In this edition of our student journeys, Vartika Dhantole, a talented graphic designer, shares her transformative learning journey as she transitions into the world of UI UX design and gives us a detailed walkthrough of her capstone project.
“Basically, I want to find meaning in my career. I went into the design field and selected UI UX because I feel it's more meaningful and offers better opportunities.”
Back with another insightful student journey, this time we are in conversation with Vartika Dhantole, an AND learner who has completed the Diploma in UI UX Design course with us. Come along as she shares her design process, project insights, and experience at AND Academy in this engaging student interaction.
Here’s an overview of our conversation:
- Vartika’s background and interests
- What sparked her interest in UI UX Design?
- Capstone Project Brief
- Walkthrough of her Capstone Project for 'Pratique'
- Landing Page of Prateek event
- Challenges faced by her on the Capstone Project
- Her career aspirations as a UI UX Designer
- Advice for aspiring UI UX designers
- Top aspects of her experience at AND Academy
Q1. Vartika, tell us a bit about yourself and your background and what initially sparked your interest in the design world?
My name is Vartika Dhantole and my hometown is Chhindwara, a district of Madhya Pradesh. Professionally, I started with graphic design. I completed my Bachelor's in Visual Communication Design from MIT College in Pune. Right now, I'm working as a graphic designer at a spiritual tech company called Apps for Bharat- where I handle all the “Chadhava” sections, along with the visual design for their app.
Outside of my professional design work, I've always had varied interests. I love to travel, and I'm a big reader, especially books about design, communication, and even psychology. Public speaking is something I enjoy, and I'm also quite interested in health-related topics. But going back to design, even before I really knew about it as a career, I was always drawn to it.
That's so interesting. You have really varied interests!
Q2. What specifically drew you to UI UX Design, and why did you choose AND Academy for this learning journey?
You know, even though I was working in graphic design, I always felt like UI UX design was calling to me. I found it to be a field that was just… more meaningful, somehow. It felt like there were more opportunities in the field and it resonated with my desire to create things that truly served a purpose for people.
That’s when I came across AND Academy. I saw their ad on Instagram. I was already searching for UI UX courses, and AND Academy just stood out. What really attracted me was how transparent they were. The website was full of information – about the courses, the topics covered, and even the mentors. It felt like they were really showing their interest in me as a potential student, and I could see they were giving clear information about what I would learn. Plus, the course fit my budget, which was important, and the mentors seemed amazing. All of that helped me make my decision to join.
Okay, that's a lovely origin story for your design journey and a clear motivation for choosing AND Academy.
Q3. Let's talk about your branding narrative project for "Prateek." Can you describe the project brief and your initial approach to understanding the brand and event?
Yes, my capstone project was for a brand called "Prateek” - created by a former AND Academy student, which I thought was really cool! Prateek is organized in collaboration with the Ministry of Textiles, and their goal is to promote customizable fabrics and really bring awareness to the incredible art and craftsmanship of artisans in India.
Image Courtesy: Project Brief for PRATEEK
The project brief was to design for an event they were hosting. It was all about showcasing the efforts of these artisans through immersive displays, expert talks, panel discussions, and even fashion shows. Entrepreneurs, industry professionals, designers, as well as the general public, were all invited. They even had different ticket packages and offers.
My first step was really to research and understand Prateek deeply. I needed to get into the mindset of the brand and the event. I started by looking at the brief they provided, which was very detailed, thankfully. It outlined who would attend, what the event was about, the ticket types – almost everything I needed.
Wow! That sounds like a fascinating project with a lot of depth already in the initial stages.
Q4. Walk us through your design process for the Prateek project. How did you move from research to personas, wireframes, and visual designs?
Okay, so after understanding the brief, I jumped into research. I looked at different websites, fashion events, and sustainable fashion brands – things like Fashion Open Studio, Lakme Fashion Week, and Sustainable Fashion Week. I wanted to see what was out there, as well as what kind of websites and events were already doing similar things.
