Designing software to be the next status symbol!

In a world drowning in software options across every vertical, is 'good enough' good enough? As a software designer, I fantasize about the day when using a certain software feels like … flaunting a designer bag, a high-end watch, or a Michelin-star meal

—a true status symbol highlighting the value the user puts on craft and quality :)

But let’s be real—aside from say Apple, who (more often than not) nail that trifecta of superior experience, aesthetics, and capabilities when it comes to software, no one’s even close!

However, as software increasingly becomes a part of our identity, we, the UX and UI designers, have the opportunity to be the luxury brand creators of this industry. The polish we put into pixels, the innovation we bring to interactions—this is what has the potential to set our software apart from the commoditized crowd, creating a brand premium that discerning customers (hopefully) happily pay for.

Yes … designing software that people covet isn’t just a pipe dream, it’s the fantasy we should be living every day!

Why your design needs a little extra (icing)?

Why put icing on the cake?

Let’s just stick to the cake—bland, plain, but technically, well… still cake :)

In digital product design, functionality is THE king. Form follows function, as they say. 

And (to some extent) rightly so. Unless your product is useful and usable, the surface-level delight will turn into frustration :)

But at the same time, our audiences often react to "form" BEFORE they even choose to engage with the "function" :) If the form doesn't intrigue, they might never discover the function :)

Design is MUCH more than mere "problem-solving". It’s about those little “extras” … like craft, aesthetics, animation, words – you know, all the stuff that makes people actually feel something? 

“Nah, let's just stick to making things barely usable and call it a day. Because who needs an emotional connection when you can just have … buttons? 😏”

==

P.S. For those of us who like our food with a bit of flavor and our designs with a bit of soul, let's keep pushing for the delightful stuff. 

Because honestly, life’s too short for dry cake and dull design. 🍰

What makes a design team (appear) strong?

"Adit, your team is not very strong."

Hearing this from a leader a few weeks back hit me HARD. As an extremely proud manager, my instinct was to defend my team fiercely. But being defensive and argumentative with someone influential giving you their perspective isn't the smartest move. 

So, I've been contemplating what could be going wrong here.

What makes a design team "appear" strong? 

What makes a designer competent and "leave a good impression"?

In my opinion, it starts with aligning specific work to specific people and setting the right expectations. Design isn't a one-size-fits-all discipline, and the notion of the "unicorn designer" is a myth. Hear me out, here…

\If a fantastic visual designer presents a prototype proudly but struggles to articulate a data-backed business context when questioned, it forms an impression that the designer "is not strong enough.”

If a solid interaction designer receives comments about incoherent wording on the interface, leading to confusing workflows, it forms an impression that the designer "lacks attention to detail”

If a designer competently solves functional and usable needs but fails to package the concept into something delightful, it forms an impression that the designer "lacks flair and creativity."

BUT, these impressions are bound to happen!

User researchers and Product Managers have both the competency and time to arm the designer with data-backed insights

Most designers aren't good at copy and will struggle when tasked with using words to communicate with users

A LOT goes behind making software more than mere functional and usable that our users do not just tolerate but love. From a lovely animated emoji, silky smooth micro interactions, or a quirky piece of messaging and more!

It's our job as design managers to advocate with executive stakeholders to unlock investments in building a strong team. 

A team that then is empowered at the SAME level as product and engineering.

Fighting for design in the “Not a blocker!” world

“IT”S NOT A BLOCKER!” … A PM’s green light, a designer’s red flag :)

Unfortunately, a key part of a designer’s job involves well, (constantly) having to advocate for our job! 

And often with those having lesser taste, but more influence on what, how and when we ship! Apparently, having a keen eye for aesthetics and experience is a lesser skill compared to .. .well Jira, Excel and everything else?

Some days, fighting for a sleek, coherent design feels like pushing a boulder uphill in a world perfectly content with clutter :)

But it’s our job to keep fighting the good fight. Because you, the users deserve better! 

So next time you’re marveling at a beautifully designed product, give a silent cheer for the designer who just didn’t simply designed it but probably fought tooth and nail to make it happen :)

9 takeaways from my journey of infusing design into the company’s DNA

Grab a coffee and settle in—I'm about to take you on a ride through our quest to sprinkle some design magic into Zenoti's product culture, which was all about engineering and product management 😊 

Where?

