Product Designer · Dallas, TX

Tommy
Cardoza

15 years. Six industries. Products used by millions. I ask why before I ask how — and I always ship.

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Tommy Cardoza
15+
Years of Experience
From graphic design roots to leading UX at AT&T, Citi, KPMG, and Google.
6+
Industries
Fintech · Healthcare · Automotive · Cybersecurity · E-commerce · Enterprise SaaS
50k
Users at Scale
Designed enterprise systems used by a 50,000-person firm. Adoption went up 40%.
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Product Design◆ Design Systems◆ User Research◆ Mobile & Web◆ Creative Direction◆ Accessibility◆ Figma & Prototyping◆ Product Design◆ Design Systems◆ User Research◆ Mobile & Web◆ Creative Direction◆ Accessibility◆ Figma & Prototyping◆
Selected Work

Projects that moved the needle.

AT&T · Cybersecurity · 2024–Present
Global Logon Redesign
Translating complex enterprise security into a login experience that actually makes sense. Streamlined authentication for thousands of AT&T users while meeting rigorous WCAG accessibility standards.
Enterprise UX Accessibility Design Systems Cybersecurity
30%
User Satisfaction ↑
25%
Support Tickets ↓
KPMG · Enterprise · 2022–2023
Enterprise UX for 50,000 People
Redesigning internal software across one of the world's largest professional services firms. The challenge: consistent, scalable UX across a massive organization with wildly different workflows.
Enterprise Design Design Systems Strategy
40%
Productivity ↑
50%
Design Debt ↓
Citigroup · Fintech · 2019–2022
Multi-Platform Banking at Scale
Led a team of 6+ designers building features across iOS, Android, tablet, and web. Championed a design system that cut inconsistencies in half and accelerated delivery cycles.
Fintech Mobile Design Team Leadership
30%
User Retention ↑
35%
Team Productivity ↑
Harman International · Automotive · 2015–2019
The Future of In-Car UX
Designed UI for Sprint Drive (100k+ downloads, 4.8★), the Rinspeed SNAP autonomous vehicle (CES 2018 Award), and AcuraLink's next-gen HMI. Where mobility meets human connection.
Automotive UX HMI Design iOS/Android
100k+
App Downloads
4.8★
App Store Rating
Design Philosophy

"Don't design for likes or transactions.
Design for the empathy of helping people be more efficient.
Good design is invisible — until someone needs it most."

— Tommy Cardoza
How I Work

My
process.

01
Understand
Before I open Figma, I'm in the problem. User interviews, stakeholder mapping, business context. The best design decisions are made before a single pixel is placed.
02
Define
Turning ambiguity into a clear problem statement. This is where most projects go wrong — I make sure we're solving the right thing, not just the obvious thing.
03
Design
Rapid ideation, ruthless editing. I design at multiple fidelities simultaneously — loose concepts to validate ideas, high-fidelity to test real behavior.
04
Deliver
Handoffs aren't the finish line. I work with engineering through implementation, measure outcomes, and iterate. Shipped and working beats perfect and late.
Capabilities

What I
bring.

✦
Product Design
End-to-end product thinking across web and mobile — from zero-to-one concepts to scaling mature platforms.
◈
Design Systems
Built and governed systems at Citi, KPMG, and AT&T. I know how to create frameworks that teams actually use.
◎
User Research
Qual and quant research woven into the process — not bolted on. Every decision traceable back to a human insight.
⬡
Creative Direction
Elevated visual craft with roots in graphic design. I can art direct a team and articulate the vision clearly.
◇
Team Leadership
Mentored and led teams of 6+ designers at Citi and KPMG. I grow people while getting work done.
△
Accessibility
WCAG compliance isn't a checkbox — it's a baseline. Inclusive design is baked into how I work, not added at the end.
About Me

Built
different.
On purpose.

I started as a graphic designer, trained in the fundamentals of visual communication before UX was even a common title. That foundation shaped how I see everything — the grid, the hierarchy, the weight of white space.

Before I was a designer, I was a barista. That might sound like a footnote, but it's not — Starbucks taught me that every interaction is a chance to make someone's day better or worse. That's what design is. I've never lost that instinct.

15 years later, I've designed for companies like AT&T, Citigroup, KPMG, and Google. I've led teams, built design systems, shipped apps used by hundreds of thousands of people, and earned a CES award for autonomous vehicle UI. But what I'm most proud of is the why behind the work: design for the good of people, not the metric.

I'm based in Dallas and actively looking to relocate — California or Europe, ideally. If you're building something worth using, let's talk.

Recognition
✦
Design Innovation Award
Georgia Aquarium Mobile App — recognized for pioneering use of AI and augmented reality in a consumer experience.
✦
Outstanding Commitment to Culture & Inclusion
AT&T — awarded for exceptional leadership in promoting diversity and inclusion across the organization.
◎
Drive Innovation Finalist
AT&T — team finalist for a cybersecurity initiative combating scams, fraud, and digital threats at scale.
◎
Shortlist — Poster for Tomorrow
International design competition recognizing socially impactful visual communication.
◎
CES 2018 Award
Rinspeed SNAP Autonomous Vehicle — recognized for future mobility UI innovation.
I
Why before how. Every brief deserves a challenge. I'd rather slow down at the start and build the right thing than build the wrong thing fast.
II
Empathy is a skill, not a feeling. It takes practice, research, and genuine curiosity about people who aren't you. I've been practicing for 15 years.
III
Design for humanity, not for likes. If the goal is vanity metrics or dark patterns, I'm the wrong designer. If the goal is making someone's life genuinely easier, I'm all in.
IV
Ship it, then make it better. Perfect is the enemy of useful. I believe in iteration over perfection and data over assumption.
Testimonials

What people
say.

"Tommy is one of those rare designers who brings both strategic clarity and pixel-perfect execution. He asks the right questions before touching a single frame — and then delivers something that genuinely moves the needle."
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"Working with Tommy changed how our team thinks about design. He doesn't just solve the problem in front of him — he reframes the whole challenge. And he makes everyone around him better."
LinkedIn Connection
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"Tommy has a gift for translating complex, ambiguous problems into experiences that feel effortless. He's also the easiest person to collaborate with — calm under pressure, clear in his thinking, and genuinely invested in the outcome."
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Contact

Let's
build.

Staff or Lead roles. California or Europe preferred. If you're building something people will actually use — I want in.

Email [email protected] Phone (559) 960-7647 LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/tommycardoza Location Dallas, TX · Open to Relocation

Let's
talk.

Whether you're hiring, collaborating, or just want to talk design — I'm a people person. Always up for a real conversation.

Send a Message