🎤How did this Senior Product Designer plan her entire wedding on Figma?

00:00 Shreni:

My To-do List or the smallest of the things like I’ve to edit an image or anything, as a tool, Figma is so powerful that the way we can open eveything and anywhere, it’s on web plus collaborative, so I think, I’m end to end a Figma girl.

00:27 Taapsi: 

Hello and Welcome Everyone to another episode of Down and Dirty. And today I have with me Shreni Dand. She was the, she was the senior product designer at CoinDCX and now has moved on to Greener Pastures, can't say much about that, but definitely greener. She's also ex Zomato and she's actually very impressively qualified as a designer IIT background also MIT Institute of Design. So, you know, design is, you know, koot koot k bhara hai [Trans: design is ingrained in her] and we are going to be talking a lot more about that about her journey as a designer, you know what she has done, what her workflow has been like tools that she uses. So let's just jump right into it. Shreni, Welcome to the show. And is there anything that I missed in the introduction that you wanna add?

1:12 Shreni: 

Thank you. No, no, no, it was perfect.

1:15 Taapsi:

OK. All right. So just to get us warmed up, let's start with you telling us a little bit about a day in your life. I know your ex CoinDCX. But when you were there because that was the most recent work experience. What was a normal day in your life?

1:31 Shreni: 

So, we were a design team of 10 and we used to work across Bombay and Bangalore. So our team was divided between Bombay and Bangalore. So our day usually started with a design team stand up where we would all come on a call, we would discuss everything that we've worked on the previous day and everything that we are looking forward to accomplishing that day. And if there are any blockers, so with that, the entire team would be like on the same page with whatever is happening in the company, whatever is happening in each one's individual plates. And we would also realize that, you know, if somebody stayed a school or, or somebody has less of work that day. So we would divide our work accordingly. So that is what we used to start. We used to spend half an hour just to go across the room to discuss whatever we're doing as a team for that, that day and that week. So that is how we would be starting our day. And after that, we would individually, so all of us were all of us individually contributed and we used to work in different pods. So individually, we used to be working with different product managers, different developers, different growth verticals. So once the design stand up was done, we would individually have different things on our plate. For example, I would start with a conversation with my product manager on the ongoing task if that it needed like any clarity on prioritization and things that we need to close on priority versus things that we want to pick it up later. So we would start with that. And then I would also like during the day, I would also keep a slot blocked for design work because since like as a designer, we've been like, we, we, we are coordinating with so many people within the team versus our product man, like product managers, we are working with the developers, we are working with meetings to hand over the files, meetings to discuss the next steps and everything. So in the day, I would at least block to us just to focus on my design work where I would like not let like, you know, that get disturbed with like a lot of other meetings. So that and depending on the day. So if we are closer to close like closer to finishing up a project, we would have more calls with the developers to pixel perfect and Q A the project versus if we are at initial stages of a project, we'll spend more time on wire framing prototyping and speaking to users. So depending on the stage of a project, but overall, we would like at any point of time, we would be working on one big bigger project and 23 smaller projects. So like I feel that as like that gives you a lot that gives you a little bit of break in terms of you, you have a variety of things too. Like you can hop on, work on something, hop on something else for a little bit and then like go back with a fresher mind to the first thing. So I think that is something that really helps break the monotony also and give you multiple things to look at also, right?

4:43 Taapsi: 

So, OK, so you have so your day normally starts at what time? Like was it 10- 10: 30

4:48 Shreni: 

10:30

4:50 Taapsi:

And you are on until what 6-7?

4:54 Shreni: 

6:30. But, in a start up in this like start up at this time, that is where you're like, not stopping. So, yeah, of course, depending on where you are in the project, like you said, right?

5:07 Taapsi:

Like how early stage or late stage are you in that project… Makes sense. So, OK, so you have these stand ups. I like the idea of you have the stand up to get everyone on the same page. Also sharing, you start the day with sharing, which is great, you know, a great way to, to begin and then you kind of move on and you're coordinating with your own team, your pod that you're with and you have your own design time that set aside seems so important for focus time and then you have a little more co ordination. And so what do you say you have? So it seems like you're not, you're not in meetings necessarily, you're kind of breaking up your meeting time and design time, right? You know, which is a tough balance also to maintain sometimes. But so these would be your two big commitments, would you say in the day? Like coordinations?

5:54 Shreni: 

I usually like to start with meetings where I'm speaking to people and getting like get getting on the same page on what all we need to do. I would keep the middle of the day for myself to work on my design task. And towards the end of the day, I would keep like more meetings to close things and plan the next day, next week. So it is how I would usually go about planning my day.

