Designer & Developer — Austin, TX

Andre Espinoza

UX Design × Digital Marketing × AI Systems

I build digital experiences that are purposeful, well-crafted, and built to last — at the intersection of user research, design, and emerging technology.

Andre Espinoza
30.2672° N, 97.7431° W  ·  Austin, Texas Available for work
UX Design Figma React Python AI Systems n8n Automation User Research Supabase Illustrator Prototyping InDesign Data Analysis Interaction Design Photoshop UX Design Figma React Python AI Systems n8n Automation User Research Supabase Illustrator Prototyping InDesign Data Analysis Interaction Design Photoshop

Built with
purpose.

Each project represents a real problem, a research-driven process, and a deliberate design decision — from AI-powered pipelines to human-centered interfaces.

01
AI / Machine Learning

Topper AI — Course Selection Chatbot

An AI-powered academic advisor chatbot for St. Edward's University, trained on 500+ custom queries to deliver accurate, personalized course recommendations.

Built with OpenAI GPT, Python, Flask, and Figma for the front-end prototype. My responsibilities included user research, API configuration, and training the model. Two rounds of user testing showed students could find courses in under 5 minutes. The biggest challenge was ensuring data-specific responses — solved by building 500+ unique training queries and switching from Google Cloud to the updated OpenAI API platform on short notice.

OpenAI APIPythonFlaskFigmaUX Research
02
AI / Data Analysis

Yelp Review AI Analysis

A comparative content analysis of 25 Yelp reviews each for Lucky Robot and Cabo Bob's — using ChatGPT-4o and custom GPT models to identify sentiment patterns and operational insights.

Developed a conceptual coding scheme using AI to categorize reviews into Positive, Negative, and Neutral feedback types with sub-codes (Compliments, Complaints, Recommendations, etc.). Findings: both restaurants show ~36% positive compliments — Lucky Robot had fewer service complaints, Cabo Bob's had more actionable constructive criticism. Delivered data-backed recommendations for staff training and feedback utilization.

ChatGPT-4oCustom GPTContent AnalysisMarketing Strategy
03
UX Research / Marketing

Camp For All — Volunteer Engagement

Data-driven marketing proposal to increase volunteer turnout for a nonprofit serving children and adults with special needs. 64 participants surveyed, 4 strategic hypotheses tested.

Surveyed 64 young adults at South Congress and UT Austin. Key findings: young adults are motivated by networking, personal fulfillment, leadership opportunities, and civic engagement. Proposed an influencer-driven public volunteer event model, recurring leadership programs, and social media-first outreach strategy to drive sign-ups and long-term retention.

SurveysData AnalysisSPSSMarketing Strategy
04
UX/UI Design

Charity Swipe — Social Good Platform

A Figma-designed platform connecting tech-savvy users with charitable organizations via a swipe-based interaction model adapted from dating apps — built to make giving feel native and effortless.

5-month collaborative project using Figma, Miro, wonder tables, and mind maps to understand climate injustice as a design challenge. Final design included: explore page, search, org list, org profile, and user profile — each built for engagement and ease. The main challenge was adapting the dating-app interaction model ethically to the context of charity without losing the addictive usability.

FigmaMiroUX ResearchInteraction Design
05
VR/AR Design

Broken Spoke — VR Cultural Preservation

Led UX design for a virtual reality tour of Austin's iconic Broken Spoke honky-tonk — preserving 50+ years of cultural heritage threatened by gentrification through immersive storytelling.

Research included interviews with locals and patrons, analysis of historical documents and photos, and study of Austin urban development trends. Built in Unity and Blender. Final experience lets users explore the venue across different eras, interact with historical artifacts, and engage with live audio-visual elements. User testing focused on emotional authenticity — does this feel like the real Broken Spoke?

UnityBlenderUX ResearchInteraction DesignVR
06
UX/UI Design

Audi — Mobile & TV App Redesign

Solo redesign of Audi's mobile and Smart TV applications — improving navigation, search, and visual hierarchy while maintaining Audi's established design language across platforms.

Process moved from app audit → pain point mapping → wireframing for both mobile and Smart TV → high-fidelity Figma prototypes. Core improvements: cleaner navigation hierarchy, improved search UX, and consistent cross-platform branding. The challenge was enhancing usability without disrupting brand recognition — users needed to feel the redesign was still unmistakably Audi.

FigmaWireframingUX AuditBrand DesignMulti-Platform
07
UX/UI Design

Smart Home Interface

A unified smart home dashboard consolidating Alexa, Ring cameras, music streaming, and thermostat controls — designed to give users single-screen command over their entire home ecosystem.

Design challenge: make a dense, multi-device system feel simple and intuitive. Process: ecosystem audit → integration opportunity mapping → interface design across home screen, room controls, camera feeds, thermostat, and music. Clear visual hierarchy and logical layout allowed users to manage complex systems with minimal cognitive load.

FigmaInformation ArchitectureDashboard DesignIoT UX

Designed to
last.

I'm Andre Espinoza — a designer and developer based in Austin, TX. I grew up in El Paso, which shapes how I see things: border culture has a way of making you comfortable with in-between spaces, and I've carried that into how I approach design — never fully one thing, always looking at what's on both sides.

I hold a BA in UX Design from St. Edward's University (GPA 3.87) and a post-grad certificate in UI/UX for Data-Driven Business from UT McCombs. Right now I work at Holey Moley Golf Club (Funlab) — a role that started as reception and quietly grew into guest insights, sentiment analysis, event coordination, and operational reporting. I build things on the side that scratch itches I can't ignore: AI pipelines, self-hosted tools, interfaces that actually work.

Outside of work I'm usually chasing something — a rally stage, a festival in a city I've never been to, a rave in a venue I couldn't have found on a map. I find that the best ideas come from being around people who care deeply about things, whatever those things are.

El Paso TX Austin TX Rally Racing Live Music Homelab AI Automation Traveling Built to Last
Design
Figma Illustrator Photoshop InDesign Prototyping Wireframing
Development
React + Vite HTML / CSS / JS Python / Flask Supabase n8n Automation Docker GitHub Vercel
Research & Strategy
UX Research User Testing Data Analysis SPSS Google Analytics Marketing Strategy
Education
BA — UX Design + Digital Marketing St. Edward's University · GPA 3.87 · May 2024
Certificate — UI/UX for Data-Driven Business UT Austin McCombs · March 2025
01
Make it real.

Ideas don't ship. I prototype, test, and iterate until something works in the real world — not just in a deck.

02
Build to last.

Like selvedge denim or quality leather — good design doesn't need replacing. It deepens with use.

03
Feel it first.

Better employee experiences create better customer experiences. Design starts with understanding people, not screens.

Open to opportunities

Let's build
something.

I'm currently open to full-time roles and select freelance projects in UX design, product design, and digital experience. Based in Austin — available remote or in-person.

AE