Visual Communication design, especially in the context of sustainability, can contribute to the larger conversation around environmental responsibility through clear, engaging, interactive and accessible messaging !
Mrudula Purohit, our next pathbreaker, Visual Communication Designer, works for STENUM Asia, a consultancy which helps enterprises embed sustainability into their strategy and operations.
Mrudula talks to Shyam Krishnamurthy from The Interview Portal about the enriching opportunity to work at the intersection of design and sustainability that not only benefits clients, but also has a positive, long-term impact on society as a whole.
For students, opportunities may not always be handed to you, but they can often be created by showing up and taking initiative.
Mrudula, can you share your background with our young readers?
I am from Nagpur, right in the center of the country. I grew up in a very humble, Maharashtrian household with a teacher mother and a civil engineer father. Both of them have instilled the importance of simplicity in me from an early age. My mother introduced me to Scholastic ‘Ask Me Why’ books from her school library and 10-year-old me was mesmerized by the illustrations within. Since the beginning, I was someone who wanted to do everything all at once. Too many interests, very little time and to some extent, I still have the same personality. In school, that manifested as participating in every extra-curricular activity I could get my hands on and as a working professional, I still try to dabble in every creative endeavour I can.
What did you do for graduation/post graduation?
I graduated with a Bachelor’s in Graphic and Communication Design from the World University of Design, Delhi NCR, in 2022. During my studies, I learned the fundamentals of graphic design, explored marketing, and delved into UX/UI design—an area I now focus on in my career. For my final semester project, I designed a holistic, bilingual mobile app in collaboration with WWF Myanmar to help SMEs in Myanmar build their capacity in sustainability. The success of this project led to a full-time opportunity with STENUM Asia, right out of college.
While in college, I did multiple specialized graphic design and web design courses on Coursera. After receiving my BDes degree, I have enrolled in many courses while working at my current job including a service design masterclass from Royal College of Art, London and a Design Leadership short course by Zeux Innovation, both of which were fast-paced yet highly insightful.
What were some of the key influences that led you to such an offbeat, unconventional, and unique career in Design?
It was certainly not a planned trip into this career because as I said ‘I want to do everything design’ was my mindset for a long time. However, most of my projects in college were hypothetical. The real-world experience that my internship gave me really sold me on the importance and impact of good UX/UI design so I am sticking to it.
More than people, I have been influenced by experiences and the world around me. The books that my mother bought me as a child, beautiful packaging I saw while grocery shopping with my father, illustrations I saw on the board games I played with my sister, tinkering alone on PowerPoint making ‘aesthetic’ slides. At that time, I was too young to think of a career but I certainly knew I wanted to emulate all of these products.
My history teacher from school who was a master at storytelling has always been a person I look up to. The ideas I could bounce off of my teachers and classmates from college have also had a huge impact on my understanding of design as a whole.
Getting acknowledged for my efforts in college by making the Dean’s list, winning the gold medal as well as the ‘best research-driven’ project award for my graduation project did wonders for my creative confidence. I wasn’t aiming to achieve these at all. Until that point, I was still unsure of my decisions and abilities but sometimes, you just have to prove yourself wrong in order to grow.
Like most other 12th graders who chose science to keep their options open, I was overwhelmed by the choices I had for a career. Everyone has to be in that boat at least once. I just knew that the one thing I wanted was to get to do something new everyday. I could not find myself working on the same thing every single day and be happy at the same time. I didn’t know much about design at that point. I jumped from thinking between popularly known careers. I could be an architect, a photographer, a chef? I looked up colleges after colleges, courses after courses and found out about NID and the design center at IIT. Upon reading the details about their entrance exams, I found myself ticking all the boxes from their ‘are you a good fit for this exam’ list. I got decent scores on the tests but couldn’t get in. But! I received an email from World University of Design (WUD) inviting me to their interview round as the test scores for other exams were valid to clear their first round. There and then, I made up my mind to take a shot at this. Made a portfolio in a week, somehow cleared the interview and then it all actually started.
How did you plan the steps to get into the career you wanted? Or how did you make a transition to a new career? Tell us about your career path
In my final semester of college, we were required to undertake a major project, either through an internship or a self-financed solo initiative. I secured an internship with STENUM Asia, a sustainability consultancy in Gurgaon, through the college placement process.
To put it simply, STENUM helps businesses become more resource-efficient by reducing waste and conserving energy, water, and materials—all while protecting the environment. One of their standout approaches is creating user-friendly digital tools that track, measure, and optimize resource usage. It’s like giving companies guidance on how to save money and the planet at the same time.
Before I joined, I thought I understood sustainability. I thought I understood consultancy. But it wasn’t long before I realized just how much I had to learn about both. I was working alongside engineers and consultants with deep technical expertise, and my challenge was to integrate design thinking into the organization’s processes and tools. At the time, I was the only designer on the team, so I had to carve out my role and demonstrate how design could enhance our projects and communication.
Over the past two years, our design needs have grown significantly, and so has the team. Today, I lead the in-house design team, which has become an integral part of our work, contributing to both internal and client-facing projects. The journey has been a mix of learning, adapting, and taking initiative, and it has shaped the designer and leader I am today.
My approach as a designer at the beginning of my job was centered around adaptability and learning as much as I can about the job, on the job. I focused on observing and understanding how technical teams worked and where design could add value. As the team leader now, my approach also includes empowering my team to take initiative and helping them develop their own unique problem-solving approaches, mentoring junior designers and interns, and aligning design strategies with broader organizational goals.
