Krishna Kumar

Krishna Kumar’s journey into design is shaped by a deep curiosity about human behaviour, decision-making, and how people interact with digital systems. As an Assistant Professor in the User Experience Design department, he brings this perspective into the classroom - encouraging students to move beyond assumptions and design with clarity, intent, and empathy.

He holds an M.Des from the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) and brings over a decade of experience spanning industry and academia. His approach to UX is grounded in a simple belief: good design begins long before the first sketch - it begins with truly understanding people.

His teaching spans design research and analytics, interaction design, information architecture, visual design and prototyping, data-driven design, usability, accessibility, and agile methodologies. Rather than treating these as isolated subjects, he frames them as an interconnected practice - guiding students through the complete design journey, from research and wireframing to refined interfaces and evidence-based decision-making.

Having taught across both B.Des and M.Des programs, at institutions including D Y Patil International University, Avantika University, and Sandip University, he mentors students in addressing real-world design challenges, enabling them to translate research insights into purposeful and well-articulated design outcomes. His pedagogy integrates design psychology, communication design, visual storytelling, and collaborative practices, fostering the development of designers who can effectively navigate ambiguity while maintaining analytical rigor and precision. His experience in UX/UI design ensures his teaching remains current and relevant, aligning academic learning with evolving professional expectations.

At the core of his teaching philosophy is a principle he consistently emphasises: you are not the user. This mindset shift -from assumption to understanding - is what he strives to instil in every designer he teaches.

He currently teaches User Experience Design across B.Des and M.Des programs, contributing actively to mentoring, evaluation, and fostering a research-driven, practice-oriented design culture within the department.