Andre Ortiz

Husband, Father, Creative, and Friend

I design products and experiences across industries like education, healthcare, travel, and automotive. I am not just a creative professional, but a versatile and product-focused tactician, armed with a powerful set of skills.

Product DesignUI / UXWireframingPrototypingDesign SystemsDesign TokensUI KitsFigmaAdobe CCFront-End DevelopmentReactJavascriptUI ComponentsClojurescriptRuby / RailsPythonNodeSqliteHTML / CSSTailwindRESTWeb DesignVideo ProductionSound DesignBrandingIllustration

Experience

Early Sparks

I interned for an EDM music label after college. . My educationual focus was sound design and studio recording techniques. While there, I was invited to collaborate with the design and marketing teams. This fantastic opportunity helped me to learn Photoshop, Flash, and even pick up some foundational web design skills.

Digging In

My family and I relocated to Columbus, OH where I gained real-world agency experience. I had the opportunity to design materials for prominent clients such as Procter & Gamble, Nationwide Insurance, Disney, Toyota USA, and Caterpillar, among others. The expectations were high, but I welcomed the challenge. I worked diligently to level up in visual design, web development, ActionScript, video production, and motion graphics.

Adjustments & Growth

The rise of the iPhone significantly contributed to the decline of Flash. In response, I shifted my focus to HTML, CSS, and Javascript. I worked closely with engineers on a daily basis to build products.

Building Foundations

This period was incredibly exhilarating. Everyone was eager to compete with Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Using my developed skills, I joined small teams aiming to create something innovative and fresh. As a designer, my focus shifted more towards product. I designed user experiences, keeping business objectives in mind. Although we didn't strike gold, the hustle was life changing.

Taking Risks

I begin freelancing in order to spend more time at home with my family. I provided a range of services, including UI/X design, branding, design systems, documentation, and front-end development.

Back in the band

After several rewarding years as a freelancer, I chose to rejoin a team. I found an exciting opportunity in the healthcare sector and was eager to make a significant contribution. Now, I work alongside a team of highly skilled designers, developers, and product managers to bring medicines to market and improve people's lives. My main focus areas are product design, design systems, and relationships.

Currently Learning

AI is undoubtedly a game-changer. Compact, text-generating models like Llama2 and more capable models like GPT-4o exhibit impressive capabilities on their own. I have been exploring the potential of these models and how they can be used to build exciting new products and completely change the way we interact with technology.

My focus has been on these tools: