Manesh John

Overcoming the fear of uncertainty is key for designers. My workshop at uxindiaconf (ux-india.org) focused on helping creatives recognize the link between ambiguity and innovation to drive positive outcomes, acknowledge their emotions, adopt a growth mindset, and develop strategies to navigate uncertainty effectively. Leaders, listen up! Neglecting your team's input can lead to a toxic environment. I want to thank Kaladhar Bapu, Jabeen Shaistha, and all the wonderful volunteers of UX India 2024 for helping to make this workshop a success! #design #innovation #uncertainty #ambiguity #psychologicalsafety #UXIndia2024

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https://lnkd.in/euvDKQHH Great article on fhe importance of building a strong UX design culture today and exponential long term benefits of in-house teams vs hiring external short term resources and consultants. In the ever-shifting digital landscape, I am thriving with a lean in-house cross-functional product design team of committed people who are willing to always pivot, adapt and learn as we pioneer new optimum user experiences. The complexity and rapid evolution of innovation today calls for agile, innovative thinkers to iterate and adapt in real time and that’s exactly what the last 6 months has been for my team. Time and time again, wins rack up when I invest in internal solutions and talent - upskilling my small by mighty team along the way. I find myself leading a culture that embodies the spirit of collaboration and creativity. At Kyra Group, we are pushing boundaries and ourselves in the process. #CultureBuilding #Innovation #UX #TeamCulture #AI #Leadership #Teamwork

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✨ podcast: everything I’ve learned about design leadership ✨ We sat down to discuss my early days of transitioning to Design, all the way to becoming a Design Leader. Here I share everything I have learned in the last 4 years about Design Leadership, shared as candidly as I could. Special thanks to Kedar Nimkar and Shreyas Satish for this absolute cracker of an episode:

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A couple of weeks ago, I had the incredible opportunity to have a keynote talk, “Unlocking Your Impact: How an #Outcomes-Focused Approach Empowers Designers,” at uxindiaconf (ux-india.org). The conference was a massive gathering of talented designers from around the world, and I was thrilled to be a part of it. Here are some of the things I covered in my keynote: - By adopting an #outcomes-focused approach, you will gain a deeper understanding of how your actions contribute to achieving organizational goals and ensuring the successful execution of your #vision. - By defining clear outcomes, you will foster a more focused and aligned team, eliminate unnecessary work, and ensure your efforts are centered around meeting #customerneeds. - Using the #JobsToBeDone framework helps align your organization’s outcomes with your customers’ needs, ensuring that your products and services meet their needs. I want to thank Kaladhar Bapu, Jabeen Shaistha, and all the wonderful volunteers of UX India 2024 for helping to make this keynote a success! I also want to thank the thought leaders who came before me: Tony Ulwick, Joshua Seiden, Alexander Osterwalder, Jim Kalbach, John C. Maxwell, and Marty Cagan. https://lnkd.in/ePHXh4cq #teamwork #alignment #empowerment #outcomesoveroutputs #ux #india #userexperiencedesign #userexperience #jtbd #UXIndia2024

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Great writeup on the value design can bring to product organisations irrespective of technoöogical shifts such as AI.

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🚀 The Future of User Interface Design: Personalized and Predictive with Generative UI In the evolving landscape of digital design, the concept of generative user interfaces (GenUI) stands poised to revolutionize how we interact with technology. Moving away from one-size-fits-all solutions, GenUI promises a future where every digital experience is tailored uniquely to the user’s needs. 👤 Imagine This: A frequent flyer, Alex, uses her airline app tailored to her specific needs, including accommodations for her dyslexia. The app not only presents flight options that prioritize her preferences like cost and travel time but also integrates real-time adjustments based on external factors such as events impacting her travel dates. This is the power of GenUI – a dynamic, intuitive interface that changes in real-time to create a deeply personalized user experience. 📈 Why It Matters: Today, designers focus on creating universal solutions that cater to broad user bases. Tomorrow, with GenUI, the shift will be towards intent-based outcome-oriented design. This means prioritizing user goals and crafting experiences that dynamically meet those needs without the user having to navigate unnecessary complexity. 🔧 The Designer's Evolving Role: As we embrace GenUI, designers will transition from crafting detailed interactions to setting strategic parameters that guide AI in creating these bespoke experiences. This doesn’t diminish the designer's role but rather elevates it to orchestrate user interactions at a macro level. 🔄 Challenges Ahead: Despite its potential, GenUI introduces complexities. From increased demands on processing power to potential privacy concerns and the fundamental shift in user experience due to ever-changing interfaces, the road ahead is paved with both innovation and obstacles. 🌟 What’s Next? As we look towards a future dominated by AI-driven customizations, embracing GenUI could significantly enhance how we design for accessibility and inclusivity. However, the journey will require us to rethink design principles and adapt to new tools that can handle the dynamism and complexity of user-centric, personalized interfaces. 💬 Let's Discuss: What are your thoughts on the shift towards personalized digital experiences through GenUI? How do you see it impacting your industry or field? Read more about it in this Nielsen/Norman article: https://lnkd.in/enPhQjq4 #UserExperience #UX #UI #UserInterface #DigitalDesign #GenUI #AI #GenAI #GenerativeAI #Innovation #TechTrends

