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Product designer & builder

Complex problems.
Human experiences.

I’m Alfredo, a product designer and builder. I help people navigate complex services, and help teams turn design decisions into working products.

Systems thinking.
Human outcomes.
01Selected work

Selected work. Considered decisions.

Nonprofit services, accessibility tools, and product systems. Each project connects the people using an experience with the decisions behind it.

A11yGenius dashboard with audit results, issue categories, and review tools.

02 / Accessibility & AI

A11yGenius Product exploration

Turning accessibility findings into a clearer path from understanding an issue to reviewing a fix.

AstralKit website introducing its component library, with a purple astronaut mascot.

03 / Design systems

AstralKit Design & code

A shared foundation of components, patterns, and tokens for building consistent product experiences.

Pinbly concept campaign showing branded store locator posters in a transit station.

04 / Product & identity

Pinbly Product exploration

Bringing locations, brand, and wayfinding together in an embeddable store locator.

LogoZap website with the headline Big ideas. Bold brands. and brand concept examples.

05 / AI product design

LogoZap Product exploration

An AI-assisted brand studio connecting an initial idea to a visual direction and editable brand assets.

02About Alfredo

A little about
how I think.

My work spans nonprofit websites, design systems, and AI-assisted products. The common question: what does someone need to understand before they can act?

Alfredo Mercedes in a navy jacket against a cream and blue backdrop.
Alfredo Mercedes / Designer & builder / New York

Good design starts with understanding.

Through Blue Beacon Creative, my solo freelance consultancy, I work directly with client teams across design and development. I connect audience needs, content structure, and interface decisions with the practical constraints of the build.

Staying involved through implementation means I can carry details such as keyboard behavior, readable content, and reusable patterns into the experience people actually use.

More about me
03How I work

From a question to something useful.

Understand the real need.

Bring user journeys, stakeholder context, and the existing experience into the same conversation. Find the point of confusion before choosing a solution.

Make the thinking visible.

Use flows, prototypes, and clear explanations to explore alternatives. Show the tradeoffs so the team can make a decision together.

Build, learn, and refine.

Connect the design to working interfaces and reusable patterns. Consider accessibility, feedback, and recovery throughout the experience.

A working relationship

[Blue Beacon Creative] has been instrumental in helping our organization modernize our infrastructure with a keen eye toward accessibility, which is a key factor in reaching our target audience. It’s been a great relief knowing that our site is in the best hands.
Dawn DavidsonSenior Marketing Manager / Goodwill Central Texas
04Let’s connect

Good work starts
with a conversation.

Have a question about my work or a project in mind? I’d be glad to hear from you.