The Reason I Design
User Needs + Business Needs
When I found design I almost felt like it was exactly what I should have been doing all along. I love making products that solve users' problems which in turn help the business, this is why I take a user-centered design approach to make sure all projects are successful, they have superior usability, and I improve the outcomes of the business and give it an advantage over its competitors. After finding design I truly can’t look back even if I tried, no matter where I go or what I do, now I see and feel the world differently, from a user experience perspective.
My Story
From nomad and aspiring anime artist to UX/UI Designer.
Origins
My name is Alonso Rosado and for most of my life, I have had to move to different countries, so I have been constantly adapting to new situations and different cultures. I have learned to rapidly adjust to different environments and remain malleable throughout five different countries.
Nomadism
So far I have lived in:
Los Angeles/Chicago, United States (1999 - 2004)
Lima, Peru (2004 - 2007)
Montevideo, Uruguay (2007 - 2010)
Lima, Peru (2010 - 2015)
Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago (2015 - 2017)
Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia (2017 - 2018)
New York (2018 - Present)
Trinidad and Tobago
Dawn of a Designer
It was in Uruguay and Peru that my artistic sense was born and started developing. When living in these countries as a child I would get back from school and immediately grab my drawing notebook and begin sketching anything and everything (mostly characters from popular Japanese anime series like Goku and Naruto). After I left Uruguay, I stopped drawing.
Naruto
Goku
Artistic Rebirth
It was in my college years in New York where my passion for drawing and design was rekindled. This awakening came in two waves. The first wave was when my brother suggested I make a website to apply to internships as a more attractive applicant, and in the process of creating this website, I started enjoying all the small details, choosing the button styles, arranging the elements in neat order, having my entire website aligned in a visually pleasing manner, and generally creating beautiful aesthetics. The last wave was when my girlfriend's birthday was coming up. Since we would not be able to spend it together, I decided to make her a virtual gift that could cross the physical distance between us and always be present for her. Therefore, I decided to create a website for her, with pictures I took of her and us, and some other adorable (definitely not biased here) features. In the process of designing it, I again loved going from a blank canvas to a beautiful design and user experience.
Gaining Momentum
I told my brother about these two experiences and he is very involved in the tech world, so he suggested I try UX/UI design. Thus, I went on Youtube and searched for a good YouTube tutorial on Figma, so I could actually try a vital part of what a UX/UI designer would do. That experience, combined with the two websites I had previously built, all came together in my mind and pointed me down one path: UX/UI design. I made the decision to dive deep into the field by taking a Bootcamp to see if this would be the right career for me. I haven't looked back since. Creativity has become central in my life again and it is truly amazing to have the chance to be, in a sense, creative for a living. I’m excited to use my skills to create value in the world and learn as much as possible in the process!
Bootcamp
Design Process
Discover
Set KPIs and business outcomes
Choose research methods
Competitive analysis
User surveys
Interviews
User personas
Customer journey map
Extract and share insights
Define
User flows
Sketches
Wireframes
Clickable prototypes
Develop
Branding
Color palette
Logo & name development
Developing high-fidelity prototypes
Deliver
Refine prototype
Usability tests
Usability reports
Deliver assets
Prepare presentation
Analyze
Assess the outcome
A/B testing