This week I had the privilege of participating in a leadership development offsite where we were each tasked with giving a presentation about a passion project.

Who?

As I mulled over choosing between a personal or work-related passion, (I felt) the latter might resonate more with the audience that comprised peers from within the company. 

What?

Since I was addressing non-designers from other departments, I decided to share my journey of instilling design into a product culture HEAVILY skewed towards engineering (and product) :)

How?

Given just 9 minutes from the trainers, I distilled our path to a bold design future into 9 key takeaways. 

Revisiting these pivotal moments was incredibly gratifying as each represented an important lesson learned. 😍 😍

For those navigating similar paths, I thought it might make for a valuable read here, so, here we go: 

9 takeaways in 9 slides!

#1 Coming from a startup 1/10th the size,  I knew that building personal credibility quickly was crucial, so I decided to hit the ground running. There was a key product launch that was on hold due to underwhelming progress in design. I paused my onboarding, rolled up my sleeves, paired with another designer, and over the next few weeks, crafted a bold new vision for the project that got the leadership on board.  So this approach not only jump-started a key project stuck for a while, but also helped me build trust with key stakeholders.

#2 When I joined, there were only a handful of designers in a vast product and engineering group.  Design was seen as a resource, rather than as a strategic partner. This led to minimal impact on business outcomes on one hand, and a total lack of motivation within the team on the other. By gaining a deep understanding of their strengths I realigned roles and responsibilities, setting clearer expectation amongst stakeholders that design is not a one-size-fits-all discipline and started building a more multi-faceted team over time.

#3 I noticed a common trend among my team: their work often ended with handing over designs to developers, without much consideration of the final outcome. We embarked on a journey to redefine what it means to be a designer here. I instilled a sense of ownership—where each designer not only crafted beautiful designs but also took responsibility for how those designs translated into the final user experience. This paradigm shift required the designers to move beyond their comfort zones. They started spending more time collaborating with developers, reviewing code, and advocating for the integrity of our designs throughout the development process. 

#4 As our team accumulated more wins over time, I realised it wasn't enough to quietly deliver exceptional work; we needed to showcase our impact and build awareness across the company. One effective strategy we adopted was creating a newsletter through which we packaged our work as compelling stories. This approach, not typically associated with core UX skills, allowed us to highlight the thought process, challenges overcome, and the impact of our designs. This advocacy played a crucial role in enhancing the visibility and appreciation of UX!

#5 With increased advocacy, our team began to emerge as a formidable force and I was invited I leadership discussion on new ideas that were bold yet initially pretty vague! Typically they would have gone through a PM leading the strategy and writing up a spec, but this time on we took the lead and transformed these abstract visions into tangible, impactful experiences that brought the idea to life without much involvement from anyone in the product team. The highlight was our role in bringing to life some of the largest new product ideas in recent history, showcased with much fanfare to over 600 customers at the largest industry conference! 

#6 Beyond giving life to these innovative ideas, I also set out to reshape the perception that design only focuses on aesthetics and user experience without understanding or appreciating business goals. We embarked on a journey to quantify the profound impact of our work on both the business and our users. We started tracking how our designs enhanced productivity within the organization, boosted efficiency and user satisfaction metrics. 

#7 However, we never rest on our laurels and are satisfied by simply solving for usability issues. In fact we keep pushing the bar higher and take pride in creating delightful experiences, that started to garner heartfelt appreciation from our customers! Our eventual goal is to link productivity enhancements and customer delight to broader business outcomes such as improved Net Promoter Scores (NPS).

#8 The biggest validation of our efforts till date came at the start of the year, when our CEO identified investing in design and usability as one of the top three strategic goals for the company. This clarion call was the most significant milestone, highlighting design as a critical driver for Zenoti's success. This strategic commitment has empowered our team to innovate boldly, knowing that our efforts are integral to the company's long-term success. 

#9 And finally as we look to the future, we have the leadership support to invest and grow the design practice significantly in the next 6 months. This transformation will take us from a group of disparate individuals to a robust, multi-faceted, and diverse team at the forefront of shaping Zenoti's future innovations!

