About Dana
From Ideation to Innovation
I’m Dana Mansouri, a Director of Product Experience Design with over a decade of experience leading the design of complex, high-impact digital products. I’ve worked across major financial institutions including BMO, RBC, and Scotiabank, as well as large public-sector programs with the Government of Canada. My focus is on creating clarity in complex systems and delivering human-centered experiences that drive measurable business outcomes.
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I’m known for translating complex data and interconnected systems into intuitive, decision-ready experiences that help people understand what matters and act with confidence. I bring a strong systems mindset to my work and lead teams through ambiguity, aligning design, product, engineering, and business stakeholders from early discovery through delivery.
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My expertise spans UX research, interaction and interface design, design thinking, conversion optimization, behavioural analysis, and the applied use of artificial intelligence in product design. I care deeply about building scalable design foundations, improving decision-making, and raising the quality and consistency of products at scale.
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Alongside my industry leadership, I’m a UX Instructional Specialist at the University of Central Florida. I’ve also taught and held instructional roles at the University of Toronto, the University of California, and Yorkville University. Teaching allows me to mentor emerging designers, develop future leaders, and stay closely connected to the evolving practice of design.
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I lead digital transformation across B2B, B2C, and D2C environments by reducing complexity and designing experiences that balance user needs with business outcomes. My work centers on building scalable products that create long-term value.
Dana's Design Philosophy
1
Engage Users Early and Often
For Dana, understanding users as a team is crucial. Engaging users early and often enhances product satisfaction. Defining problems collectively fosters creativity and ownership. Group ideation brings diverse ideas quickly. Prototyping and testing with real users validate concepts early. Continuous iteration refines the approach, ensuring swift and effective reactions to new information.
2
Collectively Define and Agree on Problems
Dana emphasizes the importance of taking time to understand and clearly define the user's problems as a team. Empowering the team to identify and solve problems creatively fosters a sense of ownership and innovation, rather than simply feeding them solutions, which can be demoralizing.
3
Group Ideation
Dana encourages idea generation from all team members. Waiting for one person to come up with the best idea can be time-consuming and biased. Instead, use quick, structured exercises to rapidly generate numerous ideas, ensuring diverse perspectives are considered.
Group Ideation
Encourage idea generation from all team members. Waiting for one person to come up with the best idea can be time-consuming and biased. Utilize quick, structured exercises designed to generate numerous ideas rapidly, ensuring diverse perspectives are considered.
4
Prototype and Test with Real Users
Dana advocates for creating minimal, realistic prototypes quickly. The goal is to gather feedback on the concept, not to present a finished design. Testing with real users provides invaluable insights and validates ideas early in the process.
5
Iterate Continuously
Dana believes one pass through the design process is not enough. Continuously learn from users and the team, refining your approach with each iteration. An agile team is set up to react swiftly to new information, improving both speed and effectiveness with every cycle.