Zeenal Patel

Head of Design

Goa, India17 yrs 4 mos experience

Key Highlights

15+ years in design and technology
Led large design teams at startups
Expert in user-centered design strategies

Stackforce AI infers this person is a B2C UX/UI design expert with extensive experience in e-commerce and digital product design.

Contact

Skills

Core Skills

User Experience DesignDesign StrategyUser ResearchDesign Management

Other Skills

Branding & IdentityExperience DesignGraphic DesignHeuristic EvaluationInformation ArchitectureInteraction DesignPhotographyTask AnalysisUsabilityUsability TestingUser InterfaceUser-centered DesignWire FramingWireframes

About

Heylo, I'm Zeenal (Zee). With a background rooted in both technology and design, I've spent the better part of 15+ years learning and growing alongside some fantastic teams. My journey has allowed me to see and understand different facets of product development catering to various user groups. I consider myself fortunate to work where my passion meets purpose - at the crossroads of design, technology, and business. What drives me daily is the opportunity to make small yet significant improvements in people's everyday experiences through thoughtful design. In my roles, particularly at startups, I've developed a knack for balancing the artistic intricacies of design with the practical necessities of business. It has been a rewarding challenge to communicate the value of good design in a business context, bridging gaps and fostering understanding between different teams. My educational background, a Master’s in Interface Design complemented by a Bachelor's in Computer Science, has given me a solid foundation to approach challenges from various angles. Whether it's diving deep into user research or strategising for a brand, my goal remains the same: to create designs that are intuitive, inclusive, and impactful. Feel free to connect, I'm always open to sharing experiences and learning something new.

Experience

Sharechat

2 roles

Head of Design - Sharechat, Moj, and Ads Business

Promoted

Oct 2023 – May 2024 · 7 mos · Bengaluru, Karnataka, India · Hybrid

Sr. Design Director, Moj & Ads Business

Sep 2022 – Sep 2023 · 1 yr · Bengaluru, Karnataka, India · Hybrid

At ShareChat, I had the privilege of leading a team of over 40 product and communication design professionals to develop digital experiences for a short-form video app that resonated with India’s diverse cultural landscape. Our efforts were directed towards enhancing user engagement and driving revenue through the successful launch and scaling of initiatives such as gamification for creators, virtual gifting for users, and premium subscriptions for both creators and users. Additionally, we designed innovative and contextual ads as well as AR lenses for various Indian festivals, events, and brands.
Our designs were specifically tailored to Bharat audiences, who primarily spoke regional languages, ensuring that our digital solutions were both accessible and relevant. Through initiatives like the Voice of Mojis, we gathered direct feedback from users and creators, continuously refining our design approaches. This collaborative process was instrumental in aligning our projects with ShareChat’s strategic goals, significantly improving the user experience and supporting business growth. We were dedicated to crafting digital products that were not only functional but also inclusive, ensuring that every language and every voice found a place in India's digital narrative.

User Experience DesignInteraction DesignUser ResearchDesign ManagementDesign StrategyUser-centered Design

Ajio.com

AVP, Product Design

Mar 2020 – Oct 2022 · 2 yrs 7 mos · Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

During my tenure as AVP of Product Design at AJIO.com, I had the opportunity to lead a talented team in enhancing the platform's user experience. I spearheaded the comprehensive redesign of the AJIO app and website, emphasizing simplicity and scalability, which was crucial for accommodating the business's rapid growth.
Our key achievements included launching AJIO Luxe for luxury shoppers, and the introduction of innovative features like Sneakerhood and Shop the Look. We also made significant improvements to size charts and implemented a comprehensive ratings and reviews system. These enhancements were designed to reduce decision fatigue, a common challenge in e-commerce, making it easier for customers to browse and purchase with confidence.
Our efforts extended to streamlining the post-order experience, which had a positive impact on both customer satisfaction and the company's bottom line. Throughout our work, we maintained a careful balance between artistic design and practical business needs, creating intuitive interfaces that resonated with our diverse user base.
Looking back, I'm grateful for what our team accomplished. By focusing on reducing friction in the shopping process and introducing user-centric features, we played a part in AJIO's growth within the competitive e-commerce landscape. This experience underscored the importance of collaboration and innovation in creating meaningful digital experiences that truly serve users' needs.

