Empathy has been my inner compass

“My design journey began in 2014 when I first left Mumbai to pursue a Bachelor’s in Product Design from India’s MIT Institute of Design. While learning design thinking, I became drawn to the why and how behind user interactions—a curiosity that led me to UX, a then-buzzword that ended up reshaping my path!

For my final-year project with Milaap Social Ventures, I leveraged the opportunity to design for real user needs and travelled to rural Tamil Nadu to conduct ethnographic research. Immersing myself in the user’s environments made me realize that great experiences start with asking the right questions. That moment marked my shift toward UX Research—where empathy meets inquiry. It felt like coming home!

Since then, I’ve earned a Master’s in Interaction Design from College for Creative Studies (CCS) in Detroit and worked across design and research roles in companies like Pininfarina, Accenture and most recently at Brambles, where I led end-to-end user research to test and inform global enterprise solutions and helped grow the UXR function.”

What’s next for me: I’m currently seeking new opportunities to hone my skills by solving meaningful problems with users at its core. Let’s connect ➡️

📌 What I could do for your company, team, or product

Strategic planning

Design clear, goal-aligned research plans that drive informed decision-making.

Evaluative research

Identify usability gaps to optimize time, reduce risk, and ensure value delivery.

Exploratory research

Discover emerging user needs and behaviors that inform early-stage product strategy.

Workshop facilitation

Design collaborative spaces for participants to think, share and align.

User advocacy

Proactively voice user needs to ensure user-centricity at the core of decisions.

Data synthesis

Analyze diverse data sets to reveal patterns and themes that elevate the user experience.

Stakeholder influencing

Share impact-focused work to build trust and confidence amongst cross-functional partners.

Insights communication

Share findings through creative, engaging formats that inspire stakeholder action.

Grow research-ops

Establish scalable research systems that ensure consistency, quality, and growth.

Kind words from managers, colleagues and mentors

  • ”I had the pleasure of participating in 3 user research studies conducted by Niti. I was consistently impressed by her professionalism and ability to create a comfortable and engaging environment. She has a natural talent for asking the right questions and guiding conversations in a way that uncovers deep insights.

    Niti takes a thoughtful and strategic approach to her work, ensuring that her research yields actionable insights that directly influence user-centered design decisions.”

    Aaron Pereira | Manager, IoT and Data Analytics — Brambles

  • “Niti stands out as a highly organised and passionate researcher, which culminates in contributions that reflect a super clear understanding of both user needs and business goals.

    She excels at presenting complex insights in actionable ways to ensure decisions are always data driven. Her creativity, attention to detail, and ability to work effectively in a complex matrix environment make her a valuable asset to any team.”

    Faye Conroy | Product Owner — Brambles

  • “Niti has been a great partner in our journey at Brambles.

    She has great knowledge and execution skills in the world of UX Research. Strong in taking ownership of projects and carrying them through from beginning to end. She has an organized way of working and summarizing conclusions. She has been a great asset to the team in a very complex and uncertain environment.”

    Jacobo García-Carrillo Gazapo | Product Owner — Brambles

  • “During her time in Pininfarina, Niti has evolved and grown continuously, running an essential role within our unique design process. She has always been proactive, bringing new ideas and processes to evolve our value proposition to our projects. She has also been a great help in managing several projects.

    The part I enjoy the most is that Niti is a true team player, always positive, supporting the team, and willing to accept our “impossible” challenges!”

    Francisco Barboza | Design Manager IDX — Pininfarina of America