Fellowship Experience: Yasir Quazi

TL;DR

Yasir, a product designer, achieved his current role through the ownpath Design Collective. His design journey started with self-learning and internships to gain practical experience. Eventually, he discovered ownpath, which not only enhanced his knowledge and skills but also connected him with industry experts and like-minded designers, forming valuable friendships along the way!

I come from a place where when you say that you want to become a product designer, their response is "Oh, so you want to design the posters that you see on the streets?

Here’s his story:

From where I came, the notion of design was confined to that, as people had only considered real jobs as careers within STEM. But I knew that product design was more than just posters. It was about creating products that people loved to use. It was about solving problems and making people's lives easier. And I was determined to make it happen.

I'm based out of Nagpur, Maharashtra, and my journey as a product designer has been a unique and transformative experience. After completing my BBA in Nagpur, I joined Tech Mahindra as a call center executive. Although it wasn't the career path I had envisioned, it provided me with valuable professional exposure for four months.

In 2022, I made a decision that would change the course of my life. I invested in a laptop and embarked on a self-learning journey in product design. I realised that my passion for creativity, honed over six years of photography, could be channelled into a fulfilling career. With this newfound clarity, I delved into the world of design, absorbing knowledge from various sources on the internet. My hunger for learning led me to explore different avenues in design. I pursued internships to gain hands-on experience and expand my skill set. Additionally, I took on personal projects and built websites using platforms like Wix, applying the principles and techniques I had learned along the way.

Among the diverse design disciplines, product design stood out to me. The opportunity to create products that improve user experiences was immensely appealing. After all, who wouldn't want to contribute to enhancing someone's daily life?

While searching for cohort-based design programs, I stumbled upon a tweet about ownpath. Intrigued, I dug deeper into ownpath's offerings. The program featured a wide range of classes taught by industry experts and facilitated connections between students and mentors. What sealed the deal for me was ownpath's range of flexible payment options, which made it an ideal choice. Motivated by the opportunity to learn from industry experts and connect with like-minded designers, I eagerly decided to join ownpath.

Initially, the earlier internships gave me the opportunity to design digital artefacts and screens in Figma. This experience helped me to develop my skills in designing apps, websites, and dashboards. However, my understanding of product design has expanded dramatically since joining ownpath. I have had the opportunity to attend classes taught by industry experts, learn from their experiences and insights, and collaborate on community-based projects with other designers.

My favourite class at ownpath was Interaction Design by Akshay. I learned a lot from his insights, teaching style, and analogies. He had a way of making complex concepts easy to understand, and his passion for design was contagious. I ended up attending it twice!

I also found Vikalp's class to be very helpful. He gave me the skills I needed to succeed in my internship. Swathi's research workshops and Mahima's usability testing workshop were also very informative. They taught me how to gather and analyse user feedback, and how to use that feedback to improve my designs. Naveen's masterclass on ethics and design was eye-opening. He gave me a new perspective on the power of design and how it can be used to make a positive impact on the world.

In my capstone project, I worked with a team of two other designers: Surya & Anudeep. This experience helped me to understand the importance of collaboration and synthesizing ideas. At ownpath, I had the pleasure of making friends with Surya Nareddi, Divya, and Aishwarya Koche. Being in their company, discussing design and various other topics, has been truly delightful. I am grateful to ownpath for providing me with the opportunity to connect and learn from such talented individuals. They are not only highly skilled but also genuinely wonderful people.

The skills I acquired at ownpath enabled me to secure freelance contracts where I applied my learnings to solve real-world problems.

I recently landed a role through our Design Residency, which has been an incredible experience. The Design Residency offers opportunities, mentorship, and a supportive community that unlocks a world of possibilities.

Before this, I worked on a contract basis with different startups. Now, I have the chance to work in a hybrid offline role, gaining valuable insights into the collaborative and functional aspects of design teams. Additionally, I'm actively learning about organisational structure and experiencing the numerous benefits of quicker feedback loops, which greatly enhance work efficiency.

ownpath is an excellent resource for aspiring product designers. It provides a platform to connect with a global community of designers, fostering diversity and valuable experiences. The mentors, industry experts with leadership roles, offer unique insights and perspectives. The ownpath team ensures a supportive and enjoyable learning experience, making it accessible to all.

If you’re a designer, you can join our Product Design Fellowship. The next cohort begins soon!

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