Kanika Somaiya

I'm a Service Designer and UX Researcher with a background in architecture, skilled in human-centered design, systems thinking, and mixed-methods research. I’ve contributed to 10+ projects across domains like finance, e-commerce, social media, and civic tech, turning user insights into strategies that shape products and services..

Resume

Selected Work

Systems Thinking | Service Design | UX Design & Research | Strategy

Forging a connection of mutual trust between Architects and Clients.

Service Design | Design Innovation | Design Strategy | UX Research

Redefining house parties through a social networking service.

Systems Thinking | Service Design | UX Research | Usability Testing

Creating profitable opportunities for a cafe’s growth, through its customers.

Design Research | Insight Translation

Discovering the ideal experience of doing laundry.

My Approach

My approach is centered around putting users first, backed by practical experience in human-centered design research. I aim to really understand how people think and feel, and then use that understanding to make things that work well and make sense for them. So, instead of just making something and hoping people like it, I listen to them, learn from them, then create something that fits them perfectly.
Instead of just focusing on one part of a problem or situation, I consider how everything is connected and works together. It's about understanding the relationships between different parts and seeing how changes in one area can affect the whole system.
The Ship of Theseus can be seen as an analogy for Systems Thinking. They both share a common thread in their consideration of the interconnectedness and transformation of elements within a larger system.
I like focusing on small details to make things easy to use. I use a feedback loop to look at every part of the service. Then, I make it better based on what users tell me. I also document all the important information to help keep things consistent and make updates easier in the future.