Early Fascination with Design and Engineering
My passion for design started at a young age, long before I knew what UX design was. As a child, I would spend hours on Paint in Windows 3.1, creating designs like Donald Duck and even trying to replicate the famous chessboard from the program’s opening page. Although my interest in design was strong, I initially pursued a degree in electrical engineering, thinking that design might not be a financially viable career. Engineering seemed like a practical path, but my love for design never faded.
Founding My IT Solutions and Web Design Agency
After completing my degree, I channeled my technical knowledge and creative passion into founding my own agency, focusing on IT solutions and web design. This was my first experience merging technology with design, laying the groundwork for my future in UX. Running my agency allowed me to explore various design solutions, but I still had a lot to learn about creating user-centered experiences.
The Wunderman Experience: Managing Projects and Designing Solutions
I then moved on to work with Wunderman, a global agency where I took on the role of an Account Manager, similar to today’s Product Owner or Project Manager. At Wunderman, I collaborated with large companies like Sony, Atlas, and Provivienda, designing website solutions driven by creative teams. However, I noticed that the user’s voice was often missing in the design process. This realization led me to take a different approach when designing the Sony Alpha client portal, a community platform where users could upload, share, and rank their photographs.
Discovering UX Design: A Natural Transition
While working on various projects, I became increasingly interested in the concept of user experience (UX) design. My involvement in triathlons led to a role at Grupo Piazza, where I managed brand identities for New Balance, Brooks, and Saucony. I also organized large-scale running events in Panama City. During this time, I implemented a cloud-based automated solution for Balboa Academy’s athletic department, transitioning them from a paper-based system to an efficient digital process. This project was a turning point where I discovered UX design principles, and I realized that I had been intuitively following these principles throughout my career.
A Career in UX: From Banistmo to ASAP and Curve Dental
To formalize my understanding of UX, I enrolled in a program with the Interaction Design Foundation. Shortly after, I joined Banistmo, one of Panama’s largest banks, as a Webmaster. For three years, I worked closely with the UX team on a brand identity overhaul, creating a new website with over 900 internal pages. This experience solidified my passion for UX, and I began to focus on user-centered design solutions.
After moving to Canada, I continued working remotely with Banistmo while also taking on a role as a UX Designer for ASAP, an app similar to Postmates. My main responsibility was to conduct research and gather user feedback, which guided the redesign of the app, addressing the users’ challenges. My career then led me to Curve Dental, where I spent nearly three years. At Curve Dental, I introduced Figma as the primary design tool, developed storyboards, wireframes, workflows, and prototypes, and collaborated closely with development teams to refine our solutions. I also documented design systems and user interface patterns, ensuring consistency and efficiency across projects.
Looking Forward: My Passion for UX Design and What’s Next
As I reflect on my journey, it’s clear that my passion for design has always been the driving force behind my career. Whether I was designing in Paint as a child or leading UX projects for major companies, the user has always been at the heart of my work. I’m excited to continue exploring new challenges in UX design, constantly seeking to create meaningful, user-centered experiences that resonate with people.