Story 3
The Handwritten Error
Learn from mistakes
It was Friday, and someone requested a last-minute adjustment on the text of a button before sending the screens for silk screening. The global VP was coming to Brazil, and the prototype would be escorted to São Paulo.
That evening, I received a call from the manager along with a photo of the prototype—showing the button engraved in a HANDWRITTEN font!
What happened? The text hadn’t been converted to curves; the inexperienced supplier opened the file and agreed to convert the font to something random. My heart sank. I simply apologized and said I would fix it.
Early Saturday morning, I found myself at the supplier’s location. We sanded down the product, reapplied the paint, and executed the silk screening. Unlike digital products, physical products require meticulous care due to the investment in machinery. A small mistake in production, for example, can cost a fortune.
The trauma of triple-checking lingered, but the greatest lesson came from the manager.
Despite his concern, he trusted that I would resolve the issue. He didn’t shout or hover over me to ensure the work would be done. He understood my profile and knew that the error affected me far more than it did him. He simply explained what happened and had faith in my ability to fix it. That “blind” trust only heightened my sense of responsibility, ownership, and teamwork.
Mistakes happen, especially in innovative projects. What truly matters is how we respond: with agility and a commitment to continuous learning.
3/10: This story is part of a series of personal narratives that embrace vulnerability and illustrate how human experiences have shaped my journey as a digital experience designer. A reminder that even in a robotic world, we ultimately find ourselves—human.