What people say.
Collected from case study interviews, LinkedIn recommendations, and client feedback across 18 years of work.
“Derry is so great at seeing the bigger picture of the things we work on, he's not afraid to ask tough questions and wants to understand the user, he's driven and doesn't wait to be told what to do before starting to make a big impact. I really appreciate him keeping us all honest. He's exactly the kind of designer you hope to manage.”
“I've had the pleasure of working directly under Derry, and the experience has genuinely shaped how I approach my work. Derry brings a strong technical foundation to his leadership, which gives the team both direction and confidence. He's the kind of manager who understands the work deeply, communicates vision clearly, and still makes time to mentor individuals along the way.”
“I've only been working with Derry for 2 months, noted strengths thus far include but are not limited to: design management - eg ability to lead designers through complex initiatives; design systems - eg understanding of design system strategies, principles and best practices; takes initiative - eg stepped into Honey product management role, leads complex Honey initiatives; team player; positive attitude; adaptable; clear communicator.”
S. Bouchard, VP of Design, CloudBees
“Derry has been great at driving some of the organizational thinking for design such as hiring priorities and how to bond as a team. I think this has been much appreciated by folks. It's also been good to see HoneyUI continue to evolve.”
M. Chotin, Product Manager, CloudBees
“I think we should talk about your long term career goals, what you want to do, and what I have to do to keep you here long-term because I think you have Rockstar talents for sure.”
Mike R., VP of Experience Design, Oracle
“The visual library is what I'm after. I found out you're the guy to talk to about this from following the guide mentioned in that Confluence page. Great job BTW!”
Javier O., Netsuite
“Derry is a great person to get feedback on visual design concepts. He reliably offers constructive suggestions that make my designs more robust and better suited to the problem at hand. As the designer in charge of UIF patterns, he is also key to helping me be consistent in my application of UI patterns.”
Marsh C., Principal Designer, Oracle
“Quick turn around of the work, good communication on setting timeline expectations. Impressive start on Dashboard Design documentation.”
S. Pujari, Product Manager, Oracle
“Derry always gives a great input into the newly built UI framework from the designers' perspective and is very active on establishing the internal design system the UIF stands on. Derry delivers designs that make the framework cutting-edge also from the visual point of view.”
D. Bambusek, Front-end Developer, Oracle
“Derry always comes to the project or a task with big-picture ideas. This is really refreshing because it's so easy to get caught in the details that make something difficult to do. He's always learning and finding new best practices in design and applies them to what he does every day. This helps to push us all.”
T. Chapman, Content Strategist, Oracle
“Derry is always a pleasure to deal with. He brought value to our team by providing us visual designs in a timely manner with a high quality. He also listened to our use cases and we were able to come to compromises to align better with the UI Framework.”
M. Scriber, UX Designer, Oracle
“Really skilled and talented UI designer - envisioning trending solutions, involved on the project, has passion for being able to apply his talent. Methodic designer, provides useful feedback. Great asset on the UI team - everyone is willing to work with a talented designer like him.”
M. Verdera, UX Design, Oracle
“Derry is always looking further than what is asked of him, and he's very organized. I've always been impressed by how detailed and clear all the pages he works on Confluence are. He's also always willing to help others.”
M. Ruprecht, Product Manager, Oracle
“Derry has taken on a lot of work over the course of this year. He has been involved in multiple projects because we've been under-resourced. He has taken on these new projects without hesitation to help the team and company. Derry has done a great job documenting his tools and resources that he has made available to the visual design team.”
C. Mueller, XD Manager, Oracle
“I've been working with Derry for 3 continuous years now. The work delivered is always of the highest quality and the communication is professional and informed. I always feel like I'm in safe hands that value my work and strive to deliver the best product to suit my needs. Highly recommended.”
Anthony Auty, MD, Bikesoup
“We have worked together with Derry on many projects. He understood our needs and has proven to be a good team player with a very pro-active attitude. Has no problem going against you if he feels you are heading in the wrong direction. Prices are fair, delivery on time.”
M. Peters, ShortStayGroup
“Imaginative and a pleasure to work with Derry delivers great quality designs whatever the brief every time, on time and on budget.”
C. Richmond, OnClouds
“I had the privilege of working with Derry at CloudBees for nearly two years as a product designer, and I can confidently say he is one of the most genuinely invested managers I've ever had. From day one, Derry made it clear that my growth mattered, not just the work I shipped, but the designer I was becoming. What sets Derry apart is his ability to mentor without micromanaging. He asks the kind of questions that push you to think more deeply, shares feedback that's both candid and kind.”
Judith Lopez Rubio, Product Designer, CloudBees
“Derry is a great leader at the helm for building and optimizing design processes that deliver real impact. He brings clarity and structure to complex challenges while fostering collaboration and autonomy within the team. Beyond his professional expertise, he is approachable, empathetic, and fun to work with. Working with him has been a rewarding experience, and I'd highly recommend him to any organization looking for an impactful design leader.”
Yoganath Gopinathan, Lead Product Designer
“I highly recommend Derry for his exceptional expertise in UX and leadership. He consistently demonstrates the ability to listen attentively, tackle complex problems with creativity and resourcefulness, and deliver outstanding design solutions. Derry tackles and embraces every design challenge, approaching each with enthusiasm and determination.”
Nadia Knopp, Design Lead
“It has been a pleasure collaborating with Derry across various teams and complex initiatives. Derry is undoubtedly one of the most senior UX and design strategists I've worked with throughout my career. His outstanding work showcases a perspective that is not only cutting-edge but also goes beyond, focusing on what truly drives success and fosters meaningful outcomes.”
Mike Rasczyk, Senior Manager, UX & Design
“Working with Derry is a privilege - his passion, vision, and organization skills are truly inspiring and show a great love for detail and design. We work together on a business intelligence product where Derry inspired me to set up a structured, holistic design system for my team. He plays a key role in the company - pushing design thinking and processes forward by bringing together the team and championing the creation of our design system.”
Denisa Marinescu, Product Strategy, Delivery & Product Management
“It is a pleasure to work with Derry because he is very competent, has a very positive attitude and most of all is really a good person. Even if he has already a lot of experience, he is continuously studying new stuff, and looking for new solutions and technologies.”
Cesare Navarotto, Chief Product Officer
“Derry e davvero un grande designer, ho lavorato con lui su tantissimi progetti digitali e su quello che dice, il suo punto di forza e la capacita di coniugare creativita e senso pratico, oltre ad avere una notevole competenza tecnica, in ambito front-end e in generale una forte passione e curiosita per la tecnologia.”
Roberto Casoni, Senior Project Manager
“Self-driven, accurate, professional in every aspect of himself. Working with Derry was always the pleasure. I literally felt the progress every second of our discussions. When I think about the common phrase thinking out of the box - Derry's creative mind should be taught as the purest example. Innovation is the key.”
Michael Weiser, Keynote Speaker, Tool Ambassador, Entrepreneur
“I've had the chance to work in two different companies with Derry and it always was a great experience. His work is always impeccable, he is down to try new things all the time to improve processes and workflows and collaborate between roles. He is an amazing asset to any team.”
Emma Prouin, Senior Product Designer
“Derry is a very talented graphic designer with a great eye for detail, solid programming skills and a good understanding of the value of design as a business tool. Derry has an entrepreneurial spirit and the drive to make things happen, working designs that deliver.”
Jan Heijting, Pragmatic Agile Coach