Systems thinker deeply passionate about building bridges between human interactions and digital interfaces.

Greetings, I am Monica Poddar.

Born and raised in India, I moved to San Francisco in 2019 to pursue my Masters in Interaction Design from the California College of the Arts. This program deepened my interest in the union of design and technology towards a more humane future. I am continuously learning to craft simple and elegant solutions to complex problems with a data-driven, human-centered approach.

I am fascinated by the experiences that empower people. My purpose in life is to build those experiences that not only meet the needs of people, but which they can find, understand, and use without having to ask for help. 

With 5+ years of experience as a UX designer and 3 years of experience in crafting UX for enterprise at Nutanix, I am well versed in working across cross-functional environments, collaborating with engineers and PMs, and enthusiastic about the processes behind creating intuitive and radical solutions.

When I am not immersed in my laptop, you will find me experimenting with different cuisines, buying more books than I have time to read, playing video games, or traveling to a remote place.

I graduated in December 2020 and I am actively seeking job opportunities right now.

I believe in achieving delight through the right balance in my designs.

I obsess over pixel perfection, but at the same time hold a proficiency in big picture thinking.

I believe that finding the right balance between research, strategy and implementation is the key to deliver solutions for the complexities of the evolving society that we live in, and to bring value to the people and processes we design for. For me balance is not just something I strive to achieve in my work, but in my life too.

EXPERIENCE

Interaction Designer – San Francisco, CA                                                      2020

UX Research Intern – San Francisco, CA                                                        2020

User Experience Designer – Bangalore, India                                    2017 - 2019

Product Design Intern – Bangalore, India                                                       2016

EDUCATION

MDes. Interaction Design – San Francisco, CA                2019 - 2020

BDes. Product Design – Ahmedabad, India                      2012 - 2016

Exchange Semester – Glasgow, Scotland, UK                              2014

THE FUN STUFF

Avid Gamer.

Ever since my first PS at the age of 8, I remain mesmerized by the world of video games. My all-time favorite is DOTA with a total of more than 3000 hours under the alias of 'Destiny'. I don't play as much now for obvious reasons but you will find me playing Brawl Stars, admiring classics such as Monument Valley, and competing at game nights over Monopoly and Sushi go party.

Gaming is more than just a hobby for me. It has helped me evolve my design sensibilities especially around seamless onboarding and simplifying complexity.

Travel Enthusiast. Nature Lover.

Someone wise once said– "The truth exists beyond the mountains, to find it one must travel." And so I did. 

Ever since I was a child, I always loved being close to nature. In this busy city life, I find myself gravitating towards mountains and oceans. My travel experiences have taught me a lot about people, different cultures, cuisines and most importantly endurance and perseverance. It has helped me become more perceptive towards human needs and made me a more empathetic person and designer.

All photos clicked across my many travels on D3200 and Pixel 3.

Experimental Chef.

Cooking for me is much like meditation. I am a food enthusiast and I love cooking as well as experimenting with different cuisines. It has helped me maintain my balance, especially during COVID. It has taught me patience and the importance of every minute part which makes the whole. Not every dish I make turns out to be perfect, much like the experiences I design, but its an iterative process and with each failure, I get closer to creating something better.

All photos are a part of my 'Round Plate Series' clicked on Pixel 3.

Get in touch!

©2020 Monica Poddar | Made with lots of love and Kombucha in San Francisco, CA.