Ricardo is available for hire
Hire RicardoRicardo Gonçalves
Verified Expert in Design
Designer
Location
Porto, Portugal
Toptal Member Since
May 8, 2019
Ricardo has 11 years experience as a UX designer, with four as head of UX. He has worked from brief to delivery, specializing in user research, creative strategy, and experience design. As a past developer, he understands UX for the technology space. Ricardo is the winner of the Fast Company Innovation By Design award. He is the founder of getdoin', an Airbnb for workshops, and has worked with giants such as Google, Apple, and Disney.
Portfolio
Work Experience
Head of Product Design
2020 - 2022
Dandy
- Joined as Dandy's first-design hire, hiring and leading a team of seven product designers.
- Helped the company grow from around $50,000 to more than $80,000,000 in annual recurring revenue (ARR).
- Designed every product from scratch, including an industry-leading dental digital scanning experience.
- Became the go-to person for the product's vision, shaping the overall product team's strategy and direction alongside product and engineering leadership.
Technologies: Figma, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Web App Design, Design Reviews, UX Audits, UX Design, Web App UX, Dashboard Design, Data Visualization, Graphic Design, Prototyping, Design Consultation, UX Strategy, Product Discovery, Product Roadmaps, Ideation, Discovery Workshops, User Flows, UX Research, Android, User Testing, B2B, UX Wireframes, Mockups, Mobile Design, App Design, Web Design, SaaS, Dashboards, Design Systems, Enterprise, Enterprise SaaS, SaaS Design, Validated User Research, User Research, User Interface (UI), UX Leadership, Mobile UI Design, Mobile UX Design, Adobe Experience Design (XD), Leadership, Mobile App Design
Co-founder
2018 - 2020
Getdoin'
- Developed the idea for an Airbnb focused on workshops, with a mission to get everyone consuming less and creating more.
- Designed and developed an MVP to validate the concept and prove the existence of a market for such a business. This was accomplished by setting up Facebook ads and a landing page with multiple experiences.
- Designed and developed a platform from scratch that allowed users to post and book workshops. This included experiences, emails, and in-event options.
- Acquired customers to provide workshops on the platform and grew a steady stream of users booking workshops.
Technologies: Ruby on Rails (RoR), Ruby, JavaScript, CSS, HTML, Stripe, Mailchimp, Adobe Photoshop, Sketch, Design Reviews, UX Audits, UX Design, UI Design, Web App UX, Dashboard Design, Data Visualization, Sustainability, Figma, Graphic Design, Prototyping, Design Consultation, UX Strategy, Product Discovery, Product Roadmaps, Ideation, Discovery Workshops, User Flows, UX Research, Android, User Testing, B2B, UX Wireframes, Mockups, Mobile Design, App Design, Web Design, SaaS, Dashboards, Design Systems, SaaS Design, Validated User Research, User Research, User Interface (UI), UX Leadership, Mobile UI Design, Mobile UX Design, Adobe Experience Design (XD), Leadership, Mobile App Design
Head of Experience
2015 - 2019
Tech Will Save Us
- Led the user experience across the business, designing the UX from the moment you first discover the company (eCommerce, retail, and marketplaces), to buying (eCommerce), to using the product (online platform and apps).
- Led the UX and design of an online community for kid inventors, from zero to product owning it which included growing engagement, retention, and MAU.
- Led the UX for an interactive storybook for kids.
- Managed the entire digital department including the design, development, and content.
- Participated as a member of the executive team.
- Led and executed the biggest user research project in the company.
- Participated in the 500 Startups program, and disseminated the growth hacking process throughout the business.
- Hired the entire UX team.
- Created training tools for teams to conduct their own research, and was the flag-bearer of human-centered design.
Technologies: Adobe After Effects, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, InVision Studio, InVision, Sketch, Axure, Web App Design, Design Reviews, UX Audits, UX Design, UI Design, Web App UX, Dashboard Design, Data Visualization, Figma, Graphic Design, Prototyping, Design Consultation, UX Strategy, Product Discovery, Product Roadmaps, Ideation, Discovery Workshops, User Flows, UX Research, Android, User Testing, UX Wireframes, Mockups, Mobile Design, App Design, Web Design, SaaS, Dashboards, Design Systems, SaaS Design, Validated User Research, User Research, User Interface (UI), UX Leadership, Mobile UI Design, Mobile UX Design, Adobe Experience Design (XD), Leadership, Mobile App Design
UX Designer
2013 - 2015
POKE London
- Designed the user experience for Google's Solve for X community (responsive web), and Google's Moonshot (crazy innovative ideas) platform. Liaised with client and stakeholders, led workshops, and took the project from brief to interactive prototype.
