Good design reduces friction Great product design removes unnecessary work.

Hi, I'm Jose Alvarez

I'm a behavioral designer specializing in gamification systems and mascot UX — the emotional layer that makes users feel rewarded, not judged, for their behavior inside a product.

I created ESA (Emotional State Architecture) — a framework that maps user psychology to four emotional states and uses reactive mascot characters to drive retention without guilt. Cuak and DuoGit are two applied case studies across fintech and developer tools.

Based in Colombia. UTC-5. Open to contracts in gamification, game UX, and behavioral product design.

Jose Alvarez

◆ What I Work On

  • Gamification systems and progression mechanics
  • Mascot character design for behavioral feedback
  • Retention UX — streaks, states, loss aversion design
  • Behavioral design for anxiety-prone products
  • Game UX — engagement loops, player psychology

★ Highlights

  • Designed Cuak (fintech mascot system)
  • Designed DuoGit (behavioral developer tool)
  • Created ESA — Emotional State Architecture
  • CalArts UI/UX Specialization
  • Software Dev degree in progress (TecMD)