With a diverse background in design engineering, innovation and organisational design, Ankush shares more about his passion for teaching, how he hopes to influence and amplify his impact on students, and his love of collecting experiences keeps him open to new ideas.
Read the scoop below to find out more:
1. Hi Ankush! Please tell us about your professional background.
I have more than 16 years of work experience. As I reflect upon the last 16 years, I have indeed gone through many diverse experiences which made me who I am today. I am excited about the next phase of my profession and where the new experiences will lead me to.
I started out as a design engineer with STMicroelectronics, working on chips at micron level. It was my first job and I had so much to learn. My manager used to caution that if I make one small mistake at the chip design level, it could lead to a multi-million-dollar loss at fabrication level. Little did I realise that what I was working on at that time would be in the hands of everyone today. Those chip sets are an integral part of every smartphone that we hold today. In retrospect, one small mistake wouldn’t have simply led to a million-dollar mistake, but perhaps beyond a billion-dollar worth of impact.
The yearning to see things from different perspectives led me to management studies from both India and Belgium. After a short stint as a management trainee at Microsoft, I joined one of the most innovative and promising IT service company of India – Mindtree. Those years at Mindtree were truly transformative. Surrounded by visionary leaders such as Vineet Gupta, Vinay Dixit, Vishweshwer Mangalapalli, Shivkumar Subramaniam and many more, I absorbed invaluable lessons on empathetic leadership, innovation, and the power of collaboration. Each day brought new challenges and opportunities for growth; shaping me into the professional I am today. The dynamic environment fuelled my curiosity and passion for learning, pushing me to explore new horizons and expand my skillset. As I reflect on those formative years, I am filled with gratitude for the wisdom and guidance imparted by luminaries like Subroto Bagchi, Ashok Soota, and Krishnakumar Natarajan. Their mentorship continues to resonate in my approach towards leadership and problem-solving. The camaraderie and spirit of innovation at Mindtree instilled in me a sense of purpose and drive to make a positive impact in the world. These foundational experiences have become the bedrock of my professional journey, shaping my values and aspirations as I navigate the ever-evolving landscape of business and technology.
After Mindtree, I joined Human Factors International (HFI). HFI was pivotal in teaching me design and design leadership. Working alongside Dr. Eric Schaffer and Apala Lahiri Chavan, I had so much to learn. At HFI, for the first time, I co-founded Institute of Customer Experience - which worked in the visionary field of future thinking and futurist studies. We started looking at the patterns and trends in the industry, businesses, technology, and most importantly, human behaviour. We projected the findings to potential futures whereby organisations and individuals are able to take control and shape a better world. The early work we did in this field was incredible!
The last few years of my career had taken me to Standard Chartered Bank, where I started sharing my learning with the employees of the bank. It was really at this point where I could feel that I was making transformational impact on an organisation of this scale. During my time at the bank, I had seen the play of designing organisational futures and institutionalising design in large corporations.
These 16 years of my work had taken me to multiple countries - US, UK, Belgium, Germany, France, UAE, Qatar, India, Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, Malaysia, Vietnam and now, Singapore. From designing micro level interactions to designing for human behaviour and interactions, I have indeed come a long way. I have witnessed the diverse nuances of culture, the subtle differences in communication styles, and the unique ways in which people interact with technology across these countries. Each experience has added a layer of richness to my understanding of human behaviour and has broadened my perspective on design. As I continue my journey, I look forward to exploring new horizons, learning from different cultures, and creating designs that resonate with people from all walks of life. The evolution from micro level interactions to understanding and designing for human behaviour has been a rewarding journey, and I am excited to see where this path will lead me to next.
2. Share more about the modules/courses which you teach at NUS-ISS.
I currently teach Digital User Experience Design. This course emphasises on the principles and methods involved in creating excellent user experiences in software applications. It covers the requirement, analysis, design, and validation stages of the user experience design process, with a focus on developing empathy with users. Throughout the course, participants will engage in case scenarios, examples, exercises, and workshops to gain firsthand experience and insights into both effective and ineffective UX design.
