DM

Product & distribution

David Mansaray

Product & distribution

Sharing the messy process of building products people need, want, and actually notice.

See the work Say hello

Left-facing portrait of David Mansaray constructed from ink, graph lines, code, and torn paper
See how I work ↓

How I work

What we leave out shapes what we build.

If we work together, this is the approach I’ll bring. Here it is on Perquio, an ambassador programme I’m building for small online shops, in its real working papers.

What has to be true?

There’s usually a simple job under the buzzwords.

On PerquioEveryone in this space talks about UGC and creator ROI. The actual job: set a challenge, review what comes in, reward it.

PerquioResearch synthesis

Competitors promise UGC and creator ROI but stay vague about the work. Perquio should show the loop itself:

  1. Invite or accept ambassadors.
  2. Give them clear challenges.
  3. Review proof and captions.
  4. Award points through a ledger.
  5. Let ambassadors redeem real rewards.
  6. Fulfill WooCommerce product rewards with sync and order handling.
could one place keep track of it all?

What can wait?

Some good ideas can wait.

KeptChallenge → Submission → Review → Points

On PerquioThe first version was for one brand. Shopify, referrals and leaderboards waited, so I could see if one loop was worth repeating.

Perquio Ambassador Platform — MVP PRDv1.3 · Doc owner: David Mansaray

§1 Context & Objective

Primary Goal: Ship
a thin vertical slice usable by one brand (50–200 ambassadors).

§3 Non‑Goals (MVP)

  • Digital code fulfillment.
  • Referral challenge or tracking.
  • “Customer pays shipping” checkout flow (deferred).

§15 Post‑MVP Roadmap

  • Shopify integration.
  • Leaderboards & loyalty tiers.
  • Rights‑managed content gallery.
will a brand want to run it again?

Who needs to notice?

I’d rather sound like your customer than the category.

On PerquioI’d picked a headline about “fan-made UGC”, then crossed it out. The one that shipped talks about rewarding your community.

Copy direction selected

Grow real fan-made UGC through an owned ambassador program.

perquio.com's live hero: the eyebrow “Owned ambassador programs for ecommerce brands”, the headline “Reward your community for content that grows your brand”, the line “Create challenges, review proof, award points, and keep ambassadors engaged with product rewards from your store.” and a “Request early access” button.
where will they hear it?

The first version is a question.

That’s the approach I’d bring to yours. Here’s what’s on my desk right now.

Current work / 01—03

What I’m
working on.

Project 01Live · research prototype

Real places. A world you can explore.

I designed and directed a system that turns open map data into a 3D browser world. Walk, cycle, drive or take the bus and train.

Enter the world (opens the world in a new tab)

Opens in a new tab. Nothing to install.

Read the project story

Cycling down the high street.

Get around
Project 02

Checkout Watch

Find checkout problems before your customers do.

Checkout Watch follows your WooCommerce checkout like a customer, stopping before payment. It alerts the right people with the details they need to investigate quickly.

Visit Checkout Watch (opens in a new tab)
  • Desktop
  • Mobile
  • Every hour

Checkout Watch

FailedBrowser testMobile

Mobile checkout failed at payment methods.

  5. Stopped before payment, not reached
  • Checkout reached payment method selection.
  • No order placed · nothing charged
  1. Checkout fails
  2. Re-checked, still failing
  3. Team alerted
Alert sentAlertsEmail · Slack
Real alert template · example data

Checkout Watch

FailedBrowser testDesktop

Desktop checkout failed at payment methods.

  5. Stopped before payment, not reached
  • Checkout reached payment method selection.
  • No order placed · nothing charged
  1. Checkout fails
  2. Re-checked, still failing
  3. Team alerted
Alert sentAlertsEmail · Slack
Slack message from Checkout Watch: Checkout incident opened. Managed baseline desktop checkout failed at payment methods. Store: Fernhill Supply. Status: Open. A View evidence button.
Real alert template · example data

Project 03MVP

Gleiro

A product videoshouldn’t start froma blank timeline.

An agent builds a complete cut of your product or launch film from project files. Watch it take shape, edit, lock clips and leave notes on the same timeline.

Read the project story gleiro.com (opens in a new tab)
Agent building the cut · 00 / 06

Recently built / 09

Fresh out
the lab.

The lab
WorkŠkoj — 3D RIB configuratorWorkTessel — a modular shelving configuratorWorkContesoir — audiobook and ebook appWorkSwitchboard — an AI agent on a plant hire deskWorkCorallis — a B2B portal for a lab services firmWorkMise — short lessons for hospitality teamsLabThe making of AurinWorkAurin — a 3D headphone customiserLabIntroducing Fold together

01 / 09

From the UK, based in Brazil

A bit about me

I never could stay in one lane.

I like working through the whole problem.

I’m David. Freelancing and working in agencies dropped me into a different business every few months: new customers, new constraints, new ways for a product to live or die. I’d follow a problem from the research into the design, through the code, and out to the question of who needs to notice it.

That range used to be hard to label. Now it’s the advantage: the tools have finally caught up with the curiosity, so one person can take on the whole project. These days I do that on my own products and with the businesses I work for.

A product no one finds is just a prototype.
David Mansaray smiling in a café

Any stage is a good stage

Working on something
interesting? Let’s talk.

Whether it’s an early idea, a product taking shape, or a problem that won’t leave you alone, I’d be glad to hear about it.

Start a conversation →