- Designed the user experience for the Game of Thrones touring event, from buying tickets to the in-event digital experience. I was part of the creative team that led the concept.
- Created concepts and designed apps aimed at acquiring a younger customer base, and help lead them to find the house of their dreams for Norway's second largest bank (SpareBank1).
- Created and designed the concept of a second screen for watching sports for EE. Multiple streams of information (social networks, statistics, comments from journalists, and polls) were combined into one stream that allowed fans to engage more deeply with the game, EE and themselves.
- Designed an innovative eCommerce experience for Turnbull & Asser, that focused on the company's heritage and tradition. This is a bespoke, royal shirtmaker that gentlemen and even a 007 agent would want to be styled in.
Technologies: InVision, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Sketch, Axure, Web App Design, Design Reviews, UX Audits, UX Design, UI Design, Web App UX, Dashboard Design, Data Visualization, Graphic Design, Prototyping, Design Consultation, UX Strategy, Product Discovery, Product Roadmaps, Ideation, Discovery Workshops, User Flows, UX Research, Android, User Testing, B2B, UX Wireframes, Mockups, Mobile Design, App Design, Web Design, SaaS, Dashboards, Design Systems, Enterprise, Enterprise SaaS, SaaS Design, Validated User Research, User Research, User Interface (UI), Mobile UI Design, Mobile UX Design, Mobile App Design
Web and Mobile Designer and Developer
2012 - 2013
Information Architects (iA)
- Created concept interaction designs for iA's best-selling app, iA Writer, to vastly improve the overall user experience.
- Co-designed a visionary, online banking experience for Finnova, an online banking provider that offered this service to dozens of European banks. This provided innovative concepts that improved the user experience as well as the bank's bottom line.
- Developed responsive websites for banks, insurance companies, and publishers.
Technologies: JavaScript, CSS, HTML, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Fireworks, Sketch, Web App Design, Design Reviews, UX Audits, UX Design, UI Design, Web App UX, Dashboard Design, Data Visualization, Graphic Design, Prototyping, Design Consultation, UX Strategy, Product Discovery, Product Roadmaps, Ideation, Discovery Workshops, User Flows, UX Research, Android, User Testing, B2B, UX Wireframes, Mockups, Mobile Design, App Design, Web Design, SaaS, Dashboards, Design Systems, Enterprise, Enterprise SaaS, SaaS Design, Validated User Research, User Research, User Interface (UI), Mobile UI Design, Mobile UX Design, Mobile App Design
Human-computer Interaction Researcher
2011 - 2012
Tecla Colorida
- Researched children's needs and behaviors in regards to music, music technology, and learning how to play instruments.
- Co-created a music teaching app with kids. This pioneered a co-creation design method for children. I wrote scientific papers about the process and results based on this experience.
- Designed and developed a proof-of-concept prototype of a music game, then tested and iterated it multiple times with children.
Technologies: Pen & Paper, JavaScript, CSS, HTML, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Fireworks, Web App Design, Design Reviews, UX Audits, UX Design, UI Design, Web App UX, Graphic Design, Prototyping, Design Consultation, UX Strategy, Product Discovery, Product Roadmaps, Ideation, Discovery Workshops, User Flows, UX Research, Android, User Testing, UX Wireframes, Mockups, Mobile Design, App Design, Web Design, Dashboards, Design Systems, SaaS Design, Validated User Research, User Research, User Interface (UI), Mobile UI Design, Mobile UX Design, Mobile App Design
Co-founder
2008 - 2012
Hardquarters
- Co-founded a web design agency that provided services to local clients.
- Designed a campaign-style website for a local politician who wound up winning the elections and is still the mayor.
- Designed and built a platform (commitz.io) whose purpose is to help people become more productive by publicly reporting progress about their endeavors.
- Designed and built a marketplace (likealocal.com) for tour guides, allowing anyone to be, or find a guide, anywhere in the world.
- Designed and built an experience for an event about happiness in the workplace.
Technologies: JavaScript, CSS, HTML, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Fireworks, Design Reviews, UX Audits, UX Design, UI Design, Web App UX, Graphic Design, Prototyping, Design Consultation, UX Strategy, Product Discovery, Product Roadmaps, Ideation, Discovery Workshops, User Flows, UX Research, Android, User Testing, UX Wireframes, Mockups, Mobile Design, App Design, Dashboards, Design Systems, SaaS Design, Validated User Research, User Research, Mobile UI Design, Mobile UX Design, Mobile App Design
Education
2009 - 2012
Master's Degree in Human-computer Interaction
Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto - Porto
2006 - 2009
Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science Engineering
Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto - Porto
Experience
Collaboration That Works
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