KOCHI: As a student, Aparna Unnikrishnan dreamed of becoming an architect. She was passionate about drawing, painting, and craft right from childhood, and hence chose a path with “some creative aspect to it”.
“Like most kids coming out of school, I thought I would have to take engineering, so architecture felt like the best option,” she recalls. Destiny, however, had for this ‘architect’, who is now the global head of Fire tablets user experience (UX) design at Amazon’s Device Design and Services division in New York. UX design was never something I thought of. I had not even heard of it while growing up,” says Aparna, who hails from Thrissur.
Later, I attended a lecture by a professor from the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), Chicago, in New Delhi. That interaction led me to delve into design strategy and research, Aparna added.
Aparna’s new journey began with a graduation course in product/UX design from the National Institute of Design, followed by a master’s in design strategy and research from the Institute of Design at IIT, Chicago.
Destiny, however, had other plans for this ‘architect’, who is now the global head of Fire tablets user experience (UX) design at Amazon’s Device Design and Services division in New York.
Currently, she oversees a core team of designers, guiding the direction of Amazon’s tech products. “In the last seven years, I have been part of the design and development of more than twelve Alexa-enabled products,” the 39-year-old adds.
Over the past 17 years, she has worked with major companies like SC Johnson & Sons, Whirlpool, and LG Electronics.
Aparna foresees several exciting trends shaping the future of UX design, including the rise of conversational interfaces, augmented and virtual reality, and personalised experiences powered by AI and machine learning.
“As technology continues to evolve, UX designers will play a crucial role in humanising and optimising technologies for users, ensuring that they remain intuitive, accessible, and ethical. By staying curious, adaptable, and empathetic, we can embrace the opportunities and challenges of tomorrow’s digital landscape,” she says.