Hi I'm Isha Hans.
I’m a design practitioner with a deep passion for working with startups, where everyone wears multiple hats and grows together. Over the years, I’ve had the fortune to lead multidisciplinary teams as well as work as an individual contributor in small design teams, all of which has honed my ability to effectively bridge product, business, and technical teams.
My biggest strength is in Strategic Research, that is leveraging user insights to inform big picture business decisions and product direction. I’ve successfully applied this skill in new product innovation (at Grow) as well as a Series B startup (Laurel.ai).
Most recently, I dabbled in building two products on my own - a password management software and a physical product, the latter of which was successfully funded on Kickstarter within 48 hours. Both of these were an expression of creating experience-driven products from a human-centered perspective. I have learned a lot from both, particularly from the go-to-market strategies, which were an eye-opener for me. If you'd like to learn more about either, reach out to me here.
I'm most proud of my ability to adapt. I've started from scratch 6 times to build a life and design community in 8 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...
