I've worked on a few different Design Systems

Design Systems are bigger than the team that works on them and they're the result of collaboration where everyone is working towards the same goal.

"A man has to be willing to plant a tree whose shade he'll never sit under"

People who work on design systems need to be selfless and focused on creating components and functionality that benefit those that will use it for design, for coding and most importantly, the end users of the applications that implement them.

My design system manager credentials

  • Manager and lead designer with 10 years experience
  • Managed two teams of 3 - 5 designers (local & global)
  • Worked on 3 different design systems that supported local and global teams
  • Experience converting design systems from Sketch to Figma
  • Lead teams that created multi-level, multi-branded design systems with understanding and adoption over 80% of users surveyed
  • Shortened design times by a minimum of 25%
  • Created standards that developers could use to build components that match design system and brand guidlines
  • Experience deploying design system tokens/variables to developer teams and can assist with implementation with past experience as a front-end developer
  • Ran monthly demos for users and stakeholders of the design system
  • Recorded tutorial video content for users of the design system
  • Promoted the design system to developer teams and C-suite

An example of fidelity switching from Drafty (Design System used while at Mercer)


Note: These systems are internal tools and as I'm under NDA, I can't share design work publicly but would be happy to discuss the workings of my teams, our processes and any other questions you may have.

Don't take my word for it, my teammates and colleagues had wonderful things to say about our time together.

David was in charge of the design system and always made sure to be as inclusive as possible with various team members to ensure the outcome always fit the requirements and expectations of the team, regardless of the time zone where they operated.

Alex Moulin
Product Owner
He’s the kind of leader who trusts the team to find our paths, sparking creativity and collaboration that drives us forward. David’s leadership style has not only empowered each of us individually but has also ensured that our collective goals are met with efficiency and excellence.

Wasa Ballesteros
UX/UI Designer
I’ve had the pleasure of working with David for one and a half year together at Signify...We first worked together as UX Designers and David soon became my Design Lead. In this time David managed his team towards launching a new and improved multi-branded Design System complete with Design Tokens.

Jesse Slabbekoorn
UX/UI Designer
We worked closely with each other despite the distance between the US and EU...When I left, David took over as the Lead of the Central Design Team, and I can’t think of anyone more deserving than him.

Frank de Wit
Head of UXCE
He was a natural fit to Lead Signify's Professional Design System where he has overseen its transition to Figma, multi-brand support, tokenization, and strategic planning – managing the contributions of both internal and external designers. David took the initiative to define the ROI of Design Systems in our company and continuously advocates for the inclusion of R&D in our way of working.

Laura Cunningham
Global Lead UX/UI Designer
David Santos is a senior designer with an impressive track record. He brings to the table a diverse set of tools and experiences that always add value to the job, he has a great technology background, he is capable of thinking systemically and deliver great UX/UI design on time and on budget, he is great at engaging and mentoring younger designers.

Jose Dos Santos
Head of Design & UX
Signify Americas

Let's talk

I'm located in Massachusetts and would be happy to chat with you about design opportunities.

Get in touch