Making it pop

INFO

I’m Vic de Aranzeta — a Product Designer, Artist, and Anthropologist with over a decade of experience spanning visual design, research, and experience design. With six years as a product designer and a 2x founding designer, I’ve worked with global teams from, big-tech, agencies, and scrappy teams at Seed through Series B startups across education, climate, health, AI/ML, and civic tech.

Currently, designing AI workflows and tool experiences for teachers at MagicSchool AI. Previously, digital experiences and services for government and non-profits at design agency Exygy, working with clients like Historypin, San Francisco Foundation, San Francisco DCYF, and the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers.

My design practice draws inspiration from architecture, nature, film, history, vintage ads, and travel. When I’m not designing, you can find me exploring storytelling through short films, catching a baseball game, looking for the perfect cannoli, or rating movies on Letterboxd.

SELECTED EXPERIENCE

Nov 2025 - Present
Senior Product Designer, MagicSchool AI

Jul 2024 - Nov 2025
Lead Product Designer, Exygy

May 2022 - Jun 2024
Founding Product Designer, NCX

Apr 2021 - Apr 2022

Founding Product Designer, Spora Health

Dec 2020 - Apr 2021

UX Designer, Google (contract)

PRESS
Anthro to UX Podcast, 2023

San Francisco chapter of IGDA, 2022 - 2023

The Early Team podcast, 2022

Decolonizing Design, Explained, 2022

Design at Spora Health, 2022

AWARDS

Core 77 Runner Up — Spora Mommas, 2022

2nd Place MIT Hacking Racism in Healthcare, 2020

DESIGN PHILOSOPHY

Form, function, and feeling.

Keep it simple

Complexity and ambiguity demands flexibility, simplicity, and clarity. Think big and design small to create the right thing at the right time.

Context is everything

Design for the real world — noisy spaces, quiet moments, dim light, and small screens. Consider the context of people, place and time to craft moments and experiences that meet people where they are, but take them somewhere they never imagined.

Stuff the cannoli

Thoughtfully crafted content is the vital filling that brings clarity and meaning to design. Without a content first approach — much like cannoli without the filling — you’re left with an empty shell.

Design with

Invite people into the process early and often to create memorable experiences. Design with others to try new things, get lost in the creative process, and discover innovative solutions together.

Trust your gut

Great design is shaped by what we know and what we feel. Balancing observation with emotion elevates our design craft and helps us create memorable, impactful, and purposeful things that we love.

Kind words

“...Vic is one of the most thoughtful, creative, and wonderful designers that I've had the privilege of working with. Her approach and attention to each aspect of the craft is inspiring.”

— Shawhin M., Product Manager, Spora Health

“When designing, Vic uses her strong research to make our users her priority, and ensures she gets feedback from every stakeholder, even when it slows things down or requires more work from her.”

— Heather S., Sr. Software Engineer, NCX

“What set Vic apart from the very beginning was her genuine interest in end users and their lives. Her ability to internalize the user perspective was consistently demonstrated in her design outputs. As her manager, I not only trusted and knew Vic would deliver on her work, but that her work would incorporate elements from her collaboration across the team at every step of the way.”

— Andy M., Chief Product Officer, NCX

“...She made it fun to collaborate, and I felt like the work we did together was of a very high quality because of her detailed consideration of the project goals, and her communication style.”  

— Leah M., Sr. Software Engineer, NCX

“Vic has a very special way of working problems from a human-centric perspective.”

 — Gus N.,Director of Growth, NCX

San Francisco, CA