6:24 Taapsi: 

Got it, got it. So let me ask you this, what kind of designer are you like, if I had to ask you, like, what kind of designer, Shreni? Because they are all types of designers like, you know, and I don't mean technical because I'm not a Technical Designer. What kind of designer are you?

6:38 Shreni: 

What kind of designer am I? It's difficult to answer because I'm also still trying to figure and give it a name. But yeah, I think I'm a very user and research first designer. I really need to know what are we solving and why are we solving and what are we achieving? So for me, that is really, really important rather than like having a problem statement and just making directly hopping on to design and making screens. And I think I really like to like figure out like before starting that, what is it that we're solving and how is it gonna help? And is it even necessary? So, a lot of times like in the five years of Product Designing that I've been doing a lot of times initially when I did not know the importance of asking this question. A lot of times I've worked on projects, spend nights and they've like gotten shelf because it wasn't a priority. So eventually I've figured out that, you know, it's really important to ask this, these questions before hopping on. And it's really important to like, really know your user really know what is company trying to achieve what, as a team or a business vertical you're trying to achieve with that. And that also makes you ask better questions while collaborating with your peers and stakeholders. So, all right.

8:06 Taapsi:

So as a Senior Product Designer though, were you, did you have the so do you have the power to say, you know what? I, I wanna, I want to have these questions answered. I want to do some research, you know, because sometimes you just have, you have a deadline you have to meet and work has to be done. And other times you have the flexibility to drive the conversation and say, you know, I want to take a step back. I want an extra two week or one week time to just do research on this space. So how, how did that unfold? And actually, right?

8:38 Shreni:

So it actually totally depends on like that…. There's been time where we were solving something really big that really needed a lot of flows to be defined. A lot of we were putting in a lot of effort from design and development both. So for a project like that, it was very important for us to crack it and then take it to development and spend time on it versus something which is something. So sometimes there's like just gut feeling that this will work and it's a very small thing that you change and then it like takes a, like it really gives you results, right? So that it's both, you have to like really think and balance between the two. Sometimes. So sometimes you have to really make minor changes to see experiment that if it works out, if it doesn't, we go back to what we had previously. So that also gives you a little bit of playground, but that also you have to be very careful on how you are driving that. So you like how that is changing the user experience. But overall, it really depends. Thankfully at both at Zomato and CoinDCX, both the companies have been very designed first and very user first. And I've always, we've always had this more say as a designer to go on the field, get, get the user research actually have discussions and not, not all the conversations were were that top management has decided it was more like it was more like we, we, we could also go and be like this is what we figured. Let's give this a try.

10:24 Taapsi: 

OK, good. So what would you say were your personally, what were your key responsibilities as Senior Product Designer at CoinDCX?

10:32 Shreni: 

Key responsibilities was completely like from deriving the problem statement to delivering to like everything in between. So, it was a very end to end role where I was looking at the entire experience of a investor. So as a investor who's coming, who has very little idea about what fintech or crypto is, how the experience is. So like once I'm on the platform, how do we make it so easy for you to real, like for so easy that you don't have to think a lot and as well as you're getting that kind of education to take that first step. So that was the my key role. And surprisingly, like for me, it was also that kind of user that hadn't like heavily invested in crypto before. So for me, it was very like getting that customer first experience that what are the questions that I have? What are the things that I and when you're dealing with people's money directly, you have to ask more questions than in any other product. So that was so my role was how do we for investors that are new to investing in crypto or new to investing at all? How do we make that experience seamless. So how, how do they discover the tokens? How do they know which, how, how, how can the user take a call on which token do they want to watch list and see if there is movement in the market versus what kind of decisions do they take while they are looking at the token. So mostly in the industry, like I hear about certain token going, the price going up and I don't really know about that token. So adding, like we did a lot of experiments about adding about the token section where we tell them that, you know, what industry like? Is it a payment token or is it a meme token? And then we also added a calculator in the middle where we can actually user can put the amount and it says that it had you invested this amount three years ago, it would have given you so much returns. So we, we did a lot of we did a lot of such experiments where we added these sections where user could user could actually use that as a playground to figure out that they're doing their own research. Also, we're giving that kind, that kind of hand holding also and they can decide on if they want to buy and how much they do they want to buy. So that was, that was the main thing that I I was solving. But as a designer, what I was contributing was everything from figuring out what is required to designing those taking a couple of options to the field, doing user research, coming back finalizing the designs, getting the stakeholders on the same page with those with coordinating with the product and tech team. Handing the designs off. And then also like working on once we have the build, working on the pixel perfection and taking the taking the feature live. And then also going back to the board to see what numbers that has impacted and what do we need, need to do as next steps. So a lot of these features were built in steps, right? Like we had a North Star and we were like taking smaller steps towards that North Star. So it was all one step figuring out if it worked, it did not work. What are the, what are the learnings from that and then going back to that? So that is what the whole. But as a designer, I was doing everything from the problem statement to the delivery.

