Ivan Silva started his journey at CTW as UX Design Guru four years ago. He assumes himself as "a creative, fast learner, focused individual with a strong attraction for Human Centered Design." He is now helping to change the way the world moves at Critical TechWorks.

What made you feel ready to do your mastery process/Why did you do it?

At this point, using the mastery tool feels quite natural to me. With the right tools to monitor my progress, it ultimately comes down to maintaining a continuous drive to grow. Since my initial self-analysis, I have experienced significant changes, and I find that over these four years, I have refined my process to the point where it no longer feels burdensome.

I typically aim to complete my self-analysis and establish my goals for the following year during the last quarter of the year, coinciding with the roadmap definition of my current project. This allows me to approach a new year with a fresh perspective, renewed objectives, and a natural progression of the process throughout the year.

"I typically aim to complete my self-analysis and establish my goals for the following year during the last quarter of the year."

What was the impact that the mastery process had on your career? 

I would say that it had a significant impact on my career in several ways. Firstly, it has encouraged me to self-reflect regularly and set achievable goals that align with my personal and professional growth objectives. This has helped me stay focused and motivated and continuously improve my skills and knowledge.

Secondly, it has fostered a culture of feedback and open communication with others (my team, unit and other stakeholders). By regularly evaluating my own performance and seeking feedback from others, I identified areas for improvement and worked collaboratively to overcome challenges.

Ultimately, it has enabled me to take on new challenges and responsibilities within both CTW and BMW and advance my career in other meaningful ways.

What did you learn about yourself by doing your mastery?

Through the mastery process, I have learned that taking ownership of my own career path is essential for my professional growth and development. By setting my own goals and aspirations and by seeking out learning opportunities that align with my interests and skillset, I am able to chart a path that is both fulfilling and challenging.

Also, I have come to understand that overseeing my own career path requires a strong sense of self-awareness and a willingness to take risks. By being honest with myself about my own limitations and areas for improvement, I can seek out learning opportunities that will help me to grow as a UX designer.

Furthermore, and more relevant within our reality, I have learned that it is important to be flexible and adaptable in my career path. By being open to new challenges and opportunities (we know that projects may change suddenly) I’m able to expand my skill set and to take on new responsibilities that can lead to growth and advancement.​​​​​​​

"I have learned that it is important to be flexible and adaptable in my career path."

What was the biggest challenge of this process for you?

I found that the biggest challenge of this process was avoiding overcommitment while drafting my mastery plan. While setting objectives and aspirations for myself is always exciting, I had to be careful not to overestimate my abilities and set unrealistic expectations (happened in the past, time is limited).

By being mindful of my own limitations and focusing on setting achievable goals, I was able to gain a better understanding of my strengths and weaknesses. This process allowed me to identify areas for improvement and set more realistic and meaningful career goals.

How did training help you in your development process?

Since joining Critical Techworks, I have found training to be crucial in keeping me current and relevant in my field, as well as in continuously enhancing my skills and knowledge as a UX designer.

Last year, training played a significant role in my development process when the company offered the design community the opportunity to obtain a Nielsen Norman Group UX certification by completing five different UX courses.

This allowed us, as a design community, to stay abreast of the latest design trends, tools, and best practices and learn how to implement them in our work. Collaborating with our growing design community fortified our sense of unity and teamwork, enabled us to connect with others, share experiences, and learn from one another.

It was one of the most memorable experiences of the year for me as I could apply the acquired knowledge to my day-to-day tasks successfully and expand my network of fellow UX designers in CTW.

What tools or resources do you use for your Mastery plan and why? 

In the previous year, I’ve used both learning budget as well as some internal training opportunities. I tend to prefer using our learning budget provided by CTW. It offers me the flexibility to choose how I want to expand my knowledge and align it with my established career goals.

For example, this year I am delving into the specifics of the Product Owner role, which share some similarities with my current role: they both require a deep understanding of the customer's requirements, business strategy, and product roadmap. I’m working on obtaining a certification as a Product Owner since it will equip me with the skills necessary to effectively complement my current role.

In addition to the learning budget, I also take advantage of internal training opportunities. Even if a training program is not directly aligned with my goals, I still see it as an opportunity to learn something new and broaden my knowledge base.

"Approach your mastery as a continuous process rather than a one-time event."

Tips for people who haven´t done their mastery yet?

An important piece of advice I would like to share is to approach your mastery as a continuous process rather than a one-time event. It's not beneficial to reserve just one or two months of the year for this purpose.

Rather, make it a part of your ongoing development by regularly updating your mastery Kanban board, seeking feedback, and taking necessary actions. This will make it much easier to complete your self-analysis when the time comes.

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