André Figueiredo - Interaction Designer

I completed my academic studies in Art + Technology from PUC-SP, one of the premier Brazilian universities within this field of study. During my coursework, I participated in several research and workshop projects. Upon graduating, I was required to present and design my university thesis which was an interactive installation project called "Venice". Since then, Venice has been on exhibition at "Paço Das Artes" in Sao Paulo, Brazil and at Academy of Media Arts (KHM) in Cologne, Germany. My current profession is senior interaction designer at R/GA, where I design digital experiences from websites to interactive installations. I am currently working on projects that include: Mobile, GPS, Holographic Projections, Digital TV and Web. Before R/GA, I worked as an interaction designer and information architect at several digital agencies such as Young & Rubicam, Garage, Agência Click, EURO RSCG 4D and One Digital. I worked for clients such as: Coca-Cola, Fiat, MSN, Petrobras, TIM, Nokia, Peugeot, Reckitt Benckiser and Kaiser.

Contact

Email: andre@andrefigueiredo.com
Minutes Before: http://andrefigueiredo.com/minutesbefore

Work Experience

R/GA, Interaction Designer, Current Young Rubicam, Interaction Designer, 2008 - 2008 Garage Interactive Marketing, Interaction Designer, 2006 - 2008 Euro RSCG 4D, Information Architect, 2004 - 2006 One Digital, Information Architect, 2003 - 2004 Agencia Click, Information Architect, 2001 - 2003

Exhibitions

Paço das Artes, USP - Sao Paulo, Brazil, Transterritorial Generation - August, 2006, Project: Venice Academy of Media Arts (KHM) - Cologne, Germany, Transterritorial Generation - October, 2007, Project: Venice

Education

Catholic University of Sao Paulo, Technology and Digital Media - Qualification in Art and Technology, 2000 - 2004

Projects / Works / Jobs

Venice - Köln, Germany
Transterritorial Generation
KHM - Academy of Media Arts
The project is designed in a way that allows spectators to participate and interact with the visual projection of Venice. Through a simple and user friendly interface, spectators can control the wind speed, the number of clouds in the sky, and the number of boats near the beaches. The user interface is designed in such as way where the spectator requires very little technology knowledge to work the installation of the visual projection. A simple and easy to use design interface increases the number of spectators that can participate and interact with the project.

Gradiente Decoder
Digital TV Interface
Garage Interactive Marketing
Interface Design, Usability, Information Architecture
Gradiente is a brazilian consumer electronics company with a product line ranging from home entertainment products (tv, dvd) to portable consumer electronics (mp3 players, mobile phones). In early 2008, Gradiente plans to unveil its first digital tv. Garage interactive was contracted to design the user interface of Gradiente's digital tv called Gradiente Decoder. I visited Gradiente's production facilities in Manaus, Amazonia - Brazil to receive the client briefing as well as familiarize myself with the new product. I performed benchmark analysis of user interfaces such as Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii and otheres. I designed the interface and functionalities and wireframes.

B/Ferraz
Branded Site
Garage Interactive Marketing
Usability, Information Architecture
B/Ferraz is an events and promotions agency in Sao Paulo Brazil that is one of the most successful in delivering unique and immersive brand experiences. Garage was assigned the task of designing and building the customer experience. B/ferraz.com.br offers potential customers a unique navigational experience. B/Ferraz's logo of inter-connected circles was transformed into a navigational menu. I designed information architecture of the site where I produced the site map and wireframes. I performed usability tests and managed the list of fixes.

Venice - Sao Paulo, Brazil
Transterritorial Generation
USP - Paço das Artes
The project is designed in a way that allows spectators to participate and interact with the visual projection of Venice. Through a simple and user friendly interface, spectators can control the wind speed, the number of clouds in the sky, and the number of boats near the beaches. The user interface is designed in such as way where the spectator requires very little technology knowledge to work the installation of the visual projection. A simple and easy to use design interface increases the number of spectators that can participate and interact with the project.

Microsoft Zune
Branded Site
Garage Interactive Marketing
Information Architecture
Microsoft launched a new application called Suite Expression in 2006. Garage Interactive was given the assignment of designing a branded website for Zune, Microsoft's music player, using Expression. The Zune website was designed as a 3d interactive site where users could learn more about the product through an impactful visual design. In addtion, the digital experience was integrated into the live platform - live messenger and live local. With a click the users could send the site to a friend through live messenger and could find stores carrying Microsoft Zune through live local. I participated in the concept sessions. I concepted how the digital experience could move beyond the site by leveraging the Microsoft's live platform. I also designed the wireframes and site map.

Gradiente HDTV
Branded Site
Garage Interactive Marketing
Interface Design, Usability, Information Architecture
Gradiente is a brazilian consumer electronics company with a product line ranging from home entertainment products (tv, dvd) to portable consumer electronics (mp3 players, mobile phones). In 2006, Gradiente launch its family of hd tvs. Garage interactive was assigned to develop a branded website where consumers could learn more about hdtv. Previously, Gradiente's hdtv site was a catalog site that offered very little in terms of digital experience. High quality demos were designed to substitute a heavy text format. Gradiente's hdtv site was search engine optimized to drive visits to the site. I designed the wireframes and site map for the site.