14:17 Taapsi: 

Wow. So that seems pretty, pretty stressful because if you're doing everything from designing the pro I mean, understanding the problem statement, dealing with stakeholders designing, doing research, iterating, you know, learning and then it seems even business outcomes like how is it impacting business outcomes? So, ok, so it seems stressful, it seems like also it's because you're working bit by bit towards the road map, it also had to be pretty organized. I I'm assuming your the way your process, right, in order to make sure that all these parts are fitting together and that you're delivering on time. So you need that level of organization, what would you say were your challenges in, in the design process, whether they're personal challenges or whether they are external challenges? Were the things that were roadblocks or, you know, things that, that you stumbled upon as you were trying to be a better, you know, like deliver your product, right?

15:52 Shreni:

I think specific to the industry, one of the challenges was to find users, like for example, the food and the food delivery industry before that I was working at, right? So any the second person you talk to is the user. So for me to actually find like find users that I could like candidly talk about or get insights, that was something that was a little challenging. Plus the industry is not. So people are not so acquainted to the industry. So I think that was also something like writing finding, right? People for having a conversation with or validating your idea. So I feel a lot of times people just said that, yeah, this looks fine.. because they did not get anything. So I think that is something that was a challenge. Apart from that, I think when you're doing everything and to end on your own that gives you a lot of independence on how you're driving it, you're not dependent on that gives you a lot of creative freedom the way you want to be like the there's no dependency on another designer on anybody to reach a final deliverable, right? So that is great. But that also is not, I wouldn't say stressful, but it is also managing a lot of things like, for example, from managing how do we show that insights to the stakeholders to figuring out the icon, the perfect icon that will go on the U I, right? You're doing of course, in the team, we had people who are specialized in illustrations or making animations. So we would would always have have help from them. But it was more like conceptualizing and everything was that was two things only. Thankfully, it was not very challenging on on. Yeah, it was not so challenging. But yeah, the as an industry for me to also understand people really when it comes to their money directly and investing people uses a very they take it seriously. So your designs also have to be very thought through very, very seriously.

17:45 Taapsi:

And that's interesting, right? Because as a brand, you may want the brand to be very approachable, very open, very casual, very, you know, like current and at the same time, you're dealing with something so serious as money and savings and investment and wealth, right, that you have to find a way to balance the right build and build an accessible brand and yet an approachable brand and yet be pretty professional and serious about, you know, at least project, you know, that you are serious about this endeavor with them. So what would you say would, where, where, where were the trends, like, what enabled you to be a better designer to do your job better? What were some of those factors that helped some of the factors that helped me become a better designer?

18:33 Shreni:

I would like to go back to the.. so I was, I started my career as a graphic designer and I went to design school. So design and design basics and everything, graphic design and everything that all of that was already something that I learned at school and learned that job and everything. But I think once I moved to product designing, it was a lot of I think first step was having great designers around me. So that was one thing that every day I was learning so many things from so many people that at first it was very intimidating that there are so many elements to it. But within a month or two, I started enjoying it a lot because it gives you that kind of fulfillment and power that, you know, you're actually like a decision that you take is actually gonna make somebody's life a little easier with like a little lesser steps and a little hassle free, right? So I think having that kind of community around you where any everybody is approachable. So I think both at the design team at Zomato and the design team at CoinDCX, everybody who have worked with us, really, like everybody holds such a different different skill, different way of approaching a problem statement and everything. So I think I've learned so much with around like people around me.That is the, I, I find myself very lucky to have found that kind of teams to work with and so closely work with. So that, that has to be my biggest thing that I'm like grateful for. And apart from that, I think as a designer, the will to always keep learning and keep evolving and keep experimenting. I think that is something that shouldn't, like ever stop, shouldn't get stagnant. Like you have to always be looking at things with newer lens and looking at new problem statements. So I think that is, that is something that I made sure that I'm always like, working on something awesome.

