Mila Zanforlin

👋Hello

Nice to meet you, I'm Mila

Educator and Mentor at HOTMILK | Design Thinking, Open Innovation, Humanized Management, and Leadership.

With over 20 years of experience as an educator and consultant, I have dedicated my career to driving innovation and leadership development. I possess strong skills in strategic consulting for innovation culture and training facilitation, demonstrating my ability to guide individuals and organizations towards their full potential. As a team manager, I have successfully increased efficiency and work quality, resulting in a significant improvement in overall team performance and product delivery.

ExperiEncE 🚀

EDUCATOR | CONSULTANT

2002 - Present

Since 2002, I have had the privilege of working as an educator, consultant, and facilitator in the areas of innovation culture, design, management, and leadership. Throughout these years, I have dedicated myself to sharing my knowledge and experience with individuals and organizations, helping them develop an innovative mindset and enhance their leadership skills.

As an educator, my goal has been to inspire and empower others to reach their full potential. Through workshops, training sessions, and development programs, I aim to provide the necessary tools and knowledge for people to thrive in a constantly changing environment.

As a consultant, I have worked with a variety of clients, from startups to large corporations, assisting them in developing strategies for innovation, design, and management. My approach is centered on understanding the specific needs of each client and creating personalized solutions to drive growth and success.

Additionally, I act as a facilitator in workshops and brainstorming sessions, helping teams collaborate more effectively and generate innovative ideas. Through facilitation techniques, I encourage creativity, promote diversity of thought, and support the decision-making process.

Over the years, I have witnessed the positive impact that education, consulting, and facilitation can have on personal and organizational development. I am committed to continuing my journey, empowering others to face the challenges of today's world and create a more innovative and sustainable future.

MENTOR

2003 - Present

Since 2003, I have had the privilege of providing mentoring in design, technology, and development. As a mentor, my goal has been to guide professionals on their journeys by offering valuable insights, sharing knowledge, and providing practical support.

In addition to focusing on professional development, I also value the importance of working with each individual's human potential. Before addressing technical and professional skills, I seek to understand the personal values of each person and help them align these values with their career goals.

I support mentees in honing their creative skills, developing their personal style, and learning industry best practices. From conception to execution, I am here to offer guidance at every stage of the mentee's career journey.

Furthermore, I am dedicated to helping professionals reach their full potential, including guidance on career planning, leadership skill development, interview preparation, and effective networking.

I encourage mentees to explore their creativity and innovation within the organizations they work for. I assist them in identifying growth opportunities and developing innovative solutions to the challenges they face in the corporate environment.

Since the beginning of my mentoring journey in 2003, I have witnessed the growth and success of numerous mentees. I am committed to continuing to offer professional support and personalized guidance to those seeking to achieve their full potential in their respective fields.

EDUCATOR | MENTOR | FACILITATOR AT HOTMILK | INNOVATION ACADEMY PUCPR

2023 - Present

Clients Served: Santa Catarina State Court of Justice, Brose, CLAMED (Latin American Medicine Company), BRDE (Regional Bank for the Development of the Far South)

Types of Developed Content (In-person, Online, E-learning): Workshops, Training Sessions, Mentorship Programs, Facilitation of Dynamics, Lectures, Training and Strategic Formation Courses (Senior Leadership, Managers, and Leaders), Training and Cultural Mindset Change Courses (Senior Leadership, Managers, Leaders, and Employees)

Educational Content Developed for Formations, Training, Lectures, Workshops: Design Thinking, Lean Inception, Cultural Mindset Change, Business Models, Project Management & Agility, Technological, Prospecting, Intrapreneurship, Creativity, Competitive Intelligence

Skills 🤹🏼

Design

Through the construction of a vast visual repertoire and toolset over these 19 years of experience, I am able to work effectively both horizontally and vertically, engaging in strategy, planning, organization, and project execution alongside the teams I work with.

Facilitator / Instructor / Educator

As the great Cora Coralina used to say: "Happy is the one who transfers what they know and learns what they teach!" I enjoy sharing what I know. I am in constant learning and sharing my knowledge by promoting courses, mentorships, and team development.

Photography

Amateur photography is a hobby that complements my work, my thinking, and expression as a designer. Through college classes and activities with colleagues and friends in the profession, I discovered in photography a creative expression where I can act more freely, less technically, with more mistakes, and entirely new learning experiences.

