On The Spot Series #1 — Judit Civit CPO at Arextech
This Medium series aims to highlight extraordinary people shaping tomorrow’s world that always have to deliver on the spot. Professionals for which excellence is crucial and are always striving for perfection.
We start this On the Spot series with Judit Civit Miquel, UX specialist & CPO at Arextech.
Judit is the perfect example of the kind of polifacetic people we aim to interview in this series. Judit is a model, actor, designer, marketing expert, tech developer (and cat lover!), definitely a person that is always at the frontline of creation and innovation. Someone fascinating.
Let’s dive in!
1.Judit, those who know you know that you are a very versatile woman, so if you had to define yourself in three words, what would they be and why?
I consider myself persevering, dedicated and a perfectionist. Both professionally and personally, I have always strived to achieve my goals, enjoy the journey, and try to do things as well as possible. Besides work, I would highlight my passion for food, animals and nature, hence the special affection I have for Asturias and the north of Spain in general :)
2.How have your different previous experiences influenced your work today?
Working and training in different fields have given me a 360º vision of the digital world, marketing and technology, among other areas. All this helps me apply my knowledge, understand and interpret different roles, facilitate communication, teamwork, and search for complete solutions.
3.What is your typical day like? Is there a “typical day” for you?
My day to day is always a surprise, constantly adapting to new challenges. I guess this is typical when you are self-employed and involved in different projects. However, I am used to adapting and improvising because of my fashion and photography work, which involves travelling and being available for unforeseen events.
It must be said that the current global pandemic has significantly reduced travel and unexpected events. Right now, my working days are more “typical” and occur between a coworking space and a makeshift desk at home. When my working day is over, I try to find time to practice sports and write (I have a personal project, and I’m finishing a book).
4. How did you start in the world of technology? What attracted you the most?
Since I was a child, I have been attracted to science, the digital world and technology. I found them fascinating, and in fact, I am still amazed by the speed at which they change. But it’s mainly due to my curiosity to understand the behaviour and relationships between brands and consumers and the search for solutions to concrete problems through innovation. From there, it was easy; I just went with the flow.
On the other hand, I have always looked for flexible ways of studying and working to easily combine with my personal life. Luckily, the technology sector often allows it!
5.What obstacles did you encounter when entering the industry and how did you overcome them?
The hardest thing was specializing, which wasn’t easy in the uncertainty and constant technological changes in digital transformation. In the end, I decided to embrace change and use this obstacle to my advantage. I took the opportunity to research, experiment, and try new things (quite as they came up). All this broadened my background and allowed me to have a multifaceted professional evolution.
6. Tell us more about your role as CPO (Chief Product Officer) at Arextech. What inspires you most about your job?
The best thing about my role, without a doubt, is being able to guide and accompany the team in achieving their objectives. It is very inspiring to receive feedback from your colleagues, improve as a team, and help overcome obstacles and achieve common goals.
The planning and strategy part is also gratifying because it allows me to have a complete view of the entire roadmap. And then there is the management and execution, which is the “fun” part when you have to rack your brain and really make all the pieces fit together.
7. Being present in the conceptualization of these innovative solutions, what do you think are the biggest challenges to innovate in the real estate sector?
One of the problems we encounter, and which is not trivial, is the lack of training and practice of our users at a digital level. They tend to come from a traditional and rather individual work methodology; besides being light users, they are somewhat reluctant to change and online media. This is a challenge, it means having to train clients, but it is also an opportunity because it allows us to quickly detect their needs, better adapt our products and grow together.
Other more global challenges could be the new privacy policies and users’ concerns about using and protecting their information. This, in turn, means that we have to work along these lines to offer solutions and products that guarantee the rights and security of their data.
8. Based on your experience, what differentiates a client who demands technological services in the real estate sector compared to other sectors in which you have worked?
The real estate sector has always given little importance to technological innovations. Clients tend to communicate their specific needs and look for tangible and quick solutions. In other sectors, the vision is usually broader, and greater importance is given to the strategic part, design and product conceptualization. As I said, it is a different way of working, more traditional, to which we adapt by offering personalized responses while helping clients turn technology into one of their strengths to face the digital world.
9. What projection do you see for technology in the industry
I see a long way to go. There is still much to do; in other words, it also means that there is still a lot of room for improvement. And that’s why Arextech is here :)
10. Knowing that March is the month of women, I wanted to ask you a couple of questions about it. The first Why do you think there are no more women in technology?
In my opinion, an essential aspect that must be worked on within the technology sector is to achieve a better balance in the selection processes. For example, for a developer position, the number of female candidates is much lower than that of men. The problem lies more in the educational and social aspect. Still, if companies make an effort to recruit more female talent (which is well paid and valued), more women will be encouraged to study technology.
11. What can technology companies do to attract more female talent
Gender equality is a pending issue in the technology sector at every level, from entry-level jobs all the way to the highest position. Gender parity is not something that can be achieved overnight. Still, companies could start by seeking an equitable percentage ratio in work teams, offering more flexible hours for people on maternity, work-life balance, etc.
But I think the fundamental thing is to change the company’s mentality and recognize the value that diversity and inclusion can generate. It can sometimes be challenging to measure tangibly, but it clearly represents a competitive advantage, and many studies confirm this. Companies must first know the added value that it brings, so that it is their own philosophy, to seek diversity without the need for laws or external obligations.
12. What advice would you give to those women who are looking for opportunities in the technology sector?
Right now, we are in a moment of transition: a new generation is going strong and demanding significant changes. I am sure that with support at an educational, political, labour and social level, it will be achieved, among many other things. Women and other discriminated groups will have greater participation and recognition in all sectors.
Meanwhile, the advice I would give to women and to anyone looking for a job opportunity in these difficult times that we are living is to be constant. Because as the Spanish saying goes, “who follows it; gets it.”
Until next time!
On the Spot series
