About

Design leader helping product teams move through complexity

My experience spans legal tech, accounting, consulting, private equity, life insurance, mobile workflows, design systems, and AI-enabled products. Across those areas, the common thread has been technical workflows, high-stakes users, cross-product dependencies, ambiguous requirements, and the need for design to create clarity.

Austin Davis

Who I am

From craft to product leadership

I started my design career in graphic design, building a foundation in visual communication, layout, hierarchy, brand systems, and attention to detail. That craft foundation still shapes how I evaluate design quality today.

As I moved into product design, the work became less about isolated artifacts and more about workflows, systems, usability, and product judgment. Over time, my role transitioned from designing screens to helping teams make better product decisions.

That shift shaped how I think about design leadership. My role is less about owning every design decision and more about helping teams improve the quality of their thinking, communication, and product decisions.

How I Lead

Autonomy for designers and clarity for teams

I give designers room to own their work, then coach the moments where stronger judgment, communication, or alignment is needed.

01

Develop stronger product judgment

I help designers frame problems clearly, understand workflows, weigh tradeoffs, and connect design decisions to customer and business outcomes.

02

Create structure around ambiguity

I help teams identify what is unclear, align on the decisions that matter, and keep moving when the work is complex.

03

Improve partnership with Product and Engineering

I help designers tell a clearer story, make stronger recommendations, and build trust through the quality of their thinking.

“His leadership helped me grow tremendously in my design strategy work, and gave me the confidence to take on challenges I wouldn’t have tackled otherwise.”
Jo Miller, UX Design Lead
“His guidance made me a stronger designer and a better collaborator across the team.”
Pipsa Martikainen, Senior UX Designer

Career Groundwork

A foundation in craft and technical systems

My approach to design leadership was formed by both design craft and technical systems work. Graphic design taught me to communicate clearly and respect the details. Serving in the United States Marine Corps as an aviation electrician taught me to understand complex systems, work within constraints, and take accountability for outcomes.

Those foundations shape how I lead today: understand the system, communicate clearly, collaborate closely, and make solutions practical enough to execute.

Interested in connecting?