Hello!
I'm Rafael Dias.
I'm a Product Designer who believes the best design is "invisible." It works with such seamlessness that users think, “Of course, that’s how it should be."
At YDUQS, I contributed as a product designer to a diverse group of educational institutions, including Estácio de Sá, IBMEC, Wyden, and IDOMED.
I have led projects for Decathlon Brazil and managed a design team at ALESP (São Paulo State Assembly). I founded 3.16 Clothing, an e-commerce fashion brand, and Blubox, an interactive event totem startup.
“Oh, he can draw!”
Creativity has guided me since childhood. I express myself through visual art, using chalk on walls and creating shelves from skateboards.
At 16, my classmates had clear plans, but I felt lost. People kept saying, "Rafa, you draw well; there must be something for you." I prayed and waited for direction.
The answer! (2009 - 2012)
On a career fair field trip, I saw “Industrial Design” on a sign and instantly connected my skills to the field.
A brief conversation at the booth was the insight I needed, and I enrolled at Mackenzie Presbyterian University, graduating between 2009 and 2012.
In 2013, I earned my Advanced English certificate in Gold Coast - Australia, which opened doors to international projects and broadened my design perspective.
*Visual Design Diploma awarded - 2012
*Diploma in Advanced English awarded - 2013
Entrepreneurship and Market
(2014 - 2016)
Back in Brazil in parallel, I founded two businesses: 3.16 Clothing and Blubox, an interactive event totem. Both ventures experienced rapid growth and received tempting acquisition offers. I exited when I felt the creative core was fading under business operations.
From Visual to Strategic
(2017 - 2019)
Key designer at TIKAO during a tough gubernatorial election. Then, I became the Visual Design Lead at the São Paulo Legislative Assembly (ALESP), demonstrating that design is effective when aesthetics and strategy work together.
*Lecture on concept presentation for political candidates, including city council and mayoral candidates.
*My team of designers and communications professionals.
The Spark Was Lit
(2020 - 2021)
February 2020 marked a turning point. I was invited in February to join Decathlon Br’s team of concept tech leaders, taking on a leadership role in product and digital innovation. This experience broadened my perspective on technology, business strategy, and cross-functional collaboration, further accelerating my journey in UX/UI and product design.
Digital Products Depth
(2022 - 2025)
Product Designer at Yduqs: I fixed legacy issues and improved the design system. I also enhanced the UX for the distance-learning app. This work helped the app become a flagship product and boosted my career.
Building what's next
(2026 - 2027)
Senior Product Designer at Monte Bravo, an investment brokerage. Finance was never on my radar, and it has become one of the most rewarding chapters of my career. Side by side with engineering, we’re building a brand-new app from scratch, with AI agents connected to Figma via MCP, a design system as the single source of truth, and constant iteration. Something big is on the way, and I’m bringing the best of my experience to make it happen.
*Exclusive Figma session for Monte Bravo’s design and engineering teams, presenting new features.
I'm always ready for any challenge, whatever it may be, after all, I really do know how to design. Perhaps it was just “invisible,” wasn’t it?