20:48 Taapsi: 

So, OK, if I had to look over your shoulder, any day when you're doing your work as a designer, when you were CoinDCX, what would some things that I would see open on your computer? Something that's regular, usual. It's always on.

21:03 Shreni: 

You'll see, obviously you'll see a lot of work tabs, But apart from that, you'll see a lot of, planning, a lot of, to do lists, a lot of, planning that goes with, like, you know, from, from the smallest thing, planning my day to planning my work day to planning. I also got married in the last one year, so a lot of planning also planning the marriage, the wedding. So a lot of, planning actually, mostly planning.

21:37 Taapsi: 

Yeah. So lots of planning stuff and what, what what tools, what resources are you using to plan? Whether it's planning work or planning life, what's open on your computer or, or a phone if you're more, I imagine your desktop is where you're doing a lot of your planning. But where is it happening?

21:56 Shreni: 

Very surprisingly, since like work is obviously everything is on Figma but since Figma is all is open, it is easier to plan other things also on Figma. So like my to do list or smallest of things that I need to edit an image or anything like as a tool, Figma is like so powerful that and the way we can like, you know, open everything anywhere it's on web plus it's collaborative. So I've I think I am end to end Figma like for anything I will first do it on Figma.

22:34 Taapsi:

Even to do lists? I mean, even to do lists and and non work planning is happening on Figma because..

22:39 Shreni:

Everything, yeah, everything taking away. So taking notes in meetings making to do list everything is happening on Figma.

22:49 Taapsi:

So, so OK, before I get into Figma, obviously we're gonna be talking about Figma today but before we get into Figma. So in addition to Figma what else? is this a Google company? Is this you know, is it a Microsoft setup Google? It's Google. OK. And and was it, what was it for communication? Was it Slack? Was it Google Meet? Was it…

23:14 Shreni: 

I think sometime in between your red tribe Microsoft teams. But then it is Slack and to end, we just like to move back to Slack. So for anything for work and in fact, Slack has such good design communities as well that I'm part of a lot of Slack channels where they're like discussing designs and everything. So not like Slack for communication, Jira for managing tasks and Google otherwise for everything else.

23:49 Taapsi: 

And figma so would you say these are your four, these are four best friends at work, right.OK. So, all right. So let's, let's get into Figma then obviously Figma rules your life or you know, you're in love with Figma, however you wanna call this and you're using it for. So, Figma for a designer is a no brainer. I mean, it almost seems like a no brainer because it's kind of like the, you know, it's the, it's the hot kid on the block. It's what everyone's using for most of the design work. Tell me how does the tool stand out for you from other tools that are out there? Or were you always Figma only? I mean, did you ever use tools before Figma or was Figma it from school to work?

24:32 Shreni: 

As a Graphic Designer. We were on illustrator Photoshop and in design. So that is those were my main go to tools for everything. But as soon as I moved from being a Graphic Designer in the marketing team to being a Product Designer in the tech team, I think by that time Figma was already already starting to take over. So, I did not like a lot of people, people worked, like people I know have worked on sketch and other tools. But for me, as soon as I moved to product designing, it was Figma from the start. So been using Figma for five years now. And what I like really like about Figma is the ease like, you can use it with. And the way like in a company where like in a company or in a design system that you're working with, it is so easy to like pull, pull down the colors or fonts or like it makes it very easy. Easy. Two you don't have to copy paste or anything. You can just like type and you can just drag and drop. I think that is something that saves you a lot of time and it gives you a good head start to all your components are there. You just need to be now just putting them together. So I think that is the biggest thing. Plus also a lot of like everybody talks about it, but like the collaboration on Figma, it's great like in meetings, it's just like, can you follow me, can you just click on my icon on top? Right? Can you follow me and see what I'm seeing? I think that is that's made life so much easier because that was like before this, if I had to share any file, I would, I would package all the after effect file, make sure all the components are there, make sure everything, all the images are there and then like send it on like we transfer or a Google drive and then the other person will download it and then which font missing could asset missing and like the whole thing, right? So I think it's, it's mu it's much easier. And like for, I, I think it's much easier for the Developers also. It gives them also a lot of independence in terms of they can click on layers, they can view it better. They don't have to depend on a designer or somebody to tell them that this is 60 by 60 pixel. They can just have a look on the file itself. So I think it's made like life easier for everybody.

27:06 Taapsi:

What was a learning curve like for Figma?

