But, first, a brief overview of what this prize means to the crew. When was it given for the first time? The first time was in 2017. We were lucky to reward those crew members whose work was outstanding. To win this prize is a professional achievement that rewards the person's impeccable performance. Gradually, it has become the most important prize the company gives during the year.
Honestly, we take the risk of being a little bit unfair when choosing just one winner because we are sure that all the crew members work hard to achieve their goals and support the company’s mission. What skills does a crew member need to win this prize?
- A great ability to lead teams
- Creativity and proactivity
- Eagerness to constantly improve production quality
- Enthusiasm to gain more responsibility and go beyond expectations
- A team spirit to share Darwoft’s culture and mission
Let’s meet the nominees!
Marcelo Nallino
First up, Marcelo Nallino. Marcelo is a Full Stack Developer and acts as a Team Lead and Lead Front-End Developer in a project for a Virginia-based company in the healthcare sector.
As a team leader, Marcelo has demonstrated he is able to guide and support his colleagues successfully when it comes to making level-headed decisions to enhance technical processes. Though he joined Darwoft in April 2021, he has always been keen on participating in both internal and external projects. On top of that, as he excels in technical and communication skills, he is capable of developing an excellent rapport with our clients. This is why he also helps perform technical interviews.
How did he discover the world of technology?
Marcelo was first introduced to the world of technology when he was a kid. His father had a software development company in the 80s, and Marcelo learned to code starting at age 13. And he hasn’t stopped since. Although in school he studied Electronic Engineering at the Catholic University of Córdoba, he never stopped keeping up-to-date with the latest technologies. As Marcelo says, “I always found some excuse to code something.”
What does he like most?
One of his favorite parts about working on his projects at Darwoft is the quality control. His team is responsible for setting quality standards and delivering quality code on all of their projects. He also loves the challenges and learning that come with a brand new project. But mainly, Marcelo says he loves the people he works with and the excellent communication among his team members. “I think you can work with any technology but if you don't get on well with the people you work with, you are going to have a bad time no matter what.”
Looking ahead to 2022, Marcelo is excited for new challenges and continuing to upgrade his skillset, particularly with Amazon Web Services (AWS). Outside of work, he’s looking forward to more of his favorite hobbies, including cooking with friends, gaming, and playing D&D every Thursday.
Congrats, Marcelo!
Bárbara Lezchik
It’s high time to meet Barbs. She is a User Experience and User Interface Designer. Her main role is to know users and use cases, know and understand their needs, problems and desires, and be able to create solutions in the shape of products. She loves the fact that she can and needs to work across all stages and areas of the project. She gets to work with the product team to set goals and objectives, with the users to know their problems and what they can do to solve them, with marketing to shape the brand of the product, with the developers to hand out designs and set functionalities, and with the quality team to ensure everything is working and looking as desired. The collaboration of UX with the entire team is continuous and always iterative.
She confessed she became interested in software about two years ago. After a year abroad, she wanted to make a change in her career as an Industrial Designer and, exploring different options, she got to know about UX. That’s when she got fascinated by this approach to design through the user's eyes and the world of software design.
In 2021, she mainly worked on one awesome and really challenging project related to analytics in healthcare. In this project she worked as a UX-UI designer, alongside another designer from Darwoft and with the Product team. Here she had the possibility to do all the steps of the UX process: user interviews, wireframes, validations and tests, high fidelity designs, prototypes and development hand-off.
When she is not working, she enjoys outdoor activities: trekking, hiking, water sports or just going for a walk along the riverside. She also loves spending time with family and friends, especially around a table with food or drinking mate!
"When did you receive the news?"
"It was fun, you know? I was in a meeting with the UX Leader, Nicolás, and the clients of the project we’re working on. Nicolás gave me the news and made this moment very special. Immediately, the clients congratulated me on this nomination. Nicolás and I explained why this prize is important to the whole crew and they were so proud that they even wanted to vote. The best part is that I was not the only nominee who works with them every week, but also Marcelo. Not to mention that Nicolás was a winner himself so he was really excited too."
"Oh, that’s great! And tell me, how did this nomination make you feel?"
"Well, when I saw the email with the list of nominees, I couldn’t believe my name and my photo were there. Actually, I read it over and over again to fully understand what was happening."
"Do you know why Darwoft nominated you?"
"I believe they are aware of my progress. Probably, I went beyond expectations. It’s related to my professional growth since I started as a trainee. Soon, I was promoted and became a UX Designer Junior and then, I was recategorized again as a Mid-Senior Designer. Everything happened in less than two years."
"Wow! So, I imagine you had more responsibilities."
"Sure. The Board also realized I could meet deadlines and achieve my objectives."
"That’s fantastic! Your values should have been aligned with those of the company: innovation, leadership, and proactivity."
"To tell you the truth, I don’t think I haven’t been really innovative lately, especially if I compare my work with my partners’. I haven’t been a team leader either. However, I do know I have been proactive since every time I completed a task, I asked for more challenges. Then, a new project was assigned to me in which I was in charge of several demanding tasks and that was a good opportunity to make the most of it –learn and continue growing."
That’s the way to go, Barbs!
Augusto Lezchik
Augusto has a degree in Systems Analysis and Information Technology. At Darwoft, he has worked as a Project Manager for 2 years. Thanks to his communication and leadership skills, he always shows self-confidence when he is in charge of a project and knows exactly what to do to guide his teams and obtain excellent results. His partners have nothing but good things to say about him. They really miss him when he goes on holiday because they are aware of how much easier it is to work when Augusto is by their side, planning the phases of the project, emailing the client, thinking about efficient solutions, or just scheduling meetings to meet deadlines.
The third nominee told us why he thinks he deserves this prize.
"Well, to put it bluntly, I think that a developer can stand out of the crowd more easily than other professionals in this field because what they build is visible to the rest. However, as a PM, if it hadn’t been for my supportive team, my work wouldn’t have been recognized in such an extraordinary way. I’ve always tried to accomplish goals with professionalism. Another core is the chance to manage pioneering projects which are thought-provoking for the whole group. That passion we share for facing challenges makes us feel united and empowered as a team. Sometimes, we don’t know how to overcome obstacles, but our impulse to develop something groundbreaking guides us to apply the best practices and find a fresh but efficient solution to do it. What I’ve mentioned goes along with Darwoft’s flexibility and disposition to discover and rediscover new paths to create a product and solve problems during the process. In a nutshell, I’m in the right place at the right time."
Bravo, Augusto!
And the winner is…*drumroll* AUGUSTO LEZCHIK!!!
