From Design Foundations to Hypergrowth: My Journey at BYJU’S
From Design Foundations to Hypergrowth: My Journey at BYJU’S
INDUSTRY:
INDUSTRY:
EDUCATION
EDUCATION
FIRM:
FIRM:
BYJU'S
BYJU'S
ROLE:
ROLE:
AVP, HEAD OF DESIGN
AVP, HEAD OF DESIGN
As Head of Product Design at BYJU'S during its pivotal growth years, I led key initiatives across brand identity, UX strategy, adaptive learning systems, hardware design, and organizational scaling. This case study captures the journey of transforming BYJU'S from an offline coaching institute to a household edtech brand with over $22B in valuation.
In 2017, shortly after BYJU'S secured funding and had begun proving stronf PMF. The brand was still under the radar, known more in niche circles than as a household name. But after a conversation with Byju, I was struck by the team’s conviction and clarity of purpose. I joined as Head of Product Design—with a lean setup of one UX designer and a graphic design team—just as BYJU’S was preparing to scale rapidly from a functional product into a defining edtech brand.
As Head of Product Design at BYJU'S during its pivotal growth years, I led key initiatives across brand identity, UX strategy, adaptive learning systems, hardware design, and organizational scaling. This case study captures the journey of transforming BYJU'S from an offline coaching institute to a household edtech brand with over $22B in valuation.
In 2017, shortly after BYJU'S secured funding and had begun proving stronf PMF. The brand was still under the radar, known more in niche circles than as a household name. But after a conversation with Byju, I was struck by the team’s conviction and clarity of purpose. I joined as Head of Product Design—with a lean setup of one UX designer and a graphic design team—just as BYJU’S was preparing to scale rapidly from a functional product into a defining edtech brand.
2017
2017
Finding the brand voice
Finding the brand voice
Great products deserve great identities - it’s how people remember you
When I joined, BYJU’S was still finding its visual voice. It had great content, but no real identity—nothing that made it feel like an aspirational brand.
We redesigned the logo, crafted a new typographic system, and introduced what’s now one of the most memorable elements of the brand: Byju’s Purple. Yes, the big purple “B” you still remember-that was by design.
We built a visual and communication system that extended across the app, marketing, and ads, making the brand feel bold, modern, and trustworthy.
Great products deserve great identities - it’s how people remember you
When I joined, BYJU’S was still finding its visual voice. It had great content, but no real identity—nothing that made it feel like an aspirational brand.
We redesigned the logo, crafted a new typographic system, and introduced what’s now one of the most memorable elements of the brand: Byju’s Purple. Yes, the big purple “B” you still remember-that was by design.
We built a visual and communication system that extended across the app, marketing, and ads, making the brand feel bold, modern, and trustworthy.
Details soon
Shaping the Learn Journey
Shaping the Learn Journey
The BYJU’S app was more of a video library—great content, but passive and linear. It felt closer to YouTube.
In working with the founding team—many of them educators—we realized: teaching is a journey, not a playlist.
That insight led to the Personalized Learn Journey: a system where each chapter adapted to the learner’s understanding. Videos, quizzes, and feedback loops worked together to mimic how a great teacher adjusts in real-time.
Progress indicators gave students a sense of direction. It wasn’t just about completing lessons—it was about growing with them.
Details soon
Design becomes meaningful when it mirrors real human behavior - in this case, how great teachers teach
Design becomes meaningful when it mirrors real human behavior - in this case, how great teachers teach
2018
2018
Designing the K3 UX with Disney
Designing the K3 UX with Disney
Designing for young learners means
designing for two audiences: the child and the parent.
In 2018, we partnered with Disney to build a product for early learners (K3). The vision was playful and bold—mix gamification with core learning principles. While Anand Ramachandran led the overall strategy, I focused on ensuring the user experience was intuitive and joyful for 5–7-year-olds.
Here’s the twist: kids don’t buy or configure learning apps—parents do. And they often hover, checking in from behind the shoulder. We designed the experience to work even from that "overhead view," making learning feel safe, visible, and delightful.
Designing for young learners means designing for two audiences: the child and the parent.
In 2018, we partnered with Disney to build a product for early learners (K3). The vision was playful and bold—mix gamification with core learning principles. While Anand Ramachandran led the overall strategy, I focused on ensuring the user experience was intuitive and joyful for 5–7-year-olds.
Here’s the twist: kids don’t buy or configure learning apps—parents do. And they often hover, checking in from behind the shoulder. We designed the experience to work even from that "overhead view," making learning feel safe, visible, and delightful.
Details soon
2019
2019
Designing Learning OS Ecosystem
Designing Learning OS Ecosystem
Designing software for custom hardware isn’t just about UI
- it’s about creating a seamless, focused environment.
