Hi, I'm Matthew Cottrell.
Seven years into designing enterprise software, I spend my days making complex systems feel simple — through design systems, clear typography, and a lot of careful editing.
Three things guide the work
Clarity
The best interface is the one you barely notice. I chase the simplest thing that could possibly work.
Craft
Type, spacing, and colour are not decoration — they are how trust is built, one detail at a time.
Partnership
I work with teams, not for them: shared language, shared systems, shared ownership of the outcome.
A short history
Principal Product Designer · Independent
Design systems and product strategy for enterprise software teams.
Design Lead · Enterprise SaaS
Led the redesign of a complex analytics suite used by thousands of operators.
Product Designer · Startup
Shipped the first design system and grew the practice from one designer to a team.