Check out my Unsplash

Design Thinking

Human-centered approach that places the needs and experiences of users at the center of the design process. This methodology not only seeks to solve problems creatively but also aims to deliver significant value to end users. Delivering value is the priority in this process, so teams need to identify and deeply understand users' needs and desires, developing solutions that not only meet expectations but also surpass latent needs. Thus, delivering value is not just a final goal, but a guiding principle that directs all stages of the design process, from conception to implementation, ensuring that the products and services created have a positive and meaningful impact on users' lives.

LEADERSHIP IN INNOVATION

Innovation is a collective process. And it starts when someone sees something new! And if they have the opportunity and readiness to share, tell, communicate what they see, they can engage people to turn the new into reality, to innovate. Working in technology and creativity has often given me the challenging and fulfilling experience of leading a team, of sharing and building the new. This position has made me grow personally in understanding and readiness in dealing with people, in the complexity of human relationships; as well as expanding the potential for solutions and innovations that a well-structured and engaged team is capable of achieving, delivering results beyond expectations.

MENTORING

Mentorship is like a compass that guides each person on their journey of professional and personal growth. As a mentor, I share essential principles of management and process organization to empower mentees to prioritize scalability in their lives and careers. With personalized guidance on planning, documentation, and time management, we create a scenario where quality delivery is the norm, and teamwork becomes more fluid and valued. This personal approach not only strengthens individual skills but also creates a synergy that drives success in all aspects of the mentee's life and career.

Management

The quality of delivery is often gauged by effective management. This involves organizing processes and fostering a culture of continuous improvement for everyone involved, from the initial stages of development to the final delivery to end-users. Additionally, management is closely linked to a sense of responsibility and commitment to ensuring the successful development and implementation of all strategies related to product development.

TOOLS

Tools play a crucial role in executing any high-quality design process. As part of my creative and organizational repertoire, I utilize tools such as Figma, the Adobe Suite, ideation frameworks like Value Proposition Design and Business Model Canvas, among others. In this regard, knowledge and experience with agile methodologies are also vital, along with the expertise accumulated over these 19 years in design, technology, and innovation development.

Technology & Development

Having a good grasp of development concepts is vital for designers to communicate effectively and collaboratively with our development team members. It's essential to understand various aspects such as back-end, front-end, data management, device compatibility, and hybrid development tools. This broader understanding not only facilitates smoother collaboration but also allows designers to contribute more meaningfully to the development process, leading to cohesive and successful outcomes.

What my colleagues say about me: 💜

Working with Mila was a great experience. She is creative thinker in the digital field that keeps up to date with the newest design trends, which makes her a great partner in terms of exchanging digital ideas for education. She has worked hard to create from scratch the design unit including UX and UI team. Her ideas were on-point, well researched and great in execution.

Mila is one of the most amazing professionals I know! She is the person who taught me and still teaches me almost everything I know about design! As a leader, she has always shown herself to be very dedicated and welcoming. Mila is the kind of leader who drives her team forward, who believes in our potential even when we ourselves do not. She always works to help the people she leads grow! She is the leader who encourages those around her to bring out the best in themselves and dedicate themselves to what they do best. Moreover, she is a transdisciplinary professional, with broad knowledge in various areas! This allows her to build a strategic vision of the whole and plan her deliveries assertively. In all the projects I have worked on with Mila, I have had the opportunity to learn a lot! I can only thank her for all the knowledge and experiences we have been able to exchange. ❤️

I had the pleasure of working with Mila at Positivo Tecnologia, in the portfolio of Educational Technology solutions. She always demonstrated a lot of experience in the areas of UX/UI, as well as in Digital Products in general. As a team leader, she organized the new Design area, always guiding with energy but with all the kindness that a true Leader should have. I endorse Mila in the UX/UI areas without any doubt and I reiterate that her experience in other cultures greatly contributes to the development and evolution of digital products.

Do you know that friendly hug that we all need when facing new challenges in a new stage of life? Mila is that "hug", that unparalleled warmth that lifts you up, structures you, and makes you grow. Undoubtedly, a wonderful human being above all. Now, professionally, she rocks... I even asked her several times, "What don't you know, my friend?" Someone to have hours-long conversations with, to discuss various topics and subjects. Undoubtedly, a reference in everything she sets out to do.

Working with Mila is an incredible experience! The passion she has for design is reflected in the actions and decisions she makes, all of which are always grounded in some relevant aspect of design.Whenever I have the opportunity to talk with her, I learn a lot about the subject we are discussing. Her experience in education, management, and digital products is immense, both in development and design. She sometimes jokes about talking too much, but we also don't feel like stopping her.As a manager, she always helps us reach our potential and go a little further. She highly values the personal development of each one of us, supporting us with courses and articles that can improve our skills. I have no complaints to make, the ones I had I already made, because she has always been willing to listen to us about anything, whether personal or professional.I am very grateful to have worked with Mila. The connection that remains is one of the best gifts I have received.

