Rafael J. Hernandez, Designer in Miami, United States
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Rafael J. Hernandez

Verified Expert  in Design

Bio

Rafael is a Miami-based product designer with extensive experience in delivering elegant, human-centered design solutions that balance business objectives and user needs. When joining projects, he is able to catch up quickly and work through problems without precise requirements. Rafael focuses on driving value to businesses and solving user pain points through design.

Portfolio

Work Experience

Product Designer (Consultant)

2014 - PRESENT
Self-employed
  • Managed a small team of designers, performed and synthesized research into actionable recommendations, and designed two experiences that addressed major pain points for Beeline, a vendor management system company at Fuego UX.
  • Led design efforts, understanding user needs and translating those into experiences that empower major retailers with the right tools and technology to fight organized crime at Treuth and PBC.
  • Oversaw product design for the consumer-facing app that facilitates bachelorette parties through question-and-answer games for Toast and Roast.
Technologies: Adobe CC, Figma, User Journey Maps, MVP Design, Prototyping, Branding, UX Wireframes, B2B, Mobile, Responsive Web Design (RWD), Web App UI, Responsive Web Apps, Visual Design Language, Product Strategy, UX Flows, Mobile Apps, Mobile Design, Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), Web Design, Mobile UX, Design Systems, User Interviews, Management, Dashboards, User Research, UX Design, Landing Pages, Design Leadership, Best Practices in Design, UX Strategy, Design, Apps, Workshops, Roadmaps, Feature Prioritization, Product Discovery, Web, eCommerce Design, Web UX, User Interface (UI)

Design Manager

2022 - 2023
Beeline via FuegoUX
  • Redesigned the experiences for managed-service providers and suppliers who are in charge of identifying and shortlisting candidates for hiring managers; designed simple workflows across various touchpoints through the lifecycle of the candidates.
  • Performed and synthesized research into actionable recommendations and solutions.
  • Led a small team of designers in performing design thinking activities such as user and stakeholder interviews, workshops, journey mapping, defining "How might we" statements, and writing Golden Threads; provided design vision and guidance.
  • Delivered two end-to-end prototypes for the client, addressing major pain points per persona. The client would then perform testing with a subset of their users to refine internally.
Technologies: Figma, Product Discovery, Web, Web UX, User Interface (UI)

Adjunct Lead Design Instructor

2021 - 2023
ThriveDX
  • Led online courses and taught all aspects of user experience and interface design to individuals looking to switch careers and enter the field at the University of Miami, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and NJIT.
  • Provided mentorship and coaching to set learners up for success as they entered the job market.
  • Lectured on design fundamentals, color theory, typography, grids and layouts, software tools, presenting design, and portfolio preparation.
Technologies: Figma, Illustrator CC, Photoshop CC, InDesign CC, User Journey Maps, Design Leadership, User Interface (UI)

Product Design Consultant

2020 - 2020
Self-employed
  • Designed a transportation management system that allowed the client to better serve their customers with their car shipping needs.
  • Collaborated with a client to bring quote and order generation, status tracking, order management, order history, and billing under one system. This was previously handled through separate solutions.
  • Managed a client through the project, providing recommendations and implementing designs. The new tool increased productivity, helped minimize errors, and brought simplicity to an otherwise messy process.
  • Conducted interviews and design reviews with users to align our recommendations with their needs. Worked extensively with customer's user base to ensure pain points were addressed.
Technologies: Adobe Experience Design (XD), Miro, Visual Design, Figma, Creative Problem Solving, Creative Direction, Wireframing, UX Design, Mobile App Design, Business Requirements, Enterprise Design, Product Design, User Flows, iOS, User Interface (UI), User Experience (UX), Mobile UX Design, Mobile UI Design, UI Design, Dashboard Design, Information Architecture (IA), User Journeys, MURAL, Mobile UI, App Design, SaaS, Competitive Analysis, Mockups, User Testing, Mood Boards, Rapid Prototyping, User Journey Maps, MVP Design, Prototyping, UX Wireframes, B2B, Mobile, Responsive Web Design (RWD), Web App UI, Responsive Web Apps, Visual Design Language, Product Strategy, UX Flows, Mobile Apps, Social Media Apps, Mobile Design, Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), Web Design, Mobile UX, User Interviews, User Research, Design Leadership, Best Practices in Design, UX Strategy, Design, Apps, Workshops, Roadmaps, Feature Prioritization, Product Discovery, Web, Web UX