This journey has been a rollercoaster of challenges and triumphs, but each step has brought us closer to establishing design as a critical pillar of our company's success :)

What Enterprise products can learn from Small Biz!

When I worked extensively with small businesses, I lamented the lack of exposure to large-scale enterprise products and often craved the vastness, the impact, the sheer magnitude of it all. Since stepping into the world of enterprise products, my perspective has broadened significantly.

In small businesses, you're dealing with people who are both the buyers and the users of the product. These folks are incredibly passionate about how the product fits into their day-to-day operations and have sky-high expectations for the experience. Every design choice feels personal because it directly impacts their workflow.

In large enterprises, however, the buyers rarely ever use the products hands-on. The motivation to buy and the feedback loops for experience are vastly different. The actual users can end up frustrated because their voices are several steps removed from the decision-makers.

My experiences have emphasized the necessity of closing these divides. It’s imperative that we put as much love and craft into building enterprise products as we do for consumer or small business products.After all, any large enterprise is made up of individuals with similar motivations—they want to be more productive in their jobs and deeply appreciate it when they see this reflected in your offering!!

The recent feedback from one such user validates everything we strive for :)

How Apple perfects the simple stuff we (often) overlook

Ever stop to think about how we just accept certain experiences as being about “perfect”, with no room for improvement even coming up during typical research. But then Apple comes along and blows our minds with a tiny, yet brilliant update (one more time!).

With the new  tvOS 18 update, hitting mute on your Remote now auto-activates subtitles. Un-mute, and they disappear. It's like Apple read our minds and figured out that if you’re muting instead of pausing, you still want to keep up with what’s happening on-screen. Duh, right? How have mute buttons not always worked this way?

For even more convenience, subtitles now automatically appear at just the right moments elsewhere, including when the language in a show does not match the device language, or when users skip back while watching something (again the intuition informs that the reason to go back is because you missed an important detail :))

It’s so simple, yet so genius! A great reminder for all of us in design. Sometimes the most impactful innovations come from rethinking the little things we take for granted. Keep questioning, keep improving, and remember—there’s always a better way to enhance user experience!

Which ocean are you in? The strategy cheat sheet

As an unapologetic strategy geek, I keep trying to make sense of all the strategic mumbo jumbo out there. (Inspired by one of the greatest reads on this topic), a great way to distill complex strategic frameworks into simpler concepts is to categorise strategy into three buckets: Red Ocean, Blue Ocean, and No Ocean. 

Here’s a brief overview of each, along with classic examples of success and failure.

Red Ocean Strategy: Competing in existing markets and beating the competition to gain a larger share of existing demand. However, the waters can be bloody with fierce competition. But despite fierce competition in the candy industry, Mars has thrived with iconic brands like M&M’s, Snickers, and Twix, However, Pepsi has spent billions over the years trying to outdo Coca-Cola and have only managed to grab a small share!

Blue Ocean Strategy: Creating new markets and making the competition irrelevant using innovation to find untapped market space! Cirque du Soleil, which reinvented the circus by combining it with theater and dramatically increasing its appeal. At the same time, Segway, which tried to create a new market but failed to gain widespread adoption and was eventually outpaced by more practical alternatives.

No Ocean Strategy: Representing the highest level of differentiation, this strategy involves creating entirely new categories and reshaping market boundaries. Advocated by the concept of category design or "category pirates," it’s about defining and dominating new spaces. Tesla is a classic example, which not only revolutionized the electric vehicle market but also created a new category of high-performance, luxury electric cars. But then we have the Google Glass, which aimed to pioneer the smart glasses category but failed to capture the market due to privacy concerns and lack of consumer readiness. 

So while experts advocate for more and more differentiation, let’s be real. No strategy is foolproof. There are legends and flops in every category. The trick is figuring out which ocean—or lack thereof—suits your venture best :)

Why Product Management steals Design’s thunder :(

Despite design being a much older discipline, we usually find product management getting the spotlight in terms of resources and impact (Notwithstanding Brian Chesky’s thoughts on PMs and his reorganisation of AirBnb that went viral put some heat on PMs)

(As I have often said publicly) This has been big pet peeve of mine and having worked on both sides—leading both product and design teams in the past, as well as focusing just on design currently —I’ve got some theories of my own on why this happens :)

1. Founders’ Backgrounds Matter:

Apart from some exceptions like Apple, Airbnb, Pinterest, and Stripe, where founders were designers or had a strong design influence, most non-tech founders come from a product or business background. They naturally get product management better because it’s closer to their own experience and expertise.