Image Courtesy: Wireframe of the Project
Then, I started mapping out the stakeholders – who were the primary users and secondary users? I thought about sustainable fashion entrepreneurs, artisans, designers, industry professionals, shoppers, students, and even fashion institutes. From there, I defined the business goals for the event – promoting sustainable fashion, bringing artists and craftsmen to the forefront, reaching sustainable fashion enthusiasts, and ultimately, helping artists and entrepreneurs increase their business and profits.
To really understand the users, I created personas. I developed a few, like "Subheccha Dey," a young graphic designer interested in sustainable fashion, "Deepak Raheja," a 54-year-old chemical engineer interested in sustainable fashion and Indian craftsmanship, and "Anaya Rao," a 28-year-old fashion designer. For each persona, I detailed backgrounds, behaviors, needs, pain points, frustrations, and even their user journeys. I used empathy maps to really get into their heads, as well as understand their motivations and what they’d be looking for in this event.
Image Courtesy: User Personas of Aanya and Subhechha
Miro was essential throughout this whole process! I used it as my central hub. I created mood boards, gathered inspiration, mapped out user flows, and started sketching wireframes, all within Miro. It was great for visually organizing everything.
For the landing page design itself, I started with low-fidelity wireframes, just basic structures for different pages. Then, I moved to refined wireframes, thinking about the layout, navigation, and how to present information clearly. I even created a grid system and a style guide, defining the typography (I used Bennet, which felt traditional but modern), the color palette (using a 60-30-10 rule), button styles, and iconography. All of this was iterative- constantly refined based on feedback and new insights.
That's very detailed and comprehensive! It's impressive how much thought you put into each stage.
Q5. Would you like to further elaborate on the site map and user flow you created for the landing page? Perhaps, highlight how you catered to different user types?
Okay, so for the site map, I envisioned a clear and simple structure. We had a homepage, of course, with sections for speakers, events, and passes. Within the homepage, I planned to include a 360-degree virtual walkthrough to give people a feel for the event. Then, we had dedicated pages for speakers detailing their backgrounds and stories as well as an events section with the schedule. The passes page was crucial, outlining the different pass types – 3-day immersive, fashion show only, and one-day passes, each catering to different interests and time commitments.
Image Courtesy: Prateek’s Site Map
The user flow was designed to be intuitive for different types of users. For someone who was new to Prateek and just discovered the event, the homepage would be their entry point. They could explore the homepage, get a feel for the event through the virtual walkthrough, learn about the speakers and events, and then, ideally, be motivated to explore the passes section.
For users who were already familiar with Prateek or knew they wanted to attend, I created a more direct path to purchase passes. From anywhere on the site, they could easily access the "Explore Passes" button in the navigation. The registration process itself was designed to be as smooth as possible. Users could select their pass type, fill in their details, – name, email, etc. – choose their payment method, and receive instant confirmation via email and WhatsApp. I even included trust factors throughout the landing page, like testimonials, speaker information, and clear event details, to encourage users to register. I wanted to make sure the registration process felt easy and trustworthy, especially for users who might be hesitant about online transactions.
It's clear you've precisely planned the user experience and journey through the landing page.
Q6. What were the biggest challenges you faced on the Prateek project, especially with visualizing the virtual walkthrough, and what key learnings did you gain?
There were quite a few challenges, actually! The biggest one, I think, was visualizing that virtual walkthrough. My mentor actually suggested I include it, which was a great idea, but a tough one to execute. It was a hypothetical event, and I hadn't actually seen the venue myself. There weren't really any reference images for this specific event because it was, well, hypothetical! So, I had to really use my imagination and research similar events, and fashion shows, and even look at videos of NIFT [National Institute of Fashion Technology] buildings to get a sense of the space and how to create that virtual feel. It was a lot of imagining and piecing things together.
