Employee Spotlight: Tony Vila (Senior Product Designer)

In this Spotlight Series blog, we are delighted to introduce Tony Vila, our Senior Product Designer.

Tony has been working with us for nearly two years and is our go-to expert for shaping user experiences that marry functionality with aesthetics. 

With a background in horticultural product design and a passion for UX/UI, Tony brings a unique perspective to our team. 

His journey from aspiring music teacher to seasoned UX/UI designer has been marked by pivotal moments in London’s startup scene, where he honed his skills and embraced the dynamic challenges of B2B product design.

Join us as we delve into Tony’s journey, insights, and the impactful projects that define his tenure at Process Street:

• All about Tony
• Tony’s professional experience
• Tony’s role at Process Street
• On being part of the Process Street team
• Some random questions

All about Tony

What words describe you best? 

Foodie. Chilled.

What do you do in your spare time?

A lot of hiking, cooking, walks with my dog, hanging out with friends, and a bit of traveling!

How do you start your morning?

Getting out of the house, walking my dog mostly. Some days I try to squeeze a short hike before work.

What is an interesting/fun fact that most people don’t know about you?

I’ve played in bands since I was 15. I mostly played in Spain and London. I once did a small tour in Germany supporting a band from NYC called Aluminum Babe. That was FUN!

Tony’s professional experience

Give us a high level of your professional background before Process Street.

I went to university intending to become a primary school music teacher, but I didn’t enjoy it much, so I ended up working for a company that made horticultural products. 

After a few years, I landed a job designing horticultural products for all types of clients. 

Then I studied to become a UX/UI designer. 

I worked for a few agencies in London, began my adventures in the startup world (mostly B2B), and never looked back since.

Important moments, catalysts, turning points in your career?

Moving to London, where I spent 9 years, and studying there to become a UX/UI designer, were definitely two big turning points in my career.

Tony’s role at Process Street 

How long have you been at Process Street?

Coming up to 2 years.

What is your role at Process Street? 

I’m a Senior Product Designer. 

 What does a typical day look like?

A typical day involves lots of research. Getting to know our users, and our product, designing new features, syncing with other team members from the product team and with engineers.

What’s your secret to achieving success in your role? 

I think communication is key, especially in a remote role. 

Asking questions, investigating our users and our technology, and being able to think outside the box to solve problems for our customers.

Can you share a project you’re particularly proud of and why?

We recently released a new feature called My Work, where you can keep track of all your assignments, and your colleagues’ assignments. 

I think it’s very useful and it looks great. Aesthetically, it’s how we’d like our other Process Street features to look.

What do you think are the best skills that you bring to your job?

Hard skills are very important, but I think soft skills can take you a long way, especially when working as part of a team. 

Collaboration, involving people from different departments in the design process, and challenging preconceptions of our customers.

On being part of the Process Street team 

What inspired you to join the team here?

I really liked the product, the team, and the methodology used, called Shape-up. 

The team also releases features at a very high pace without compromising on quality. 

What do you like most about working at Process Street? 

That our teams excel together while prioritizing a healthy work-life balance.

Not only is working remotely a blessing, but the entire team genuinely values the contributions of the designers.

How would you describe our culture to candidates or other people who inquire?

The culture here is fantastic! 

The team is super friendly, always ready to help, and highly skilled. 

The company embodies a true startup spirit, moving quickly while maintaining a great work-life balance.

What does it take to be successful at a company like Process Street?

I think it’s a matter of communicating well and often, checking up with the team, getting your colleagues involved with your decisions, and being a nice person to collaborate with.

Some random questions

What career advice would you give to your younger self when you were starting your career?

Move to tech sooner! It’s an amazing industry.

If you won the lottery what would you do with the money? 

If I had an insane amount of money, I would open an animal shelter to care for abandoned or injured animals and give them the good life they deserve. 

What’s the last book you read? 

“Good to Great” by Jim Collins was recommended by my manager, Michael. It’s an excellent book, very data and research-driven, which is totally up my alley.

What’s your favorite binge-worthy show? 

I keep coming back to the American version of The Office. It’s my comfort watch.

What do you do to relax?   

I enjoy exercising, especially hiking and weight training. It’s great for both the body and the mind. I also love unwinding by watching TV at the end of the day, especially when I’m with my partner and our greyhound.

What is the best piece of feedback you have ever received?

I can’t pinpoint a specific piece of feedback, but I can’t help but mention the mentors I’ve had along the way and how much I’ve learned from them. 

Jonathan Culling from UXPA, Philip Twine during my time at USIO, Andrew Godfrey at General Assembly, and Divya Hughes at Dext. I owe them big time!