Working as a team engineering lead at Canva, Ellie Shin is responsible for delivering design tools that are both functional and powerful.

This has seen her work on the major design of Canva;s browser software (Canva 2.0), before eventually being tasked with leading the Canva for Android project.

Google recognised Shin’s work by awarding the Canva for Android the ‘Standout Build for Billions’ award in 2019 — which recognises apps that are built for effective compatibility in emerging markets.

Much of this was a result of her work in creating the offline architecture for Canva on Android, which allows users to work on their designs offline, before automatically syncing once connectivity is restored. She envisioned the concept, sketched out the idea and guided the team on its creation.

In addition to the award, the offline editing functionality has allowed Canva to reach a larger pool of potential customers, fueling its growth in emerging markets.

Updates made to the Android app saw the activation rate increase for users, meaning those that used the software were more likely to finish and publish their design.

She has also supported and championed her fellow female engineers at Canva. Following a staff survey, which showed that women engineers were generally less confident than their male counterparts, she worked with the coaching team and other tech leaders to design a programme that tackles this. She has personally mentored five female engineers to help them increase their confidence and progress with their careers.

Alongside her work with Canva, Shin has taught at a Code Like a Girl coding camp, which saw girls from local Sydney high schools come in and learn the basics of coding.

Check out the Women Leading Tech website to find out more about the awards and the upcoming event.