanding of sport, its players and its fans, built from years working inside the game at the NRL. That extends through research work across Cricket Australia, Golf Australia, Sports Australia and Surf Life Saving Australia, giving me a broad view of how fans and athletes engage with sport across different codes and contexts.
04
AI & Automation
Building with AI and automation across everything I do, not just at the NRL. Proficient with Claude, OpenAI, Make and Zapier, using them to prototype in days rather than weeks and ship working software independently, including two production apps built and shipped solo.
05
Real Estate & Financial Services
Practical knowledge of the real estate and financial services sectors, built through an independent venture designing and building a property-tech product from the ground up, alongside research-led design work for Rest Superannuation. Gives me a working understanding of agent, buyer and seller workflows, and how people make high-stakes financial decisions.
Skills & Tools
What I bring to the table.
Get In Touch
Let's talk.
Open to product and design leadership roles, or founding opportunities, with teams doing great work. Always up for a chat.
Case Study · Account
NRL Account
This project is currently in build. Screens below are illustrative of the design direction; results are not yet fully realised.
The Challenge
Sign-up and login was fragmented across the NRL's network, with users often needing to sign in separately across NRL.com, the NRL App, club and state platforms, grassroots products, and fantasy/tipping. The existing system carried significant tech debt and security risk.
Forgotten credentials, especially among grassroots users who might only sign in once a year to register, was a consistent driver of support load.
My Approach
Led the product/UX design for a full re-platforming onto a modern identity platform as the network's new standard, designing the sign-up and login flows, the internal NRL Account experience, account recovery paths, and the personalisation layer that turns the account into a genuine hub for a fan's entire relationship with the game, memberships, tickets, registrations, fantasy and tipping, game stats and more, all in one place.
Key Design Decisions
Single sign-on across the network
Users can access every NRL platform through one account, removing the need to repeatedly sign in across products. Users can still create separate accounts per platform if they choose, but the experience is designed to guide everyone toward one.
Personalisation layer
Users set favourite club, state and international teams, plus favourite players, powering personalised content across video and articles and, in future, targeted offers like travel, hospitality and membership packages.
Account recovery flows
Designed paths for users to regain access after losing an email or password, addressing a major pain point for grassroots users who register infrequently and often return with outdated details.
Mandatory email validation
Ensured every account was tied to a verified email, improving data quality and account security across the network.
Secondary sign-in options
Added secondary email and mobile number as backup sign-in methods, reducing lockouts.
Screens
Sign Up & Sign In
Sign Up
Sign In · Email
Sign In · Password
Account Hub & Personalisation
Account Hub
Personalisation · Favourites
Account Menu
Account Recovery
Find Your Email
Recovery Link Sent
Desktop
Account Hub · Desktop
