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Nandini Pillai

@nandinipillai

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UX & Product Designer using behavioural insight to craft human-centred, scalable experiences.

United Kingdom

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What I'm looking for

I’m looking for a UX/design role where I can use behavioural insight, strong UX research, and service design to ship human-centred product improvements—collaborating closely with engineering and stakeholders on design systems and meaningful outcomes.

I’m a UX & Product Designer who applies behavioural insight and design strategy to create human-centred solutions that align user needs with business goals. In my recent work at ISS Innovation Hub (Lancaster University), I ran user research, journey mapping, and heuristic evaluations with 40+ participants, then translated findings into wireframes, interactive flows, and Figma prototypes across AI-enabled service transformation.

I also love collaborating across disciplines: I worked in agile sprints with engineers, researchers, and developers to deliver scalable design system components, and facilitated 5+ co-design workshops that produced 3 service improvements integrated into the digital transformation roadmap. Earlier, at SmartivityLabs, I led end-to-end product design for an interactive STEM board game—improving engagement through 5+ usability tests and reducing material costs by 15% through design and component optimisation—while my internship experience at Imagimake supported educational toy ranges, reducing assembly-related support queries by 20%.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

UX Designer

ISS Innovation Hub

May 2025 - Dec 2025 (7 months)

Conducted user research, journey mapping, and heuristic evaluations with 40+ participants to identify friction across university service touchpoints. Designed and iterated Figma prototypes and facilitated 5+ co-design workshops, resulting in 3 service improvements integrated into the digital transformation roadmap.

User Research Journey Mapping Heuristic Evaluation Accessibility Design Systems Agile Collaboration

Design Consultant

YifeiWangxLancaster University

Feb 2025 - Mar 2025 (1 month)

Collaborated with a UK early-stage startup to shape a go-to-market strategy using UX and service blueprinting alongside brand positioning. Conducted user and competitor research with 15+ participants to drive persona and customer journey analysis, informing MVP feature prioritisation and a client-adopted strategic design roadmap.

UX Strategy Service blueprints Positioning User Research Competitor Research Personas Customer Journey Mapping Roadmapping

Product Designer

SmartivityLabsPvt Ltd

Nov 2023 - May 2024 (6 months)

Led end-to-end product design for an interactive STEM board game, running 5+ usability tests to improve engagement and replay value for children aged 7–12. Optimised product design with engineering to reduce material costs by 15% and delivered service blueprints and feature roadmaps aligned to educational goals.

Usability Testing User Journeys Cost Optimization Service blueprints Product Roadmapping Cross Functional Collaboration

Design Intern

ImagimakePlaySolutions Ltd

Jan 2023 - May 2023 (4 months)

Supported design development for 4+ educational toy ranges by producing concepts, CAD models, and early prototype iterations. Designed instructional layouts and visual systems that reduced assembly-related support queries by 20%, and conducted observational testing with children to refine ergonomics and assembly ease.

Educational Toy Design CAD Design Prototyping Product Ergonomics Design Asset Standardisation