User Experience DesignInteraction DesignDesign ManagementUser-centered Design

Shuttl

Head of Design (Brand & Product Experiences)

Apr 2017 – Feb 2020 · 2 yrs 10 mos · Gurgaon, Haryana, India

Built a multidisciplinary design team (15+) to support and solve for brand and product initiatives.
Provided design direction on consumer facing apps to acquire and retain users (Supported growth target of 10X). Infused design thinking across functions. Strategized and helped to launch key tools for supply and ops (Driver App, Route Mgmnt System, Operation Mgmnt System, Audit Panel, Offer Panel).
Played a key role in designing and delivering multi-channel (ATL, BTL) brand campaigns.

Design ManagementUser Experience DesignDesign Strategy

Oyo

Sr. Design Manager, UX (Demand Side Platforms)

Feb 2016 – Mar 2017 · 1 yr 1 mo · Gurgaon

Contributed to the product strategy & design for all the Demand-Side Platforms (Apps, PWA, DSite, Internal tools). Solved for discoverability, predictability, and affordability.
Led and envisioned product experience for new initiatives like OYO Captains, OYO for couples and OYO Homes. Collaborated with Business Heads and Product folks on critical projects like - Reducing Cancellations and Zero Shifting.
My team was also responsible for designing important tools like OYO Lifeline (Tool for CC Executives), Flagship Service App (Tool for Property Managers), Audit App (Tool for Property Auditors) and OYO Owners App (Tool for property Owners).

User Experience DesignDesign Management

Zostel

Design Manager, UX

Jul 2015 – Feb 2016 · 7 mos · Greater Delhi Area

User Experience DesignInteraction Design

Komli media

2 roles

Lead UX Designer (RevX)

Promoted

Jan 2014 – Jun 2015 · 1 yr 5 mos · Mumbai Metropolitan Region

Designed interactive web applications (RevX, Atom, Vizisense)* including all the key functionalities and all page-level visual elements. Worked closely with Founders and Product Leads to carve out new features and functionality with an intent to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the tools for end-users.
Kickstarted the process to run usability testing to make sure engineers only focus on building the right and relevant solutions.
Platforms:
RevX - A mobile-first Data Management and Programmatic Ad Platform.
Atom - India's First RTB-enabled Performance Ad Platform
ViziSense - APAC's Leading Audience Measurement Platform

User Experience DesignInteraction Design

Senior UX Designer

Jan 2011 – Dec 2013 · 2 yrs 11 mos · Mumbai Metropolitan Region

Joined as a junior designer and consistent performance and zeal to outperform helped me grow fast and own more responsibilities. As a Senior designer, I hired and mentored junior visual designers.
In addition to UX, I also helped in designing and producing a variety of key brand artifacts (investor pitch-decks, brochures, infographics, client mailers, technical illustrations, case studies, blog artworks, brand merchandise) to help the stakeholders move upwards and onwards.

User Experience DesignInteraction Design

Adobe

2 roles

User Experience Designer

Oct 2009 – Jan 2011 · 1 yr 3 mos

Collaborated with Acrobat US + Global teams on redesigning Adobe Acrobat (Overhaul of navigation, structure and visuals) with an intent to provide richer and intuitive experience for the users as well as make the product more scalable to cater to future requirements.
Delivered detailed design flows and visual specifications for multiple initiatives/features for the new version of Acrobat (ver 10). Few top features ( Workflow - Automating key and repeated tasks, Dynamic Table - Ability to sort and filter tabular data in a static PDF document, PDF Creator - Overhauling the PDF creator flow for multiple filetypes and extending its support on multiple channels).

User Experience DesignInteraction Design