Hello, my name is
Ana Maria Copetti Maccagnan
I'm a Brazilian-Italian design researcher and strategist with over 8 years of experience leading research-driven projects. I help organizations of all sizes and sectors make informed decisions, shape strategies, and deliver meaningful solutions.
I see myself as an ambitious multidisciplinary designer, a creative, and a maker, working across service design, strategic design methodologies, and data-driven insights to create clarity around complex challenges. I'm passionate about understanding what moves people, their culture, and how to turn insights into innovation opportunities. My goal is to create design projects that generate positive impact for society and the environment.
Based in São Paulo, Brazil ☺
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Olá! Sou designer pesquisadora e estrategista, com mais de 8 anos de experiência liderando projetos orientados por pesquisa. Apoio organizações de diferentes portes e setores a tomar decisões informadas, estruturar estratégias e entregar soluções relevantes. Me vejo como uma designer multidisciplinar ambiciosa, criativa e maker, atuando entre design de serviços, metodologias de design estratégico e dados de pesquisa para trazer clareza a desafios complexos. Sou movida pelo interesse em entender o que impulsiona as pessoas, suas culturas, e como transformar esses aprendizados em oportunidades de inovação. Meu objetivo é criar projetos de design que gerem impacto positivo para a sociedade e o meio ambiente.
Estou em São Paulo, Brasil ☺
Career in the area of consulting, with experience in Innovation and Design Projects for national and multinational companies, medium and large-sized.
Expertise in solution creation processes (products, services, portfolio strategy, among others), applying co-design methodologies, involving stages of research, creation, and validation.
Experience in conducting qualitative research in different formats such as in-depth interviews, focus groups, field studies, combined with quantitative data analysis.
Academic background: Master in Strategic Design, with ongoing studies and current interest in systemic design, regenerative practices, and ESG.
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Work Experience
(2022 - now) Researcher and Strategist Manager | Questtonó Manyone | QNCO
- former Senior Researcher and Strategist
(2017 - 2022) Strategic Design Coordinator | Estúdio Nômade
(2016) Graphic Designer | Liv Creative Works
(2016) Graphic Designer Intern | Nola Design
Education
(2025 - 2026) Post Graduation Design for Sustainability & Regeneration (GEDS Online) | Gaia Education, Scotland
(2019 - 2021) Master of Strategic Design | Unisinos, Porto Alegre, Brazil (Granted with a CAPES Scholarship)
(2013 – 2017) Bachelor of Strategic Design | Unisinos, Porto Alegre, Brazil
(2014 – 2015) BA Product Design | Middlesex University London, UK (Granted with a SwB Scholarship)
(2014 - incomplete) BA Product Design | UFRGS - Porto Alegre, Brazil
Complementary Education
(2022) Ethnography for the design of products and services | EstudioRacimo
(2021) The Systems View of Life | Fritjof Capra Course
(2021) Understand: Service Design Research | Livework, São Paulo, Brazil
(2021) Patadesign School (of pataphysics) by Isabella Brandalise, Henrique Eira, and Dr. Søren Rosenbak
(2021) Human-Centered Design 201: Prototyping | IDEO.org
(2015) Packaging | UAL - University of the Arts London Central Saint Martins, UK
(2015) Set Design for Film and Television | UAL - University of the Arts London, UK
Certification
(2021) Mesa Method by Mesa Company
Recognition
(2025) Shortlist at BDA - Brasil Design Award for the project "Caldeira Institute and the Urban Solutions Laboratory: A New Role in the Reconstruction of Rio Grande do Sul" by Questtonó. In the Social Impact Design category: Prosperity
(2025) Shortlist at BDA - Brasil Design Award for the project "Who are you in the queue at the end of the world?" by Questtonó. In the Future Design category: Impact
(2024) Awarded at BDA - Brasil Design Award for the project "Energisa Account Management and Dispute Journey" by Questtonó. Silver in the Service Design category: Service improvement.
(2024) Awarded at BDA - Brasil Design Award for the project "High Quality of the Future" by Questtonó. Bronze in the Service Design category: Development of new techniques for Service Design
(2021) Awarded at BDA - Brasil Design Award for the project "Data Driven Relationship - Predictive Algorithm for Business Assertiveness" by Estúdio Nômade. Bronze in the Service Design category: User Research
(2020) Awarded at BDA - Brasil Design Award for the project "Rally Outback" by Estúdio Nômade. Silver in the Service Design category: Employee Experience
(2018) Finalist at Tomie Ohtake Institute & Leroy Merlin Design Award for the project "Digital incentive platform for craft making" by Clube das Miçangas ⟶
(2018) Awarded Design Scholar of the Year at Bornancini
(2018) Awarded at Bornancini for the project "Diga Onde: promoting autonomy for visually impaired". 1st place in the Strategic and Service Design (student) category
(2018) Awarded at Bornancini for the project "Leadership Journey: Nike Next Generation" by Estúdio Nômade. 1st place in the Strategic and Service Design category
(2017) Recognition of Best Graduation Work at ApDesign Association for the research "System of multisensory urban information for visually impaired"
Personal Project
(2016 - now) Clube das Miçangas ⟶
Volunteer Work & Research
(2025) Cocreation of the Schumacher Community Brasil: Confluence
(2021 - 2022) Volunteer of the Participatory Design Conference 2022 (New Castle, UK) - Brazilian Chapter
(2020 - 2022) Member of the independent 'Designs Decolonizantes' study group
(2019 - 2023) Member of the Experimental Design Practices (through STS) research group | UNISINOS
(2020) humusidades, independent study group on Donna Haraway by Zoy Anastassakis
(2020) Coordinator of the III Internacional Design Culture Symposium | ArtefatoLab Unisinos
(2018 - 2019) Social Media and Producer Volunteer | Creative Mornings - POA Chapter
(2016) Scientific Initiation Scholarship "Mapping Porto Alegre's creative industry" | Unisinos