27:08 Shreni:

I think, it is not a very difficult tool. It is once you start working on it, I think it took me 2-3 weeks to just get once I knew all the shortcuts and everything. Initially, it was asking the person on my right or left that, you know, how did you clip the A board or how did you do that? Yeah, but I think it's just like any other tool. Just you need to know your shortcuts that makes your life so much faster. So and Figma also does a good job with that. There's a help icon on top, on bottom, right? So you can like once you, I actually printed out the shortcut, shortcuts and kept it on my desk for a month. And then I was like, now I'm good to go. Now we can go into the trash. In fact, I was at yeah, in fact that Zomato, any any new product manager or designer that were coming in, I was the figma girl to give them on boarding. So every, every two weeks I was giving a Figma a download that. How do you use a tool? Where do you take out frame from? How do we use that design system sushi? And everything. So like, I've actually trained like 50 plus people to get started with Figma, not trained, like end to end but like get started with making their way around the tool.

28:31 Taapsi:

OK. So definitely, I mean, you're a fan, I mean, you're a super fan, let's just say that, I mean, you're not just a fan, you're a Super fan if you're training other people. So OK, so you have, you have this tool that helps with collaboration, helps to design has made life easier, quicker with shortcuts. So why don't we do a screen share and you can take us through, you know how Figma rules your life, both for work and outside of work.

28:56 Shreni: 

Yeah. So since I spend a lot of time on Figma at work, what I do is I also plan my personal life and my day to day like workouts and things I need to do dinners or anything. I also plan that on Figma because it's like easily I just change your tab and I can see the entire week's view, right? So I just like quickly, it's not the most Super design but it's it works. So this is how I would plan my any week where I need to maybe go for a flight or a dinner or anything. And I make, as soon as that is done, I would mark them in green. So I exactly know the ones that are in gray are pending task from previous week or something that I need to focus on if it spills over over. Right. And the greens I know that they are done. So that also gives me a lot of validation that it a lot has been done…And this is how I plan my entire like this.

29:51 Taapsi: 

So one second, one second, but people use Google calendar for calendar stuff. Like how is this not double work to use figma and calendar or are you not using calendar?

30:02 Shreni: 

I'm not using calendar for my personal personal work, like things like I need to work out or I need to go for tennis or something like that for that like Google calendar doesn't really make sense because this is all things that if I need to make a phone call or something like that. Right. That is very personal and that is very, that is something that doesn't need to really go on my calendar. That, that is something that I can do between something like laundry that doesn't really. But, and if I have to do, I just put it on my calendar on Figma that, you know, I know that on, when do I need to do what and, this doesn't this, it's really nothing. It's not really all, obviously, all my official and work meetings are on Google calendar, but this list is just like something apart from that where, things that I would put here and I'll just quickly show you

30:55 Taapsi:

How long have you been doing this? Because this is..

30:58 Shreni: 

Quite some time, quite some time. I started doing it. One of the days I wanted to make a list and I did not have pen papers, I just started making it on Figma and then it just became a thing. So like, you know, how do you set this up?

31:10 Taapsi: 

Do you do it? Like in the start of like on a Monday, you create this copy and you set it up for Monday and then you just keep adding to it every they

31:18 Shreni: 

Actually depends… So for example, if I have something planned for three weeks later, right? If I have a party to go to or something like that planned for three weeks later, then I'll just make the we like the weekly thing, I'll just copy another copy of for three weeks. So that also, and I put my workouts that these three days I have to go for tennis these two days, I have to go for yoga. So that the, the, the predefined thing that you would do any week or that I put that before and, and then as things come up if there's a call with my college friends or something like that, then I keep adding it as, and when they, as in, when it comes. So, yeah, it's not, it's not, obviously I plan, the week on Monday but it is more like as in when things are coming. I just want to put them here so that I don't forget. And I don't miss anything interesting.

32:09 Taapsi: 

And I'm also what I'm finding so interesting is the fact that you don't necessarily have time here. It's a list of things that are to be done or to be accomplished, you know, whatever it is..

32:20 Shreni: 

Things like things like have to exchange laptop review documents and clean cupboards.

32:25 Taapsi: 

So this doesn't, it's not time specific, it's like your tasks, right. It's just a little the tasks broken up by day and you're using Figma for your task management, personal task management. Amazing. OK. Exactly like I said, Super fan.

32:39 Shreni: 

So one more, one more example. So once, once, once we started working out my husband and I, we also started using Figma to maintain our in January, we got married and Feb onwards, we started keeping a list of who's working out on what days. So both of us have access to this sheet and in fact, we can both see each others schedule and things to do because both of us maintain that on Figma. But this is something that I just made a template and we just put a take on the days that we've worked out.

