My Twitter bio provides a fairly accurate description of who I am:
This description encapsulates most the things I'm most passionate about:
Design and Technology
Of all the different names currently applicable to what I do, I subscribe to the term Interaction Design (or "IxD" --hence my Twitter handle).
I am most particularly passionate about working with and designing for mobile.
Mobile UX is mainly what I've written articles about; focused on for side projects and taught classes on at General Assembly in Austin, TX and New York City.
It is fair to say Steve Jobs literally changed my life when he introduced the iPhone onstage in 2007.
This is also reflected in my recent work history with design positions such as a UX Design Lead at JP Morgan Chase, Adobe and Google. I believe working on mobile UX has allowed me to have the biggest amount of impact with my work.
Lastly, I am helpless early adopter.
Whether is the latest smart watch, connected sunglasses, synthesizer, head-mounted gadget, or the latest spatial computing device, I'm usually the first one among my friends & colleagues to try it our. As a designer, this makes me happy and yields constant learning and entertaining opportunities (with the occasional mishap here & there).
Photography
Most particularly iPhoneography: the practice of taking, crafting and editing photos only using an iPhone.
iPhoneography has changed the way I look at my everyday surroundings. With my iPhone always with me, I'm constantly ready to shoot --specially in a city like NYC where every street and every corner is full of photo-ops.
But the real fun begins "in post-production". The vast range of photo-editing apps available on the AppStore is what makes the very essence of iPhonoegraphy. It has expanded my creativity levels in why I can't recall experiencing before. It's something I love so much I've even taught classes on it in the past.
Where does it all end up? Usually Instagram and VSCO.
For my latest Instagram activity, along with other places where my photos live, please visit the Photography section on this site.
Coffee
Not just drinking it. I also love experimenting with different ways of making it.
I'm from Colombia and lived in Italy. Go figure...
Music
I've played guitar since 1996. I've recorded a few songs here and there along the way. Despite playing for many years, I have never live for an audience --except for that one time with Rachael Yamagata...
I also produce electronic music. I mostly use Ableton Live with a Push controller for composing and performing, as well as anything in the Roland AIRA family of synthesizers.
(You should follow me on Instagram to watch clips of the songs I've made with my AIRA synths --or catch me right as they are being created on Instagram Live).
I have also taken a similar approach to music making as I have with iPhoneography: composing and producing music by only using an iPad.
These "mobile-only" tracks are special. Many of them have been created under a self-imposed constraint: usually coming to life within the duration of a flight or train ride when I'm traveling.
Much like with mobile interaction design, I used the power of constraint to prioritize, simplify and focus on what's important for these tracks. The result is a collection of songs I'm the most proud of to date.
You can listen to some of these iPad-only tracks in the Music section of this site.
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The only things I wasn't able to fit in my Twitter bio were my passions for traveling and learning foreign languages.
Up until now, I have visited 34 countries. I certainly plan on continuing increasing that number
I have previously lived in Bogotá (Colombia), Reno (NV), Pau (France), Turin (Italy), Indianapolis (IN), Austin (TX) and New York City. These cities are responsible for my current fluency in Spanish, English, French and Italian.
I'm not planning on living in Germany or Japan anytime soon, but I am certainly planning on learning those languages as well.