Hello,
I’m a User Experience Manager based out of San Francisco, California with 18 years of experience @ Google, and 5 years leading design teams. I have a background in Computer Science & Human Computer Interaction (HCI).
I'm passionate about solving meaningful problems by enabling, inspiring and growing successful design teams.
My Leadership Approach —
“My role is to support those who are doing the work — if there’s a tough decision blocking progress, I’m there to unblock it. If business requirements are unclear, let's align and move forward… If issues are systemic, let’s make operational improvements…” READ MORE
Selected Experience
VIEW RESUME | VIEW PORTFOLIO PDF (password protected)
DESIGN MANAGER (2018 - 2022)
Google Cloud
As a Design Manager in Google Cloud I was responsible for the Customer Experience & Sales verticals, representing revenue-focused products used by millions of companies & partners worldwide. I oversaw launches generating $150M+ in incremental revenue including the first Cloud Customer Success application & a major redesign of the Cloud Support Portal. I led an international cross-discipline UX team and received a Team Talent Award for accelerating strategic team initiatives & operational model improvements.
DESIGN MANAGER / UX TEAM LEAD (2014 - 2018)
Google Corporate Engineering
As the founding UX designer on the Corporate Engineering team, I worked closely with the CIO and leadership to establish early UX efforts and roadmaps that led to over 20 internal launches including Google’s first Applicant Tracking System (ATS). I transitioned into UX management in charge of strategic HR & Data Quality initiatives, and established dedicated horizontal UX teams focused on Accessibility & the Design System.
SENIOR UX DESIGNER (2012-2014)
Google Registry
As Lead UX for this 0-to-1 effort at Google, I executed design & research for the global launch of Google Registry, serving thousands of ICANN-accredited registrars. I also directed design efforts for the launch of International top-level domains including the world’s first Japanese domain (.みんな) and Latino identity domain (.soy).
FRONT-END / HCI ENGINEER (1999 - 2000)
Immersion Corp.
Immersion creates devices & software to bring the sense of touch (through haptic technology) to the user. As an early front-end engineer, I accelerated the development of consumer-grade tactile devices to 'force-enable' online experiences using proprietary APIs & JavaScript. I also pioneered Accessibility Engineering practices with visually-impaired users of specialized touch-sensitive tools.
Kind words
“Akshay was my Team Lead at Google - he is a great UX Designer as well as a very sharp person, with the ability to understand and solve complex issues, ask challenging questions, and come up with clean, innovative, effective solutions. Akshay is also an awesome manager, always helpful, flexible and inspiring. I highly recommend Akshay, he would be a great asset to any organization.”
— Julia B., Principal Designer at Google
“Akshay is a gem on my team. He builds strong work relationships with cross functional partners and is a great communicator. He has demonstrated his ability to define nebulous problems and support the team to focus on their best abilities.”
— Sue K., Lead UX Researcher at Google
“My experience with Akshay as a mentor was truly exceptional. He exudes humility and a wealth of knowledge. Akshay provided invaluable insights into the world of UX… he went the extra mile by crafting a roadmap for my professional growth in the field. What stood out about Akshay was his practical and logical approach. His expertise is unquestionable, and his guidance was incredibly well-structured.”
— Chandan R., UX Product Manager