I am a product design leader, design entrepreneur, policy designer, strategist, and educator.
I graduated from the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad in 2002. Over the past 20 years I’ve worked in industry and entrepreneurship across 22+ sectors, with a drive to explore design without disciplinary boundaries. Most recently I headed UX and Strategic Design for Digital Transformation at the Boston Consulting Group Platinion across Asia-Pacific and Middle East. Previously, I founded and led an award-winning multidisciplinary design studio for 14 years. In 2012 I created India’s policy on Design Innovation.
My work has won several design awards and has been featured in the press and in numerous publications. I have been an advisor to several high-level national and international bodies, including XPrize, V-Must (Virtual Museum Transnational Network), several design education institutes, and expert advisor on design innovation to the Indian Government since 2012.
I am deeply passionate about crafting design solutions, especially those with the potential for impact at scale.
Work Experience
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Worked across 14 sectors, helped 35+ organizations define and meet their digital transformation goals. Enterprise UX Design of digital ecosystems across platforms, including e-marketplaces, e-commerce, B2C & B2B websites and apps. Opportunity discovery and ecosystem mapping through ethnographic research and design evaluation, and collaborative discovery workshops, end to end customer journeys, service design, enablement in next-gen ways of working.
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Founded and led an award-winning multidisciplinary design practice. Product design and strategy across physical and digital products for startups, multinationals, non-profits and government.
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Conceived and set up a new in-house design studio at Human Factors International to enable the company to transition into a design-led future from their earlier technology and process-driven approach to usability design.
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Conceived and developed India's new Design Innovation Policy. Created an operational plan and an implementation framework for the creation of an 'Open Design School', a 'National Design Innovation Network' for India, and a proposal for the creation of 'Design Innovation Centers' as specialized schools of Design Research and Learning. It has been included in India’s 12th Five Year Plan, and implementation has been ongoing since 2013, spearheaded by the Ministry of Human Resource Development.
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Taught design courses ranging from Elements of Form, Simple Product Design, Techno-Aesthetic Detailing to 3-D Modeling and Design Process. Designed the curriculum for an Industrial Design program; jury member at several institutions for graduating students; mentored students through graduation projects and beyond.
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Designed web and enterprise software solutions across sectors including health, education, tele-medicine, travel, and banking - with a focus on emerging economies. Front-end innovation, design research, UX design, user testing. Formed and coordinated cross-functional teams of designers, research scientists and technologists.
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Developed designs for various classes of vehicles from two-wheelers to trucks and a three-wheeled electric vehicle with a focus on innovations for the Indian market. Designed and prototyped automotive concepts, including India’s first ever electric 3-wheeler, showcased at India International Auto Expo ’04.
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Designed aeronautical equipment, creating world-first engine handling and repair capabilities for airfield and aircraft carrier operating environments. Enhanced the operational capabilities of ground crew by enabling field repairs of engines anywhere on the airfield - enabling a dramatic reduction in Aircraft turnaround time, a world first capability.
Skills map
I take complexity and build clarity.
My digital product design process is complemented by my multidisciplinary design experience (industrial, visual, and strategic design), which brings a holistic perspective to my work and elevates the end user experience.
Design Research
Ethnographic research
End-to-end journeys
Systems, process mapping
Design workshops
Usability testing
Design Strategy
Ecosystem mapping
Opportunity mapping
Systems design
Training in HCD & Agile
Experience strategy
Digital Design
Information architecture
Heuristic analysis
Journey mapping
UX, UI design
Content/editorial
Prototyping
Interaction design
Web/app design
User testing
Visual Design
Brand identity
Design systems
Brand guidelines
Logo design
Packaging design
3D design
Design Mgmt
Planning & PM
Process & frameworks
Collaborative partnerships
Hiring, mentoring designers
Enabling a positive work culture
Design evangelism
Industrial Design
New product development
Concept visualisation
Model making
Rendering
Prototyping
Design process
There are many frameworks for design work, and since each project is unique, the selection of frameworks is defined by its unique requirements. While I broadly follow the traditional ‘double diamond’ design process, I have evolved my approach to include systems thinking as a larger framework within which to situate design activities.
Building on the Design Council’s Systemic Design Framework, here is a visualization of my approach to Design:
* Design in the real world is rarely this neat - it requires iterative cycles of research, design and testing - that can look messy, but if done right, the end result will be simple and elegant.
Design values and philosophy
I am deeply passionate about my work. I am aware of the impact it has on peoples’ lives - and of the responsibility that comes with it. I constantly push my learning journey across technology, design, and other areas to ensure I can deliver the most effective solutions.
Dedication to the craft of design through constant application and development of my skills and expertise
Taking the broad view and designing for ecosystems
Actively involving stakeholders and end users in interdisciplinary collaboration
Making ideas visible, to foster shared purpose and understanding
Designing with human values and ecological awareness for responsible business growth
The future of inclusive design lies in addressing the diversity of humanity - socio-economics, neurodiversity, gender etc.
Media and News
2022
Engaging with alumni from my Alma Mater, Lawrence School Lovedale, in a conversation that covers perspectives on design today, our professional journeys, Lovedale’s effect on our design thinking and more.
2020
Panelist on a discussion around design policy for India. I brought my perspective from having worked with the government in 2012 when I wrote India’s Design Innovation Policy.
2019
Speaking about design and my experience in the field of Design: Career of the Future, to mark the commencement of the Institute of Design at JK Lakshmipat University, Jaipur.
2018
Speaker at India Design Forum 2018 - on “New Frameworks: Design Thinking in Education and Creative Institutions”.
Yourstory feature - Bengaluru By Design 2018
Some thoughts on the problems with how Design Thinking is positioned in Education and Business, following my presentation at Bengaluru By Design 2018.
Part of a panel discussion on “Reimagining Industry-Academia collaboration in the age of the Design Entrepreneur”, organised by Indian School of Design and Innovation (ISDI) Mumbai. Met some students and discussed their thesis projects, had the opportunity to discuss ideas on Design, Industry and Academia with design colleagues from Delhi.
2017
Process video covering my award-winning design at Godrej Design Lab
Design Journey during the Godrej Design Lab product refinement stages
Design launch at India Design ID 2017 - India’s largest design event.