WHO AM I?
I grew up on an Island in the Indian ocean known as Sri Lanka. I came from a society that defined success by following a traditional path. From a young age, I always questioned the way things worked and allowed my passion for creativity to guide my path.
My roots in design go deep. I translated my love for art into many functional forms of design. I’m a self-taught product designer that began my journey with an ever growing curiosity to learn. Good design is a result of solving the right problems and solving the right problems requires a deep understanding of human behavior.
I thrive by fostering close relationships, whether it be with teammates or end-users. I value multiple perspectives that allow me to be a stellar collaborator, and pride myself in the ability to bridge the gap between business objectives, end-user value, and stakeholder risks. What inspires me about design is constantly adapting and finding innovative ways to solve complex problems that help people with solutions that are meaningful.
I'm currently looking for new opportunities.
Get in touch: aartiamalean@gmail.com
Resume available upon request
Education
Northeastern University
B.A. in Business Administration (marketing)
and Interactive Design
B.S. in Graphic and Information design
2014 - 2019
Certifications
Ascend
Women in Leadership & Business Program
Sep '22 - Dec '22
The Designer Fund
The Business Value of Design
Sep '22
Accessibility in UX
Designing for People with Disabilities
Jan '21
Experience
Vimeo
Product Designer II
Sep '21 - Oct '22
Buoy Health
Product Designer I
Aug '20 - Sep'21
Meta
Visual Designer (Contract)
Nov '19 - Jun'20
TripAdvisor
Product Designer (Contract)
Jun '19 - Oct '19
(RED) / Non-profit
Brand Design Intern
Jan '18 - Jun'18
Reebok
Brand Communications Intern
Aug '16 - Dec '16
I BELIEVE DESIGN IS A MINDSET, A SET OF TOOLS THAT EMPOWER US TO LEAVE THE WORLD BETTER THAN WE FOUND IT
DESIGN
PHILOSOPHY
Embrace curiosity
Questions lead to better solutions
DON'T MAKE YOUR USERS THINK
Minimize the learning curve
TEST FAST, FAIL QUICKLY
Failure is only an opportunity to learn
FOCUS ON THE PROBLEM
Ground yourself in the problem you are solving
PLACE ETHICS AT THE CENTER
Design for ethical usability
ENJOY THE CRAFT
I take my work seriously, but not myself!
Extra, extra!
I'm a huge advocate for Women's Empowerment. I strive to bridge my experience in technology to create innovative solutions for women's health issues and build a more equitable future for women.
I love learning and often pursue a dozen side hustles. Right now I'm learning illustration on Procreate to build a greeting card business. I'm also designing a cookbook filled with delicious generational family recipes.
I'm musical! I play the guitar, piano, and sing. I unwind by playing tunes on my guitar and singing along to 90's classics; like Yesterday by the Beatles.
Travel is a big part of how I learn and grow. My love for culture piques as I travel to various parts of the world for perspective. With my camera in hand, I capture the beauty of the world around us.
words i live by
IF ANYTHING IS WORTH DOING, DO IT WITH ALL YOUR HEART
— Buddha
in Sri Lanka