Upto 2010

Ever since I could remember, I always had a strong imagination. From creating elaborate plot lines while playing with my action figures to detailed role plays with a wooden sword and capes fashioned from scraps, my childhood was truly my own.

Sketching was always one of my stronger skills whilst growing up, and always came naturally to me. Through it, I explored other creative venues during my school days like Digital Art, Photography, Video Editing, Motion Graphics, 3D modelling and a lot more.

2010 - 2014

With a will to learn and an interest in how things work, I pursued a Mechanical Engineering degree at the College of Guindy, Anna University.

As I traversed my 4 years, I quite often found myself spending late nights, designing collaterals for various college festivals. This ranged from making brochures and posters to various promotional videos. Engineering was okay, but this was more fun!

At the end of my bachelor's degree was when I found out about CEED and the various avenues of design out there.

Early 2014

CEED was my first foray into the world of design. The exam and the interviews gave a brief glimpse into the thought process that would be required to become a designer. Even though my first attempt was a trial run, I miraculously managed to secure a decent grade.

Armed with 4 A4 papers with sketches and little to no knowledge of how a design interview is structured, I attended my first interview at IDC, IITB only to realize that I needed something known as a portfolio.

After being a troll at my first interview, I spent the next month creating a portfolio that helped me secure design courses at IITD and IITG

2014

Design was not what I thought it was. The two years at IITG didn't teach me about design tools and the trade but instead taught me how to think like a designer. Communication, critical thinking, and receptiveness to feedback were core skills i was taught to refine.

Late 2014

As part of an exchange program, a group of us from the institute, traveled to Varamo, Sweden to take part in a multidisciplinary product brainstorming workshop conducted by the KTH Royal Institute of Technology for Thule, Sweden.

Early 2015

The Symphony of the Solar System was my first design-based thesis project. It was a passion-based project that brought together science and art through an installation in the realm of interstellar space, a topic that had intrigued me for years.

Early 2016

As a finalist of the Honeywell Aerospace Design Challenge 2016, a concept for an in-cockpit flight planning application was created and presented at the Honeywell Headquarters in Bangalore.

2016 - Now

Deloitte Digital was my entry into the world of design consulting and product building. The environment at the Deloitte Studios helped forge my design-sensitive mindset to create products for global clients through ambiguous problem statements.

Over the years I have gained knowledge into the functionality of a multitude of industries and have worked with some of the biggest digital giants from across the world, helping them to transform their digital experiences by striking a fine balance between customer and business needs.

The experience has helped me grow from a Design associate to a Design Lead within the firm, with over 10,000 Client service hours under my belt.

My current skillset includes,

Handle all aspects of design from Discovery to Documentation across multiple engagements, simultaneously.
Engage frequently with clients to understand their requirements and create a strong foundation for a long-lasting relationship.
Educate the client about DesignOPS.
Drive teams to create and present solutions that are both users, business, and technology-centric.
Ensure timely delivery of quality design solutions.
Closely collaborate with Leadership, Functional, Development, and Quality Assurance teams to deliver stellar products through consulting.
Evaluate and guide fellow designers as they progress through their design journeys.

K.