Staff Spotlight – Lis García

 

 

Welcome to our Q&A series, where we provide you with an inside look at the exceptional individuals driving Sparta’s success. In this edition, we are delighted to introduce Lis García, our dedicated Product Designer. Lis is the creative force behind enhancing the Sparta product experience, both for web and mobile apps. Join us as we venture into her unique journey, her role, and the artistic flair she brings to her position.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WITH THE COMPANY?

I have been with the company for 1 year and 4 months.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN YOUR ROLE

I work as a product designer, which involves helping evolve, improve, and grow the Sparta product (both the web and mobile app). My responsibilities include defining and creating the product’s user experience and interface interaction design. I also work on creating and implementing tools and methodologies to streamline our design process for greater efficiency. In collaboration with the Product team, we analyse our users’ needs and iteratively improve the product to provide the best solutions for them.

HOW DID YOU GET STARTED IN THE INDUSTRY?/CAN YOU GIVE ME A RUNDOWN OF YOUR CAREER PATH UP UNTIL THIS POINT?

My career and growth have been based on exploration and self-teaching. My knowledge foundation is rooted in my degree in Arts, where I initially focused on Art Direction in Advertising, undertook some basic programming, and completed various graphic design courses. These experiences provided me with a foundation to begin developing my career at Quobis, where I continued to explore and grow, primarily through self-directed learning in UI, product, and user experience design, which I complemented with additional courses and master’s programs.

At Quobis, I initially joined as a graphic designer in the Marketing department, and over time, I took on more significant responsibilities, ultimately becoming the product designer and product owner, working closely with the team using a user-centred methodology to drive product growth. After six years, I decided to continue my exploration and accumulate more knowledge and experience in my career, which led me to join Sparta.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE PART OF WORKING AT OUR COMPANY?

I enjoy challenging my knowledge and experience, stepping out of my comfort zone to work with different types of users. I greatly appreciate the collaborative nature of our team, where everyone is open to engaging in meaningful conversations and actively seeks and provides feedback to enhance both the company and our products. We readily offer assistance whenever it’s needed, and the flat hierarchy makes the work much more straightforward.

From a design perspective, our product is entirely focused on addressing the needs of commodity traders. Every decision and new feature is driven by the demands of traders, and we ensure their validation through real-world testing. This approach isn’t common in the product design world, at least based on what I’ve observed.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF IN YOUR CAREER SO FAR?

I am proud of the evolution that has occurred in my career, and the hard work behind it.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE OUR COMPANY CULTURE

We foster a dynamic and flat culture characterised by shared responsibility and a collective commitment to success. Everyone is open to engaging in meaningful conversations, actively seeks and provides feedback to enhance both the company and our products, and readily offers assistance when needed.

WHAT’S ONE THING PEOPLE DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU THAT THEY WOULD BE SURPRISED TO FIND OUT?

I spent 5 to 6 years at a music conservatory, where I played the viola during my childhood.

WHAT PIECE OF ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO YOUR YOUNGER SELF

Don’t lose the desire and passion to discover and experiment, as it will help you grow and love your work.

WHAT’S ONE THING YOU WISH PEOPLE KNEW ABOUT YOUR JOB?

It’s not just about making things beautiful; it’s about aligning business value with the user experience in the product. Even a small change can have a significant impact on the user’s workflow. It’s an ongoing process; it’s not something you deliver once and consider it done. Instead, it requires continuous monitoring, measurement, and iteration, always keeping the user’s comfort in mind.

WHAT’S THE MOST INTERESTING PROJECT YOU HAVE WORKED ON HERE SO FAR?

Up to this point, I have primarily focused on redesigning the mobile app based on how users interact with it. However, I believe that there will be even more interesting projects in the future that will provide us with a deeper understanding of our users and challenge the product’s interface.

WHAT’S ONE THING THAT HAS SURPRISED YOU ABOUT YOUR CURRENT ROLE?

The flexibility and confidence that all Spartans have in my decisions.

WHAT ARE YOU GOALS FOR THE NEXT FEW MONTHS/YEARS?

Continue gaining experience and implementing UX research techniques that will significantly enhance our solutions for user experience and product adoption.

HOW HAS YOUR ROLE EVOLVED OVER TIME SINCE YOU HAVE BEEN HERE?

I have experienced growth through collaboration, working alongside my friend Jorge, a Product Designer, and engaging with stakeholders. This has enriched both my work approach and communication skills.

IF YOU HAD THREE WISHES, WHAT WOULD THEY BE?

My priorities are as follows: first, I wish for a healthy life for my family and friends. Second, I aspire to achieve my future plans and ambitions in both life and work. Lastly, I hope to have the financial means to travel more extensively than I currently do.

WHAT, IF ANYTHING, ARE YOU CURRENTLY BINGE-WATCHING OR READING?

I am currently watching Gen-V on Prime, and I regularly read books related to my work. Recently, I purchased ‘Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products’ by Nir Eyal because I’ve heard good reviews about it.

WHAT’S THE LAST SONG YOU LISTENED TO?

I am currently listening to a Spotify playlist titled ‘Perfect Concentration,’ which features instrumental music. However, the last song I listened to was a Spanish song, ‘Si No Estás’ by Íñigo Quintero.

WHAT’S ONE THING ON YOUR BUCKET LIST

Drive the route 66 with my sister.

Lis is our Product Designer and can be contacted at lis.garcia@spartacommodities.com

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Sparta is a live, market intelligence and forecasting platform that enables oil traders, refiners, banks, hedge funds and wholesalers to have access to real-time and global actionable insights to capture market opportunities before others.

To find out how Sparta can allow you to make smarter trading decisions, faster, contact us for a demonstration at sales@spartacommodites.com