Bibliotecas Mexicanas del Siglo XX

Building a Team From Scratch

When the agency posted for designers with web knowledge, no one applied. When they posted for graphic designers, 20 CVs arrived daily. The solution was to hire talented graphic designers and train them myself. Every morning before project work began, I ran training sessions covering HTML, CSS, jQuery, and the emerging concepts of UX/UI and frontend design — disciplines most of the team had never encountered.

This wasn't just skill transfer. It was a team transformation. Several of those designers went on to build careers in UX and frontend development. The knowledge I brought from my time at Softtek became the foundation for an entire team's career pivot.

Design-Development Bridge

My role was the communication layer between two worlds. The design team produced wireframes, graphic proposals, splash screen animations, asset exports, and HTML mockups. The development team built the final iPad apps and web platform. I translated between both — ensuring design intent survived technical implementation, and that technical constraints shaped design decisions early rather than late.

At CONACULTA client meetings, I represented the product directly — sometimes alone, sometimes alongside the development lead. My former director once told me: "We brought you as a sales force." The ability to communicate design and technical decisions to institutional clients became one of my most valued contributions to the agency.

The Product

Four iPad apps, each dedicated to a different personal library housed in the same Mexico City cultural complex: José Luis Martínez, Jaime García Terrés, Antonio Castro Leal, and Carlos Monsiváis. Each app had its own distinct visual identity while sharing a common navigation structure: Biografía, Catálogo, Videoteca, Visor QR, Línea de Tiempo, Otras Bibliotecas Personales, and Directorio.

The companion web platform allowed users to search the book catalog across all four libraries, with access to digitized public domain titles readable directly in the browser — connecting Mexico's literary heritage to a digital audience for the first time.

Results & Impact

• 8 graphic designers trained and transitioned into UX/UI and frontend-capable roles
• 4 iPad apps delivered for federal government cultural institution
• Web platform with searchable catalog of digitized public domain books
• Direct client representation at CONACULTA institutional meetings
• Team members went on to careers at PayPal, startups, and TATA