What makes a leader outstanding in the opportunity that they capitalize? It is the ability to take the chance and not give up while facing challenges head-on. These leaders are ever ready to make a significant shift at any given moment and prove themselves to be the best of the best. One such leader making waves in the UI/UX space is Prathima Inolu, who has paved her exceptional career path by grabbing every opportunity before her. 

In an exclusive interview, Prathima-Chief Designer & Executive Director at Divami Design Labs shared interesting aspects of her leadership journey. Below are the excerpts.

Take Us Through Your Early Educational Journey And Prior Industry Experience That You Bring To The Table. What Drew You Towards The Field?

In my childhood, I was surrounded by people who inspired and motivated me to live life to the fullest. I developed the “never give up” attitude in my childhood because of the teachings in my childhood. After completing my master's from the States, I started as a QA Engineer and then moved to the role of Sr. Software Engineer at Synopsys. However, I consider Divami to be the defining force in my career. The leaders I worked with before joining the company believed in me and motivated me to do better. Defining user interfaces feels to me like a puzzle to be solved, and I absolutely love the satisfying feeling associated with solving client problems.

What Are Your Various Roles And Responsibilities At Divami Design Labs? Mention Some Of The Most Challenging Aspects Of Your Role And How Do You Overcome Them?

As the design strategist, I have the ultimate project delivery responsibility. I also act as a liaison between the clients, designers, and developers working on a project to reach the best possible solution to the problem at hand. My key leadership style stands firm on the pillars of effective delegation and communication. Also, fostering leadership at every level of the organization, I enjoy staying involved in motivating my team and brainstorming to rekindle the imaginative as well as creative.

What Are Some Critical Business Lessons That You Learned Through Your Prior Industry Experience That Is Still Relevant To Your Approach To Leadership?

To be honest, when it comes to business lessons, I have learned that the 20 percent brings in the rest 80 percent. So, it is always tough to get the right engine in place so that the 20 percent can get going and bring you the profits that are essential for your business to thrive. Moreover, only after starting my entrepreneurial journey, I realized the importance of having a clear vision, values, and numbers set so that you can trace your action plans and what needs to be done. It is very easy to get lost in the tracks when you have not set a goal.

As The Primary Leader Within The Organization, How Do You Drive Growth At Divami Design Labs? What Is Your Vision For The Company's Future?

We believe that the UX UI space is not anywhere near maturity yet. There's still a huge opportunity in the digital space and, correspondingly in the design space, so we are very optimistic about the future. For us, the typical hockey stick growth hasn't come yet, but I believe it's out there, and that we are going to have a humongous opportunity to grow in the future. When it comes to our vision, we are very clear- we want Divami to be the top and best UX UI Design & Development Agency in the world. That means, we want to deliver the best designs, work with world-class clients, and be a yardstick of quality when it comes to our niche.

“I cherish helping leaders shape their digital products and delivering greater impact through our ux/ui design and strategy”

What Steps Do You Take To Keep Yourself Updated With The Periodic Developments And Evolutions That Keep Happening Within The Realm Of The Industry And The Tech World?

To stay updated on what is happening in the industry, the tech world, and what our competitors are up to, I dedicate some time every day to research and read. There are many writers and leaders that I admire and reading their views helps me set up plans, goals, and expectations for myself and my team.

As A Successful Business Leader, What Advice Would You Present To Young Women And Girls Who Aspire To Follow In Your Footsteps And Become Business Leaders & Entrepreneurs?

Attitude defines success. So, my advice is to have a can-do attitude. Obviously, there will be challenges; but, with the right attitude, they can definitely overcome those. Remember, you are stronger than you believe.

Moreover, it is a grim reality that women are generally expected to manage an enormous amount of invisible labor-taking responsibility for their families while managing their careers. Also, the havoc caused by COVID-19 has laid immense pressure on every working woman. The situation is challenging as the women are ideally expected to "Juggle it all", while sometimes their work takes a back seat. To emerge from this, women need support. And, from what I can say from my own experience as well as what I have been hearing in my network, women are carrying it off well even during these tough times.

Prathima Inolu, Chief Designer & Executive Director, Divami Design Labs

She have always been passionate about learning and finding new ways to solve problems and taking on more challenges. And this in disguise has helped her maneuver seamlessly through different phases of her career.  It all started when...The twin towers collapsed and like any other graduate. She was frantically trying to find a job.  Her career started with a small stint at Peoplesoft (now part of Oracle) as a QA Engineer. Later, She was lucky to join a great team of leaders at Synopsys, who inspired her to make the best of her life. She was part of Synopsys IT group, developing and managing software. Fast forward, She joined Divami in 2009 and found her serendipity. Since then, She have been an integral part of Divami's journey defining vision and strategy.