Zoho (formerly Adventnet)

My tenure at Zoho marked the beginning of my professional journey in a core product company, where I held the position of Member of the Technical Staff in the Design department. In this role, I collaborated closely with a diverse team of designers, each specializing in different products across the entire development lifecycle. The company's strong commitment to user-centric design principles was evident in our work and contributed significantly to its impressive achievements over the years.
During my initial phase at Zoho, I focused on the development of a thick-client Java standalone application intended for network management. This experience provided me with a solid foundation in software development. However, as my role evolved, I transitioned to work on a dedicated web application that specialized in user interface (UI) and interaction design. This project adhered to the waterfall development model, which emphasized thorough planning and staged deliverables, allowing for a structured approach to design and development.
My experience at Zoho was not only enjoyable but also invaluable in shaping my understanding of product design and interaction strategies, making it an ideal starting point for my career in the tech industry.

As an Interaction Designer, my responsibilities included a variety of critical tasks:

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  Requirements Gathering and Usability Goals Definition

  I actively engaged with stakeholders to gather detailed requirements and set clear usability goals that guided our design process.

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  Task Analysis and Information Architecture

  Conducting comprehensive task analysis was key in structuring information in a way that made sense to users. I focused on creating an intuitive information architecture that streamlined user interactions.

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  Wireframing and Prototyping

  I produced both low and high-fidelity wireframes and prototypes using HTML and CSS, which served as visual guides to demonstrate design concepts and functionalities before moving into development.

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  Visual Design Creation

  I developed visually appealing designs that aligned with the company’s branding guidelines while keeping user experience at the forefront.

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  Collaboration with Developers and Testing Teams

  Throughout the design and development process, I maintained strong communication with developers and test engineers, ensuring that our designs were implemented correctly and met the intended usability standards.

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  Web Standards Validation and Cross-Browser Testing

  I conducted rigorous validations to ensure our designs adhered to web standards, performing extensive cross-browser testing to guarantee a consistent user experience across different platforms.

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  Heuristic/Expert Reviews

  I participated in multiple heuristic evaluations, providing expert reviews of our designs to identify usability issues and areas for enhancement.

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  Creation of Functional Documentation and User Journeys

  I documented functional specifications and mapped out user journeys, outlining the steps users would take to achieve their goals within the application.

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  Resolving UI-Related Issues During Development

  I was actively involved in troubleshooting and resolving any user interface-related challenges that arose during the development phase, ensuring a seamless user experience.

The primary deliverables of my role included visual designs and interactive prototypes. To accomplish this, I utilized a range of tools, such as Visio, Photoshop, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, and Microsoft Word. This diverse toolkit enabled me to craft high-quality designs and documentation that facilitated effective communication among team members and stakeholders. Overall, my time at Zoho provided me with a rich learning experience and equipped me with the skills necessary to succeed in the field of product design.