Design is ubiquitous. Nevertheless, we need to have an eye for it.
It is syntax in the sentence,
pattern in nature, and rhythm in music. It organizes the world into manageable units that can be
understood and manipulated. Unlike art, design is intentional and should map to reason and
logic.
With this letter, I would like to express my interest in studying User Experience at Arizona State
University. Through this course, I am eager to voluntarily immerse myself within an
interdisciplinary ecosystem that encourages scrupulous scrutiny of society and challenges the
landscape of design systems, ethics, and equity. I believe I can contribute my viewpoint to an
academic environment that motivates openness, accountability, and understanding.
Since childhood, the world of design has always enchanted me. My window to the design world
was books, magazines, and television. Initially, I was disinterested in the repetitive and
not-so-insightful academics of adolescents. What changed that for me was being introduced to
the computers at the school. The thrill of feeling the mouse in my hand and seeing the response
at every click was addictive and never enough. This exposure in my formative years shaped my
interest and creative outlook.
In 2011, my insatiable desire to become a storyteller led me to enroll in the Bachelor of Arts with
Honors in Film Production with the University of Central Lancashire at their Noida, India
campus. It was one of the most incredible adventures of my life to study cinema and dismantle
some of the greatest works in films for the first time. Here, I explored a range of subjects, from
film narrative, documentary techniques, television studies, cinematography, editing, production
techniques, and types of equipment involved in filmmaking. In my film career, I have directed
two feature-length films and other media projects such as documentaries, corporates, short films,
and community videos for NGOs.
Alongside pursuing my passion for filmmaking, I have also participated in business from a very
young age because of my family's business in the import-export of apples. We are one of the
largest suppliers of apples to Nepal and northeast India's region. I was a champion buyer at
various auctions around India and the world. My job was to procure apples and improve the
logistics of our company. I believe it has fortified my decision-making capabilities and given me
a unique vantage point over others in day-to-day scenarios.
During my business interactions at international platforms such as Fruit Logistica Hong Kong, I
often noticed gaps in how we conduct our business in the absence of digital intervention. I also
realized that digitalization is imperative for the sustenance and growth of a business.
In 2020, after the coronavirus took over the world, traditional businesses like ours were
constrained to opt for digital platforms. Subsequently, the digitalization of our firm was
inevitable. Henceforth, I worked on an e-business platform and discovered my propensity toward
user experience as a potential discipline and career.
In my brief exploration and extrapolation of UX as a career, I felt that my filmmaking experience
is transferable to the field of User Experience. Design, like filmmaking, brings ideas to life.
Here, I can utilize both my creative and analytical faculties simultaneously. As a filmmaker, I
have always enjoyed collaborating with various creative professionals and working in tandem
with them, similar to collaborations in user experience. The difference in opinions and
approaches adds dimension to the frail idea and fleshes out the idea for the birth of a product or
service. Thus, I fell in love with UX design as a discipline and profession.
I want to establish my career as a researcher and designer in the field of User Experience. I want
to firm my understanding of user behaviors, needs, and motivations to design products and
services for end-users. Studying this course at ASU is an important decision for my career, as it
will provide cutting-edge exposure to the subject matter and bolster my conviction as a designer.
Since I believe education is a great equalizer, I want to work in the ed-tech industry and
humanize digital learning environments while encouraging more inclusive experiences for
diverse learners. In addition, I want to explore how UX Design can help create more engaging
and meaningful learning experiences integrating with emerging education technologies.
My long-term goal is to appropriate extended reality (AR/VR) into ed-tech design experience
and explore its possibility. I hope this will be a game changer in the learning experience, making
it immersive and evocative.
This course is unique as it perfectly caters to my creative and practical needs. Establishing the
foundations in research, user experience, and design fundamentals will help refine my
knowledge. Moreover, the skills acquired at the university in planning, organizing, and executing
an interactive visual design, will enable me to appreciate and create the user experience that will
make the world a better place.
