Describing herself, Komal says, “I’m your friendly neighbourhood UX Designer”!
She is generally found reading or experimenting with seemingly bland food (think broccoli) when not designing.
How are you planning to celebrate Women’s Day this year?
Responding to men mansplaining to me how we need a men’s day 🙂 On a serious note, I try celebrating women around me all year round. I hope some day we reach the level of social equity where we do not need to reserve a day on the calendar to appreciate ourselves.
Would you say there is an under-representation of women in UI and UX design?
Of course there is, not just in UI and UX but in the tech industry as a whole.
What are some personality traits of women that make them better (or worse) UX designers?
Empathy, the core of designing any human experience, comes naturally to us.
Who are some design leaders (male or female) you look up to?
Lizzie Dyson, Elizabeth Churchill, Jessica Walsh, Gurman Bhatia (She’s a data journalist but her work is fascinating), Whitney Wolfe Herd (CEO at 31) and Debby Alberts (Designer at 60!).
As a woman, what’s the greatest challenge you’ve had to face as a designer?
To make male developers take me seriously. Being a designer and a woman is twice the challenge when it comes to male developers. Not going to add the ‘no offense’ disclaimer here 🙂
What, in your opinion, could we designers do, as a relatively young and collaborative fraternity, to solve the problem of gender inequality?
The problem of gender inequality is a “wicked problem” and needs to be targeted at a socio-economic and governance level. We can still do our bit by making our designs inclusive, especially for a majority of the women in the developing world whose usage of the internet and the mobile is still very utilitarian. On the other end of the spectrum, we need more women in design leadership positions
Your message to young women looking to make their careers in UI and UX Design?
Women, more than men, are conditioned to doubt themselves. My advise would be to take the leap, plunge in, and enjoy the ride. When in doubt, ask yourself, “what is the worst that could happen?”, more often than not, it’s not much!
