Things that excite you are not random. They are connected to your purpose. Follow them.
Terrie Davoll Hudson
As a child, I was fascinated by how things worked. I loved deconstructing objects, building models, and sketching ideas, constantly refining them based on feedback. This early curiosity and hands-on experimentation shaped my “maker mindset.”
My journey into design began in the early 90s when I graduated as a Plastics Engineer and started as a production engineer in a plastic manufacturing company. The factory’s CNC injection molding machines churned out thousands of parts daily for the automotive, consumer appliance, and packaging industries. One day, while observing a luxury sedan component being molded, I became intrigued by its design and impact. I realized I wanted to create products for millions of users worldwide.
That realization led me to pursue a career in product design. Convincing my parents was a challenge, as Engineering and Medicine were the dominant career paths in India. Fortunately, they supported my passion, and I gained admission to a masters program in Industrial Design at National Institute of Design (NID), one of Asia’s premier design schools.
Design school was transformative. I explored disciplines like product design, visual communication, and animation, while mastering research, prototyping, and user-centric problem-solving. Most importantly, I understood the power of empathy – a critical skill for both design and leadership.
Design education reshaped how I perceive the world, equipping me to solve complex challenges across industries. Over the years, I’ve designed innovative products and services for Fortune 100 companies, led cross-functional teams, and managed multi-million-dollar business units. Today, I lead product strategy, research and design at a major technology company in Silicon Valley, where my passion for design remains as strong as ever.
Just like design is never done, my journey of exploring, failing, learning, and growing continues.
Learn about my approach to design or see my work.
abhijit.design 