Tekton's Designer Grazzia Bracamonte: What I Love About My Job

People have long believed that designers only make aesthetically pleasing products. This viewpoint persists to this day. Although the claim is not entirely incorrect, the fast progress of technology has led to numerous design specializations that achieve more than ever before. In this blog, we spoke with Grazzia Bracamonte, a designer at Tekton, about her professional experiences as a tech company designer, her motivation, and what a typical day at work is like.

Grazzia studied Graphic Design and Direction at the Toulouse Lautrec Institute in Lima. Her interest in human emotions and behavior inspired her to pursue a new career in UX Design at Laboratoria's Bootcamp, where she integrated these insights into her design approach.

She is from Lima but is currently based in Tacna, Peru, and her role at Tekton involves working with a team of six designers from Peru, Colombia, and Argentina. “We make a very creative female group, with knowledge that we enjoy sharing and using to support each other. And I experienced that type of environment in Laboratoria. A typical day at Tekton includes a daily meeting with the team, where we chat briefly before getting started and discuss any assistance we may require with our projects or share updates. If we don't have a daily meeting via Meet (Mon, Wed, Fri), we catch up on Slack. We also have hour-long biweekly meetings. These are crucial, especially since we are constantly working on multiple projects. They keep us informed about each other's projects, foster the exchange of new ideas, and provide support during a block. They're also useful for covering for one another during vacations or unforeseen circumstances.”

But there's more to a typical workday. Grazzia's schedule also includes online meetings for pair design sessions in Figma if she is collaborating with a teammate on a project, having meetings with clients, and working on her assigned project. Her duties vary depending on the project. Some of them include conducting benchmarks during the research phase, performing UX audits to analyze issues and enhancements, seeking inspiration for UX and UI to create the “look and feel” (her favorite part), and testing high-fidelity prototypes to ensure the product meets the user and client needs, among other duties. One of her favorite activities is attending Design’s Lunch & Learn sessions to learn new ways to improve her work as a UXer and retrospective sessions. Each team member takes turns leading in these gatherings, trying to make them thematic and fun.

This March will be two years since she first worked at Tekton as a UX/UI designer. When we asked her what she enjoyed most about her job, she said:

“One aspect that makes my job enjoyable is being part of a team with 198926% accountability. There's complete trust in each other's work. My boss has fostered a trusting environment where we find and propose solutions, and she’s confident that everyone can find solutions without micromanagement.

She guides us but trusts our decisions and welcomes new ideas, which allows us, as creatives, to flow seamlessly and work comfortably and calmly. Another highlight is our involvement in our own project estimations. Sometimes, sales teams can set timelines that don't align with the time and standards design teams can offer. At Tekton, there's effective communication between the sales and design team to find a balance, ensuring client satisfaction without sacrificing employee wellbeing or the aesthetics and quality of our work. And without a doubt, the ability to work remotely is one of my favorite things. Tekton has opened the door for me to strike the perfect balance between work and life, all from the comfort of my home or any other spot I find myself in when traveling. There's a real sense of trust here—they believe in us as employees. As long as we stay dedicated to our projects and have a reliable internet connection, the world is our office.”

When we ask Grazzia about her motivation for her work, she says she has been fascinated by the powerful storytelling of billboard advertisements since she was young, especially those that prompt self-reflection and resonate deeply. Over a decade in the industry, her main motivation as a graphic designer has been creating visual narratives that spark a vulnerable and meaningful connection between brands and their target audiences. Along the way, she found a way to blend all these aspects and discovered that her true passion lies in understanding human emotions and needs and designing solutions to make life easier and more enjoyable. “I'm a practical person at heart, always looking for efficient and enjoyable ways to spend my energy. In my daily work, I strive to achieve these goals while also brainstorming innovative solutions for clients and their products. I aim to make users feel happy and at ease with our designs.”

This year, Grazzia will go back to the basics. Tekton has given each team member a membership to the Interaction Design Foundation so that she will be updating and reinforcing her UX skills. “This will undoubtedly allow me to offer our clients more precise and well-founded solutions. I'm optimistic that businesses will increasingly recognize the significant contribution of UX to their revenue and engagement metrics. I hope to see a greater demand for end-to-end projects, providing more comprehensive and holistic services. Additionally, I'm looking forward to seeing more realistic job openings for UX newcomers. There's something incredibly rewarding about contributing to someone's growth and helping them along their career path. By fostering a supportive environment for budding UX professionals, we can enhance our field and empower new designers. Tekton did that with me, and I’ll always be grateful for that.”