2. Communication Skills:

PMs, armed with MBA degrees and broader exposure, tend to be more polished in their communication and skilled in delivering compelling narratives. Designers, on the other hand, can be more reclusive or less savvy in presenting their ideas, which means PMs often get more noticed and valued around the company

3. Clearer Metrics for PMs:

Even if product managers aren’t always driving massive strategic wins (This will be a rant post all by itself) , they’ve still got clear OKRs around "shipping features”. This makes it easier to see and measure their impact, unlike design, which often struggles to put numbers on its value. 

It’s unfortunate that designers on founding teams are as rare as hen’s teeth, and it’s even rarer to see a strong design leader who can weave a culture of craft, care, and delight into the company’s DNA on Day 1. Without that foundational presence, design often takes a backseat, playing a supporting role and making it really challenging for folks who come in late to build advocacy for the value of design by showing tangible results.

Micro-management done right!

I recently spent an intense couple of hours with our senior-most executive, meticulously going over every detail of a presentation for one of our most significant product launches in recent times. This experience busted a few myths towards a crucial point often misunderstood in the corporate world :)

I am referring to "micromanagement" which, let's face it,  gets a bad rap! Its stereotype suggests a lack of trust, stifling creativity, and overbearing oversight. 

However, what I experienced was quite the opposite. Our deep dive into the presentation was hardly about control—it was about caring and pushing ourselves to achieve perfection on what’s obviously invaluable to the company.

I personally relate to this approach deeply. My colleagues are often surprised to see just how hands-on I choose to be with our team’s work. Yes, I stay connected and review as many projects as I can. On top of that, I’m (almost) always working on something myself because IMO mastering our craft is the bedrock of everything!

It’s simple. Call it what you may, by staying engaged, I lead better (Well I hope so anyway. I often remind my team that I would rather err on the side of being more hands-on than hands-off and they should feel free to tap me if they feel I’m crossing the line :) 

Why Duolingo puts design at the top

Three amazing facts about Duolingo: a product universally loved for its design and making learning delightful for millions around the globe! 

1. It’s one of the rare companies to have design part of the C-suite (Chief Design Officer), signalling design to be strategically as important as product, engineering or marketing. 

2. At a whopping 15% of the entire work force (~100 out of ~750), Design is the second biggest department after engineering with everyone from researchers, interaction designers, visual designers, illustrators and animators reporting into one department!

3. Their first major acquisition was…. wait.... an animation studio as to my knowledge they are the only tech product to consider animation and illustration critical to their product success!

It remains a great case study of what can happen when a company truly cares about design (and put its money where its mouth is :))

Quality is more than just “It works”

*** Rant Alert *** Why do we in tech have such a superficial definition of "quality" and are primarily focused on whether the feature ‘works’? Why is QA a binary check: ‘works’ vs ‘doesn’t work’! 

This myopic view misses the mark on evaluating the quality of the experience users have while operating the software. It’s like saying a car is perfect if it takes you from Point A to Point B , notwithstanding whether it’s a joy or nightmare to drive :) 

Quality is NOT just functionality. It’s functionality PLUS performance, ease, beauty and delight. 

This is a (yet another :)) pitfall of building software without design. Without a gatekeeper for user experience quality, you’re left with a product that functions but (often) frustrates.

Our North Star is to deliver products that users love, not just tolerate.

Your feedback might be killing creativity (And how to fix it!)

“This is completely wrong!”  …. “What were you thinking with this??” …. “This doesn’t make any sense !”

Ever delivered such words during a critique or review? Well, I’m sorry but you’re shutting down creativity :( 

I sit through countless critiques and reviews every week. From peers within the team to external stakeholders, from leadership to clients, I observe the full spectrum of feedback styles.

