Fractional product design for startups with big problems to solve.

  • Lyft

  • Turo

  • Apple

  • Designlab

  • Assembled

  • Atticus

  • Wayback Labs

What we do

Product design

Branding

User research

App design

Prototyping

Web design

Web design

Web design

Product strategy

Workshops

Journey mapping

Journey mapping

Sound design

Org design

How we work

Design strategy accelerator

For early-stage teams needing fast clarity

  • Stakeholder interviews

  • UX audit + comp analysis

  • 30/60/90 roadmap

  • Starter design system

AI-Powered Design & Research

For teams who need to move quickly and have limited design resources

  • Rapid prototyping

  • User research synthesis

  • Personalization

Growth sprints

For teams optimizing conversion or onboarding

  • Data deep dive

  • User flow mapping (journey maps)

  • A/B redesign of core flows (onboarding, etc.)

  • Quick wins and long term strategy

Embedded staff designer

For teams who need support while hiring FTEs

  • Hands-on product design work

  • Tight collaboration between Prod/Eng/Design

  • Full-stack end-to-end design process

  • UX research and prototyping

Fractional design leadership

For companies without a full-time Head of Design

  • Set up design systems

  • Hiring process and tooling

  • Leadership presence

  • Design roadmaps + vision setting

Max Gustofson

Principal

Max Gustofson

Principal

Nice to meet you.

I’ve spent 15 years designing 0→1 products for some of tech’s most ambitious companies. Now, I work with founders as a fractional design partner to bring early ideas to life - fast, focused, and with zero fluff.

As a design partner I will:

  • Shape product strategy without the overhead of endless documentation

  • Prototype at high fidelity to quickly test and validate your ideas

  • Work hand-in-hand with engineering to ship and iterate with speed

  • Build design teams and set up systems for long-term success

Working principles

Proactivity over reactivity

I keep on top of what's happening while proactively problem solving.

Time is money

Sharing early and often is critical.

Show over tell

Storytelling comes from seeing how things work.

Scale when needed

I can bring in experts from my vast network of collaborators across design, brand, and development.

Work that endures

I ensure longevity in the work that I do. That means systems that scale.

Design what matters

Ideas are dispensable. We can explore endlessly until we find the right one.

Industry verticals

*Highly interested

  1. Consumer

    AI&ML

    Healthtech*

    Climate-tech*

    Travel

  2. Marketplaces

    Enterprise

    Fintech

    Social Good

Frequently Asked Questions

What does fractional mean?

Hiring full-time too early is expensive and risky. Fractional design gives you experienced leadership and hands-on execution — without the overhead. I plug into your team 20 hours a week to help you move faster, smarter, and more confidently.

Are you a solo team?

Most of the time, yes. As needed I can bring in expert collaborators across the lifespan of a project. That includes other designers across brand, visual, interaction, or whatever is needed. This is included in my rate.

How does pricing work?

I work on a monthly retainer. I work fast, think like a founder, and care deeply about the details. We can skip the hourly overhead and focus on building great things together—no clock-watching, no nitpicking scope. Just getting work done.

What does fractional mean?

Hiring full-time too early is expensive and risky. Fractional design gives you experienced leadership and hands-on execution — without the overhead. I plug into your team 20 hours a week to help you move faster, smarter, and more confidently.

Are you a solo team?

Most of the time, yes. As needed I can bring in expert collaborators across the lifespan of a project. That includes other designers across brand, visual, interaction, or whatever is needed. This is included in my rate.

How does pricing work?

I work on a monthly retainer. I work fast, think like a founder, and care deeply about the details. We can skip the hourly overhead and focus on building great things together—no clock-watching, no nitpicking scope. Just getting work done.

Drop me a line.

❋ Available starting NOVEMBER 2025 ❋

Drop me a line.

❋ Available starting NOVEMBER 2025 ❋