Hi, I'm Gaurav!

I'm a Product Designer born and brought up in Mumbai, India with a background in Design, Software Development, and Electronics and Engineering.

Growing up in the city that practically invented "jugaad" (resourcefulness with a dash of ingenuity) instilled in me a love for finding creative solutions within limitations.

Experience

TATA Consultancy Services
Systems Engineer
July 2022 - June 2023
TATA Consultancy Services
Assistant Systems Engineer
July 2021 - June 2022

Education

Carnegie Mellon University
Master of Human Computer Interaction
August 2023 - August 2024
University of Mumbai, India
Bachelor of Engineering,
Electronics and Telecommunication
July 2017 - May 2021

About Me

My journey to UX design wasn't exactly linear. Let's just say writing lines of code all day without seeing the impact on users felt a bit like being a code monkey. (Don't worry, no monkeys were harmed in the making of my career!) Then, a TED Talk by Johannes Ippen hit me like a bolt of lightning. Suddenly, the power of design to shape societies became undeniable.

This newfound passion propelled me to dive headfirst into user experience design. Luckily, my first project landed right in my lap –  a chance to help design the e-commerce website for a family business! It was an incredible learning experience, going from devouring design concepts to actually bringing them to life.

Fast forward to today, I'm a design challenge junkie. Recently, while working on a project inspired by Bumble, the initial brief focused solely on using geolocation to boost paid subscriptions. Something about that just screamed, "There's gotta be a better way!" Turns out, there was. Through research and data, I was able to reframe the challenge to create a solution that benefits both users and the business. It was a valuable lesson in questioning assumptions and understanding the "why" behind every requirement.

Collaboration is my design superpower. Bouncing ideas off colleagues validates my thinking and exposes me to fresh perspectives (plus, it's way more fun than brainstorming alone!). Honesty is key to growth, and I thrive in environments where open communication is encouraged.

When I'm not designing, you might find me exploring the world. Traveling allows me to immerse myself in diverse cultures and landscapes, which in turn fuels my design thinking in unexpected ways.

Another passion that fuels my creativity is painting. The dedication required to transform a blank canvas into something beautiful resonates deeply with me. It's a constant reminder of the power of perseverance and patience – qualities essential in any design process.

Let's create something remarkable together!