Hi, I'm Joaquina

I have over fifteen years of experience in the design field and a background in Visual Arts. Starting as a visual artist and graphic designer, I moved into web design and development, before transitioning into Product & UX design, where I’ve spent working for the last six years. I’ve designed for a wide range of industries—from social and ecological organizations to artists, galleries, small startups and big tech companies.

While working as a designer for artists taught me to work aesthetically and with perfect attention to detail in my work, collaborating for non-profits and social organisations reinforced my focus in accessible and inclusive design. Working for startups and tech companies has deepened my knowledge about optimising design processes to meet product goals while focusing on user needs. My studies and experience in visual arts trained me to be more curious about different disciplines, to think critically and outside the box.

User-Centered Design is at the core of everything I do. When I start a project, I usually assess its scope and draft a plan with my team. My ideal process would be:

1. Research, 2. Ideation, 3. Testing, 4. Iterating, 5. Production, 6. Measuring

But I very often end up reshaping this flow to adapt it to each project’s unique requirements and needs.

I thrive working in diverse, cross-functional teams, collaborating with everyone from stakeholders to developers and using tools like Teams or Jira for agile project management and organisation.

I’m a team player that beliebes that clear, straightforward communication is essential for good work, and I’m used to present research findings, ideas, and challenges using clear communication that gets across. I believe in owning the projects I’m involved into, while recognising team achievements, staying positive in adversity, being flexible and resourceful while supporting common growth. I have often been invited to stepping into project leadership, and I love learning from people, collaborating and mentoring junior designers. I have worked in small start-up teams, and big corporate ones, fully remotely and hybrid.

Making things look beautiful, turning complex  into simple