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My thoughts on exploring an alternative to design thinking. Hemanth Ramesh Thank you for introducing me to JTBD and it took me so long to understand and start adopting it (through a hybrid model though).

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One of the most important aspects of UX design is affordances and signifiers. It helps users know what they can interact with and how. Sriharinath GP has a great overview on this: https://lnkd.in/gUH5uicV

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I love the points this piece makes about gen AI and design. It's awesome that more people can flex their skills and experiment. But the world has had the quality/quantity argument since the dawn of time. Legendary designers possess a unique set of skills that enable them to create extraordinary design outputs. In the context of this article, these skills are a blend of selection, taste, and discernment. (Three qualities that gen AI, for all its advancements, still can't replicate.) #Design #UXDesign #GenAI #FutureOfDesign

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This episode of the Finding Our Way podcast articulates, with such clarity, what’s been on my mind about the value proposition of design as a function. A business could leverage creating a stellar user experience as a strategic lever to succeed in the market, or NOT. The latter is totally acceptable where designers primarily focus on production tasks (like UI designs) in an org that prioritizes churning out features. Yet, it’s a bitter pill to swallow for many designers. They feel disgruntled and get exhausted speaking to the deaf ears about how great an outcome design can bring to the table and how influential they could be outside of Figma. This podcast talks about how many designer leaders are struggling to deal with this reality. As someone who is not in a leadership position, I feel the struggle too. But if I were to stay positive and constructive while prioritizing my mental sanity, these would be some options to consider. - Get hired by a company that REALLY values design (think Airbnb, Linear) - Be extremely good at your craft and find fulfillment in it, regardless of its direct impact on the bottom line—as long as you remain employed 🤷🏻‍♀️ - Elbow your way into cross-functional discussions as much as possible, at least within your team, to find opportunities to demonstrate what you can do outside of Figma. You can help expand the perspective on design that your cross-functional partners have, one person at a time. https://lnkd.in/gjheYY_f

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Reflections on Human-Centered Design with Mayur Chaudhary I had the privilege of attending a transformative session with Mayur Chaudhary, VP of Experience Design at Publicis Sapient India, author of #UXPlayCard and #UXMastery, and founder of RethinkingUX Community. His central message was clear and powerful: Design for Humans, not just users or customers. This approach encourages us to look beyond personas and metrics, focusing on real people with emotions, aspirations, and lived experiences. Key Takeaways: 1. Cross-Functional Learning: A Generalist Approach Mayur advocates for a "jack of all trades and master of some" mindset, drawing from Range by David Epstein. Innovation arises when we integrate diverse skills and perspectives. In India’s rapidly evolving market, this approach is invaluable, as it helps us understand both global and local contexts, fostering creative problem-solving. 2. Balanced Minimalism: Finding the Sweet Spot Mayur used the analogy of "never serving undercooked or overcooked food" to explain design minimalism. A well-balanced product is neither cluttered nor overly simplistic. #Flipkart offers an excellent example of striking this balance, ensuring accessibility for millions of users without sacrificing critical features. 3. Growth Through Resilience Stepping outside our comfort zones is essential for growth. Mayur encouraged embracing challenges, knowing that resilience transforms failure into learning. In the tech space, especially in #India, resilience allows us to bounce back from setbacks and continue evolving. 4. Designing with Empathy: Meeting Users Where They Are Empathy is the foundation of human-centered design. Mayur emphasized the importance of understanding users on a deeper level—culturally, emotionally, and technologically. #Google Pay in India excels at meeting diverse user needs by considering language barriers, tech access, and user literacy. 5. Humility & Curiosity: Continuous Learning “Steal like a thief,” Mayur advised—continuously learning from a variety of sources. In India’s dynamic market, staying curious and open to new ideas is essential for innovation. Learning from companies like #Zomato or #Amazon India helps us adapt and grow in meaningful ways. I extend my sincere thanks to Mr. Mayur Chaudhary for sharing his invaluable insights and time. His wisdom has inspired us to approach design with empathy and a human-centered mindset. A special thanks to Shravan Bhaiya and the #RethinkSystems team for organizing this enriching session. Your dedication to fostering a community of thinkers and innovators is truly impactful. This session wasn’t just a learning experience—it was a reminder of the power of design to connect and uplift real people. Unnati Aprameya Kevin Arbaaz Attharv Mayank Miriam Sonakshi Dheeraj #InclusiveDesign #LearnWithMe #MindfulMoments #AIeveryday #DigitalTransformation #LeanProduct #ProductInnovation #DesignThinking #UserExperience #ExperienceDesign #HumanCenteredDesign