Camila, or rather Mila, I had the immense pleasure and luck to have worked with her, who even though it wasn't her role, welcomed me and guided me through the entire onboarding process when I joined. She always supported me, introduced new tools, and showed me how important the Discovery process is for a technology team. We were able to work together on some projects, and I also got to see many projects from her design team being delivered with great excellence. Someone who spares no effort to help others and deliver their best.

A superb professional who dedicates herself to what she does, who is passionate about design, teaching, and learning.As a manager, Mila showed herself to be humane, capable of understanding and assisting me with my difficulties in carrying out activities. Her personality makes her well-rounded, showing that it is possible to be a fun, relaxed manager while still striving for results in a light and healthy way for her subordinates. Mila always seeks the best for everyone around her, and this is one of her greatest qualities.

Mila has a vast background in design thinking, UX, and Discovery methodologies and processes, as well as a calling and love for seeking the growth and development of her team. She is tireless in her efforts to bring the best practices and processes to the team, always focused on business objectives and user needs.Moreover, she has empathy and not only cares about her colleagues' professional aspects but also makes herself available to provide support at all times.In short, in addition to being an excellent professional leader, she is someone with whom one feels pleasure in working.

I met Mila in the middle of 2021, and on that occasion, the Design Chapter was formed under her leadership. During approximately 1 year of working together, we developed a good professional relationship and even friendship, sharing experiences and developing processes. She added me as co-leadership of the design team, helping to develop my soft skills, opening up new opportunities for professional growth, and increasing my visibility to management and senior leadership.Her dedication as a leader has always been seen by the team as strong. In my view, she is concerned that the deliveries need to have the maximum quality, but not at the cost of mental health, always considering the human factor behind this goal. I could also see that there is a lot of dedication and love for the products she is involved with, as well as the understanding and value she places on each person in the process, caring about their professional and even personal development, encouraging new skills and aspects that were not seen before. She believes in the team, provides the necessary autonomy, and helps whenever needed.The work she does is exceptional; her know-how and experience are the great differentiators in the professional she is, and this makes her very mature in the decisions given to her. I would like to work with her again one day because I consider her to be the best leadership I have had in the company in 15 years.

She knows the design thinking processes like no one else.

Mila is dedicated and tirelessly committed to solving customer problems. We worked together for almost 2 years, with the goal of starting a Discovery front with several challenges, such as transforming the team's culture and processes into a model focused on value delivery. During this period, she formed and led a design chapter, ensuring proactivity and mastery in design thinking methodologies and team leadership.

Since my first day at the company, Mila has been very attentive and supportive, always ready to explain something about the project or methodology being used. She is always committed to carrying out her tasks in the best possible way and stays tuned to new technologies and learning opportunities. As a leader, she has always been concerned about the professional growth of the team, always prioritizing the well-being of each member.

From my 12 years of experience in the design market in Curitiba, I can say that I have never had a technical leader as passionate about the field and as eager to make things happen as Mila. Although my professional interaction with her lasted only 3 months, I could see her technical ability and willingness to make design a powerful tool for problem-solving and value generation. I deeply admire everything Mila has accomplished in the past year, and upon returning to the company, I could feel a significant difference in the company's attitude towards design thanks to the work she did with the team. In fact, the team lost more than just a leader; they lost an excellent person who knows how to handle conflicts uniquely. I am fully convinced that any company with Mila on its team will have more than a design professional: they will have an ethical, responsible, welcoming, hardworking person with a forward-thinking mindset.

I am proud to say that I was part of her squad because all the improvements in internal projects we had were thanks to the macro vision she always expressed. She had strong opinions and always opted to make the product much more than it should be.

I lost an incredible leader, but the market only stands to gain from this. As long as people like Mila are capable of seeing beyond the standard view, design will only continue to grow and gain more space in the corporate world.

It will always be an honor! 😉

I had the opportunity to work with Mila for over a year and a half at Positivo Tecnologia, experiencing the initiation of ongoing projects, cultural exchanges, and the creation of new projects. Throughout this period, Mila proved to be an excellent leader, concerned about the product's quality and the well-being of her colleagues. Always focusing on the importance of learning from everything around you, even if it's not related to your field of work, as everything can teach something to be used in the future.

Mila has strong knowledge in methodologies and people management. Additionally, she has qualities as a person that are fundamental in any organization. I highlight her strength, proactivity, empathy, friendliness, and excellent communication skills. We had great moments, and I would love to work with her again.

