Designing for Humans, not Hypotheticals
Designing for Humans, not Hypotheticals
Designing for Humans, not Hypotheticals
by Zoe Mercado
Oct 2025
•
1 min read
MHCI-trained designer with psychology roots. I lead every design decision with research that ensures I'm solving the right problem for the right user.
MHCI-trained designer with psychology roots. I lead every design decision with research that ensures I'm solving the right problem for the right user.
MHCI-trained designer with psychology roots. I lead every design decision with research that ensures I'm solving the right problem for the right user.
My heart lives where technology, culture, and social impact meet.
My heart lives where technology, culture, and social impact meet.
My heart lives where technology, culture, and social impact meet.
📍 Based in Brooklyn, NYC
📍 Based in Brooklyn, NYC
📍 Based in Brooklyn, NYC
Trusted by teams at
Trusted by teams at
Trusted by teams at
Product Designer & Storyteller
Most recently redesigned picoCTF's cybersecurity learning platform for 800K+ users.
Previously, I led P0 research at Figma that directly influenced 20+ mind mapping features for millions of users.
800k+
800k+
800k+
users impacted
Your contributions to picoCTF will advance cybersecurity education access globally and for years to come. I appreciate your work and humor making the weekly meeting productive and fun.
Your contributions to picoCTF will advance cybersecurity education access globally and for years to come. I appreciate your work and humor making the weekly meeting productive and fun.
Megan Kearns
Megan Kearns
Megan Kearns
Program Director, picoCTF
Program Director, picoCTF
Program Director, picoCTF
Working with Zoe was a total privilege from Day 1. She ramped up quickly on the context of what we were building and why, wasn't afraid to ask questions and get involved, and did really excellent work.
Working with Zoe was a total privilege from Day 1. She ramped up quickly on the context of what we were building and why, wasn't afraid to ask questions and get involved, and did really excellent work.
Connor Woods
Product Manager, Figma
Zoe's appreciation for language, heritage, and cultural exchange has helped us see how personal experiences shape and strengthen our professional paths.
Zoe's appreciation for language, heritage, and cultural exchange has helped us see how personal experiences shape and strengthen our professional paths.
Moi Padilla, Ph.D
Director, CMU Rales Fellows
Selected Projects
Selected Projects
My design work is scalable & built to ship
Empowering Cybersecurity Learners: A PicoCTF Redesign
Our MHCI capstone team designed learning paths with contextual support and personalized feedback, helping beginners stay engaged while improving platform retention.
Shipping Late 2025
Product Strategy
End-End Product Design
View Project
Empowering Cybersecurity Learners: A PicoCTF Redesign
Our MHCI capstone team designed learning paths with contextual support and personalized feedback, helping beginners stay engaged while improving platform retention.
Shipping Late 2025
Product Strategy
End-End Product Design
Read Case Study
Empowering Cybersecurity Learners: A PicoCTF Redesign
Our MHCI capstone team designed learning paths with contextual support and personalized feedback, helping beginners stay engaged while improving platform retention.
Shipping Late 2025
Product Strategy
End-End Product Design
View Project
Empowering Cybersecurity Learners: A PicoCTF Redesign
Our MHCI capstone team designed learning paths with contextual support and personalized feedback, helping beginners stay engaged while improving platform retention.
Shipping Late 2025
Product Strategy
End-End Product Design
View Project
LEGO City Race Challenge: Building Social Skills Brick by Brick
Commissioned by LEGO® Brick Clubs, this transformational game empowers middle school students to express themselves, navigate ambiguity, and build meaningful connections through collaborative LEGO® building challenges.
Shipped 2024
Transformational Game Design
Educational Design
View Project
LEGO City Race Challenge: Building Social Skills Brick by Brick
Commissioned by LEGO® Brick Clubs, this transformational game empowers middle school students to express themselves, navigate ambiguity, and build meaningful connections through collaborative LEGO® building challenges.
Shipped 2024
Transformational Game Design
Educational Design
Read Case Study
LEGO City Race Challenge: Building Social Skills Brick by Brick
Commissioned by LEGO® Brick Clubs, this transformational game empowers middle school students to express themselves, navigate ambiguity, and build meaningful connections through collaborative LEGO® building challenges.
Shipped 2024
Transformational Game Design
Educational Design
View Project
LEGO City Race Challenge: Building Social Skills Brick by Brick
Commissioned by LEGO® Brick Clubs, this transformational game empowers middle school students to express themselves, navigate ambiguity, and build meaningful connections through collaborative LEGO® building challenges.
Shipped 2024
Transformational Game Design
Educational Design
View Project
Matches to Meetups: 🐝 A Bumble Case Study
After Bumble's 2023 geolocation features failed due to declining adoption, I designed privacy-first mixer events allowing users to meet potential matches organically in safe, group settings while driving freemium-to-premium conversion.
Design Systems
1-N Product Strategy
User Research
View Project
Matches to Meetups: 🐝 A Bumble Case Study
After Bumble's 2023 geolocation features failed due to declining adoption, I designed privacy-first mixer events allowing users to meet potential matches organically in safe, group settings while driving freemium-to-premium conversion.
Design Systems
1-N Product Strategy
User Research
Read Case Study
Matches to Meetups: 🐝 A Bumble Case Study
After Bumble's 2023 geolocation features failed due to declining adoption, I designed privacy-first mixer events allowing users to meet potential matches organically in safe, group settings while driving freemium-to-premium conversion.
Design Systems
1-N Product Strategy
User Research
View Project
Matches to Meetups: 🐝 A Bumble Case Study
After Bumble's 2023 geolocation features failed due to declining adoption, I designed privacy-first mixer events allowing users to meet potential matches organically in safe, group settings while driving freemium-to-premium conversion.
Design Systems
1-N Product Strategy
User Research
View Project
Extended Portfolio
Extended Portfolio
Concept work exploring new interaction patterns and experiences
Get to Know Me: Design FAQ
What is your design process?
My design process follows a research-first approach. I start by understanding the problem scope through user research and stakeholder interviews to identify core user needs. Next, I explore a wide range design solutions through sketching and wireframing. When possible, I test early concepts with users, but I also rely on data and design intuition to guide decisions. I then prototype interactive designs for rapid testing and iteration. Finally, I gather user feedback—either before launch when time permits, or continuously post-launch—to refine and improve the experience.
What is your design process?
What is your design process?
My design process follows a research-first approach. I start by understanding the problem scope through user research and stakeholder interviews to identify core user needs. Next, I explore a wide range design solutions through sketching and wireframing. When possible, I test early concepts with users, but I also rely on data and design intuition to guide decisions. I then prototype interactive designs for rapid testing and iteration. Finally, I gather user feedback—either before launch when time permits, or continuously post-launch—to refine and improve the experience.
What is your design process?
My design process follows a research-first approach. I start by understanding the problem scope through user research and stakeholder interviews to identify core user needs. Next, I explore a wide range design solutions through sketching and wireframing. When possible, I test early concepts with users, but I also rely on data and design intuition to guide decisions. I then prototype interactive designs for rapid testing and iteration. Finally, I gather user feedback—either before launch when time permits, or continuously post-launch—to refine and improve the experience.
What tools and software do you use for UX design?
What tools and software do you use for UX design?
What tools and software do you use for UX design?
What tools and software do you use for UX design?
How do you measure the success of your UX designs?
How do you measure the success of your UX designs?
How do you measure the success of your UX designs?
How do you measure the success of your UX designs?