Trisha Das
Wanderlust, cinephile, foodie, and art lover, Devyani is full of life and has been with us since the very beginning. Read her full story to know about her journey, watching Coditas grow, and growing alongside the team.
Devyani was born and brought up in Pune. She loves pizza and believes, "we were born to be real, not to be perfect." Since early childhood, she had been inclined towards art and actively participated in drawing and painting competitions. But there's more to her than just art.
"I am quite interested in arts, crafts, and packaging (especially DIY). I am also a movie enthusiast. I love to explore new places, cuisines, and cultures. I am an avid traveler and love the planning aspect of it too."
The onset of a designer's voyage
Her family did try to push her to pursue engineering, but she chose to go with her instincts and graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Applications. A friend introduced her to Adobe Illustrator during her graduation year, and things picked up from there.
"As I came across various websites to showcase my portfolio, I was introduced to UX design as a stream. I was quite intrigued by the work people showcased globally on websites like Behance and Dribbble. I had to learn more about it!"
At Coditas, teammate and friend Akshar Patel introduced her to UX design in practice and helped her cope with professional hurdles. Exploring the latest trends and technologies and applying them to ongoing projects excites Devyani to design and innovate products.
Although she loves to scout unfamiliar domains of the field, the major challenge of her initial career phase was presenting her thoughts while working on a new design.
"I used to get quite nervous during my direct interactions with the clients. It was a little difficult for me to get the hang of it, to put my thoughts into words."
Startups or MNCs?
Devyani prefers a startup environment as it allows one to work closely with people involved in decision-making processes.
"Startups provide the right exposure to learning and experiencing new technologies and trends. Culturally, I feel like you get to connect with your team members in a more effective way."
Outlook on the IT industry
Devyani rightly states that the IT service industry is the gateway to innovation. Considering the technological advancements, it is the future of economic development. Given the IT sector's current growth, it will create many job opportunities for future talents. On the downside, work-life balance can be a difficult thing to achieve at times.
Future of Design
"According to me, our future seems to be focused on automation and customization. As designers, I think we will be working on building a solid bridge for humans to interact with technologies on a more micro level."
By micro, she means a level where humans would be closely associated with customizing their own products.
"Remember those movies where things we do regularly like driving were automated? Something like that," she adds.
'How can User Experience be improved for people who mistrust and are unaccustomed to new technologies' is a question designers should continuously ask themselves. Devyani's words undoubtedly affirm her passion and purpose as a designer.
"Our job as designers would be to make sure we design the experience in such a way that everyone would be able to trust and get used to upcoming technologies faster."
Life with Coditas
Presently a Senior UX/UI Designer, Devyani is involved in the entire design process of a project, starting from requirement-gathering to usability testing. She's also responsible for coordinating with clients and contributing to the creation of effective experiences for users.
Being with Coditas for the past six years, she has experienced the best and worst of it all.
"I have seen us grow into an awesome and successful organization. The best part about Coditas is the open work culture. This is something I can say even after the addition of so many new members to our family."
Devyani's journey from being an anxious designer to a leader, team player, and active decision-maker is nothing short of incredible.
"I have grown so much, not just as a designer but also as a person. I have learned a lot and gained experience in things I had never done before. I have worked on numerous projects, and each one has contributed to my progress. Some of the most important skills that I have gained these last few years are leadership, teamwork, and effective communication. As an individual, being at Coditas has gotten a sense of discipline in me. I have improved a lot in terms of creative thinking. I also feel more confident in making decisions on a daily basis."
Words of wisdom
"Always keep working on your skills; don't ever be afraid to try new things, tools, or hobbies. They will always help you in the future, in some way or the other. Be curious, ask questions. Never stop feeding your brain with knowledge." — is what Devyani would like to pass on to her fellow juniors. So if you have started walking the designer's path or thinking about it, take note.
From her now empathic, versatile, and ambivert self to 16-year old Devyani:
"I know things are a little tough right now; you are quite anxious about your career; you can't decide what you want to do. But don't worry; you are heading in the right direction. You may not feel so immediately but give it some time, and you will start seeing that life is working out for you; it's all happening in the background right now. Positivity is on its way. Everything is meant to be. Just relax and keep following your heart."