User Experience Design Consultant

2015 - 2020
IBM
  • Created a mobile app experience that helped Coca-Cola field technicians troubleshoot, service, and repair vending machines and related equipment. Successful launch led to clients signing up for more apps to continue evolving the way they worked.
  • Designed an intuitive user experience on iPad and Apple Watch for insurance company Amica. The app supercharged the claim adjuster's workflow by taking analog processes, using rich analytics, and leveraging iOS technologies to simplify duties.
  • Created a mobile experience for Coppell Independent School District that provided school administrators with rich, high-level insights into classroom performance, empowering them to elevate educational standards for teachers and students.
  • Provided creative direction and orchestrated the design of a suite of apps for BNSF. Apps enabled clients to manage service providers and contracts and handle billing and other administrative tasks from the same platform.
  • Designed a content management tool that paired with IBM Box. The tool enabled users to create and store documents that could be quickly accessed during the sales lifecycle.
Technologies: Adobe CC, Sketch, MURAL, UX Design, Visual Design, Creative Problem Solving, Creative Direction, Design Thinking, Wireframing, iOS App Design, Mobile App Design, Enterprise Design, Product Design, User Flows, iOS, User Interface (UI), User Experience (UX), Mobile UX Design, Mobile UI Design, UI Design, Dashboard Design, Information Architecture (IA), User Journeys, Adobe Experience Design (XD), Mobile UI, App Design, SaaS, Competitive Analysis, Mockups, User Testing, Mood Boards, Rapid Prototyping, User Journey Maps, MVP Design, Web App Design, eCommerce, Prototyping, Branding, UX Wireframes, B2B, Mobile, Responsive Web Design (RWD), Web App UI, Responsive Web Apps, Visual Design Language, Product Strategy, UX Flows, Mobile Apps, Mobile Design, Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), Web Design, Mobile UX, Design Systems, User Interviews, Management, Dashboards, User Research, Design Leadership, Best Practices in Design, UX Strategy, Design, Apps, Workshops, Roadmaps, Feature Prioritization, Product Discovery, Web, Web UX

User Interface Designer

2014 - 2015
Grainger
  • Redesigned the eCommerce experience for Fabory (property of Grainger), leveraging Hybris Accelerator’s out-of-the-box framework.
  • Created a visual style guide for the Fabory website leveraging Grainger's design system.
  • Collaborated on the design and deployment of the new Grainger website.
Technologies: Photoshop CC, Illustrator CC, Visual Design, Creative Problem Solving, Product Design, User Flows, User Interface (UI), User Experience (UX), eCommerce UX, UI Design, App Design, eCommerce, UX Wireframes, B2B, Responsive Web Design (RWD), Web App UI, Visual Design Language, UX Flows, Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), Web Design, User Research, UX Design, Best Practices in Design, UX Strategy, Design, Feature Prioritization, Web, eCommerce Design, Web UX

Education

2002 - 2003

Bachelor of Arts Degree in Graphic Communications

University of Wisconsin–Green Bay - Green Bay, WI, USA

Certifications

DECEMBER 2011 - PRESENT

Certificate in Creativity and Innovation

School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Skills

Tools

Adobe CC, Adobe Experience Design (XD), Sketch, MURAL, Photoshop CC, Illustrator CC, Miro, InDesign CC

Languages

Visual Design Language

Platforms

Figma, iOS, Mobile, Web

Other

Creative Problem Solving, Ideation, Creative Direction, Design Thinking, Mobile App Design, Wireframing, iOS App Design, UX Design, Business Requirements, Enterprise Design, Product Design, User Interface (UI), User Experience (UX), Mockups, Competitive Analysis, SaaS, Visual Design, Mobile UX Design, Mobile UI Design, UI Design, Information Architecture (IA), Mobile UI, App Design, User Journey Maps, MVP Design, Web App Design, UX Wireframes, B2B, Responsive Web Design (RWD), Web App UI, Responsive Web Apps, Product Strategy, UX Flows, Mobile Apps, Mobile Design, Mobile UX, Design Leadership, Best Practices in Design, UX Strategy, Design, Apps, Feature Prioritization, Product Discovery, Web UX, Web App UX, Concepting, Rapid Prototyping, User Flows, Mood Boards, User Testing, eCommerce UX, Dashboard Design, User Journeys, eCommerce, Prototyping, Branding, Social Media Apps, Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), Web Design, Design Systems, User Interviews, Management, Dashboards, User Research, Workshops, Roadmaps, Bootstrap UI, Graphic Design, Creativity, Innovation, Landing Pages, eCommerce Design

Experience

  • Creative Problem Solving - 20 years
  • Mobile App Design - 10 years
  • Wireframing - 10 years
  • UX Design - 10 years
  • Product Design - 7 years
  • iOS App Design - 7 years
  • Creative Direction - 7 years
  • Design Thinking - 7 years
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