Mila is dedicated to her studies - she always strives to do her best. Intelligent, and this was evident during class discussions. She is also helpful - whenever she could, she assisted me and other classmates with assignments. And since she had already taught classes before, she had a lot of didactic skills to explain the subject matter.

A Mila é uma das profissionais mais incríveis que conheço!
Ela é a pessoa que me ensinou e ainda ensina quase tudo que conheço sobre design!
Como liderança, ela sempre se mostrou muito dedicada e acolhedora.
A Mila é a líder que impulsiona os seus liderados, que acredita no nosso potencial mesmo quando nós mesmos não acreditamos.
Ela sempre trabalha para que as pessoas que ela lidera, cresçam! Ela é a líder que incentiva as pessoas ao seu redor a extrairem o melhor de si e se dediquem naquilo que elas tem de melhor.
E ainda, ela é uma profissional transdisciplinar, que tem um conhecimento amplo em diversas áreas!
Isso faz com que ela consiga construir uma visão estratégica do todo e planejar suas entregas de forma assertiva.
Em todos os projetos em que trabalhei com a Mila, tive a oportunidade de aprender muito!
Eu só tenho a agradecer por todo conhecimento e experiências que pudemos trocar. ❤️

Tive o prazer de atuar com a Mila na Positivo Tecnologia, no portfólio de soluções de Tecnologia Educacional. Ela sempre demonstrou ter muita experiência nas áreas de UX/UI, bem como de Produtos Digitais em geral. Como líder de equipe ela organizou a nova área de Design, sempre orientando com energia mas com toda a gentileza que um verdadeiro Líder deve ter. Endosso a Mila nas áreas de UX/UI sem a menor dúvida e reitero que a vivência dela em outras culturas ajuda em muito no desenvolvimento e evolução de produtos digitais.

Sabe aquele abraço amigo que todos nós precisamos ao enfrentar novos desafios numa nova etapa da vida? A Mila é esse "abraço", esse carinho inigualável que te levanta, estrutura e que te faz crescer. Sem dúvida, um ser humano maravilhoso, antes de qualquer coisa. Agora, profissionalmente, ela arrasa... Até perguntei pra ela várias vezes, o que você não sabe, minha amiga... Uma pessoa para se ter uma conversa de horas, para tratar de diversos temas e assuntos. Sem dúvida, uma referência em tudo que se propõe a fazer.

Trabalhar com a Mila é uma experiência incrível! A paixão que ela tem por Design se reflete nas ações e posicionamentos que toma, e todos são sempre fundamentados em algum aspecto relevante do Design.Sempre que tenho a oportunidade de conversar com ela aprendo muita coisa sobre o assunto que estamos discutindo. A experiência que ela tem com educação e gestão, além da experiência com produtos digitais é imenso, tanto em dev quanto em design. Ela às vezes brinca dizendo que fala demais, mas a gente também não sente vontade de pará-la.Como gestora ela sempre nos auxilia a alcançar o nosso potencial e ir um pouco além. Ela valoriza muito o desenvolvimento pessoal de cada um, apoiando com cursos e artigos que podem melhorar nossas habilidades. Não tenho reclamações a fazer, as que tinha eu já fiz, pois ela sempre esteve disposta a nos escutar a respeito de qualquer coisa, sendo pessoal ou profissional.Eu sou muito grato por ter trabalhado com a Mila. A conexão que ficou é um dos melhores presentes que recebi.

Camila ou melhor Mila, tive o imenso prazer e sorte de ter trabalhado com ela, que mesmo não sendo seu papel, me recebeu e fez todo o onboarding quando entrei, sempre me apoiou, apresentou novas ferramentas e me mostrou o quanto é importante para um time de tecnologia o processo de Discovery. Pudemos trabalhar juntas em alguns projetos, e também pude ver muitos projetos de seu time de designer serem entregues com grande excelência. Uma pessoa que não mede esforços para ajudar o próximo e entregar seu melhor.

Uma excelente profissional que se dedica no que faz, que tem paixão pelo design, por ensinar e aprender. Enquanto gestora Mila se mostrou humana, capaz de entender e auxiliar minhas dificuldades na realização de atividades. Sua personalidade a torna completa, mostrando que é possível ser uma gestora divertida, descontraída mas que ao mesmo tempo busca por resultados, de uma maneira leve e saudável para quem for seu subordinado. A Mila busca sempre o melhor para todos ao redor esta é uma das suas melhores qualidades.

