I build teams that understand the why, take ownership of the how, and ship work that moves the business. Here's what that looks like in practice.
Building Teams
I build collaborative teams where designers share early, critique openly, and grow through the work itself. Weekly design reviews, async shares, and how we work
sessions aren't optional—they're how we hold each other to a high bar while making sure every voice is heard.
Weekly design reviews where everyone shares, everyone gives feedback, and quality stays high.
Diverse teams look at user needs from different angles—and build better products because of it.
Direct feedback paired with a safe space to explore, be opinionated, and take creative risks.
He creates a safe, supportive space for designers to give and receive feedback and actively encourages learning beyond design work…
Ownership & Clarity
I communicate goals and deliverables so designers can own outcomes—not just tasks. I build a culture where people feel empowered to challenge a direction or commit to one, because they understand the why behind the work. And I believe building inclusive teams is how you build inclusive products—diverse perspectives catch what homogeneous ones miss.
Designers own their outcomes end-to-end, from discovery through delivery.
Collaborative how we work
sessions so the team owns how they operate—not just what they deliver.
Partnering with product, engineering, and operations to align on shared priorities.
Ricardo leads with clarity, humility, and heart.
Growth & Innovation
I'm passionate about fostering a growth mindset—giving designers opportunities to stretch into unfamiliar territory and the space to fail in order to grow. I also push the team to build with new tools like Cursor and v0, because I believe tools augment expertise. They don't replace thinking—they 10x impact.
Giving designers room to stretch, fail, and grow into more well-rounded designers and people.
Coaching designers to take on more visibility, lead reviews, and step into leadership roles.
Championing AI and new workflows to move faster and explore further—not to shortcut the craft.
Ricardo has been an early and consistent advocate for AI—experimenting with tools like ChatGPT and Figma Make, sharing examples with the team, and helping integrate new workflows that increase speed and reduce lift.
Driving Impact
Design is a business partner, not a service department. I build products that have a net positive impact on the business and the people who use them—grounded in real user research, validated through feedback, and measured by outcomes that matter.
Store visits, interviews, and real-world testing keep every design decision grounded in actual needs.
Shipping work that moves metrics, not just fills a roadmap.
Balancing business goals with user needs so products deliver for both.
He bridges business context with design thinking in a way that's incredibly valuable, and he's deeply respected by his team, peers, and leadership.