Hey there, I’m Nikita 👋


Yeah, that's me!
I grew up in India, which meant being constantly surrounded by different languages, cultures, and ways of thinking. When you’re in an environment that's always shifting, you learn to observe before you act. I started paying attention to the small things: what makes people trust a stranger, what confuses them, and what actually makes them feel confident. That habit never left me.
Today, whether I’m designing for a legal AI tool or a wellness app, I don’t just look at trends. I try to understand how people actually behave, not just what they say they want in an interview.
My path wasn't a straight line. I started in Engineering, which taught me to love systems and constraints. But I was also deep into Fine Arts, where I learned to care about the tiny details and the emotions behind a piece. Product design is where those two worlds finally met for me, it’s where I get to use both structure and intuition.
Over the last 3 years, I’ve shipped products across SaaS, EdTech, and Wellness. I’ve sat in rooms with founders, engineers, and everyday users, and that’s shaped how I solve problems. I enjoy taking a messy, complex system and making it feel simple and usable, without losing the depth that the technical teams worked so hard to build.
At the end of the day, I don’t believe in designing just to grab someone’s attention. I believe that when you build something that actually helps a person feel capable, the business grows naturally. That’s the kind of work I’m here for. 🌱
My designs come from deep empathy, human connection, and a place of genuine curiosity.



How I Work
I start by asking what could go wrong. Designing for AI and complex systems means planning for uncertainty first, then shaping the ideal experience. I focus on giving users visibility, control, and trust while AI handles tasks behind the scenes.
I prototype interactions where they matter most. Timing, edge cases, and human-AI coordination reveal themselves only in realistic, interactive concepts. I leverage AI tools like Figma Make to build early-stage prototypes quickly, so ideas can be validated and iterated in real-time.
My background in engineering taught me to think about systems, constraints, and feasibility, enabling me to collaborate deeply with Product and Engineering to build solutions that actually work.
Experience
Founding Product Designer, MisticusMind
Oct 2025 – Present
Design Resident, Holisti
Jan 2025 – Jun 2025 | Product
Design Strategy Research Assistant, UGP
Jun 2024 – Jun 2025
Design Research Co-op, Center for Design
Jan 2024 – Jun 2024
Product Intern, Wobot.ai
Sept 2021 – Mar 2022
Education
Master's - Digital Media - Interactive Design
Northeastern, Boston | 2022 – 2025
Bachelor's - Instrumentation & Control Engineeirng
VIT, Pune | 2016 - 2020
What drives me?
🎛️ Systems Over Screens
I design beyond individual features. My focus is on understanding the full ecosystem, user behavior, business logic, constraints, and scalability to create solutions that work holistically, not just visually.
✨ Designing With Depth
My work starts with asking better questions, mapping real behavior, and uncovering what actually drives decisions. I care about the “why” behind every interaction.
🚦Building Products That Respect People
I believe technology should support human clarity, not exploit attention. I focus on thoughtful interactions, ethical engagement, and long-term value, creating experiences that are both effective and responsible.
