We were lucky to catch up with Luana Ramcharran recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Luana, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to start by getting your thoughts on what you are seeing as some the biggest trends emerging in your industry.

Thanks so much for having me! Sure – the trends of Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) has shaken up the B2C and gaming worlds, so it’s exciting to see that it’s also influencing the B2B space as companies have become more savvy about working remotely. At Zenput – where we focus on Operations execution software for restaurants, convenience stores, and grocers – our customers are often moving from tracking critical procedures like food safety protocols with pen and paper to digital solutions that will help execs know if work in each store is being done correctly. And given the labor shortage the industry is facing, there’s a big push to automate tasks which we also enable. Our apps capture photos and data to tell a story across many locations that Operators may be working with remotely across regions and/or countries, so we anticipate that AR will be a growing area to invest in. Forward-looking product designers across every industry will be sharpening their skills by learning more about how to create user-friendly experiences in mediums beyond a computer or phone screen.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Yes, I have been a Product Design Engineer for 16+ years, with 12+ of those specializing in User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) Design and 6+ years leading design teams at growing organizations.

My voyage in product design started at an early age. I’m a first generation American, raised in Miami, FL. Growing up and learning the world around me, I observed my parents (who immigrated to the US from Guyana) adapting as well. They encountered many new products and technologies where the learning curve was large, especially when it came to western medical experiences. Even instructions on medications explained steps referencing things Anglo-Americans view as “common knowledge”, instead of using context that was more understandable to people from the various cultures that make up America. I thought there had to be a better way for people like my parents to use products that can improve their lives without being intimidated by an instruction manual.

My parents remained my muses and inspired my studies. While studying design at an art magnet high school, I worked in microbiology labs through internship programs by the NIH (National Institutes of Health). In my experience, I interacted with complex lab equipment and was fascinated by how these devices were designed for very specific functions. I thought about how these were designed to work so precisely, addressing the needs of many labs with different types of research – could ALL products be designed in a way to fit the needs of many? I sought out to discover how I could be the person that designs these types of products.

When applying to colleges, I looked for an opportunity to be that expert. I researched career paths and learned about Product Design Engineering (PDE). Other countries at the time showed a larger focus on Design Thinking, but there were few formal programs in the United States. I attended Syracuse University, where I majored in ‘Integrated Product Development’ – a combination of Industrial Design, Biomedical Engineering, and Anthropology – to help me gain an understanding of not only how to design and manufacture a product, but also what makes us feel emotionally connected to it and allow it to improve behavior and our lives.

Since finishing college, I have spent the last 16+ years creating product designs for medical devices, household goods, beauty products, consumer electronics, as well as graphic user interfaces in web and mobile applications. My distinct, Anthropology-focused approach on user-centered design takes people and culture into consideration first in order to implement successful designs. The results are everyday products that users can connect with on an emotional level.

I currently lead the Product Design practice at Zenput – a growing software company focused on Operations execution solutions for multi-unit restaurants, C-stores, and grocers. We know that every time you go out to eat, you want food that tastes good and is safely prepared, a clean environment, and quality service. Creating that consistent experience is at the core of how Zenput is used today in 60,000 locations across 100+ countries by the world’s top restaurant chains, convenience stores, and grocers. Customers including Domino’s, Chipotle, P.F. Changs, Five Guys, KFC, and Smart & Final rely on our top-ranked operations execution platform to keep their business moving and growing by ensuring work is done correctly, and on time.

It is incredibly fulfilling to know that our user-friendly, software design is helping to keep meals safe by some of the top brands in our industry!

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My mission as a product designer is to create a world where product experiences are so user-friendly – there’s no need for instruction manuals. In my personal voyage, my parents were the initial inspiration of my mission. I’ve witnessed firsthand their intimidation with navigating new products, technologies, language, and service experiences. I have also seen that correlation on the other side from being the engineer or designer that drives the product development and learned what I can do to improve their end-user experience.

It’s a big goal, so it definitely keeps me driven because there are so many products, digital mediums, and services coming out all the time – I love it though because it keeps me going on my journey!

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

There were a lot of unknowns when I began my creative journey, especially since there was no established precedence when I did my university studies. I graduated thinking that I was going to be ahead of the curve by combining several majors into what is now known as the ‘Product Design Engineering’ discipline, but back then there were no job opportunities that covered the full spectrum of what I could do. I had a lot of commercial agency work at the beginning of my career that covered pieces of this, but it was tough because I didn’t have a mentor or leader to look to for guidance on what I should be gaining skills in or focusing on next. It would be several years before I found the startup community, getting introduced to Meetup and networking groups in Product/UX/UI Design and finding the mentorship and fellowship that would inspire my career path.

I would highly recommend to those looking to study or get into Product Design to find a good tribe for that fellowship and support – whether it be online or in person. Some great groups I personally participate in (and regularly refer and mentor people through) are HexagonUX and UXPA. You will often meet experienced creatives that are happy to chat and share free advice on what has strengthened their personal skills by joining these circles, and perhaps even get you in front of managers looking to hire. LinkedIn has also made it much easier for young professionals to reach out to more experienced folks, so I encourage you to DM someone whose career path is inspirational [and aspirational] and make a connection. You might connect with someone who has a large impact on your personal voyage!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.luanaram.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/luana.ram/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luanaram/
• Other: https://www.zenput.com/

Image Credits
Raymond Tuquero