Harrison 
Contributor Leanne AlfaroDevRel Program Manager, Google Developer Studio
Developer Journey is a monthly series that highlights diverse, global developers and shares relatable challenges, opportunities, and successes along the way. Each month, we spotlight developers from around the world, the Google tools they’re using, and the types of products they’re building.
In celebration of our Hispanic and Latino heritage, this month we spoke with developers from Mexico and Spain.
estela franco
 |
spain, barcelona
web performance specialist
As a Hispanic developer, what unique perspective do you think you bring to the technology industry? How do your cultural experiences influence your approach to problem solving and innovation?
We Spaniards love to talk and interact with other people. We tend to talk a lot, and we carry this into all areas of our lives, including development. I enjoy discussing projects, understanding user needs and use cases, challenging my colleagues, and offering other ideas that weren’t initially considered. Every developer has a unique background and experience that can be leveraged on any project, so it’s extremely beneficial for teams to have a safe space to have these types of discussions.
What Google tools did you use to build it?
As a web performance specialist, I use Chrome, PageSpeed Insights API, Big Query, CrUX API, and Looker Studio. Use these tools to create microsites and dashboards to monitor and analyze web performance.
Which tools do you use the most and why?
I love the CrUX API and all the information you can get from it. Understanding how users experience your website and how your competitors are performing is extremely helpful. Providing a good user experience to your users is just as important as understanding how your website is performing in the market compared to your competitors’ websites.
The CrUX API documentation provides enough information and examples to make requests and retrieve valuable data that you can identify issues and bottlenecks and turn into insights to improve your website.
What have you built using Google tools in the past?
I created a basic and simple CrUX data explorer. Uses CrUX API (for data retrieval) and Firebase (for authentication). This tool is still under development, but it allows you to visually get the Core Web Vitals values of the website or webpage you want to check, based on your CrUX data.
What do you make with Google Bard?
Google Bard is a great tool that you can use to create development projects. It won’t develop automatically, but it will save you a lot of time. At this time, I don’t have any plans to use Google Bard to create any specific projects, but the projects I do will probably benefit from Google Bard.
What advice would you give someone starting their career as a developer?
- Start from the beginning. Before learning frameworks or specific technologies, you need to understand the basics first. Once you have mastered the basics, the rest will become easier.
- Don’t walk this journey alone. Get support from the community. Fortunately, there are hundreds of technology communities where you can get help. You will probably encounter some difficulties during this journey, but having this support will help you overcome and resolve them faster.
- Please feel free to ask questions. You can ask questions in the community, or you can ask Google (and Google Bard). Believe me, you are not the first to ask such a question. Asking questions is the best way to get answers.
What technological advances and trends do you think have the potential to positively impact the Hispanic community both locally and globally?
Real-time translation using AI can be a game changer. Although Spanish is one of the most frequently spoken languages in the world, English is required in many fields, and the technology industry is one of them.
Currently, not all Hispanic/Latino communities speak English, and it can be difficult to succeed as a developer if you don’t speak English. Having tools that allow people to properly communicate with technicians even if they don’t speak English could create new opportunities for these communities.
alba silvente fuentes
 |
Via Alicante, Spain, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Google Developer Expert, Web Technology
Developer Relations Engineer at Storyblok (Headless CMS)
As a Hispanic developer, what unique perspective do you think you bring to the technology industry? How do your cultural experiences influence your approach to problem solving and innovation?
One quality that is always present in my culture is passion when it comes to coding and solving problems. Passion is not unique to Latinos and Hispanics, but approaching our work with dedication, hard work, and care is part of our culture.
I rely on a good sense of humor and open communication to not succumb to very difficult bugs. At work and at home, we speak up about what’s going on with us, ask for help, and collaborate on solutions. I often use humor to defuse tension and find the funny side of frustrating situations. By doing so, you can clear your mind of thoughts that hinder your search for solutions.
When it comes to innovation, we focus on the small everyday things that can improve our daily lives. That’s because we have been taught to value the small things more than the big things.
What Google tools did you use to build it?
