# Amit Gaikwad > Design @Health Universe • Product Design • Design for Emotion and Accessibility • Front-end Development Location: San Francisco, California, United States Profile: https://flows.cv/amitgaikwad Hello! I'm an Engineer-turned-Product Designer based in the USA, hailing from India. I focus on product strategy, engagement, PET (persuasion, emotion, and trust), and accessibility. Experience with B2C, B2B, and early-stage startups! AS A DESIGN PEER, I'D LOVE TO HELP ‍ - Supercharge solutions by facilitating effective co-design. - Rapidly improve functionality, while thoughtfully designing for emotion. - Explore new frameworks, push forward systems thinking, and break design ground! ABOUT ME - M.Sc. in Human-Computer Interaction from the University of Maryland - B.E. in Computer Engineering - Design Instructor (Visual Design + User-Centered Design) - 4+ years in front-end development and creative technologist (HTML/CSS, JS, React.js, Unity/Unreal, XR) - Founded Design Agency at 22, providing custom brand identity and web solutions MY SKILLS With years of multi-disciplinary experience, I am adept at full design life-cycle processes like: - 0-1 Product Design with research-driven systems thinking, product strategy, interaction, and visual design - mixed-method qualitative UX research (contextual inquiries, observation, experience models) - information architecture and navigation design - usability testing and accessibility compliance - wireframing and advanced prototyping (Figma, Protopie, Rive, Principle) - cross-platform design system generation guidelines (web, android, iOS) - and 4+ years of professional experience in brand-identity design and responsive front-end development (HTML/CSS, JS, Bootstrap, React.js)! ___ Coming from an undergrad in Computer Engineering and possessing a strong sense for visual design, I have about 4 years of professional experience in brand identity development, responsive UI design, front-end development, 2D game dev, and XR. This synergy between visuals and tech has often seen me in the role of a mediator between design and development teams. And my knack for problem-solving as an engineer means I tend to jump headfirst into exciting and unfamiliar domains. So, in hot pursuit of my dreams, I decided to pursue my Master's in Human-Computer Interaction at The University of Maryland. My time here has seen me dive deeper into the topics of: UX research (through contextual inquiry, market analysis, white paper research, and usability testing) Inclusive design (through upholding accessibility guidelines and DEI principles). Interaction and Visual design (by critically assessing UI patterns, flows, and design systems) Product strategy (bringing about true value innovation that meets all stakeholder requirements) ## Work Experience ### Design Engineer @ Health Universe Jan 2025 – Present | San Francisco, California, United States ### Founding Product Designer @ The Verse Jan 2024 – Jan 2025 | Berkeley, California, United States ### UX Designer / Visual Designer @ Crux Analytics Jan 2024 – Jan 2024 | New York, United States Designed the MVP for an early-stage fintech startup’s B2B analytics web app, enabling credit unions to better support small businesses. Key responsibilities included: • Developed information architecture and user flows to optimize the analytics platform's navigation and functionality • Crafted high-fidelity interactive prototypes for key features including customizable dashboards, automated reporting, and predictive insights • Designed intuitive data visualization components to clearly communicate complex financial metrics and trends • Implemented a cohesive, WCAG 2.1 (AA) compliant visual design system to enhance brand identity and ensure consistency across the platform • Collaborated closely with product managers and developers to iterate on designs and ensure feasibility and effective hand-off ### Product Designer, TerpGIS @ University of Maryland Jan 2023 – Jan 2024 Led the ideation and concept testing for an in-house Geographical Information System field data collection platform accessible to users with low domain knowledge to help bolster the client’s B2B service catalog. • Proposed overall UX strategy and differentiation through competitor research and business mode canvassing. • Led 3 design sprints to rapidly prototype design solutions that met both the stakeholder needs and user goals, accruing an average 88.7 SUS score and an 89 NPS score. • Established a comprehensive design system for handoff with a component library and usage guidelines rooted in inclusive design principles, ensuring scalability across diverse project scopes and user demographics. ### Visual Design Graduate Teaching Assistant @ University of Maryland Jan 2023 – Jan 2024 | College Park, Maryland, United States ### Student Ambassador @ University of Maryland @ Adobe Jan 2023 – Jan 2024 | College Park, Maryland, United States • Formulate a marketing plan, strategizing tactics on how to shape the program and carry out initiatives capturing at least 250 student leads, 20 clubs, and 5 professors interested in learning more about Adobe. • Plan and execute 4+ Adobe workshops teaching students how to best utilize Adobe applications. • Promote Adobe through content creation and advertising through personal social media channels, driving students’ awareness and interest, leading to increased activations of free Adobe Creative Cloud at Your University and growing brand awareness. ### UX/UI Design Intern (Games) @ The Verse Jan 2023 – Jan 2023 • Conceptualized a minimal, immersive user interface and interaction system for the WalkXR Project, aligning with the game's intended aesthetic and ensuring overall user "engage-ability". • Established early heuristics and design guidelines for onboarding, affordances, UI prompts, mechanics, level, and sound design. ### Creative Technologist @ Ronin Labs Jan 2019 – Jan 2022 | Pune • Design and develop responsive user interfaces using diverse web technologies • Develop visual and interaction design for 2D games and AR experiences • Create quick prototypes to test new ideas and emergent technologies• ### Visual Design Lead @ The Mark Foundry Jan 2018 – Jan 2019 • Designed and developed websites and brand identity for 7 clients • Conducted regular user interviews and design briefs to define requirements and evaluation ### UX/UI Intern @ Skinzy Software Solutions Pvt Ltd Jan 2017 – Jan 2018 | Mumbai Area, India Project: Skinzy Medical Dashboard - Held surveys and design briefs - Defined requirements and user flow - Developed front-end - Performed testing and evaluation for further iterations ## Education ### Master of Science - MS in Human Computer Interaction University of Maryland ### Bachelor of Engineering in Computer Engineering Bhartiya Vidya Bhavans Sardar Patel Institute of Technology Munshi Nagar Andheri Mumbai ## Contact & Social - LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/amit1031996 - Portfolio: https://amitgaikwad.website - Behance: https://www.behance.net/amitgaikwa72a4 --- Source: https://flows.cv/amitgaikwad JSON Resume: https://flows.cv/amitgaikwad/resume.json Last updated: 2026-04-13