About
I'm David Finlay, a senior product designer and creative technologist with more than 20 years of experience across interactive products, real-time 3D, games, AI systems, and visual design.
At HNTB, I spent more than seven years designing interfaces for Unreal Engine applications used to explore engineering, GIS, architecture, and infrastructure data — including the Sixth Street Bridge in Los Angeles, Allegiant Stadium, and BWI Terminal D.
Before that, I worked in game development at Rockstar Games, shipping vehicle and environment work on Red Dead Redemption and the Midnight Club series.
Today I design and build products that use AI, real-time data, and generative systems. At Orvelle Editions, I designed and shipped a personalized publishing platform with a generative AI content pipeline and a browser-based product configurator. I work across design and implementation: Figma, Unreal Engine, React, generative AI systems, 3D software, and modern frontend workflows.
Disciplines
Product & Interaction
Product Design · UX/UI · AI Interaction States · Design Systems · Prototyping · Figma
Engineering
React · TypeScript · Python · REST APIs · Frontend Implementation
Visualization & Generative
Unreal Engine 5 · Unity3D · 3ds Max · Maya · Generative AI Pipelines
Experience
Orvelle EditionsFounder · Senior Product Designer & Creative Technologist
A personalized publishing product with a generative AI content pipeline and a browser-based product configurator — brand identity, frontend, and automated content systems.
PlayFi StudioFounder / Senior Creative Technologist — Product & Interactive Design Lead
Owned end-to-end product design for a luxury personalized publishing platform: brand identity, UX, interaction model, and frontend build. Designed the rules-based visual logic for a generative AI content pipeline, built a WCAG 2.2 AA-compliant SPA configurator with a real-time 3D product visualizer, and shipped a working AI-powered product solo — from concept and interaction design through implementation and accessibility.
HNTBSenior 3D Visualization Specialist — Visual Systems & Interactive Experience Design
Designed UI/UX for real-time Unreal Engine applications over 7+ years, taking complex engineering and GIS data through interaction models, visual hierarchy, and working prototypes for public and stakeholder-facing demos. Directed real-time 3D environment and visualization work for major infrastructure and architectural programs, ran usability studies tracking gaze and movement through built experiences, and led the VR team — directing environment production and mentoring artists on Unreal Engine workflows.
Rockstar GamesVehicle & Environment Artist / Liveries Design
Designed interactive systems where visual feedback, motion, environment, and player behavior work together — as Terrain Artist on Red Dead Redemption and across the Midnight Club series. Developed a modular cliff set system used across all regional environments; shipped assets under strict AAA performance and quality constraints.
Education
Computer Science & Animation
Full Sail University