Hi I'm Isha Hans.
I’m a Design thinker and practitioner with 7+ years of experience. Three things to know about my work:
- I have managed to include research in all my design roles even when my job descriptions didn't come with them. This is because I don't believe in the 'Researcher' and 'Designer' role dichotomy as two distinct pursuits separate from each other.
- My biggest strength is Strategic Research and Design, that is, creating synergy between research insights, product and business decisions to provide future direction. I have successfully tested this skill in two settings: new Product innovation for a venture-building team and Product strategy for a series B startup.
- I have worked in a variety of settings, ranging from an IC to collaborating in small design teams to leading research, insights, and design for a multi-disciplinary team. By working in various settings, I have learned to be an effective bridge between product, business, and technical teams.
My favorite project was an entrepreneurship endeavor from 2020 to 2021. I leveraged my hybrid skills in research, design and business acumen to create an early-stage AI-based startup (US obtainable market of $100M) for Bosch's NA Venture Building team.
Currently, I work as a Product Designer and Research Lead at Laurel.ai, a series B startup that makes enterprise AI software for knowledge professionals.
I'm most proud of my ability to adapt. I've started from scratch 6 times to build a life and design community in 6 cities, spanning 4 countries. These experiences come with a unique set of challenges and have taught me to be resilient yet flexible.
My Approach
My approach is to shun the dichotomy between a researcher and a designer. All my professional experiences have one thing in common: conducting primary research to drive insights and inform design, even when my job description doesn't entail any research responsibilities.
Additionally, I'm a systems thinker with a deep understanding of both technology and business strategy. I can effectively communicate with technical as well as business stakeholders thereby bridging the gap that often exists between the two. This ability has helped me successfully lead teams during 0 to 1 of an innovation.
A glimpse of my world...
