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Dan Gough
To put it simply: I solve problems.
15+ years of designing and driving forward digital products.
Explore projects
Dan Gough
To put it simply: I solve problems.
15+ years of designing and driving forward digital products.
Explore projects
ABOUT
Hey, I'm Dan.
For over 15 years, I’ve been designing digital products. But really, what I love is solving big problems and getting them working commercially.
Most recently, I scaled and sold my digital agency HeyHiHello and I'm now solo again.
Over the years, I’ve worked with startups, scaleups and the everyone-knows-them brands to tackle messy problems with design-led thinking. These days, I partner with teams who want to move fast and make an impact.
@nandi
@prianca
About me
How I got here
At age 11, I started learning how to create websites and by 15 I had my first freelance clients. After selling invisible dogs on eBay and writing plays at school, I skipped uni and jumped straight in to agency life. I joined 3 SIDED CUBE when we were just four people and worked my way up to Head of Creative as we grew to almost 40. I oversaw pitches and product design for some of the world’s biggest charities, including designing the world’s first blood tracking feature. During that time, we were named one of the Top 50 Creative Companies in the UK. After that, I went freelance. I named my solo venture “HeyHiHello” knowing it might grow one day. Over the next few years, I travelled the world, laptop in hand, working with clients across Europe and the US. As demand increased, I turned HeyHiHello into an agency of my own. We became known for fast design, solving complex problems, and delivering commercially sharp, user-friendly work - all while being a joy to work with. I eventually sold the agency and stepped into a new chapter. Now I’m in Australia and ready to make more magic happen down under.
Outside of work
I love exercise, whether it be the gym, running or climbing Kilimanjaro. I'm obsessed with music and curate my yearly playlist every Friday. I'm learning to DJ and started by learning vinyl in Bangkok. Travel is a passion and I started working + travelling the world in 2016.
How I work
I keep things moving
I'm fast. Not for the sake of it but I believe in following intuition and testing it by getting it infront of people quickly. I don't like dragging things out or adding process for the sake of it. I keep things lean and focused and I'm always thinking a few steps ahead. The world (and markets) move so quickly and I've seen too many amazing ideas die in incubation.
I thrive in uncertainty
The early stages of a product are normally messy, hectic and moving at 100mph. That's fine by me. I love getting thrown a napkin sketch, a half-built product or a stray-but-brilliant thought and turning it into something people actually use (and want). I don't need everything to be figured out. In fact, I prefer it that way.
I don't just say yes
I'll ask a hundred questions, challenge hard and tell you if something's not quite right. Not to be difficult but because I know it makes the outcome 10x better. I will expect the same from you.
I work in two modes
I like working in two modes: deep async focus or in-person energy. When something big's on the table, I wanna get in a room. I'm not a fan of endless calls or half-hour check-ins just to stay aligned. Let's either get in a room and make real progress fast, or keep things clear, documented and async so we can all get on with it. The in-between slows things down.
I'm AI obsessed
I use AI constantly. In my work, in my personal life, in pushing my thinking forwards. From writing, to strategy to automation, to vibe coding, I'm always finding ways to work smarter / faster and focus on the good stuff. I stay up to date, experiment daily and am pushing what's possible. It's a core part of how I work.
What I believe
Solve the right problem
Before you start solving, step back and ask wtf is actually going on. Design starts with the right questions.
Progress over perfection
Perfection stalls progress. I'd rather get something solid into the world (or infront of users), learn from it and improve, than try to make it perfect in theory. Design is a tool to help us move forward, to reduce uncertainty... to answer the unknown! But to learn, we must launch.
Clarity is king
Confusion kills. If a user can't tell what's going on or what do next, we've failed. I believe that the world's best design is invisible, it quietly tells users where to go and what to do, all without shouting. If people don't notice the design, that usually means it's working.
Words aren't optional
Every design I've ever presented has had real copy in it. I do not believe in lorem ipsum. Copy is part of the story and the text in a button is as important as the button itself.
Trend chasing sucks
I design to solve, to convert, to make an experience users love. I really do not care what's trendy or what other designers will love. I design what works best and sometimes, that's not sexy.
Taste trumps tools
I've used every tool under the sun since MS Paint. They all do the job. What really matters is taste – what feels clean, what reads well, what just feels.... right. Taste is where instinct and experience intersect.
WORK IS FUN
Really. I love this stuff. I've been obsessively sat my laptop for 20 years... because I LOVE IT. Solving weird problems, working out what's next, building cool stuff with talented people.
