Sep 2024 – Sep 2025 · 1 yr · Kochi, Kerala, India

Jun 2023 – Aug 2024 · 1 yr 2 mos · Kochi, Kerala, India

• Led IBM Software Lab's UX Research organization in India including 27 team members and 2 first-line managers located across Kochi, Bengaluru and Ahmedabad studios. We conducted generative, strategic, tactical, and operational UX research for Automation, Data & AI, Sustainability Software, Security Software and PLG portfolios.
• Led a mission to build a world-class UX research organization in India to extend research in the broader APAC-Japan region. Collaborating closely with design, PM, CSM and sales leaders to involve customers in the user research program.
• Built a strong community of 70 UX researchers spread across the APAC-Japan region spanning IBM Software, IBM Systems, and IBM Consulting. Organized 20 bi-weekly sessions to foster knowledge sharing and collaboration.
• Partnered with reputed universities for skill development and recruitment.

Apr 2022 – Jun 2023 · 1 yr 2 mos · Kochi, Kerala, India

• Led 7 UX researchers spread across India, Germany, and the USA to support DataOps and HDM products.
• Led a strategic initiative to expand the UX research community in the APAC-Japan region.
• Led a strategic initiative to publish UX research insights for business executives. These insights were published in the form of a newsletter and shared with 200+ business executives across the world.

Jun 2014 – Apr 2022 · 7 yrs 10 mos · Pune/Pimpri-Chinchwad Area

• Led UX programs for Fortune 500 clients spanning various sectors such as banking, insurance, telecom, retail, manufacturing, logistics, automobile and healthcare.
• Led 15+ designers to deliver end to end UX solutions for large programs consisting of multiple projects and applications. Mentored 50+ designers in the context of UX best practices and design quality management.
• Conducted extensive user interviews to understand pain points, needs and wish-list. Interacted with senior business leaders across the world to understand their business goals, vision, KPIs and ecosystem.
• Acted as a UX advisor for large programs to support end-users, product owners, business stakeholders, SMEs, content writers, developers, testers, accessibility experts, Product Governance Council, Change Control Board and PMO team.
• Actively contributed to UX POCs and business proposals as a part of pre-sales initiatives.
• Evaluated 100+ UX design and UX research candidates as a panelist and a hiring manager for UX recruitment in India and the USA.
• Organized and hosted 60+ UX Brown Bag sessions and 30+ UX Awareness sessions for designers, developers and business stakeholders.

Oct 2013 – Jun 2014 · 8 mos · San Jose, California

• Revamped user experience of an IT services management software product. Led UX activities such as contextual inquiries, interview analysis, card sorting, affinity modeling, competitor analysis, prototyping, usability testing and design specification documentation.

Nov 2008 – Oct 2013 · 4 yrs 11 mos · Pune, India and Denver, USA

• Envisioned user experience of complex enterprise applications for some of the largest telecom clients in the USA. Performed user experience related activities such as user interviews, stakeholder workshops, affinity modelling, card sorting, information architecture, prototyping, usability testing, competitor analysis, heuristic evaluations and UI documentation. Led a team of UX designers and visual designers to deliver high quality UX solutions on time.

Aug 2007 – Oct 2008 · 1 yr 2 mos

• Worked as a Research Assistant with Prof. Anirudha Joshi at IDC, IIT Bombay for the project - ‘Language, Literacy and Mobile UI’ – a NOKIA funded UX research project. This work includes activities such as contextual user research through HCI techniques, analysis of user studies through affinity modeling, conceptualization and prototyping for mobile applications. Conducted 200+ contextual inquiries, 100+ usability tests and created mobile prototypes for 3 applications. Authored 5 research papers based on these projects.

Jun 2002 – Jul 2007 · 5 yrs 1 mo