Hey there, my name is Adonay Lizardo 👋
I’m a Design Leader, educator, and entrepreneur with a background in business administration. This is my story.
Let’s dive in.
Finding my Creative Spark ✨
Growing up, my dream was to become an Astronaut, inspired by the stories my father told me about Space. He is a hobby astronomer. Let's just say I was a little obsessed from a young age and preferred a Carl Sagan documentary to any candy gift. 😅
While many designers have artistic backgrounds, I found my creative spark in the world of technology.
My early fascination with computers and how accessible that world was to me (my parents owned a Cyber Cafe) in conjunction with my analytical thinking naturally led me to pursue a life where I could creatively solve problems, using technology as a medium.
Discovering User Experience Design 🤩
After a few years as a Web Designer, I was looking for a way to work combining all my interests and talents. I felt that I was falling short of what I could do. Then I discovered the field of UX Design and I was immediately captivated.
Since there is no training program offered in my country (until today), I took the initiative to create my own curriculum based on great universities and companies abroad. Eventually this would lead me to become one of the first UX Design Teachers in Latam at Crehana.
Through 4 online courses and multiple talks and workshops in countries like Venezuela, Panama, and Colombia I helped more than 2200+ students to get into the career and start working.
Launching my first startup 🚀
Armed with a strong understanding of UX and a good coding foundation, I decided to put my skills to the test by creating with 2 other friends my first digital startup. After launching it I was surprised when we had so much reach that in the next 3 months we went on to build a team of 30 people.
This unexpected success taught me that entrepreneurship was not only about the dream of helping others, but also about business challenges, and being able to provide the right experience for both users and our own team.
Transitioning From Designer to Consultant 👨🏻💻
The success of the first project allowed me to venture fully as a consultant for other startups in the world of technology. While conducting user research and designing better workflows, I was still honing business and leadership skills.
This solidified my passion for UX Design, and after a few years, I was offered the opportunity to start teaching globally, imparting knowledge and building a foundation for new generations of designers in Latin America... With a leap of faith, I countered a community eager for knowledge that welcomed me with open arms. To my surprise, this career is limitless. 😮
An Unexpected Detour as an Educator and Mentor 🧑🏫
After a few years of transitioning to consulting, I was also successful in education and fell in love with it. However, I became increasingly perplexed by the disconnect between what was being taught and what could actually be done in practice.
This led me to get more involved in the intersection between product strategy and business goals, while building a more pragmatic bridge for the students. As a Mentor, I have dedicated myself to identifying those gaps that take the theoretical away from the practical and creating avenues of understanding that actually address genuine user needs in the end.
Becoming a Leader
My journey as a UX Consultant equipped me with valuable business design acumen, while my entrepeneur background instilled in me a deep understanding of systems and constraints.
But more than anything, it's my passion for design that has taught me creativity, collaboration, empathy, pragmatism, communication, leadership, and ethical decision-making.
As a Design Leader, giving back to the design community is one of my top priorities. I've had the privilege of speaking at over 10 industry events, mentoring more than 200 designers, and regularly sharing insights with a community of millions of students around the globe. My goal is to help elevate our craft, inspire emerging talent, and foster a collaborative, supportive design community.
My Design Leadership Principles 🤝
The "why" behind my leadership comes from a deep commitment to my values and principles. These are the ideals I stand by that keep me focused on creating meaningful impact.
People before pixels
Relationships, empathy, collaboration, and trust will always have a greater impact on a product than the UI.
Outcomes over output
Mockups, code, and roadmaps don’t matter if they're not making an impact on the users and the business
Begin with the end in mind
If everyone is rallied around the same vision, then you’re much more likely to achieve it together.
Lead with context, not control
Teams don't need micromanaging. Focus on empowering them with guidance, trust, and autonomy.
And above all, treat others with kindness and respect ✨.
If you read to this point, I’m gonna mention some fun facts 😛: I am also an enthusiast of rock climbing, meditation, stock market investing, and pro-bono activities for the design community.
Ps. Design is so noble that eventually I was able to reach space and fulfill my childhood dream 🧑🚀🔭