Craft, Clarity, and Strategy: The UX Leadership Journey of Rakesh Patwari

In this edition of UX Unveiled, we delve into the vibrant journey of one of the industry's most forward-thinking design leaders, Rakesh Patwari. With a career that bridges traditional computing with the cutting edge of user experience design, Rakesh has consistently pushed the boundaries of what great digital product design can achieve. He brings a unique perspective that blends deep craft expertise with strategic vision, grounded in pragmatic execution that delivers real impact.

Rakesh shares his fascinating story—from humble beginnings to reshaping design as a strategic business partner. He demonstrates how empowered design teams and thoughtful design can transform interfaces and entire product ecosystems. Our host, Kendall, is joining us for this candid conversation.

Kendall:

Can you tell us about your background? Where are you from, and how did you become interested in design?

Rakesh:

“I was born in Tandur, a small town near Hyderabad, into a family of teachers. Like many South Indian kids, I was expected to become a doctor or an engineer. Like any rebellious teenager, I dreamed of becoming an actor or a cricketer🏏. Spoiler alert: neither panned out. Eventually, I followed the path of computer science, as my parents had hoped.

My first tryst with design wasn’t with a fancy tool but with Microsoft PowerPoint. I was captivated by the magic of typography, shapes, and shadows, tweaking WordArt and tinkering with layouts. It felt like a creative playground, though I didn’t realize it was design.

Then, while in college, I stumbled upon Photoshop, and my world cracked open🤯. Curiosity met passion. My head and heart high-fived.🧠✋❤️ Suddenly, I wasn’t just arranging words and shapes; I was sculpting, manipulating, and creating in ways I had never imagined.

That passionate curiosity led me to a thriving few years as a programmer who could design. I was immersed in eLearning, web design, and coding with JavaScript, ActionScript, Flash, Dreamweaver, and Photoshop. But then, the nascent world of user experience design, as we know it today, began to take shape, piquing my curiosity even further and shifting my perspective from building things to crafting experiences. That shift set me on the path to where I am today.

Through it all, curiosity continues to shape my journey and is one of my core values. It pushes me to explore, evolve, and embrace the unknown, one discovery at a time.”

Kendall:

What essential qualities make a successful UX design leader?

Rakesh:

“A successful UX design leader is a designer of systems, a curator of clarity, and an enabler of talent. Crafting not just great products but also great teams and leaders. Essentially, it breaks down into these top four defining qualities, amongst others:

Empathy and Clarity:

Great leaders empower their teams by fostering psychological safety. When people feel valued and heard, they take creative risks and do the best work of their careers. Empathy isn’t just about understanding users—it’s about understanding your team. Clarity ensures that vision, feedback, and expectations elevate the craft rather than dilute it.

Strategic Vision:

A UX leader must bridge the gap between user needs and business goals. It’s not just about shipping beautiful interfaces; it’s about delivering high-quality, thoughtful experiences that make an impact. Aligning design strategy with business outcomes requires taste, judgment, and a relentless pursuit of excellence.

Partnership and Influence:

UX is a team sport. Success comes from strong partnerships with product and engineering. Building trust and advocating for the design’s value is key to being a trusted business partner. A leader sets the bar for quality, ensuring that design is functional and exceptional.

Adaptability and Humility:

The design landscape and teams evolve rapidly. A great leader is always learning, unafraid to say, ‘I don’t know,’ and open to new perspectives. Taste evolves, too—what’s great today may be outdated tomorrow. The best leaders balance timeless principles with adaptability, continuously refining their craft.

At its core, leadership is about enabling others to shine. When the team succeeds, the leader succeeds.”

Kendall:

Can you share a project you’re particularly proud of and explain why it stands out?

Rakesh:

“It’s challenging to pick just one. I’ve envisioned and shipped many impactful design projects that earned recognition throughout my career. However, one transformation effort stands out for its scale of impact—not just in the quality of our design work but also in elevating design as a strategic force within the business.

If I had to use a metaphor, I’d call it ‘Launching Into Orbit.’ It was about creating the right conditions, building momentum, and ultimately making design a self-sustaining, strategic force within the organization.

This project involved collaborating as a leadership team to elevate design from an execution function to a strategic business partner. The transformation required deep cross-functional alignment across product, business, project management, engineering, and architecture to embed design at the core of decision-making.

This effort stands out in how we orchestrated change across multiple dimensions, reshaping our strategic narrative, rethinking team structures, and driving high-impact initiatives that strengthened collaboration across functions. It wasn’t just about improving design craft; it was about shifting how design was perceived and leveraged within the organization.

I’m most proud of how we united as a unit, driven by a shared purpose, to make this transformation possible. Like any significant organizational change, we faced our share of challenges, and not everything went according to plan (that’s how we grow 😎, isn’t it?). Were we 100% successful? No. But did we make a significant difference? Absolutely.

The journey wasn’t perfect, but the impact was real and lasting.”

Kendall:

How do you approach mentoring the next generation of designers?

Rakesh:

“Mentoring is about planting seeds and creating the right environment for growth. It’s not about handing out answers but sparking curiosity, helping people find their path, and guiding them to think critically and independently.

I tailor my approach to each individual, whether they need guidance in navigating ambiguity, help sharpening their craft, or simply someone to believe in them. I start by understanding their aspirations, strengths, and challenges. Then, I provide nudges—not roadmaps—helping them arrive at their insights rather than prescribing solutions.

In many ways, I take a Mr. Miyagi approach to mentorship. On one hand, it’s about providing guidance, coaching, and direction. On the other, it’s about nurturing each person’s uniqueness, pruning just enough to guide their growth while allowing them to flourish naturally, like tending to a bonsai tree.

At its heart, mentoring is about enabling others to outgrow you. It’s an investment in the future of design, and there’s no greater reward than watching someone you’ve mentored grow into a leader.”

Rakesh Patwari's journey is a testament to the transformative power of curiosity and a relentless pursuit of excellence. From his early experiments in PowerPoint to becoming a visionary leader in user experience design, his insights reveal that success in UX comes from fostering human connections and solving meaningful problems. Design tools serve as enablers in this journey of understanding and impact.

At the Silicon Valley UX Awards, we celebrate leaders like Rakesh, who continue to push boundaries, mentor the next generation, and elevate design into a strategic force that shapes our digital future. His story inspires and reaffirms that every UX pixel and decision can lead to revolutionary change.

Stay tuned for more inspiring conversations in our next edition of UX Unveiled.