33:09 Taapsi: 

He's also a designer…?

33:10 Shreni: 

What he is, he also a Designer, but he's also from Creative Field. He's into he's a, he's been a Film Director and right now he's working on a couple of audio projects. So he runs a post and Pre Production Studio. So he's also from Creative Field. I'll show you in the next example that I have for you guys to see.

33:31 Taapsi: 

So one second. So basically you just share this link with him and it's easy for someone who's not a Designer to also come in and check boxes and you know, I'll send a link that I worked out more.

33: 42 Shreni: 

OK?

33:43 Taapsi: 

OK. If that's not motivation to like check your boxes, then you know, I don't know what is exactly. OK. OK. Awesome, great. So you're doing your workout, planning your task management. And what's the third thing that you're doing?

33:58 Shreni: 

We actually, we ended up planning our entire wedding also on Figma. It obviously started with design stuff where we, I just quickly take you through that. We started, this is our wedding logo. His name is Aditya and Shreni. So ‘as always’ was our wedding logo. This our wedding was completely powered by Figma. And yeah, everything like this was our wedding logo and we made our save the dates, everything was on everything each, each thing had a different tab. So as in when we were getting done with things, everything was on our invites were on Figma. So everything was getting and it was easier for us because I was doing the design work and he was doing the copies for each thing. So it was very easy for us to I would like all these copies. I'll actually give you a better example of all these, for example, these one second, something like this. So the copies was that is my husband's expertise. So he was working on the copies while I was designing parallel. So it was much easier for us to coordinate and compile the whole thing. And we were not necessarily together at all the times. So to a point that we also did like a room planning on Figma where we put a sort of chart of the hotel and I don't have that handy right now, but we put the chat of the hotel on Figma and we wrote like which room like which we, where do our friends go? Where do our families go and everything that was also coordinate obviously that, you know, so people usually, you know, let's take weddings as an example.

35:36 Taapsi: 

There's so many ready tools to use, right? Like to plan, you know, your table setting, to plan this, to plan that to create a to do list, you know, like Google, Google's, you know task list or there are there are a number of solutions out there. How and why is it that Figma is your go to space for, for anything? I mean, it's not just calendar and tasks. I mean, this is obviously design and collaboration with non Figma users because you're dealing with people who are not Figma designers to share links and have them collaborate on this. So how is that? What are, tell me a little bit more about why, why is this the choice for that?

36:19 Shreni: 

I think it's just quick for me to create like it's very like for example, if I want to create I, I just had to create a box and duplicate into four or five and like my hotel layout was ready, right? So for me, it is very like going to a different tool or making it on paper and then scanning it and sending it versus making it. So it is very like for it is very handy for me to quickly make whatever I'm thinking and whatever my ideas are on on Figma. So I think that is one second it, you don't really need to have a Figma a desktop or anything. You can just open a link on web, right? So I think that really that nobody really needs to, you don't need a laptop, you can just have once you have the link it can open on any web browser, right? So that also gives you a lot of if I just want to convey an idea, you, you just have to consume it, right? There's no for Non Designers, you they just have to see it, right? And I can anytime export a JPEG or anything to send, I'm not really not always sharing the link, but I'm also just sharing the quickly making it and sharing a PDF. So I think that is that is something that it's easier and it's not a very difficult tool to learn. Like I, I had to tell my husband once that c press car and you can put comments and he knew how to do it. So I think it's not very like difficult to understand or get started also.

37: 47 Taapsi: 

OK. So it, it, it is very interesting that this is a space where you can I mean, you're able to consolidate a lot of different needs and jobs to be done on a single platform, right? Like, like we talked about right from keeping a calendar, keeping a tally. You know, if you workout dates, your tasks that you have to do designs, that you wanna create rooms, you know, room arrangements that you wanna set up, you're just able to, without going to different tools, create these frames and these templates and these tabs and get your work done, right?

38:22 Shreni: 

And this is a lot of everything like different sizes that were needed. So it's just easier because you have it and then different vendors, they need different sizes. So you, you're able to like, quickly just make those and share it. So I think I've used the like 15-20 tabs that I've used. I think my entire wedding was Figma powered.

