Hi!

I'm Padmaja Lakkavarapu

I apply human factor principles to design products that are efficient, effective and satisfying at every touch point. My process starts with understanding business needs, listening to user stories, inventorying content and developing a UI Architecture for it. I use wireframes and low fidelity prototypes to test ideas and support quick iterations.

How i work

STRATEGY​

Ask first. Before jumping into designing I always make sure that we’re asking the right questions and trying to accomplish the right challenges. This stage includes market research, competitive analyses, consulting and exploring possible solutions.

MAPPING

A customer journey map detailing interactions across various touchpoints throughout the experience of a project, crafted in collaboration with a cross-functional team of product managers, engineers and other stakeholders.

UX RESEARCH

Systematic study of target users and their requirements, to add realistic contexts and insights to design processes.Adopt various methods to uncover problems and design opportunities.

DESIGN

Problem solving. At the end of this phase you’ll have a pixel perfect design for your app or website. During the transition from wireframes into the final design I create prototypes simulating final end results before development.

DEVELOPMENT

Bringing designs to life. Since I’m a designer who can code too, I can easily work in close collaboration with developers up until the finish line and beyond. In case of web projects I also do front-end development.

TESTING

Create a test plan. Conducting usability and accessibility testing. Run the product along with user and take the feedback. Involve QA testing, A/B testing, update the design bugs along with solutions. the bugs

key strengths

INTERACTION DESIGN

  • PERSONA DEVELOPMENT
  • USER JOURNEY
  • TASK ANALYSIS
  • INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE
  • WIREFRAMES
  • LOW FIDELITY MOCKUPS
  • INTERACTION PATTERNS

PRODUCT STRATEGY

  • ANALYZING BUSINESS GOALS
  • REQUIREMENT GATHERING
  • COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS

VISUAL DESIGN

  • GRAPHICAL INTERFACE DESIGN
  • ILLUSTRATION
  • PRINT DESIGN
  • High fidelity mocks

USABILITY EVALUATION

  • USER INQUIRY
  • USER TESTING
  • HEURISTIC EVALUATION

Principles

Know your users

Start with user needs. Treat second-hand information about users with caution. Focus on user outcomes and design with data.

Consistency

Start with user needs. Treat second-hand information about users with caution. Focus on user outcomes and design with data.

Perfection doesn’t do a 9-­5.

 I’m not bound to any time zones or tied to a desk. The project dictates where I need to be and who I need to collaborate with. Essentially, I always go the extra mile.

Clarity

Create structure and hierarchy. Give users responses to the actions they take. Make decisions easy by avoiding paradox of choice.

Effectiveness

Your design should work everywhere; responsive is not only screen size. Leverage technology to help users.

Clean

Simple, minimal and effective. This is my mantra and method. Clean code, fuss-free interfaces and expert execution, design as it should be.

Industries that I worked

MENTORSHIP & GIVING BACK

In a bid to give back to the community, I offer my time talking to newcomers in the industry about working in tech and design, and provide resources for designers.

OUT OF OFFICE HOURS

Serving as a mentor for individuals starting out in design at Out of Office Hours and OOO Hours; especially interested in connecting with folks from an under-represented background. Happy to discuss topics like career options, remote collaboration, design systems; and feedback on UX, visual design and portfolio creation.

UX WORKSHEETS

Launched a collection of free UX Worksheets, templates and resources to help product designers guide in their workflow. Take advantage of these worksheets to get a better understanding of your users, define business goals and outcomes using common design thinking practices and methods.

Mentoring High School kids 

You don’t know how fast next generation is, you get tremendous ideas and knowledge from school kids while you are teaching them the UX UI technologies, and app development. I feel giving back is nothing but you are gaining a lot. 

Robotics and Podcast

Being coach for First lego league and First Tech challenge, I really living again my childhood. podcast different subjects, it would be a great privillage for me giving lecture about the UX UI as a guest speaker in GMU.

I enjoy

Painting

Photography

Reading