Akhil Patel

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Akhil Patel ("AP") for their original perspective and innovative approach to design as well as their creative lifestyle, we are very pleased to share our interview with our distinguished readers.

DL: Could you please tell us a bit about your design background and education?

AP : I’m a product designer with a background in shaping high-impact digital products at companies like Microsoft, Meta, and startups. I have a Bachelors and Masters in Interaction Design.

DL: What motivates you to design in general, why did you become a designer?

AP : I design because I believe design is the most powerful bridge between imagination and reality. It’s a way to create impact at scale and solve meaningful problems beautifully.

DL: Did you choose to become a designer, or you were forced to become one?

AP : I chose it - though in hindsight, I think design chose me. I was always drawn to shaping experiences that felt effortless.

DL: What do you design, what type of designs do you wish to design more of?

AP : I design digital products, especially at the intersection of AI, utility, and delight. I want to design more human: AI collaboration experiences that feel magical, not mechanical.

DL: What should young designers do to become a design legend like you?

AP : Obsess over craft and outcomes equally. Build a portfolio that solves real problems, not just visual ones. And keep learning, design legends are students forever.

DL: What distinguishes between a good designer and a great designer?

AP : A good designer makes things work well. A great designer makes things work beautifully, feels inevitable, and solves unspoken needs.

DL: What makes a good design a really good design, how do you evaluate good design?

AP : A good design disappears- it feels natural, inevitable. I evaluate design by its clarity, emotional impact, and ability to scale without breaking.

DL: What is the value of good design? Why should everyone invest in good design?

AP : Good design turns “function” into “experience.” It’s an investment in growth, trust, and loyalty- cheaper than fixing bad design later.

DL: What would you design and who would you design for if you had the time?

AP : I’d design a platform that gives people superpowers in their daily lives, making productivity deeply personal.

DL: What is the dream project you haven’t yet had time to realize?

AP : My dream project is to design a global AI assistant that adapts to every individual’s needs, blending into their life seamlessly (like Jarvis from Iron Man).

DL: What is your secret recipe of success in design, what is your secret ingredient?

AP : My secret: never separating creativity from constraints- they push each other to greatness.

DL: Who are some other design masters and legends you get inspired from?

AP : Dieter Rams, Jony Ive, and Naoto Fukasawa inspire me for their restraint, clarity, and timelessness.

DL: What are your favorite designs by other designers, why do you like them?

AP : I love the iPod’s click wheel- it’s proof that interaction design can be poetic.

DL: What is your greatest design, which aspects of that design makes you think it is great?

AP : My greatest design is Hero, an AI-powered personal assistant app. It’s great because it blends utility, context, and human warmth into something people love to use daily.

DL: How could people improve themselves to be better designers, what did you do?

AP : Seek feedback brutally early. I became better by shipping, failing, and learning fast.

DL: If you hadn’t become a designer, what would you have done?

AP : I’d be in some form of storytelling, just in a different medium.

DL: How do you define design, what is design for you?

AP : Design is intentional problem-solving with empathy at its core.

DL: Who helped you to reach these heights, who was your biggest supporter?

AP : Mentors, peers, and users who gave honest feedback, often when it was hard to hear.

DL: What helped you to become a great designer?

AP : Curiosity, relentless iteration, and a bias toward action.

DL: What were the obstacles you faced before becoming a design master?

AP : Self-doubt, resource constraints, and convincing people to take bold risks with me.

DL: How do you think designers should present their work?

AP : Tell the story: problem, process, outcome. Make it visual, make it human.

DL: What’s your next design project, what should we expect from you in future?

AP : I’m exploring AI-generated, shareable experiences that merge data, storytelling, and personal expression.

DL: What’s your ultimate goal as a designer?

AP : To design products that feel like they’ve always existed- because they fit so naturally into people’s lives.

DL: What people expect from an esteemed designer such as yourself?

AP : Originality, vision, and work that sets the bar for what’s next.

DL: How does design help create a better society?

AP : Design can democratize access: making complex things simple and inclusive.

DL: What are you currently working on that you are especially excited about?

AP : I’m working on AI-driven design tools that push personal productivity into new territory.

DL: Which design projects gave you the most satisfaction, why?

AP : Hero! Because it helps people every day in small but meaningful ways.

DL: What would you like to see changed in design industry in the coming years?

AP : I’d like to see more long-term thinking and less trend-chasing.

DL: Where do you think the design field is headed next?

AP : Toward hyper-personalized, adaptive experiences powered by AI.

DL: How long does it take you to finalize a design project?

AP : Weeks to months, depending on scope- great design needs breathing room.

DL: When you have a new design project, where do you start?

AP : By understanding the problem deeply- before touching pixels.

DL: What is your life motto as a designer?

AP : “Clarity over cleverness.”

DL: Do you think design sets the trends or trends set the designs?

AP : Great design sets trends- but listens to the cultural moment.

DL: What is the role of technology when you design?

AP : Technology is my medium- it shapes what’s possible.

DL: What kind of design software and equipment do you use in your work?

AP : Figma, Origami, Framer, Rive, After Effects, etc. and AI tools for ideation and testing.

DL: What is the role of the color, materials and ambient in design?

AP : They’re the emotional layer, turning usability into experience.

DL: What do you wish people to ask about your design?

AP : “What problem does this solve for the user?”

DL: When you see a new great design or product what comes into your mind?

AP : think about what principles made it work and how I can apply them elsewhere.

DL: Who is your ideal design partner? Do you believe in co-design?

AP : Someone with complementary skills and the same obsession with excellence. Yes, co-design sparks magic.

DL: Which people you interacted had the most influence on your design?

AP : Engineers and PMs who pushed me to think beyond “how it looks” into “how it works at scale.”

DL: Which books you read had the most effect on your design?

AP : The Design of Everyday Things- it hardwired empathy into my process.

DL: How did you develop your skills as a master designer?

AP : By shipping real products, relentlessly refining my process, and learning from every failure.

DL: Irrelative of time and space, who you would want to meet, talk and discuss with?

AP : I’d love to talk with Leonardo da Vinci- he embodied cross-disciplinary genius.

DL: How do you feel about all the awards and recognition you had, is it hard to be famous?

AP : I’m grateful- recognition motivates me, but that's not the end goal.

DL: What is your favorite color, place, food, season, thing and brand?

AP : Blue, Kyoto, South Indian thali, autumn, my sketchbook, Apple.

DL: Please tell us a little memoir, a funny thing you had experienced as a designer?

AP : During a live demo, my prototype crashed- so I live-sketched the flow for the audience. It got more applause than the actual product.

DL: What makes your day great as a designer, how do you motivate yourself?

AP : Seeing someone light up while using something I designed.

DL: When you were a little child, was it obvious that you would become a great designer?

AP : i wouldn't call myself a great designer. I'm still learning and evolving. But i appreciate the confidence you'r showing in me.

DL: What do you think about future; what do you see will happen in thousand years from now?

AP : I imagine design shaping human-machine symbiosis far beyond current imagination.

DL: Please tell us anything you wish your fans to know about you, your design and anything else?

AP : I care about designing with depth, empathy, and intent. Every pixel should have a reason to exist.