38:44 Taapsi: 

You know, when I see all of this, it makes me think, you know, it comes to my mind, it makes me think about the fact that there's design everywhere in our life. You know, even if it's something as mundane as organizing rooms, like who's gonna be in which room if you think about it, you have to create a block. No, like you have to say, you know, room 21 B has to go to somebody but that that one square, right multiplied by how many of the squares and how many of our rules and columns is your whole hotel booking, right? And I haven't really thought about it like that, that, you know, if, if you had to enigma is kind of revealing that to me that you could design I anything.

39:23 Shreni: 

And if I find anything super handy, super handy and super quick. And in fact, Taapsi honestly, I did not think I will be using it so extensively, but yeah, came to planning anything. I'm sitting with my planners, we're discussing something and they would discuss an idea and I would be like, will it look like this. Will the tables go here. I'll make a box of the layout and I'll be like, yeah, we placing it like this. So I think that like it made my life super easy.

39:51 Taapsi: 

Yeah. Where does Figma fall short in all these ways that you're using it? Is there something that you wish the, the company introduced or maybe in a, in some iteration of the product that comes out?

40:02 Shreni:

I only thing that I think is missing is not supporting cmyk for prints because like, I've tried to take prints off Figma but that, that doesn't come as the colors don't come as true as they're supposed to as compared to illustrator or if I the exported from in Design. But I think that is also something as a designer I realized because like, it is so minute that like, generally people wouldn't realize, but I can see that minor difference when I take two prints out, right? Supporting for prints is something that that if that was they would do that, then everything would be on like completely on Figma OK.

40:52 Taapsi: 

All right. Yes. And I was gonna ask you what that is and then I figured OK, it's print colors, that's what you're talking about. OK. So that is it OK. Yes. So, so, you know, I mean, not, not surprising, a very specific Designer need that you wish it had integrated for and you know, who knows? I mean, it may have, it may come up with, you know, with a better, a better feature to support these needs of offline printing. So is there anything else that you want to show me before I ask you a few more questions around Figma? And just very, very quickly, I also use Figma to create a lot of, for example, this is my father's birthday party that we threw through surprise for him yesterday.

41:35 Shreni:

So it gives me like very quickly if I, I was at work and my mom's like to invite banana hair. So I just like pick the template, put it here, change text and it was done. So I think that is also like that. That is also it comes like it took me two minutes to create it, right? I just like picked something existing and I just changed text. So it was two minute job for me to just like quickly change the text for similarly for something like Ganpati invites and everything. So III I use it for a lot of things.

42:04 Taapsi: 

And this was and how much are you, how much are you leveraging templates to do even in, in work? Are you using Figma's template library extensively or is it more for non workers?

42:17 Shreni: 

For example, something like this had gone on a very I I had gone for the first time I'd gone solo on a trek. And once we came back, I wanted to make like a token of appreciation for everybody or all my teammates and everything. So I made like one template of a certificate and then all I needed to do is change names and change sub lines. So I think that is also like anything that I need to do that needs any text change or image change or anything I would just like open another tab on fake mine just quickly change that.

42:50 Taapsi: 

Got it. Got it. So yeah, so templates, is this something that you're using, you're using Figma’s template library extensively? Like what is your, what is the extent to which you are? You're leveraging templates, a lot of a lot of use cases.

43:03 Shreni: 

Yes, but something like this, I would pick up a for something like this, which wasn't which I was supposed to like spend couple of minutes on, right? I would just pick up a template from maybe free pay or somewhere like this wasn't really, this wasn't really something, this was just a fun thing that I was doing, right? That did not need to be designed from scratch. So for something like that, I would just like quickly download something from free pay, get the, get the three G version here and just change text, got it.

43:33 Taapsi: 

OK. OK. And so obviously you get a lot of variety options of multiple use cases on Figma right? For all sorts of things. I mean, that's pretty evident from what you have kind of shared with us. You also have mentioned shortcuts quite a few times. Shortcuts for yourself, shortcuts to share with your husband, shortcuts and you print it out and kept over there. So, the ability to get things done quickly, it seems that that is part of who you are. And what I'm curious about is, I mean, we can stop our share screen if you want. I'm, I'm curious is this this, this this thing, this need to like optimize and do something better and faster? Is that something that is, that's you or is it something that's unique to you?

44:19 Shreni: 

No, that is that is something that comes like optimizing time, optimizing effort that comes very, very naturally to me to a point that my husband is now like, you don't have to optimize everything. We can take two cars to a certain place. You don't have to plan that. How can we take one car to a certain place? So I think that that comes naturally to me and like as a designer, we're managing so many things at work. And then if we managing so many things apart from work, plus we want to make time for ourselves to do passion projects and make that kind of time to do some art and things like that Right. So there's always a lot of planning that is happening, a lot of how to make it faster, how to do it efficiently, how to do it quicker. So I think overall that comes very naturally to a point right now, I'm trying to slow down a little and not try to optimize or take time or effort everywhere.

