Software Engineering Intern, Daniela Rodriguez, on Her Journey From Customer to Coder

This year, Adobe is proud to welcome more than 700 interns across the globe for our first ever virtual internship program. It’s been a blast welcoming our interns to their #AdobeLife, and seeing the incredible impact they’re making. To give you a peak into their internship, we’ll be featuring our Adobe Interns from across the business and across the world.

Read on to learn about Daniela Rodriguez’s experience using Adobe’s creative products as a consumer, to now being a Software Engineering Intern on the Adobe XD team.

Which University are you currently enrolled in & what is your internship title?

I am an undergraduate student at Georgia Tech, pursuing a degree in Computer Science, with a concentration in Artificial Intelligence and Media. I am a Software Engineering Intern on the Prototyping Team for Adobe XD!

What attracted you to join Adobe?

I have an interesting dichotomy. I really enjoy programming and really enjoy art. It may seems like a dichotomy, however upon closer inspection, the combination of technology and art has become one of the coolest juxtapositions of the modern age. This is where my love for Adobe comes in. Adobe makes sure innovation and our ability to express ourselves aren’t mutually exclusive. Adobe seamlessly integrates cutting-edge technology and feedback from designers and creators alike, allowing the world to show their talent in a visual and tangible way. At around 10 years old, I can remember sitting at the desk in the TV room. Adobe Illustrator was loaded up on the family’s desktop computer. I was attempting to create a children’s book about an adorable beagle going on epic adventures. I go back and giggle at my adorable attempt to make a children’s book, yet I realize that it was a pivotal moment in my life because it sparked my passion for digital media.

Ever since then, I’ve used many of the CC applications for numerous creative projects, such as films, graphic design, motion graphics, and more! I also work at Georgia Tech as a content creator using the Adobe Creative Cloud. Now, I work as a Software Engineer on the prototyping team for an incredible Adobe Creative Cloud Product, Adobe XD. I’ve been using Adobe CC applications ever since I could remember. Now I get the opportunity to help code it! I think that is so mind-blowingly cool.

What is your main project this summer?

I can’t divulge too much external information about my feature until its official launch, but the new feature I am working on has been highly requested by many users on our Feature Requests page. Knowing that my intern project is something that designers will really benefit from and enjoy when they use Adobe XD makes me really excited! I feel like I am making a significant impact. Adobe really cares about their customers, and it’s really awesome to see them pushing to implement features that their user base suggests.

Getting to work across different engineering and design teams has taught me more about how corporate architecture works at a big tech company. They work hand-in-hand to carry cool feature work from the “drawing board” to production. The coolest part is seeing designers use Adobe XD to design and prototype new features for Adobe XD. It’s a funny Inception-like phenomenon.

I get really excited when I hit milestones for my feature-work. I’ll send a screen recording of my newly implemented functionality in our team’s group chat and say, “Hey all, look at it. IT WORKS!” Demo-ing in front of the designers and the team is a satisfying feeling, because you get to showcase your hard-work and passion for the project. It is also a good way to get feedback and keep learning. I can’t explain how much I have learned throughout this process.

How has it been like being a virtual intern?

2020 has been quite the challenge; however, challenges build character. They strengthen skills you didn’t know you had, give you insight, and help you grow. Adobe’s response to COVID-19 has blown me away! I’m more proud than ever to be a part of such an incredible team and company. The transition to an online format has been incredibly seamless. At first, I was quite nervous about communicating through video conference. I am an extroverted and outspoken person, and I was afraid my personality would get drowned out by not getting to see my coworkers in person. But through lots of practice, I was able to grow comfortable with speaking to others via video conferencing. I saw this to be quite valuable because it is a skill I will carry with me in the future. Even when things return to normal, video conferencing with colleagues located around the world is a crucial part of the tech industry.

All in all, the Adobe XD team has made me feel welcome, almost as if I had been working there all my life. They make you feel like you are part of a family. Not only is everyone motivated to make Adobe XD better and better, but they are also concerned about everyone’s individual wellbeing on the team. I am so lucky to have this opportunity, and I am grateful to Adobe for making this experience one to remember!

Learn more about our Adobe Interns’ experiences by dropping by the University blog page.