3. Why did you choose to teach at NUS-ISS?
I think the first choice that I made was to teach, before I chose to teach at NUS-ISS. Long ago, I read this quote by Parker Palmer,
“To teach is to create a space in which obedience to truth is practiced.”
This got me thinking, how rewarding and inspiring it is–the act of teaching. Choosing to teach at NUS-ISS has provided me with an exceptional platform to not only impart knowledge but also to facilitate the practical application of skills in the workplace. The opportunity to be part of such a unique and enriching educational experience is truly invaluable, and I am grateful to be a part of this vibrant community at NUS-ISS.
4. What do you enjoy most about your work?
I love the work that I am doing here at NUS-ISS. It’s like the best of both worlds. Teaching and assisting organisations and individuals in implementing theories is truly rewarding. What excites me the most is the opportunity to amplify my impact. Instead of working alone, I can influence various industries through the numerous students I educate. This sense of empowerment is incredibly motivating and exhilarating.
5. How do you keep up with the industry?
Engagement with design enthusiasts, both locally and globally, plays a critical role. Immersing myself in these communities not only sparks creativity but also fosters the sharing of ideas and perspectives among fellow designers. It's a fantastic avenue for personal and professional development, leading to thrilling collaborations and fresh prospects in the design sphere. The supportive environment and wealth of knowledge exchanged in these circles have significantly influenced my design path.
Moreover, mentoring assists me in grasping persistent challenges, while staying connected with past coworkers on LinkedIn enables me to stay abreast of industry trends and discussions.
6. What are your favourite activities when you are not working?
I have a long list of favorite activities. I also feel that my list keeps changing as I change myself as an individual. I love outdoor activities and sports. I used to play a lot of football and coach kids. I used to do a lot of trail running. I completed a 100km trail run around the hills and landscapes of Hong Kong. Currently, I like doing yoga, calisthenics, bouldering and I am learning a lot of arm balances and inversions. I am also a book collector. I started using e-books, but I soon realised that it was the smell of old books that I am addicted to. I usually buy used books from Blossoms (Bangalore, India), Bras Basah Complex (Singapore) and BetterWorldBooks.com
Holding and nailing a Crane pose (bakasana)
I also love writing poetry, sketching, painting and scribbling. At times, I do photography as well. I love capturing emotions through portraits. Maybe I should say that beyond mere activities, collectively, I am a collector of experiences.
Imagined Life: Illustration. Pen on paper
7.Tell us something about yourself that very few people know.
I feel like I am an open book. Or maybe I try to be. I love hiking and one of the places I keep going back to is Darjeeling in India. I am not sure if it’s the mountains, the tea or just something else that I have yet to figure out.
Conquering mountains one at a time
Lasty, here is a poem that I wrote sometime back that I wanted to leave you all with:
My emotions are ready to spill,
Bubbling at the surface, I have had my fill.
Anger, regret, happiness and sadness,
Mixing together, they have become a mess.
Now, I want to talk them out,
Please don’t ask me, what it is all about!
You might question my morality,
My personality, mentality, normality;
But, what I am telling you is a reality!
With absolutely no partiality!
So, I load the pen with my thoughts,
Slowly opening the painful knots,
Word by word, they tell the story,
Brutal, savage, distressing and gory.
These stories have been wrecking my mind,
Lacerating my body and putting my heart in a grind.
These words I write are healing,
Finally, I am exposed under this sky, the ceiling;
To release this pressure, is such a pleasure,
Peace, I search for that treasure!
Revealed, I am exposed to you,
So, what are you going to do?
Will you shred these words, just as you tore me?
Or will you cut them and drown them in the black sea?
Whatever you do, these words will thrive,
In this moment, they are alive!
This freedom is exhilarating,
O wondrous words, you are liberating!
Heaven is enjoying a good cup of tea and a book on top of a mountain.