45:17 Taapsi: 

So, and, and see now in the context of all of this Figma is making more and more sense to me, right? Because as a design tool though, I get it, you know, like that, that's a no brainer but the fact that it's allowing you with its ability to collaborate for you to open it up or your friends to open it up without having to download the app. Using shortcuts, multiple use cases, open a tab, create something new, open another tab and render something else. They create something else. I can completely see the value add of the tool for you both at work and otherwise. And we talked about once small limitation of it, which is the ability for offline printing and you know, the the the I guess the color that renders and you wish that it was the printing was a little better. But and you know that maybe figma if they're watching this or if they ever do, then they will consider this very seriously. Are there any last comments on the tool on how the tool helps you manage life, be a Designer. Anything that we have not already talked about?

46:21 Shreni: 

No, I think I've covered everything but, overall, like, it's a great tool and I think a lot of people don't, a lot of people that I've seen are, very, not wanting to come to Figma because, people who have been using illustrator or any other tool for a lot of years, right? They, they hesitate to come on something which is to change a tool, right? That is something I've seen with a lot of graphic designers at work and everything. But I feel overall like if everything is at one place, it makes, makes it very easy for everybody to access. People don't have to walk up to somebody else to ask for. Can you give me company logo because you have that file, right? That saves everybody's time and effort. So I think there's a, there's little bit of hesitation that is there with a couple of people I think as a tool, I think it is very powerful and we should leverage that like it, it does make life easier.

47:26 Taapsi: 

Yeah. OK. So I want you to complete this sentence for me, Figma is a great tool for people who want to_

47:36 Shreni: 

Want to plan, organize and have every, have control of everything.

47:44 Taapsi: 

OK. All right. All right. So for all the control freaks out there who are watching this. This is a tool you must consider whether you're a designer or not. That those are parting words. You know that I'm going to put in her mouth. Yes. OK. So the last thing left is a rapid fire around. Are you ready?

48:01 Shreni:

OK. I wasn't aware about this. Yes, I am..

48:04 Taapsi: 

Very, very easy. OK. All right. Name. One thing on your bucket list, one thing on my bucket list.

48:11 Shreni: 

Spend more time on art like OK, like drawing. Yeah, I think I have on all these years of digitally doing everything. I think I've lost touch of touching paints and paper. So I think that is on my list for a very long time. I think that is going to be my new year resolution and I really, really want to do it done.

48:35 Taapsi: 

OK. Amazing thing for the bucket list. OK? Which social media platform are you most active on?

48:41 Shreni: 

I'm active on Instagram, but I don't have work Instagram yet. So I think that is also on bucket list that I want to be posting more of design right now. I'm posting a lot of travel and personal stuff, but that is something that is also on the to do list.

48:56 Taapsi: 

OK. What comes to mind when I say happy?

49:02 Shreni: 

Art, Me Time and mountains.

49:07 Taapsi: 

All right. Do you own a vehicle? I knew the answer is yes, because you talked about two guys what car, what kind?

49:15 Shreni: 

I, just, I, I just bought, my first car, early this year and I love to drive. I have an I 20 which, my husband doesn't really like, but I, I love the car. I'm, I'm a Hyundai person. I've had, I before, I have a Kreta before so I think, I really love my car and I, it's, it's really sad that it's not driven like more than 300 kilometers yet. So that is something on my to do list as well that I wanna drive more.

49:44 Taapsi: 

See, it's no wonder you have to do list. There's a long to do list. There's not such less time. Shreni this was amazing. Thank you so much. And you know, people are not going to know this, but it is 933 at night. So the fact that at the end of a work day you've given me your time and we've had such a great conversation. I really do appreciate it.

50:05 Shreni: 

I really wait to reschedule this one and I was really bummed about it, but I'm so glad we were able to do it. And I was also a li little, little worried that how will I have the energy at the end of the day? But I think Taapsi you get so much energy and so much such a lovely smile that you have that, you know, you like, you give energy to others.

50:26 Taapsi:

Ok. Thank you so much. I will take that compliment and, you have a great, night.

50:32 Shreni: 

Thank you so much. Good night.

50:35 Taapsi: 

All right. Bye bye.