Design, to me, starts before the first screen. At Univirture Inc., I stepped into Skedaddle by listening to riders juggling time, to drivers navigating uncertainty, to the small frustrations that rarely make it into analytics dashboards. The real insights surfaced in pauses, hesitations, and offhand comments during interviews and usability tests. That’s where clarity begins. From there, I translate complexity into calm. In Figma, I prototype onboarding and trip-booking flows that feel simple not because they lack depth, but because the hard thinking is already done. Working closely with product managers, I turn user feedback and UX metrics into deliberate iterations tightening flows, reducing friction, and refining micro-interactions that quietly shape trust. I’m drawn to design that feels effortless to the user, even when it isn’t behind the scenes.

I caught myself saying "thank you" to a chatbot and wondered why it felt right. That moment sparked "Manners in the Machine: The Role of Courtesy in Human-AI Communication", where I turned a fleeting human habit into rigorous inquiry about how politeness reshapes the space between user and algorithm. As an HCI Research Assistant at Rider University, working with Dr. Jia Shen, I crafted mixed-method studies drawing on Ethics of Care, Anthropomorphism Theory, and behavioral analysis to map tone's hidden influence on chatbot responses and user self-perception. The revelations were profoundly human. Polite prompts yielded AI replies 11% longer and more empathetic, with cultural layers adding depth: Indian participants saw courtesy as karma at work, while Western users called it respect for technology. Strikingly, 68% of participants felt higher self-esteem after courteous exchanges, and guilt after rude ones proof that even machine dialogue can mirror our emotional wiring. This research reframed AI for me as a canvas for ethical design, where subtle shifts in interaction reveal how we nurture empathy, values, and identity in an increasingly intelligent world.

At Rider University’s Cranberries café, I discovered how small systems quietly shape human experience. As a Customer Experience Representative, I learned that efficiency isn’t about speed alone it’s about creating flow. By rethinking cash-handling routines and streamlining high-volume transactions, I reduced average processing times to under two minutes and improved transaction efficiency by 15%. Each interaction became a chance to test how thoughtful adjustments could transform both workflow and mood. Those experiments paid off a 25% rise in positive feedback revealed how behind-the-scenes changes ripple into loyalty and satisfaction. More than a cashier role, it became my first exploration into user experience: understanding friction, listening in real time, and designing subtle improvements that make a system feel effortless and human.