About Derek Darby
I’m a UX and product design leader with 20 years of experience across design, research, and product strategy, often on complex products where teams need to get clear, align on a direction, and make decisions that hold up over time.
I’ve worked across consumer, B2B, and internal products, leading teams and partnering closely with product, engineering, and marketing. My MBA and MIS background helps me connect design decisions to the technical and business side of the work.
My Background

My experience spans:

  • Consumer products with complex decision paths
  • B2B and internal platforms with high operational impact
  • Early-stage teams figuring out the product while building it

I hold degrees in business and information systems, and I’ve led and mentored designers while partnering closely with product, engineering, marketing, and leadership. That background allows me to translate across disciplines, balance competing pressures, and keep teams focused on outcomes that hold up over time.

I’ve spent my career working on products where decisions are rarely clean, requirements evolve, and tradeoffs have real consequences.
What I Optimize For

I am most effective when I can help teams:

  • Get messy problems clear enough for a team to act on
  • Make tradeoffs visible before they become surprises
  • Get design, engineering, and business aligned on decisions they can support
  • Design systems that keep making sense as they grow

I care less about optics and more about outcomes that last. I value clarity, integrity of thought, and work that teams can sustain and build on.

Outside the Work

Outside of professional work, I spend most of my time with my family and on small, hands-on projects that mix curiosity, learning, and practicality.

I enjoy building simple systems at home, like a family Minecraft server for my kids, helping them create and print 3D models, and maintaining a home media setup that supports how we watch and share content together. I’m drawn to projects that are useful, understandable, and create shared experiences.

When the weather allows, we spend time outdoors playing in the yard, going for walks, or hiking nearby trails. At home, that often turns into movie nights, games, or puzzles.

Colleague feedback
“Derek is an all around great colleague, team player, leader, and UX expert.”
Deb Hartman, Ph.D

Vice President Customer Insights
View on LinkedIn →
Case Studies
These case studies show how my background in leadership, design, and research comes together in real product environments, under real constraints.
Experience Index
For a broader view of the domains, product types, and systems I’ve worked across, the Experience Index provides a structured overview of the problems I’ve solved and the contexts that shaped my approach.
Resume
For the full career history, including roles, scope, and outcomes, see my resume.
Let’s Connect
The easiest way to reach me is on LinkedIn. For more detailed inquiries, you can also use the contact form.