AMRUTA POKARNA
amrita.pokarna@gmail.com
+44 7508 364531
SUMMARY
5 years of experience in visual design and interaction.
User experience professional with a background in visual communication.
Worked for design agencies, publication houses, start‐ups, NGOs, cultural
events, exhibitions and independent clients.
Experience of working with early stage products, developing an idea from
scratch till final implementation and participating in all stages of product
development.
Worked with distributed teams in India, London, Paris and Bulgaria.
EXPERTISE
Visual Design
Interaction Design
Information Architecture
Data & process visualization
Wireframes & Prototyping
Graphic Design
Illustration
EDUCATION
Post Experience Programme | Communication Art and Design
Royal College Of Art, London | 2011 - present
PEP is a tailor-made programme for practicing professionals who have
achieved a high standard of work in a specialist field. The focus is on
furthering professional experience by working on research based projects
with clients and design agencies.
INTERESTS
Master of Design | Visual Communication
Typography
Photography
Animation
Fashion Styling
Film & Video
Industrial Design Centre, IIT Bombay, India | 2007-2009
SOFTWARE
Axure
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe InDesign
Corel Draw
Omnigraffle
Achieved first place in order of merit with CPI 9.54
The design degree focused on research, exploration, visualization, aesthetic
aspects and rapid prototyping.
Major Modules : Certified Human Computer Interaction Professional | Design
Management and Professional Practice | Information Architecture and Visual
Order.
Art Diploma | Applied Art
Abhinav Kala Mahavidyalaya, Pune, India | 2002-2006
Achieved second place in order of merit in Maharashtra state board
The course structure included advertising, publication design, branding,
retail design, typography, calligraphy and photography.
EXPERIENCE
User Experience and Lead Visual Designer, TabloMedia | London & Paris
Dec 2011 - present
TabloMedia : TabloMedia is an online authoring platform that allows users to create non-linear presentations,
collaborate on projects as well as share and publish multimedia content.
Platform : Browser based application for desktops and touch screen tablets.
As the first designer to be hired by TabloMedia, I accomplish all aspects of UX and visual design.
Worked in an agile environment with the CEO and stakeholders to build upon their vision and produced light weight
documentation including system maps, task flows, sketches and wireframes. Collaborated with product mangers to
ensure the product aligns with the needs of the user as well as meet business goals. Worked with developers,
provided visual assets, style guides and conducted quality audits to ensure UI consistency.
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User Experience and Visual Designer, Texity Systems Pvt. Ltd. | Pune, India
Aug 2009 – Sep 2011 | Product website : www.hopsys.com
HOPSYS : Hospital Management System is a suite of
applications that helps automate and streamline the
workflow and internal processes of key hospital
departments such as Biomedical, OT, IPD and OPD.
SNIP : Semantic kNowledge and Intelligence
Platform is a visually driven interactive menu card
application for high-end restaurants.
Platform : Browser based and native applications for
desktop, mobile devices [phones and tablets]
Conducted research and analyzed the current
experience of ordering food in a restaurant. Based
on the research created a product feature list which
added an element of fun and exploration.
Conducted field research, for user journeys and
usability reviews. Provided functional
specifications, produced sitemaps, wireframes,
prototypes and visual design of the application.
Introduced features like food choice finder,
recommended food and drink, reviews, calorie
counter, virtual walk through kitchen, friends and
food connector.
Platform : Touch screen phones and tablets.
Followed an iterative process with quick cycles of UX,
rapid prototyping and software development. Worked
in close partnership with end users and customers
[heath care mangers]. Ideated using mind maps,
whiteboard sketching, process flows, scenarios,
wireframes and prototyping. Translated research
insights into actionable design principles. Designed
the visual appearance of the application, created style
guides and collaborated with developers and
interaction designers.
Visualizer at Synapse Information Agency | Goa, India
April 2008 – June 2008
At Synapse | Money Mentor we created information tools for Financial Planning and Investor Education.
The goal was to empower financial advisers so that they can educate investors and offer them superior personal
finance management services. The designed information tools made communication simple by tying it to real
needs, scenarios and stories. This empowered financial advisors to convince people faster through the simple
easy to understand designs. Working in Synapse helped me learn different aspects of the financial world and I
realized that even an intricate topic like finance can be made interesting and appealing to people through design.
Designed : Characters, product website, booklets, sign-up forms, diagrams and identity design.
Clients : Sherkhan [India's biggest stock trading and mutual funds platform] Power to Investor, National
Association for Financial Investors and other in-house brands.
Concept Visualizer and Creative Illustrator at John Walter Thompson | Mumbai, India
Aug 2005 – Aug 2006
Worked in an integrated creative agency for several national and international brands. Designed various
campaigns, branding, direct mailers, hoardings, short films, posters and retail models. Collaborated and
managed work with art directors, copy writers, client servicing and marketing managers.
Clients : Moët & Chandon, Taj Hotel, Tata AIG, ICICI Bank, Sangam Direct, Legrand, Korex, Aaqua Lounge,
Tata Cards, Aambir Restaurant and renowned Indian fashion designers like Abu Jani, Sandeep Khosala and
Manish Malhotra.
Freelance Designer
Worked as a visualizer and concept artist for various clients, provided visual assets to enhanced their corporate
image and business performance.
ACHIEVEMENTS
Opportunity from Karadi Tales Publication and Reader’s Digest to work alongside cricketer Rahul Dravid and
music composers Shankar, Ehshan and Loy on a children’s book project.
Won International Abby award Silver for a Direct Mailer design, JWT Mumbai.
Film ‘Nations Pride the Endangered Stripe’ selected in ‘Best 10 films of the country’ by International
Cultural Exchange.
Second prize in an interaction design competition ‘Fix it’ aimed at designing an application to provide
jobs for people living in slums, conducted at National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad.
Final degree show award for ‘Best Illustrator’ in the 5th year of Applied Arts.
Won several National and International Art competitions and acknowledged by the country’s most able
artists including M.F. Hussian & Art organizations.
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