A Mila possui uma bagagem enorme em metodologias e processos de design thinking, UX e Discovery, e uma vocação e amor em buscar o crescimento e desenvolvimento de seu time. É incansável em buscar trazer as melhores práticas e processos para o time, sempre focada nos objetivos do negócio e necessidades dos usuários.Além disso, tem empatia e não se preocupa apenas com a parte profissional dos colegas, mas também se coloca a disposição para dar suporte em todos os momentos.Enfim, além de excelente liderança profissional, é uma pessoa com quem a gente sente prazer em trabalhar.

Conheci a Mila no meio do ano de 2021, e nesta ocasião, foi formado a Chapter de Design sob sua liderança. Durante aproximadamente 1 ano em que trabalhamos juntos, desenvolvemos uma boa relação profissional e até de amizade, compartilhando experiências e desenvolvendo processos, no qual ela me adicionou como co-liderança do time de design, ajudando a desenvolver minhas soft skills, abrindo novas oportunidades de crescimento profissional e ampliando minha visibilidade diante das gerências e diretorias.

Sua dedicação como liderança sempre foi vista pelo time como forte, no meu ponto de vista, ela tem a preocupação de que as entregas precisam ter o máximo de qualidade, mas não ao custo da saúde mental, sempre considerando o fator humano que está por trás desse objetivo. Pude ver também que há muita dedicação e amor pelos produtos em que ela está envolvida, assim como a compreensão e o valor que ela deposita em cada pessoa no processo, se preocupando com o desenvolvimento profissional e até mesmo pessoal, incentivando novas habilidades e aspectos que antes não eram vistos. Ela acredita no time, dá autonomia necessária e ajuda sempre que é necessário.

O trabalho que ela desenvolve é excepcional, seu know how e experiência é o grande diferencial na profissional que ela é, e isso a torna muito madura nas decisões que lhe são dadas. Gostaria de um dia poder voltar a trabalhar com ela, pois considero que ela foi a melhor liderança que tive na empresa em 15 anos.

Conhece como ninguém os processos de design thinking.

Mila é dedicada e incansavelmente empenhada em resolver problemas do cliente. Trabalhamos juntos por quase 2 anos, com objetivo de começar uma frente de Discovery com vários desafios, como transformar a cultura e processos do time para um modelo voltado a entrega de valor. Durante esse período, formou e liderou uma chapter de design, garantindo proatividade e domínio nas metodologias de design thinking e liderança do time.

Desde o meu primeiro dia de trabalho na empresa, a Mila foi muito atenciosa e parceira, sempre pronta a explicar alguma coisa do projeto ou metodologia utilizada. Sempre comprometida em realizar suas tarefas da melhor maneira possível e sempre antenadas em novas tecnologias e novos aprendizados. Como líder sempre se preocupou com o crescimento profissional da equipe, sempre prezando pelo bem estar de cada um.

Dos meus 12 anos de experiência no mercado de design em curitiba, posso afirmar que nunca tive um líder técnico tão apaixonado pela área e com tanta vontade de fazer acontecer quanto a Mila. Embora minha convivência profissional com ela tenha sido por apenas 3 meses, pude notar a capacidade técnica e a disposição para tornar o design uma ferramenta potencial para resolução de problemas e geração de valor. Tenho profunda admiração por tudo o que a Mila aplicou no último ano e, por estar novamente na casa, consegui sentir uma diferença significativa na postura da empresa com relação a design graças ao trabalho que ela desempenhou com o time. Aliás, time esse que perdeu mais que uma líder, mas uma pessoa excelente e que sabe lidar com conflitos de forma ímpar. Tenho plena convicção de que a empresa que tiver a Mila no seu time terá mais que uma profissional do design: terá uma pessoa ética, responsável, acolhedora, batalhadora e com uma cabeça muito a frente do seu tempo.

Tenho orgulho em dizer que fiz parte do seu squad, pois todas as melhorias em projetos internos que tivemos foi graças à visão macro que ela sempre expressava. Opiniões contundentes e sempre optando para tornar o produto muito mais do que ele deveria ser.

Perdi uma liderança incrível, mas o mercado só tem a ganhar com isso. Enquanto pessoas como a Mila forem capazes de enxergar além da visão padrão, o design só tem a crescer e ganhar mais espaço no meio corporativo.

Será sempre uma honra! 😉

A Mila é dedicada com os estudos - sempre tenta fazer o melhor. Inteligente e isso era mostrado quando havia discussões em aula. E prestativa - pois sempre que pode ajudava a mim e outros colegas com lições. E como ela já tinha dado aula, tinha muito didática para explicar o assunto.