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#WixUX As annual feedback discussions lead into opportunities for professional growth, now is the perfect time to reflect on intentional growth and the role we each play in driving it. Here is my article, packed with practical tools and tips to support your journey. https://lnkd.in/dtBfimbC

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🚀 Controversial take: Design Thinking might be holding Product Discovery back. Why? It treats concept design as a separate phase, but that's a missed opportunity. Integrating concept design into product discovery is a game-changer. It: ✅ Enhances your ability to visualize and communicate future user experiences. ✅ Improves decision-making and stakeholder alignment. ✅ Fosters a shared vision among your team. ✅ Creates more user-centered and successful products. #productdesign #uxdesign #designthinking #productdiscovery #conceptdesign #designstudio #ux #innovation #productdevelopment #productvision #jobstobedone #jtbd #facilitation Agree or disagree? Let's discuss! 👇

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I’ve expanded on my earlier post with examples and deeper insights in a new Medium article. 🚀 In this extended version, I dive deeper into balancing autonomy with strategic alignment, guiding teams like a fleet of ships, and setting the stage for cross-functional success. If these leadership themes resonate with you, I’d love for you to explore the full article here : https://lnkd.in/g_q2Yxfk Let me know your thoughts!

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Love the distinction between enterprise and consumer design - priorities. Functionality & managing complexity VS enjoyment & quick interactions. https://lnkd.in/dp-kuZiH

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As a designer, connecting with business leaders who shape the tools we use daily is always an opportunity worth seizing. I recently had the privilege of meeting the C-Suit business leader at the Figma office in New York, where we engaged in a constructive dialogue about India’s growing design ecosystem and why it should be on the radar for global product companies. Our discussion was around how India stands at the cusp of a design revolution, backed by compelling statistics that tell a story of unprecedented growth and potential: Design Talent Ecosystem: ⇢ Over 100,000 UX professionals and counting ⇢ 100+ institutions dedicated to UX and design education ⇢ 50% surge in UX talent demand since 2021 Innovation Infrastructure: ⇢ 50,000+ startup ecosystems driving global solutions ⇢ 1,700 Global Capability Centers (GCCs), projected to grow to 2,200 by 2030 ⇢ Emerging as a premier destination for design outsourcing and IT services Key Design Trends Shaping the Future ⇢ AI-driven personalisation creating adaptive user experiences ⇢ Emphasis on ethical design principles ⇢ Growing demand for UX strategy and leadership skills We also discussed how, at Publicis Sapient, our team leverages cutting-edge #GenAI tools to drive experience strategy and design for our global clients. India is not just a market to watch; it’s a thriving design ecosystem that demands serious attention, with local presence, support, and training for the design community being more essential than ever. A special shoutout for Dilip Punjabi for facilitating this transformative dialogue and providing a platform to showcase why India is an indispensable partner for global product innovation, in this case, for #Figma. I'm eager to hear your perspectives on India's evolving design ecosystem. Whether you're a designer, product leader, or innovation enthusiast: ❓What are your insights on the future of design in emerging markets? ❓How do you see AI and personalisation transforming user experiences?  ❓Share your thoughts on building global design capabilities. Feel free to drop your comment below, and I look forward to an engaging discussion. RethinkingUX

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Hot off the press! A new blog post about personalization in the B2C space by Iliyana on the PROS UX team. Check it out on the Ascend UX Blog. #ascendux #pros #userexperience #ux

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Here are three UX principles that I've used successfully in the past, particularly with teams that may not understand where UX fits into the process.

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