Meet Thiago, our talented UI/UX Designer, who has been crafting exceptional user experiences at XWiki for over a year. From day one, he has valued the support he has received from the XS Squad which has helped him thrive in his role.
Thiago shares a deep connection with the open-source value of freedom, a principle that resonates with his own beliefs. When joining XWiki, he has undergone a transition from collaborating with a limited number of stakeholders to effectively merging the various expectations and requirements of the individuals within the XWiki's community.
Let’s uncover more about Thiago’s inspiring journey!
The arrival of Thiago in the XWiki core development team has been a boon. We were lacking a UI/UX designer and Thiago filled that gap brilliantly. I appreciate that he takes the time to understand how XWiki works and study past proposals before making any new UI proposal. This helps make his proposals easy to accept. He accepts feedback and communicates very well with the community. It's great to have Thiago in the team! - Vincent Massol, XWiki's CTO
- Favorite artist: It kind of changed over time, but with streaming services I feel these changes are faster, and I don't grow too attached to some artist.
- Best book ever read: The Lord of the Rings
- Dream destination: Wherever life takes me.
- Quote you live by: "Only thing we have to fear is fear itself" (cheesy, I know, but hey...)
- At the office or remote? Fully remote, but I do miss the office banter sometimes.
Tell us about yourself
My name is Thiago, I am a UX Designer from Brazil. I've been in this field for nearly 20 years now and worked at big and small companies through my career. I am at XWiki for a little over a year now.
🌄 The journey to XWiki
What were you doing before XWiki? Did you change careers when joining our team?
I didn't switch careers. Before joining XWiki, I was working at a Brazilian IT company, designing a product for the construction sector.
What is it like to be working in the XS Squad at XWiki?
It's always great to work with people much smarter than you and to be always learning something new. The support from my colleagues from the very beginning was really great.
🔎 Open-source impressions
Was open source something you had an interest in prior to XWiki?
Yes, I am acquainted with the open-source world since 2005 or so. Working in the IT sector since the start of my career and being around developers so much, it becomes hard to not come by open source here and there. There was a time when I actively tried to go 100% Linux on my PC, but the troubleshooting that it required at the time was a challenge.
What's the open-source value you identify with most?
Freedom
⌛ Being an XWikier
How was the integration process at XWiki for you?
It was pretty smooth. The company is well-structured to make remote onboarding as seamless as possible.
What were the biggest ways in which XWiki changed during the time you've been around?
I’m fairly new to XWiki, so I can’t say the company has changed much in under a year.
What would you say is the most valuable lesson you learned during your time at XWiki?
Openness. Coming from a traditional closed-source company, it was a bit of a culture shock. I’m still not great at it, but I’m always striving to improve.
As a Designer by trade, I’m used to having a lot to say in a product’s evolution, but doing so publicly is a challenge on a personal level. In a traditional company, you usually work with a small group of stakeholders. At XWiki, the community is one of the key stakeholders, which is a diverse group with different expectations and needs. This forces you to design openly and communicate as clearly as possible, which can be tough for an introvert like me.
What has kept you at XWiki so far?
The friendly nature of everyone and the great support from my colleagues and the company.
If you could describe XWiki's culture in one word, what would it be?
Openness
Favorite memory up until now at XWiki?
As is usual with these interviews, I’d be lying if I didn’t say the annual seminar 
. For me, it was the 2024 edition, my first one, and it was great to finally put real faces and personalities to usernames in chats and emails.
Thiago with other XWikiers enjoying the XWiki Summit
Being the 20th anniversary of the company, it set the bar pretty high for a first seminar! I got to experience a summit (XWiki’s first), a cruise along the Seine, a party on a boat, and four days of work (and fun) activities at a resort by the Atlantic. How can you top that, right? It was also my first time in France, and I must say, it won’t be my last.
