ENGINEER BY QUALIFICATION, DESIGNER BY CHOICE!

Hello, I'm Abdus Salam, a self-taught Product Designer passionate about designing digital experiences that leave a positive impact on people, environment and the society. I am a native of Lahore, Pakistan, and have a background in Telecommunication; in which I hold a Bachelor of Engineering degree. Six months into my graduation - out of pure interest, I quit my Engineering job and made a conscious decision of moving into design, an enterprise which has led me to adopt it as a full time career and develop my skills in UX and visual design. During the past 7+ years of working in diverse industries including education, health, media, SaaS and non-profits, with environments ranging from tiny startups to Fortune 500 companies, I have exposed myself to various challenges involving user experience and visual design. My designs have been instrumental in raising a $14 million funding for a healthcare startup, and products being used by millions across the planet.

To me, design is a problem solving activity. As a designer, I understand that the perfect design not only involves visual aesthetics, but even more importantly, an interface that functions well. This requires a deep understanding of human behavior and psychology - the outcome of which greatly impacts the overall experience of the product, regardless of the platform.

I personally enjoy working on projects that require both strategy as well as visual design. I love working on problems from the ideation stage and seeing them through completion through pixel-perfect designs. I dream to become a domain expert in my field with being able to move among the process from user research to designing to shipping and analyzing results.

WRITINGS, SPEAKING & ELSEWHERE

I occasionally post my thoughts on platforms like Medium, Substack and other design groups etc., participate in various design events and sometimes even speak at one! Sign up for my completely free email newsletter. Design thoughts on processes, leadership and best practices etc. would be delivered directly in your mailbox. No spam.

The Newbie Designer's Guide on Ramping Up Quickly ↗
Tips from surviving and thriving for 2+ years at Meta – a framework that has helped me ramp up quickly on a new team, while minimizing uncertainty.

Product Design Effort Estimation Worksheet ↗
A structured approach to size design work from design to hand-off. This method breaks down efforts to be completed (what), parties that should drive those efforts (who), and the level of effort involved (how much) behind design sizing decisions.

Design Systems for Multi-Platform Experiences (Talk at UX Crunch, London) ↗
Slides from my talk at the UX Crunch London, discussing the various challenges associated with setting up Design Systems for Multi-Platform experiences. I share my learnings, tips and resources, and discuss what it takes to build a good design system using real world examples.
Event details here (Feb 2019).

Getting Started in UX Design ↗
Practical tips and advice alongside helpful resources for aspiring designers to familiarize themselves with the basics of UX design.

The Power of Social Motivation in Product Design (Medium Article) ↗
The article explores the psychological science behind factors that motivate us using 5 key strategies, and how they can be utilized to positively influence user behavior.

Designing for Accessibility (Insta Story) ↗
I gave a short talk on understanding the challenges around Accessibility at my organization, and later pulled together the slides to share as an Insta story (requires login).

A Tale of Two Cafés (Insta Story) ↗
Understanding the Role of Behavioral Psychology in UX Design: designing for mental models that match user expectations.

Airbnb Cereal: a Story of Resilience (Insta Story) ↗
Airbnb's remarkable story of resilience, and a reminder of solving problems in unexpected ways. Watch the story to find out more.

Sneak Peak into my Process ↗
Tids and bits from my design process, unused concepts and experiments – all uncut and raw. Watch this space as I upload more.

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.

SCHEDULE TIME

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.

VIEW COLLECTION

ENDORSEMENTS

Endorsements from people I have worked closely with, including Product Managers, fellow Designers, Engineers and colleagues from other disciplines.

MARC MENDELL,
SVP DESIGN CBS ALL ACCESS

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"Upon joining the team, Abdus hit the ground running full steam ahead. He has successfully embedded himself within the various disciplines across the division. In each instance, he has shown himself to be an immensely talented designer, problem solver and deeply committed contributor to the team at large.

In addition to the impressive results on each project, he has contributed greatly to the larger design group. He is continuously willing to share his insights towards new creative or prototyping platforms and has become a go-to resource for his team.

The above paired with his positive outlook on experience design have been core to earn the respect and admiration of all of his peers both within the design team and across the other disciplines. In his short tenure, he has already made significant contribution to CBSi design and is a joy to have on the team."

RAHUL MITRA,
PROGRAM MANAGER

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"Abdus is a creative wizard, and brings a very fresh perspective to all our design needs. He has a thorough understanding of UI/UX principles, a very inquisitive mind and is quick to brainstorm solutions. Abdus is a team player and has a positive impact on team morale. While taking the initiative on much of our product design, Abdus works closely with developers and is able to effectively communicate information with them. In summary, Abdus is a top-rank UI/UX designer and a true asset for our company."

HABIYA BEG,
SR. PRODUCT MANAGER, WORKDAY

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"I have one word for Abdus: GENIUS!! He is truly a design genius. I have worked on several projects with him and even before I finish describing the use cases, business value or requirements, his design wheels have started churning and processing great ideas! The end result are exceptional! Abdus is extremely diligent and hard-working.

He is very passionate about design and at the same time, extra-ordinarily talented at what he does. Not only is he great at his work, he maintains exceptionally good work ethics. He is open to criticism and flexible in terms of making changes that fulfill the needs of the client. Abdus is also a perfectionist! He will complete that job and no part of his design will be below the mark; every little detail is perfected! I have worked with other designers too, and Abdus is definitely a guru of them all!!"

FASIEH MEHTA,
E-GOV CONSULTANT

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"Abdus is a different breed. His untiring ability to learn and also amazing creative skills make him an amazing UX designer. We worked on some great projects together. I still remember when we were setting up Plan9 and he had helped in a great logo. I have seen him progress leaps and bounds since then. Abdus was a great colleague to work with and I am certain wherever he goes, would be a great value add for any organisation."

ADITI BAHRI,
DIGITAL ART DIRECTOR

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"Abdus is a fast learner and a very talented UI designer. A silent worker, he respects the design process and takes time to question ideas before committing to decisions. Never shy of hard work, his willingness to pitch in and help out teammates in the face of tough deadlines makes him a great team player. With his background in engineering and his passion for design , Abdus understands the delicate balance between both UI and UX design. He has tremendous potential and I see him excelling in his work wherever he is."

MATTHEW LOWE,
CEO / FOUNDER

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"Abdus, is a very thought provoking designer with an eye for the user experience. He is innovative in how he works with clients and can help them see and understand the design and functionality. We had a great time working with Abdus and would highly recommend him to anyone looking for a great UI/UX designer."

BOOKS I'M READING

Learning, like Design is never complete. Here are some of the books that have inspired me and helped me shape my thinking as a designer.