On one end, you have the blunt, unfiltered reactions like above. Such instant negativity can be demoralising, stifling creativity and shutting down open dialogue. The creator often feels disheartened and defensive.

On the other end of the spectrum are those who masterfully “sandwich” their criticism between layers of positive reinforcement by acknowledging what works well at the start, offering constructive criticism in the middle, and concluding with encouraging words. 

This approach not only softens the blow but also fosters an environment where designers feel valued and motivated to improve. This is not the same as “sugarcoating”; instead it's about being strategic in how we communicate to keep the creator engaged, inspired, and eager to iterate. ]

I wish folks in power recognize the power our words hold in shaping the creative journey. Next time you're in a review, remember: the way we deliver feedback can make all the difference.

Assessing the beauty standards with the great Sagmesiter!

“The worst thing you can say about beauty is that it is in the eye of the beholder.”

Said Stefan Sagmeister, the renowned graphic designer & typographer.

Instead, Sagmeister explained (and designers have always known), we actually have fairly universal ideas of what is, and what isn’t beautiful, which, he argues, can be assessed by clear criteria such as symmetry, proportion, harmony and balance. 

To land his point during his talks all around the world, Sagmeister often presents two identical Mondrian paintings: one original and the other counterfeit. According to him, about 85 percent of the respondents always pass the test, proving those without an artistic background still recognize the aesthetic qualities of compositions :) One just feels like the right composition, one does not! 

In the end it is not a distinction between simplicity and complexity, or between two styles. The question is if something is done sloppily or with a great love and care :)

Hiring bigger than ourselves :)

After a brief hiatus, I am thrilled to be recruiting again!! As we re-engage with this process, I find myself reflecting on a core principle inspired by the great adman David Ogilvy: “Hiring bigger than yourself”

Recruitment is not just about filling positions; it's about unlocking value. Each new addition to the team should bring something unique, something exceptional to the table. They should possess a skill, a perspective, or a passion that elevates our collective capabilities.

Of course, this approach isn't always easy. 

On one hand, it means waiting patiently until you find someone incredible that’s a mutual fit.  And when you do being unafraid to surround yourself with individuals who will outshine you in certain areas.

If you believe you (or someone you know) can unlock that value for us in user research, interaction design or visual design discipline, I can't wait to hear from you :)

https://www.linkedin.com/company/zenoti/jobs/

The business value of polished products

“Let’s polish this up!”

:)

POLISH: A word often thrown out in conversations about design, sadly just before the product goes out of the door. 

But polish can’t be an afterthought! It must be at the core of our teams, a commitment to excellence, and to “care” from the beginning. The highest degrees of craft and quality are in the spaces we can’t see. That unseen effort to perfect every hidden aspect is what elevates products from good to great!

Sadly, no OKRs or performance incentives can convince someone to care about quality in this context of craft and polish. Most companies talk about deadlines and other incentives, but never: “Is the experience great?” or “Are we meeting the quality bar?” What we need, are people who care inherently. Sadly, they are a (massively) rare commodity. 

Why is that? Because polish as a notion of quality is rarely quantifiable. Sure you could track its impact on revenue and engagement at times, but often it’s just a matter of whether someone loves it. 

Are users saying they bought our product because they found the experience so good? Do you get such messages from your users?

“Hey, I really loved the way you built this!” 

// 

What the video on why well-crafted products are expressions of care and dedication—featuring design and product leaders of 3 organisations who value design, experience and polish in everything they do: Stripe, Figma and Linear.

https://stripe.com/in/sessions/2024/craft-and-beauty-the-business-value-of-form-in-function 

//

Strategy dilemmas: Skepticism, Speed or Vision

Feeling the heat from nimble competitors or game-changing innovations that could shake up your industry? As a design or product leader, when it comes to crafting a winning strategy, we’ve got three paths to consider:

Stay Skeptical:

Easy-peasy, right? Just brush off all the buzz as hype, stick to what you know, and make small tweaks here and there. Basically, wait until you realise the competitors have overtaken you, and then you play catch up :) 

Move fast and act quickly:

Love the rush of a roller coaster? Jump into action mode, throwing in quick fixes left, right and centre! But you realise pretty soon that being the first is overhyped and competitors who did the harder strategy and intentional planning overtake you.

