"The Journey to 'A No-Nonsense Approach to Design Systems'"

Back in 2010, my tech career kicked off not with a bang but within the cubicle-laden halls of Hewlett Packard in Córdoba, Argentina. My team was tasked with the not-so-glamorous job of approving software download requests for VALE, a Brazilian mining behemoth. This job unexpectedly made me pick up Portuguese to streamline communications—a skill I never imagined needing. The work? So repetitive it flirted with the risk of tendinitis, thanks to an endless loop of copy-pasting.

A year into it, the plot twisted: our department was slated for closure, a casualty of the relentless quest for lower costs. The irony wasn't lost; we were asked to train our replacements. Picture this: digging your professional grave, one training session at a time.

With layoffs looming and anxiety and stress becoming my constant companions, the fear of unemployment was unbearable. I was a single mom to a bright 5-year-old girl—unemployment wasn't an option. That's when my hustle within the company began, a desperate search for anything that could anchor me. Enter Alejandro, who offered to mentor me in QA and software testing—a field I knew nothing about. But I was determined to seize any opportunity.

Armed with a mix of desperation and determination, I made my way to the QA department director's office. There, I pitched myself: a quick learner, eager for any opportunity. It felt like a long shot, especially watching my colleagues leave, one by one.

Then, unexpectedly, that director called. Alongside four other women, from the initial 150 in our department, we were offered a spot in QA. The salary? Laughably low. But it came with a promise of training and certification, which was all I needed to hear.

This chapter of my life was a stark lesson in self-advocacy, summed up by a saying from the streets of Argentina: "If you don't cry, you won't get breastfed." You have to make your own opportunities.

And then, in 2015, my journey took me to an unexpected place: Google's London office. There, I embarked on a four-year stint as a software engineering and UX design apprentice. It was a world apart from my days at HP, filled with its own set of challenges and triumphs—but that's a whole other story.

Fast forward to California, where I worked as a product designer for Pluto TV until the 2022 recession left me, and over 50,000 others in the Bay Area, jobless. The depression hit hard, grounding me, and questioning my worth.

But, as before, I rose. A concoction of therapy and medication (okay, mostly medication) pulled me back to my feet. It dawned on me: my value wasn't tied to a job. It was time to carve out my own path, using the wealth of experience I'd accumulated—ranging from QA to UX design, from multinational teams to leading projects.

Despite battling the ever-present impostor syndrome, I had a story worth sharing, skills worth teaching. My husband saw it, even when I didn't. His belief in me spurred me to action, leading to "A No-Nonsense Approach to Design Systems." This book is more than a collection of knowledge; it's a testament to the power of self-advocacy, resilience, and the courage to keep learning, no matter the odds.

This blog marks the continuation of that journey. It's not just about sharing knowledge on design systems but about inspiring anyone navigating their path in tech. Because, if there's one thing I've learned, it's that fighting for your place in this world is non-negotiable.