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Charu Choudha

Design Lead at Microsoft - ex-Google - ex- Zomato - Product Innovation - Design Educator

Professional Background

Charu Choudha is an accomplished product designer with a wealth of experience designing innovative products and systems tailored for both consumer and enterprise domains. With a notable career spanning prominent tech giants such as Google, Microsoft, and Zomato, Charu has established herself as an influential figure in the design community. Currently, she serves as a lead designer at Google, where she is part of a pioneering team dedicated to enhancing the performance of a wide array of Google products.

At Google, Charu takes on the challenge of deeply understanding the needs of millions of users utilizing diverse Google products. This role involves meticulous research and design strategy, ensuring that user desires are not only met but anticipated. In addition to her work on product performance, Charu collaborates with Google Research to create cutting-edge technologies in the healthcare sector, aiming to improve accessibility for individuals with disabilities. Such endeavors exemplify her commitment to leveraging design for social good, reflecting a deep concern for inclusivity and user engagement.

Before her tenure at Google, Charu garnered substantial design experience at Microsoft, where she was instrumental in launching the first Microsoft Office app for Android and iOS. As a key member of the founding team, she contributed to the groundbreaking launch of this app, which brought Microsoft’s renowned productivity tools into a mobile-first world. Charu's contributions extended beyond app design; she was also a contributor to the Microsoft Fluent open-source design system, showcasing her dedication to collaboration and community-driven design standards.

Notably, her previous roles at Microsoft included leading the design initiatives for tools such as Microsoft Sticky Notes and OneNote. Charu's innovative approach to user experience design has made significant impacts on these products, promoting enhanced functionality and user satisfaction.

Charu’s career began with a significant role as the lead designer for Zomato's applications, which became pivotal revenue drivers for the company. She also spearheaded the design for the Zomato Gold membership program, which quickly gained traction in the competitive food tech industry, solidifying her reputation as a force in product design.

Education and Achievements

Charu's educational background laid a strong foundation for her successful career in design. She completed her high school education at D.A.V. A.C.C Public School and Bardsley Higher Secondary School before pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Communication Design at the prestigious National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) in Mumbai. Additionally, she expanded her academic horizons by studying Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies through HarvardX, acquiring valuable insights that enhance her design approach in various industries.

Throughout her career, Charu has demonstrated a passion for mentoring and nurturing emerging design talent. She has served as a visiting faculty member at esteemed institutions such as Woxsen University and Amity Future Academy, where she teaches courses on design thinking theory and methodologies. Her commitment to education reflects her desire to inspire and influence the next generation of designers.

Achievements

Through her extraordinary contributions to the field of design, Charu Choudha has established an illustrious career characterized by significant milestones and honors. Her notable achievements include:

  • Lead Designer for Microsoft Office App: As part of the pioneering team that developed the first Microsoft Office mobile applications, Charu played a central role in revolutionizing how users interact with productivity tools on mobile devices.
  • Design Contributor to Microsoft Fluent: Her involvement in creating the Microsoft Fluent open-source design system has set new standards for design consistency and collaboration across products.
  • Innovative Healthcare Technologies: At Google Research, Charu works on transformative healthcare technologies aimed at increasing accessibility for people with disabilities, showcasing her dedication to impactful design.
  • Successful Zomato Applications: Charu’s leadership in designing Zomato's applications contributed directly to the company's revenue growth and innovative service offerings, highlighting her ability to blend creativity with strategic business impact.
  • Educator and Mentor: As a visiting faculty member, her role in shaping the minds of aspiring designers demonstrates her commitment to the craft and elevating the design community across various institutions.
  • Consulting for Startups: Charu’s work as a design consultant for startups, including ttt (Terribly Tiny Tales), reflects her versatility and willingness to support innovative ideas at the grassroots level in the design landscape.

Overall, Charu Choudha's career trajectory showcases a compellin

Highlights

Apr 4 · linkedin

𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗨𝗫 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 & 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗼𝗳𝘁 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 ⭐️

If you thrive on innovation and enjoy collaborating to craft intuitive AI experiences, we're seeking talented Product Designers and Researchers across all levels to join our M365 Design team in Hyderabad & Noida!

In this opportunity, you'll play a pivotal role in shaping the future of M365 with an AI-first mindset to elevate user experience. You'll be part of a collaborative team where your ideas are valued, and your expertise is key to creating impactful products.

If this opportunity aligns with your career goals, we encourage you to express your interest by directly writing to us at 👉🏼 [email protected] with your resume and portfolio.

Tagging our team to reshare & boost this post Nithin Ismail Praveen Sinha Sonal Srivastava Ratul Upadhyay Kanishka Aggarwal Pradnya Patil Adarsh Raj Shah Pulak Anand Arjun Patel Tejas Srivathsa Shoro Roy Kirthana Esther

#M365 #AI #UX #hiring #product #design #research #microsoft

Sep 28 · linkedin

Being a product designer in a strong product team 💪

🚀 If you’re a product designer, you are working with product managers & engineers towards a common goal that is product success

👀 Product success is not just an outcome of a certain experiment, feature designed or Insights from user research. It's equally an outcome of the mindset & process your team follows. The mindset is reflected in the day-to-day activities you take up & prioritise as a product designer.

⚡️ We know that there are clear differences between teams who create extraordinary results & teams who don’t. Delivery Teams focus on shipping & meeting deadlines vs Product teams are cross-functional & come up with solutions that truly work for users (as per Marty Cagan’s concepts)

🧠 So what can you do as a product designer, to make your team a strong product team that strives to deliver extraordinary products & Results? Based on my experience & learnings, here are some thoughts

#design #team #designer #mindset #shipping #research #engineers #ux #experience

Related Questions

How did Charu Choudha develop her expertise in product design across various tech giants like Google and Microsoft?
What specific challenges has Charu Choudha encountered while designing products for millions of users at Google, and how has she addressed them?
In what ways has Charu Choudha's background in entrepreneurship enhanced her approach to design thinking?
How does Charu Choudha integrate her experience in designing for consumer and enterprise domains into innovative healthcare technologies?
What motivates Charu Choudha to teach design and mentor aspiring designers at universities like Woxsen University and Amity Future Academy?
Charu Choudha
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Location

Hyderabad, Telangana, India