Got a big idea or problem?
Book a call with me. No strings attached.
ABOUT
Hey, I'm Dan.
For over 15 years, I’ve been designing digital products. But really, what I love is solving big problems and getting them working commercially.
Most recently, I scaled and sold my digital agency HeyHiHello and I'm now solo again.
Over the years, I’ve worked with startups, scaleups and the everyone-knows-them brands to tackle messy problems with design-led thinking. These days, I partner with teams who want to move fast and make an impact.
@nandi
@prianca
About me
How I got here
At age 11, I started learning how to create websites and by 15 I had my first freelance clients. After selling invisible dogs on eBay and writing plays at school, I skipped uni and jumped straight in to agency life. I joined 3 SIDED CUBE when we were just four people and worked my way up to Head of Creative as we grew to almost 40. I oversaw pitches and product design for some of the world’s biggest charities, including designing the world’s first blood tracking feature. During that time, we were named one of the Top 50 Creative Companies in the UK. After that, I went freelance. I named my solo venture “HeyHiHello” knowing it might grow one day. Over the next few years, I travelled the world, laptop in hand, working with clients across Europe and the US. As demand increased, I turned HeyHiHello into an agency of my own. We became known for fast design, solving complex problems, and delivering commercially sharp, user-friendly work - all while being a joy to work with. I eventually sold the agency and stepped into a new chapter. Now I’m in Australia and ready to make more magic happen down under.
Outside of work
I love exercise, whether it be the gym, running or climbing Kilimanjaro. I'm obsessed with music and curate my yearly playlist every Friday. I'm learning to DJ and started by learning vinyl in Bangkok. Travel is a passion and I started working + travelling the world in 2016.
How I work
I keep things moving
I'm fast. Not for the sake of it but I believe in following intuition and testing it by getting it infront of people quickly. I don't like dragging things out or adding process for the sake of it. I keep things lean and focused and I'm always thinking a few steps ahead. The world (and markets) move so quickly and I've seen too many amazing ideas die in incubation.
I thrive in uncertainty
The early stages of a product are normally messy, hectic and moving at 100mph. That's fine by me. I love getting thrown a napkin sketch, a half-built product or a stray-but-brilliant thought and turning it into something people actually use (and want). I don't need everything to be figured out. In fact, I prefer it that way.
I don't just say yes
I'll ask a hundred questions, challenge hard and tell you if something's not quite right. Not to be difficult but because I know it makes the outcome 10x better. I will expect the same from you.
I work in two modes
I like working in two modes: deep async focus or in-person energy. When something big's on the table, I wanna get in a room. I'm not a fan of endless calls or half-hour check-ins just to stay aligned. Let's either get in a room and make real progress fast, or keep things clear, documented and async so we can all get on with it. The in-between slows things down.
I'm AI obsessed
I use AI constantly. In my work, in my personal life, in pushing my thinking forwards. From writing, to strategy to automation, to vibe coding, I'm always finding ways to work smarter / faster and focus on the good stuff. I stay up to date, experiment daily and am pushing what's possible. It's a core part of how I work.
What I believe
Solve the right problem
Before you start solving, step back and ask wtf is actually going on. Design starts with the right questions.
Progress over perfection
Perfection stalls progress. I'd rather get something solid into the world (or infront of users), learn from it and improve, than try to make it perfect in theory. Design is a tool to help us move forward, to reduce uncertainty... to answer the unknown! But to learn, we must launch.
Clarity is king
Confusion kills. If a user can't tell what's going on or what do next, we've failed. I believe that the world's best design is invisible, it quietly tells users where to go and what to do, all without shouting. If people don't notice the design, that usually means it's working.
Words aren't optional
Every design I've ever presented has had real copy in it. I do not believe in lorem ipsum. Copy is part of the story and the text in a button is as important as the button itself.
Trend chasing sucks
I design to solve, to convert, to make an experience users love. I really do not care what's trendy or what other designers will love. I design what works best and sometimes, that's not sexy.
Taste trumps tools
I've used every tool under the sun since MS Paint. They all do the job. What really matters is taste – what feels clean, what reads well, what just feels.... right. Taste is where instinct and experience intersect.
WORK IS FUN
Really. I love this stuff. I've been obsessively sat my laptop for 20 years... because I LOVE IT. Solving weird problems, working out what's next, building cool stuff with talented people.
Got a big idea or problem?
Book a call with me. No strings attached.