About

I’m Alden Mahoney, a product design student at Minneapolis College of Art and Design, graduating in 2028. I aim to create designs that consider how to improve people’s interactions with everyday products in meaningful ways. As I design, I focus heavily on attention to detail, thoughtful prototyping, and long-lasting quality. I gravitate towards design that blends functionality with beauty through intentional simplicity, drawing from mid-century and Bauhaus inspiration to create such design without compromising manufacturability and a positive user experience.

Hearing the problems of others in my life I ideate on possible solutions before conducting user interviews to uncover design opportunities. I then explore these specific problems by using expressive sketching to lay out concepts and develop them. Through CAD modeling and physical prototypes, I place ideas in users’ hands early on, gathering feedback to refine functionality. These detailed sketches and renders also help me collaborate with my colleagues and communicate my ideas visually with ease. By doing so, this communication fosters creative exploration which I value as a part of the design process and use this approach to merge it with practicality throughout my design process.

Creating products that are environmentally conscious and examine sustainability as a component of production are crucial to me. Durability and longevity of product performance are qualities that I believe should factor heavily into design, as I’ve found long-lasting products create a positive identity and recognition. I try to look at design of the past to understand where different ideas come from and how I can further build on them in the modern day.

Contributing to a design team that values critical thinking, experimentation, and user feedback is something that I am eager to do as I finish my degree and progress into professional practice. Designing products that are intuitive, engaged, and dependable is a goal of mine—solutions that will seamlessly integrate into and enhance everyday life for those who use them.

PLAYGROUND