My first experience with Google technology was when I was studying at university and decided to learn Android development in my free time. At that time, Java was the official language used. However, after starting his career and realizing his passion for front-end development, his first full-time job as a front-end developer involved using Angular. Throughout my career, I’ve relied heavily on key Google tools like DevTools, Lighthouse, and Page Speed. These tools have become an essential part of my daily life. For the past two years, I have actively participated in Chrome extension development and conducted numerous of his Flutter workshops.
Which tools do you use the most and why?
In my opinion, the most useful tools are DevTools and Web Vitals. However, if I had to choose a favorite, I think it would be the Chrome extension manifest. We had a great time developing the extension and exploring all the different possibilities. Whether it’s scraping websites for useful information or extending functionality, it’s always been a fun and rewarding experience.
What have you built using Google tools in the past?
The question is, what have you developed without using Google tools? Because I don’t think there’s been a project since I started focusing on frontend that I haven’t used DevTools or Web Vitals. If you check out my GitHub, almost 90% of my projects are tested using Lighthouse to ensure basic performance improvements.
Tell us about a memorable project that incorporated elements of your heritage into design or functionality. How has this improved the user experience?
In my first job, I was involved in a campaign project for Alicante wines called “#EnamórateDeUnAlicantino” (literally “#FallInLoveWithAnAlcantino”). For this campaign, we have created a website dedicated to Shapes of Love to help people find the wine that best suits their tastes. Each wine was associated with a person, and every question in the form was associated with a local food, such as a Valencia orange. It was a lot of fun.
What do you make with Google Bard?
Historically, I’ve been leveraging generative AI to refine my content. It’s especially useful for integrating detailed information about podcasts, articles, and talks. At one point I even used it to create the base for an extension. The results were OK, but I had to make some adjustments. Still, it was a valuable experiment. In the future, I plan to further explore the possibilities of AI, perhaps generating tests for my code out of pure curiosity, or using it to troubleshoot bugs.
What advice would you give someone starting their career as a developer?
My recommendation for beginners is to start by focusing on what you like, take your time to understand the basics, and explore your limits without rushing the process. It is important to stay calm and enjoy the journey.
What technological advances and trends do you think have the potential to positively impact the Hispanic community both locally and globally?
Given the limitations of languages other than Spanish due to our historical past, many people still face language barriers and are unable to access all the information they need. But thanks to advances in technology like AI, chatbots like Bard, and VR glasses, we can now overcome this hurdle. These tools allow speakers to translate in real time and improve automated subtitles as they share their stories, helping them reach a wider audience than ever before.
Juan Guillermo Gomez
 |
mexico city, mexico
Google Developer Expert, Firebase, ML, Google Cloud Platform, Kotlin
technical lead
As a Latinx developer, what unique perspective do you think you bring to the technology industry? How do your cultural experiences influence your approach to problem solving and innovation?
The developer community in Latin America is strong and very united. We also have relationships with other communities around the world, which allows for professional career growth. Sometimes resources may be scarce, but this is not a hindrance, but rather a motivator. We can learn a lot about technology by visiting different places and networking.
What Google tools did you use to build it?
I’ve used a lot of tools. I’ve been using several tools for Android applications and many services via Google Cloud Platform, Firebase, Go, TensorFlow, etc.
Which tools do you use the most and why?
I love two tools: Firebase and GCP. These tools include a number of services that allow you to build apps and track their performance, user behavior, growth, and more. Build your app with help from Google.
What have you built using Google tools in the past?
I created a mobile application for a medical service and an application for a security services company. For the past four years, my amazing team and I have been building an app called Wordbox English. Wordbox is an application that allows you to learn English in a fun way through TV series and movies.
Tell us about a memorable project that incorporated elements of your heritage into design or functionality. How has this improved the user experience?
Wordbox English is a great application that allows users to learn another language in a fun way. To create new features and modules, we often collaborate with our users to create great results. Because of this, users love to learn.
What advice would you give someone starting their career as a developer?
Learn and practice every day. There are many tools, videos, and educational platforms that you can learn from. Learn to love problems and challenges. You can belong to a community with other people who can grow together.
What technological advances and trends do you think have the potential to positively impact the Latinx community both locally and globally?
AI and machine learning. These accelerated advances will help you build apps and learn faster. You can innovate and provide more value to your users.
