Arathi Pallath
AI Product Designer | 4+ YOE
CHAPTER 1: The Origin | Where Art Meets Discipline
What dance taught me about design:
Perfectionist mentality: I spent more time in dance class than school, yet excelled at both. There was no compromise on excellence.
Iteration is everything: Rigorous rehearsals, dress rehearsals, stage rehearsals... every performance went through countless iterations before the final show.
Performance = user experience: Every move, expression, and gesture was crafted for the audience's experience. The performer's job is to evoke emotion, just like design.
Global perspective:Traveling across India and around the world for programs taught me to adapt and flourish in different contexts.
What being self-taught taught me:
Resourcefulness: I didn't wait for someone to teach me. I experimented, failed, learned, and tried again.
Medium-agnostic creativity: Painting, sketching, sculpture - if it's art, I'm in. This translates to my comfort across design mediums today.
Research before execution: Understanding the medium, the tools, the technique before diving in. Sound familiar?
Intricate attention to detail: Creating art requires solid rationale for every stroke, every choice.
I pursued my bachelor's in Visual Communication Design, exploring fine arts, graphic design, printing and publication, photography, filmmaking, psychology, and multimedia. As part of the student Ministry of Innovation and Design, I organized events and honed leadership skills that would prove invaluable later. The foundation was set.
CHAPTER 2: Early Career | 2020: When plans changed but momentum didn't
What I learned as a solo designer:
Ownership: Every decision was mine. Every consequence was mine to handle.
Rapid skill acquisition: No senior designer to lean on meant teaching myself, fast.
Cross-functional fluency: Working directly with founders, developers, and users with no buffer.
Resourcefulness under pressure: Limited resources, unlimited problems to solve.
This startup experience became my secret weapon. When I finally joined Infosys, I could grasp concepts faster, contribute immediately, and hit the ground running.
The highlights:
Secured additional projects through exceptional performance as a fresher
Managed multiple tracks simultaneously while maintaining quality
Engaged directly with clients - learning the art of stakeholder management
Became the "go-to person" for organizing engaging employee initiatives
Crowned "minutes of the meeting taker" (which taught me active listening and documentation skills)
Consistently exceeded expectations, garnering numerous accolades and awards for dedication and work ethics
The secret sauce:
I had an exceptional manager, and the best boss I've ever had. They saw potential in me and cultivated it. They taught me that great design isn't just about the work, it's about how you show up, collaborate, and elevate everyone around you.
I didn't just take challenging work, I sought it out. Every complex problem was a chance to learn. Every difficult conversation was practice for the next level.
The success metric: Our client relationship grew so strong that we secured additional projects, proof that quality work speaks louder than pitch decks.
The evolution: from eager learner to trusted contributer
The reality check:
Moving from agency project cycles to continuous product evolution
From boutique teams to enterprise-scale collaboration
From client-driven timelines to product roadmap prioritization
but here's what i did:
But here's what I did: I fostered ongoing collaborations with managers, product experts, engineers, and fellow designers. I asked questions, lots of them. I didn't pretend to know what I didn't, and
Kept what worked: Sustained enthusiasm for volunteering and hosting events for team collaboration, hosted weekly meetings for project updates, design discussions, and fun design activities, and remained the "critical thinker" known for asking the right questions at the right time
the breadth of work:
AI automations
Dashboards and analytics
Admin features
Freddy AI features
Core contributor to the Freddy AI design system, bringing structure and consistency to chaos
What product design taught me: I gained a comprehensive view of the entire product development process - from ideation through continuous improvement. I learned to:
Think in systems, not just screens
Balance innovation with scalability
Design for evolution, not just launch
Measure impact in adoption and retention, not just aesthetics
The gap I discovered: Throughout this journey, I noticed a persistent void - the chasm between engineers, product managers, and designers. We spoke different languages. We optimized for different outcomes. We sometimes worked in parallel instead of in harmony.
This gap became my obsession.
Asks the uncomfortable questions early (before they become expensive problems)
Bridges the chasm between engineering, product, and business with fluency in all three languages
Brings structure to ambiguity and treats constraints as creative fuel
Measures success in user outcomes and business impact, not just shipped pixels
Commits with the discipline of a classical dancer - relentless practice, graceful execution
Then you've found the right person.
I don't just design interfaces, I architect solutions that align user needs with business goals while keeping engineers excited (not exhausted).
My superpower? Knowing what question to ask in the room, and which problem is worth solving.