Craft a vision and plan meticulously:

This is the least exciting option of all. It involves taking the time out from endless meetings to craft a bold vision for the future, socialise it with peers, build consensus with leadership and chart what would it take to bring that vision to fruition. 

So, which path speaks to you?  

Insights from my teenagers on harnessing a growth mindset

“Maybe, I am not cut out for that level, Papa :( - confided my teenaged son in a rare moment of emotional conversation between us :( (otherwise accustomed to discussing cricket, technology and entrepreneurship)

So, he’s been grinding for the upcoming JEE (for the uninformed, arguably one of the toughest exams to crack globally), and has been stuck around the 95% percentile in his coaching institute’s internal assessments, while the gold standard is a minimum 99%! 

“Those who are acing this are just brilliant and in a league of their own”, he said with a hint of resignation, a natural reaction for most when faced with tough challenges despite putting in the efforts. 

Now I recently came across the book “Mindset” during our management trainings.  It delves into the significance of embracing a growth mindset, drawing insights from various domains such as business, sports, and relationships. The story about Michael Jordan was particularly inspiring and being so tuned to Sport, something my son would relate to the most. 

Widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time, Jordan faced numerous setbacks early in his career and was far from being the natural athlete we all take him for granted. In fact he did not even make it to his high school basketball team! 

But Jordan didn't let that deter him. He embraced a relentless work ethic, constantly pushing himself to improve his skills. His determination paid off, eventually leading him to win six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls and earning numerous MVP awards. After achieving immense success in basketball, Michael Jordan shocked the world by abruptly retiring from the NBA in 1993 to pursue a career in professional baseball. Jordan's stint in baseball, playing in the minor leagues, was not successful and he struggled to perform at the same level of excellence he had displayed in basketball. However, Jordan's competitive spirit never waned. In 1995, Jordan made a comeback to the NBA, rejoining the Chicago Bulls, trained as hard as he had ever done in his life to re-emerge as one of the league's premier players, leading the Bulls to three more NBA championships!

I think there's a lesson here for all of us. It's about having the right mindset—the belief that it's not just about being naturally gifted, with the right work ethic, we can grow, improve, and overcome any obstacle.

I calmed him down and immediately after our call, ordered the book for him to dive deep into this “mindset” thing on his own. I hope this helps him navigate this phase of his life..Thank you Purva Pundit for the recommendation :)

A lesson in aligning perspectives!

This week was a lesson that despite all the years in the trade, I keep making the mistake of assuming that people see and understand the problem spaces as I do. 

My mentality is … “Well, this is a huge problem that deserves a completely holistic approach and a very sophisticated set of artefacts to show I am truly on top of this!”

While the leadership’s is … “Let’s fix these most obvious flaws, NOW!”

Am I doing this for the fear of making it sound too simple that doesn’t require my “specialised competency”? 

Possibly, but it’s good to be reminded that starting simply with the most obvious might just unlock the most value at the time :)

Getting serious about making cool software

Ever picked up a product and immediately felt the quality in your hands? It's like the creators poured their hearts into it, meticulously cared for every detail while showcasing their craft. Conversely, encountering sloppiness in a product is a telltale sign of neglect.

Unfortunately, the software industry sees (much) more of the latter - products that feel rushed, riddled with bugs, and lacking in finesse. With an obsession for growth and scale, teams are churning out features with little attention to detail, that (borderline) work!

Yet here’s the truth, our foremost duty is to deliver excellence. Our products should be fast, intuitive, reliable, meet our users’ needs of our users, and look sharp! Remember, if our customers aren't raving about our creations, we haven't yet achieved greatness!

Having spent over two decades in this field, I can vouch this is easier said than done. We need professionals with the right blend of skills and mindset - those who take their craft seriously, care for the experience and value it as much as(if not more) than deadlines and metrics. 

Great products, across industries cultivate fans. They not only just work but wow! And this greatness (that we associate with just a select few across industries) is within reach for anyone willing to prioritize quality and craftsmanship in everything they do.

Let’s raise the bar by delivering products that inspire awe and admiration :)