Duncan Gough

A technology and product operator with experience across startups, agencies, public sector and large organisations including Made by Many, Analog Folk, Nando's, the Liberal Democrats, the V&A, and Serco.

I am a maker with deep technical knowledge† across a wide range of languages, frameworks and approaches having designed and developed websites, e-commerce applications, social platforms and marketplaces, aided by a modern leadership approach† that supports teams who grow to become trusted experts within their organisations.

Philosophy & Approach

My preference is for a strategy that starts with the early research and development, scales a product and team to fit, adopts a continuous delivery workflow, and defines the full integration model for long term adoption, often as part of a wider modernisation programme.

Professional Fit

I fit best where I can help people to adapt, implement and scale new ways of working, and where I can help organisations align and scale a modern technology function that is able to design, validate and deliver products that users love†.

I work best when I can define and align teams around a clear long term vision, grow and engage people with directed coaching and mentoring, and where I can reduce friction by introducing automation and workflows within a solid operational support framework.

Experience

I approach every opportunity with a mindset of vision, coaching, and operations, something that stems from hands-on startup experience of founding, validating and financing ideas, taking them to market, and attempting to cross the chasm ‡ of mass adoption.

Technology

I am equally comfortable pair-programming with developers, running design sprints, and analysing data to uncover new opportunities whilst encouraging the adoption of tools that allow us to work smarter, along with contributions to innovative open source projects. ↩︎

Leadership

I believe that high-performing teams need a reflective culture that supports creative problem-solving at speed and under pressure, delivering complex software products.

I have guided teams through successful digital modernisation journeys that have reduced technical debt, indentified the key traits and values needed for hiring, and broken down complex technical decisions into clear recommendations. ↩︎

Product

With a background in startups I know how valuable a product mindset can be, especially when combined with hands-on knowledge of the importance of leading product development with defined user personas, and a startup perspective that promotes product discovery and growth. ↩︎

History
Recognition
References
Miscellaneous