About Me

Brief Background

I switched tracks from Engineering to Human Computer Interaction (HCI) over seven years ago - I was working on a biometric (fingerprint) scanner for my Senior Year project when I realized that I was more interested in the Ergonomics of the device than the guts of it. This realization spurred me to pursue a Masters Degree in Human Factors and Ergonomics at Virginia Tech where I discovered a myriad of design fields. When I finally obtained my degree, I had been exposed to courses in numerous related streams such as Industrial Design, CyberArts and Design of Interactive Systems in addition to the ones in HCI. The end result is that I am now what is known as a ‘T’ shaped designer.

My core strengths lie in User Centered Design – Interface Design, Information Architecture, Interaction design, Prototyping and Usability Testing. But I also have a good grasp on Industrial Design, Marketing, Web Development, Graphics and Visual design, Information Technology, and Statistics. In addition, I am deeply passionate about design and technology and keep abreast of the latest developments in software and hardware (right from processors to game consoles).

My Work So Far

I have worked with an extensive range of interfaces throughout my education and career. In addition to computer based UIs, I have worked on UIs for Kiosks, portable devices such as tablet PCs, PDAs and mobile phones. On the hardware side, I have worked on concepts for an iPad like slate device, a touchscreen radio for first response officers, gardening tools for people with cognitive disorders and a futuristic panel for car windshields that displayed real-time information.

I have been a part of numerous inter-disciplinary and multicultural teams – as member and leader; an instructor for the Faculty Development Institute (at Virginia Tech); a Graduate Teaching Assistant and worked with off-shore developers. These activities have taught me a lot about how to prepare and present ideas effectively to a wide range of audiences.