Mitsubish L200 Outdoor
Branded ARG Site
Garage Interactive Marketing
Information Architecture
Mitsubishi is an automotive manufacturer and is known for its 4x4 line of cars in Brazil. In 2006, Mitsubishi launched its new L200 outdoor 4x4. The objective of the campaign was to engage consumers through an alternate reality game that was conceptualized by Africa and B/Ferraz. The user goal was to find where Mitsubishi had hidden several L200s throughout Brazil. Garage was hired to design the digital experience and produce the site, an integral touch point of the entire campaign strategy. The digital part of the alternate reality game lasted 45 days. Users were required to interact with Mitsubishi through its site to find where the L200s were hidden. The digital experience was divided into 3 stages of a virtual rally. Participants were eliminated through out each stage to get to 50 finalists. The last 50 finalist then participated in a real rally where the top five finalist would win the final clues to win the hidden L200 4x4s. Participants used various social media applications e.g., Flickr, Youtube etc., to find the hidden clues and were required to input these hiddens clues on the Mitsubishi L200 site though out the 3 virtual rally stages. I designed the digital games for the virtual rally for each stage of the game.

Disney Cars
3D Holographic Installation
Garage Interactive Marketing
Interface design, Usability, Information Architecture
Disney is a global entertainment experiences company. In 2006, Disney was launching its animated filme, Cars. Disney was looking for an unexpected technology-driven marketing solution that would capture the imagination and attention of users. At Garage Interactive, we designed and built the first 3d holographic multimedia point of sale installation where users could see on-demand "life-size 3d" views of each disney car and trailers of the movie. The 3d holographic multimedia point of sale installations were placed in major shopping malls throughout Sao Paulo. I participated in this project from conception to installation. I participated in brainstorming sessions to come up with a highly immersive and interactive digital experience. I defined and scoped out the content of the experience. I designed the wireframes for each car that was presented. I designed the interface of the touch-screen totem.

Skol Beats 2006
Branded Site and Mobile Aplication
Garage Interactive Marketing
Interaction Design, Interface Design, Usability, Information Architecture
Skol is the leading beer in Latin America and Brazil and a part of Ambev, a beverage holding company with brands such as Brahma, Pepsi and Gatorade. In 2006, Skol wanted to extend its brand experience, Skol Beats, the largest Latin American electronic music festival, through a digital platform that engaged the youth market. Skol wanted to extend the weekend electronic musical festival into a longer and more immersive digital brand experience that lasted throughout the year. Garage interactive was hired to design the Skol Beats digital experience. We were responsible for digital branding and experience design. In terms of digital branding, we did the following: 1) created a site with a 3d visual design home page; 2) designed a 24/7 online radio featuring electronic music; 3) online promotion leveraging an interactive map showing all the participants and their status in the game; 4) innovative downloads for mobile phones and pc; 5) video/photo blogs. In the physical world, we launched the following: 1) digital outdoors where users could send an SMS to the outdoor and receive free ringtones and vote for their favorite dj; 2) digital guerillha media where we took over an abandoned building and turned into a 30 story leds. I was responsible for the interaction design where I planned the digital experience in 3 phases: pre-event, event and post-event experience that resulted in the Skol Beats digital platform as described above. Lastly, I was able to improve the consumer experience at the Skol Beats event by solving their paper maps problem. Skol Beats is attended by more than 40.000 people a year with over 60 dj attractions happening in more than 10 tents. In the past, users were given paper card board maps that they hung around their necks. I recommended a downloadable digital map for mobile phones. To make the experience useful, useable and desireable, users could customize which djs they want to see and would receive SMS alerts 15 minutes before their dj played. In the end, users knew where and when their favorites djs were playing with their mobile phone maps of the event.

Nokia Brasil and Latam
Corporate Site
Euro RSCG 4D
Usability, Information Architecture
Nokia is a leading mobile phone company. EuroRSCG 4D was Nokia's digital agency of record from 2003 and 2006 and was responsible for designing and building Nokia's corporate website throughout Latin America. In 2003, Nokia challenged EuroRSCG 4D to design and build a better consumer site experience improving the accessibility and usability of their content. During this project, I was the lead information architect and oversaw the entire wireframe production process. In addition, I designed new interface tools for users to have a better experience in accessing Nokia's content e.g. demos, customer support.

Guia Mais Ruas
Map Interface
Agência Click
Interface Design, Usability, Information Architecture
Guiamais.com.br is a brazilian website (owned by Telefonica) that offers consumers information through online maps much like Mapquest or Googlemaps. In 2002, Agencia Click was given the task of improving the consumer experience. Guiamais.com.br wanted to provide more functionalities and interactivity to users. In partnership with guiamais.com.br, we built in major points of references into all the maps from tourist attractions to restaurants and hotels. For example, users could customize their shopping routes within the maps. The site also offered recommendations within the online maps. Search was built into the site so users could easily find what they were looking for. Lastly, we built a functionality that offered advertisers a way to place their store locations into guiamais online maps. I was responsible for creating the functionality specifications, wireframe and site maps.

Brastemp
Ecommerce Site
Agência Click
Information Architecture
Brastemp is the largest home domestic appliance company in Brazil. Brastemp hired Agência Click to design and build an ecommerce site where consumers could research product information. Brastemp.com.br provides an online shopping experience through a user-friendly interface that allows customers to customize the potential purchases. For example, a customer could build a refrigerator of his dreams by adding additional features and changing the color. I designed the information architecture of the site where I produced the site map and wireframes. Brastemp.com.br went live in 2002 and over the next 3 years the site won the ibest award for best consumer home appliance website.

Credicard
Internet Banking Site
Agência Click
Information Architecture
Credicard is one of the largest credit card companies in Brazil with a user base of more than 4.7 million. In 2002, Credicard assigned Agência Click the responsibility of designing and building the first credit card website that allowed clients access to their credit card informations through a secure login and password. I designed the interface and site map and wireframes. In its first year of launch, credicard.com.br won the ibest award for best internet banking website and won in the following year as well.