Another challenge was balancing the business goals with the user experience. I had to constantly remind myself that the landing page needed to achieve specific business objectives – registrations, and ticket sales – while still being user-friendly and providing a valuable experience for visitors. It was a constant balancing act to make sure the design served both purposes effectively.
The biggest learning from the project, though, was definitely the importance of user empathy. Going through the process of creating personas and user journeys really drove home the point that as a UX designer, you are not the user. You have to step outside of your own perspective and truly understand the needs, motivations, and pain points of your target audience. That user-centered approach became central to my design thinking throughout the project.
The way you overcame those challenges really showcases your growth as a designer.
Q7. What are your current career aspirations as a UI UX designer? What roles or industries are you targeting?
Right now, my main goal is to become a UI UX designer, specifically. I want to work with big companies and known brands, and on really impactful projects. I'm currently focused on developing my portfolio, really polishing my Prateek project, and showcasing my skills. After that, I plan to start applying for jobs, targeting UX designer roles in companies where I feel I can really contribute and grow. I'm open to different industries, but I'm particularly interested in companies that are doing innovative and meaningful work.
That's a great plan, and it's exciting to hear about your focused career goals.
Q8. What's your key advice for someone starting a similar UI UX journey and moving from graphic design, based on your AND Academy experience?
If I could give one piece of advice, it would be: don't miss your classes, especially the mentor classes! The feedback you get in those sessions is just so valuable for building your projects and career in the long run. Also, really focus on learning the software – Figma, Miro, Sketch – whatever you’re using. Practice them weekly, daily even, because being proficient in those tools is how you bring your ideas to life and communicate your designs effectively.
And finally, don't get too caught up in perfectionism, especially in the beginning. Design is an iterative process. Create things, get feedback, refine, and improve. That continuous cycle of learning and improvement is key. And remember, always put yourself in the user's shoes – remember, you are not the user! Talk to users, understand their needs, and let that guide your design decisions.
That's incredibly valuable advice, especially the emphasis on practical skills and continuous learning.
Q9. What were the top three most impactful aspects of your learning experience at AND Academy?
For me, the top three aspects were definitely the mentor support, virtual classes, and just the overall focus on practical UI/UX learning.
The mentors were incredible. They were so knowledgeable and experienced. Learning from people like Shiva Vishvanathan, Prachi Ma’am, and Rupali Ma'am, who have so much industry experience, was invaluable. And it wasn't just the senior mentors; even the younger mentors like Sakshi Jadhav and Arjun Yadav brought so much to the table. They were closer to current trends and what's happening in the UI UX world. Getting insights from both experienced and younger professionals was a huge advantage. The feedback they gave on my project was so deep and insightful – things I wouldn't even have thought of on my own.
The virtual classes were also amazing. Honestly, I didn't expect to get this kind of learning in an online setting. They were so interactive, and the one-on-one mentor sessions were crucial. It felt like they were really seeing my work, understanding where I was going wrong, and guiding me in the right direction. It wasn't just theoretical; it was hands-on, practical learning.
And finally, the course itself was just so focused on practical UI UX skills. It wasn't just about making things look beautiful; it was about creating good design- that is user-centered and effective. That focus on the core UX principles and their practical application was incredibly impactful for me.
It sounds like AND Academy provided a truly enriching and impactful learning environment for you. Thank you for speaking with us!
Vartika's journey is a testament to focused learning and a passion for user-centered design. From her detailed capstone project to her insightful reflections on her AND Academy experience, it's clear that she has equipped the world of UI UX design with dedication and enthusiasm. Her advice to future learners is a valuable reminder of the importance of mentorship, practical skills, and above all, empathy in creating meaningful user experiences.
Inspired by Vartika's journey? Explore AND Academy's Diploma in UI UX Design courses to get on your own career transformation path. Contact our Course Advisors today to learn more and take the first step toward a rewarding career in UI UX design.
Note: All information and/or data from external sources is believed to be accurate as of the date of publication.
