Product Designer
I set design direction for products betting on what's next. Then I build them.
I came into this thinking the job was making things look right. Six years in, most of what I do happens before anything gets designed: sitting with a founder, arguing about who this is for, cutting the feature list in half.
The looking-right part still matters to me, probably more than it should. But it comes last, and it only works if the thinking underneath it is sound.
That took a while to learn.
Ever since I could hold a crayon, I knew I was destined for something creative. Fast forward a few years (okay, more than a few), and now I'm living the dream as a digital product designer.
Ever since I could hold a crayon, I knew I was destined for something creative. Fast forward a few years (okay, more than a few), and now I'm living the dream as a digital product designer.
Here's where it happened:
Here's where it happened:
Independent Product Designer
Independent Product Designer
Jul 2024 - Present
Jul 2024 - Present
Collaborating with early-stage startups to design MVPs and transform initial concepts into fully functional products
Collaborating with early-stage startups to design MVPs and transform initial concepts into fully functional products
Senior Product Designer, Apna
Dec 2023 - Jul 2024
Product Designer, Apna
Product Designer, Apna
Nov 2021 - Nov 2023
Nov 2021 - Nov 2023
Conducted user research and designed product flows for the Network pod, focusing on helping users building the right professional network
Designed flows for job ‘search’, analysing problems users faced with finding relevant jobs
Redesigned the job search and application flow for web, aiming to improve discovery and increase CTR
Conducted 10+ feature tests for higher CSAT (20% increase in user satisfaction)
🎯 Selected for Apna's 'emerging leaders program'
Conducted user research and designed product flows for the Network pod, focusing on helping users building the right professional network
Designed flows for job ‘search’, analysing problems users faced with finding relevant jobs
Redesigned the job search and application flow for web, aiming to improve discovery and increase CTR
Conducted 10+ feature tests for higher CSAT (20% increase in user satisfaction)
🎯 Selected for Apna's 'emerging leaders program'
Freelance UX Designer, Wagr
Freelance UX Designer, Wagr
Jan 2021 - Mar 2024
Jan 2021 - Mar 2024
Established the design system for the new app and redesigned their website with the new guidelines
Collaborated with the founders for optimal solutions
Conceptualized user journeys & prototypes to meet product OKRs
Established the design system for the new app and redesigned their website with the new guidelines
Collaborated with the founders for optimal solutions
Conceptualized user journeys & prototypes to meet product OKRs
UX Designer, HumanX
UX Designer, HumanX
Nov 2019 - Nov 2021
Nov 2019 - Nov 2021
12+ projects in ed-tech, health-tech, fin-tech, and various other domains
Was part of client pitches
Designing elegant, behavior-changing experiences
Was known as a ‘smart-animate wizard’
12+ projects in ed-tech, health-tech, fin-tech, and various other domains
Was part of client pitches
Designing elegant, behavior-changing experiences
Was known as a ‘smart-animate wizard’
[HOW I WORK]
STRATEGY FIRST.
What are we actually trying to change, and how will we know it worked? I work backwards from there: metrics, user bets, sequencing.
[HOW I WORK]
What are we actually trying to change, and how will we know it worked? I work backwards from there: metrics, user bets, sequencing.
[HOW I WORK]
SPEED IS A DESIGN INPUT.
Explorations that took a week take a few days, and the time I save goes into the part machines are bad at: deciding what deserves to exist.
[HOW I WORK]
Explorations that took a week take a few days, and the time I save goes into the part machines are bad at: deciding what deserves to exist.
[HOW I WORK]
ALIGNMENT IS THE JOB.
PMs, engineers and founders each want different things. Someone has to hold the thread so the decisions still make sense six months later.
[HOW I WORK]
PMs, engineers and founders each want different things. Someone has to hold the thread so the decisions still make sense six months later.
[HOW I WORK]
"NO" IS A DESIGN TOOL.
To features that don't earn their place. To trends that don't fit your users. Occasionally to clients. This site exists because of what I turned down as much as what I took on.
[HOW I WORK]
To features that don't earn their place. To trends that don't fit your users. Occasionally to clients. This site exists because of what I turned down as much as what I took on.
WORK WITH ME
I like working with people who bring strong critique and can laugh at a bad meme. If that's you, tell me what you're working on. Even if it's messy, especially if it's messy.
Copy component
Copied
anjalidarbha.work@gmail.com
Working across 🇮🇳 India, 🇪🇺 Europe and 🇺🇸 US hours.
WORK WITH ME
I like working with people who bring strong critique and can laugh at a bad meme. If that's you, tell me what you're working on. Even if it's messy, especially if it's messy.
Copy component
Copied
anjalidarbha.work@gmail.com
Working across 🇮🇳 India, 🇪🇺 Europe and 🇺🇸 US hours.
WORK WITH ME
I like working with people who bring strong critique and can laugh at a bad meme. If that's you, tell me what you're working on. Even if it's messy, especially if it's messy.
Copy component
Copied
anjalidarbha.work@gmail.com
Working across 🇮🇳 India, 🇪🇺 Europe and 🇺🇸 US hours.