About me

Design is only one part of my story.

I’m Elsa—a Design Systems Lead and Senior Product Designer with the technical foundation of a programmer and the curiosity of an artist.

Elsa Canto W. smiling outdoors

Experience, creativity and much more

I make complex things easier to understand and use.

For more than 20 years, I’ve designed websites, web applications, native apps and enterprise platforms. Today, I specialize in Product Design and Design Systems—helping teams create experiences that are intuitive for people and scalable for organizations.

I collaborate with designers, developers, product leaders and stakeholders to understand needs, clarify workflows and turn complexity into thoughtful digital products.

My journey

From code to systems thinking.

I began as a web programmer in 1998. That background still shapes how I work: I understand how products are built, how components connect and why design decisions must survive implementation.

Over time, my focus moved from development to UX/UI, Product Design and eventually Design Systems. I’ve worked across banking, insurance, international consulting and startups—often on products where clarity, structure and collaboration matter most.

1998–2007Programming, web platforms and technical foundations
2008–2020UX/UI, consulting, product strategy and entrepreneurship
2020–2024Senior Product Design and Design System leadership at ASSA
2024–NowEnterprise Design Systems and AI-assisted workflows at IDB

Create and explore

Creativity is how I approach uncertainty.

I enjoy looking at problems from several angles, experimenting with possibilities and finding the structure hidden inside a complicated challenge.

01

Visual artist

Watercolor, mixed media and exhibitions.

02

Author

Design Systems and published children’s literature.

03

Teacher

Workshops, talks and creative learning experiences.

04

Entrepreneur

Building ideas, products and independent ventures.

“I bring a new perspective—and a willingness to experiment—to every project.”

I’m happiest in collaborative environments where innovation, strategic thinking and new ideas are welcomed. I care about the details, but I also keep sight of the system around them.

I love traveling, autumn and snow. I also enjoy teaching, sharing what I’ve learned and encouraging other people to explore their own creativity.

Whether I’m shaping a component architecture, facilitating a workshop or painting, the motivation is similar: understand what’s there, explore what could be and make something meaningful.

Elsa Canto W. collaborating with a team during a workshop

Articles and ideas

Notes from the work.

Thoughts on Design Systems, Product Design, collaboration and the practical lessons behind building better digital experiences.

Designer and AI assistant working with design system components

I Added AI to My Design-System Workflow — Here’s What Actually Improved

From improving color foundations in Figma to creating Angular components, this is how I’ve been using AI as part of my real design-system practice.

Read on Medium →
Designer organizing three connected Figma libraries for design systems and AI workflows

A good approach to organize Figma Libraries for Design Systems and AI workflows.

Organizing Figma libraries is one of those foundational decisions that can either make your team sail smoothly or drown in a sea of broken instances and slow loading times.

Read on Medium →
Design system aligned with targets, growth, balance and business goals

Aligning a Design System with Business Goals

Most organizations that invest in a Design System do so with the promise of consistency, speed, and efficiency. But here’s the catch: if your Design System is not aligned with your business goals...

Read on Medium →