When BYJU’S acquired Osmo in 2019, it sparked an internal idea: what if we didn’t just make software—but a full-fledged learning device?
While the hardware team worked from the US, we began designing a custom Android-based operating system for education, codenamed D4. The idea was to strip distractions and build a device purpose-built for learning.
Every screen, every gesture, every decision was about creating flow: no pop-ups, no clutter, just deep engagement. It was education-first, not tech-first
Designing software for custom hardware isn’t just about UI
- it’s about creating a seamless, focused environment.
When BYJU’S acquired Osmo in 2019, it sparked an internal idea: what if we didn’t just make software—but a full-fledged learning device?
While the hardware team worked from the US, we began designing a custom Android-based operating system for education, codenamed D4. The idea was to strip distractions and build a device purpose-built for learning.
Every screen, every gesture, every decision was about creating flow: no pop-ups, no clutter, just deep engagement. It was education-first, not tech-first
Details soon
Launching the
English Learning App
Launching the
English Learning App
Conversational design isn’t just about speaking
- it’s about building trust with a machine that listens
With Duolingo on the rise and spoken English a major demand among students, we saw a clear opportunity. The result was the BYJU’S English Learning App (ELA).
This wasn’t a typical language app. We integrated voice recognition and smart responses so students could practice speaking directly with the app. It required deep interaction design thinking—timing, tone, response clarity.
By now, I had scaled design across three major verticals: BTLA, LearnOS (D4), and ELA—each with a dedicated team and lead.
Conversational design isn’t just about speaking - it’s about building trust with a machine that listens
With Duolingo on the rise and spoken English a major demand among students, we saw a clear opportunity. The result was the BYJU’S English Learning App (ELA).
This wasn’t a typical language app. We integrated voice recognition and smart responses so students could practice speaking directly with the app. It required deep interaction design thinking—timing, tone, response clarity.
By now, I had scaled design across three major verticals: BTLA, LearnOS (D4), and ELA—each with a dedicated team and lead.
Details soon
2020-2022
2020-2022
The Pandemic and Scaling at Breakneck Speed
The Pandemic and Scaling at Breakneck Speed
When the world paused, we had to move faster than ever—and design became our way of responding with clarity and calm.
In early 2020, COVID-19 shut down schools overnight. Within a week, we launched a free version of our content library, making high-quality learning accessible across the country. It was a hit.
This moment also gave rise to BYJU’S Classes—live online sessions taught by expert teachers. Suddenly, we were not just an app—we were a full classroom.
The org scaled fast. We grew to over 100 designers. Adopted a POD structure. Hired design producers. And through it all, I worked as the connective tissue—bridging product and design leadership to keep teams aligned through the chaos.
When the world paused, we had to move faster than ever—and design became our way of responding with clarity and calm.
In early 2020, COVID-19 shut down schools overnight. Within a week, we launched a free version of our content library, making high-quality learning accessible across the country. It was a hit.
This moment also gave rise to BYJU’S Classes—live online sessions taught by expert teachers. Suddenly, we were not just an app—we were a full classroom.
The org scaled fast. We grew to over 100 designers. Adopted a POD structure. Hired design producers. And through it all, I worked as the connective tissue—bridging product and design leadership to keep teams aligned through the chaos.
Details soon
The org scaled fast. We grew to over 100 designers. Adopted a POD structure. Hired design producers. And through it all, I worked as the connective tissue—bridging product and design leadership to keep teams aligned through the chaos.
2022
2022
Built for scale, ready to start again
Built for scale,
ready to start again
You know you’ve done meaningful work when the systems you helped create continue to scale without you.
You know you’ve done meaningful work when the systems you helped create continue to scale without you.
By the end of 2021, BYJU’S had grown into a $22B edtech leader.
I had:
Built and scaled a multi-disciplinary design team.
Shaped a suite of learning products from scratch.
Created design systems that lived across brand, app, and hardware.
By the end of 2021, BYJU’S had grown into a $22B edtech leader. I had:
Built and scaled a multi-disciplinary design team.
Shaped a suite of learning products from scratch.
Created design systems that lived across brand, app, and hardware.
But more importantly, I learned how to lead in chaos, design at scale, and stay grounded in the needs of users—whether they were 5-year-old learners or enterprise-level stakeholders.
That journey gave me the confidence and clarity to start again—from scratch—as co-founder of Wyb.
But more importantly, I learned how to lead in chaos, design at scale, and stay grounded in the needs of users—whether they were 5-year-old learners or enterprise-level stakeholders.
That journey gave me the confidence and clarity to start again—from scratch—as co-founder of Wyb.