Hi again,
I'm Daniela João ✌️ a Software Designer who builds thoughtful, user-centred software.
Swapping sun-drenched Portugal for buttery croissants in France, I then headed for the pebble beaches and charming towns of the south of England. Now, I'm happily developing an addiction for Irn Bru (sugar-free!) in Glasgow, Scotland!
👩💻 Designing with purpose
I do my best work in ambitious, proactive teams where collaboration drives great products. I thrive in environments that embrace challenges, encourage thoughtful solutions, and prioritise accessibility at every step. I’m in my element working alongside developers, designers, and stakeholders who care about building things well and bringing their best to a project.
🏅How I approach design
Design is a tool, not the outcome
Design matters when it solves real problems. I focus on clarity, usefulness, and intent over visual novelty.
KISS: Keep it Simple 😏
If something needs explaining, it probably needs redesigning. I aim for interfaces that feel clear, predictable, and reassuring.
Systems over one-offs
Scalable products come from shared patterns. I design with components and reusability in mind to support consistency and pace.
Outcomes over output
User behaviour is a better measure of success than feature output. I focus on defining the right outcomes first, using design to support meaningful outcomes rather than shipping features for their own sake.
80% beats nothing
Shipping something useful now is better than polishing something theoretical. I’m comfortable with trade-offs when they make sense.
Collaboration with intent
Great products aren’t built in silos. I work closely with others to align ideas with execution and deliver practical solutions.
🍎 Education
Master’s Degree
Communication Design
Faculty of Architecture of Lisbon, Portugal
Bachelor’s Degree
Design Multimedia
Polytechnic Institute of Santarém, Portugal
🤖 Experience
Over a decade working across UI, UX and product design.
Product Designer · ParentPay Group · Nov '22 - Now 📍
Remote, UK
End-to-end design • Information architecture • Design system • Multi-brand design • Stakeholder alignment • Mobile & Web app
UX/UI Designer · Schoolcomms · Sep '16 - Nov '22
Worthing, UK
UX/UI design • Component libraries • Style guide creation • Wireframing & Prototyping • Cross-platform design • Collaboration with developers
UI Designer · MySign · Aug '15 - April '16
Nancy, France
Typography and layout design • Wireframing & Prototyping • Design process implementation • Branding • Mobile & Web app • Marketing design
Web & Graphic Design · IPSantarém · Feb '14 - Sep '14
Santarém, Portugal
Communication design • Brand design • Visual communication • Promotional material creation • Marketing collaboration
👻 Beyond the 9 to 5
I love games with a captivating story and a satisfying mechanic.
👾️ Currently playing: Monster Hunter Stories 1
⭐️ Favourite game at the moment: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
💙 If I could only pick one game to play forever: Super Mario World
I live with the Furtastic 4: Simba (The Thing, always grumpy), Pixel (Mister Fantastic, always stretching), Loki (Human Torch, the chaos child), and Pandora (Invisible Woman, matches the carpets).
“It’s pretty amazing to wake up every morning, knowing that every decision I make is to cause as little harm as possible. It’s a pretty fantastic way to live.” - Colleen Patrick-Goudreau
The millennial in me collects plants like it’s a coping mechanism. A red flag? Probably. A toxic trait? Definitely.
🪴️ My favourite plant is the Alocasia Zebrina
Online in Glasgow
© 2026 DJoão