I make a conscious effort to maintain relationships with my classmates and professors from college as well as those I’ve connected with through various courses and my current workplace. The fellow enrollers in the short courses I have attended are some people I aim to stay in touch with. Building a network is a work in progress, and I’ve only just begun expanding my circle, but I value the insights and collaborations that come from staying connected.
An approach that’s been crucial for me, is actively prioritizing my mental health. I’ve learned that it’s not just about managing stress, but about maintaining balance so I can stay effective in my work. This includes setting clear boundaries between work and personal life, making time for hobbies, and staying mindful of my emotional and mental well-being. I also extend this same courtesy to the members of my team, encouraging them to find their own balance and offering support when needed, because a healthy, well-balanced team leads to the best outcomes.
How did you get your first break?
My first real break came when it was time to take a leap and explore design beyond the classroom. Although I was always interested in design, it was during my internship with STENUM Asia that I truly got my first taste of working in the real world. I wasn’t actively looking for a full-time job at that point, but the internship gave me the exposure I needed to understand how design could influence larger, impactful projects. By taking on a large, challenging design project as an intern, and showcasing how design could fit in and improve the organisation’s business, I built trust within the team, and they offered me a full-time position. That internship helped me transition from being a student to a professional, and it marked the beginning of my career in UX/UI design.
What were some of the challenges you faced? How did you address them?
Adapting to becoming a leader without formal mentorship and managing imposter syndrome
Stepping into a leadership role early in my career without direct mentorship was one of my biggest challenges. Without a clear roadmap, imposter syndrome often crept in, and I questioned whether I was good enough, experienced enough to lead the team. To overcome this, I relied on self-reflection and actively sought feedback from colleagues and had honest conversations with my bosses. Taking accountability and being open about my growth helped build confidence. I also learned that leadership isn’t about having all the answers; it’s about guiding the team and learning together. Over time, I grew into the role, and mentoring others became a valuable part of my own development. Sometimes I still slip up, but I remind myself that being a leader who’s still learning is far better than being one who thinks he/she knows everything.
Getting Comfortable with Technical Language
Another challenge was understanding the technical jargon used by my colleagues in the consultancy team. As a designer, I wasn’t familiar with terms that were essential to the project discussions, which sometimes made communication tricky. I addressed this by asking questions shamelessly, getting hands-on with the projects, and putting in extra effort to learn the terminology. It was a steep learning curve but the more I understood their processes, the easier it became to integrate design thinking into work.
The Struggle Between Exploration and Specialization
I’ve always had a tendency to want to explore everything at once, which makes it hard to focus on one thing and stick with it. In the beginning, this made it challenging to specialize in design and leadership. I was constantly juggling different roles and skills, wondering if I had to keep wearing multiple hats or if I could truly focus on building expertise in one area. What I have learned is that it’s not about giving up my curiosity for other areas but rather knowing when to dive deep into my core responsibilities and when to step back and explore new interests. This balance has been crucial in helping me grow both as a designer and a leader without feeling scattered. However, for now, being a generalist helps me learn and adapt quickly, but I know that eventually, I’ll need to specialize further. This is one challenge I’m still figuring out.
Where do you work now?
I currently work at STENUM Asia, a sustainability consultancy based in Gurgaon, which helps enterprises embed sustainability into their strategy and operations.
What problems do you solve?
At STENUM, we focus on helping businesses optimize their resource usage, reduce waste, and cut emissions, all while saving on operational costs. There are multiple design interventions that can help forward this endeavour. If I had to give an example, designing a user-friendly digital tool for an enterprise to track resource usage and providing actionable insights to improve sustainability practices is a potential project. My role is to ensure that these tools are not just functional but also intuitive, aligning design with the technical aspects of sustainability.
There are multiple sectors that we target. We currently have experience in working in manufacturing, healthcare, textiles, metal finishing, retail, hospitality, chemicals, automotive, pharma, FMCG, and IT to name a few. Depending on the needs of the client, we do help them assess environmental impacts associated with all the stages of the life cycle of their product, process, or service. That is what we call a ‘cradle-to-grave’ scope.
As for how savings are calculated, by carrying out a structured resource efficiency assessment, annual savings opportunities are calculated by implementing multiple different measures. The total savings are calculated against the client’s original resource cost with a payback period. As an illustrative example, in a textile plant, we might design a tool to monitor water usage during dyeing processes. By optimizing water flow, reusing wastewater, and recommending efficient dyes, the plant could reduce water consumption by 30% and save on costs within six months.
The goal is to minimize waste generation at the source by implementing efficient processes. We help enterprises improve their operational performance with a resource efficiency (RE) approach that leads to lower specific use of natural resources.
From a visual design perspective, our in-house design team plays an important role in making sustainability ‘actionable’ for our clients. For example, we design intuitive dashboards and tools that help businesses track and manage their resource use efficiently. By creating clear infographics, reports, presentations, videos and reading material, we simplify complex sustainability data and make it easy to understand. This not only drives awareness but also encourages the adoption of circular economy practices. Essentially, we ensure that we bridge the gap between data, action, and communication through design and design thinking.
While a majority of my work is in UI/UX, i.e. creating intuitive and user-friendly interfaces for digital tools, I also design a variety of other visual material such as infographics, posters, videos, etc according to our client’s requirements in this domain.
Beyond client-facing work, I also handle internal design projects. These include redesigning our company website, creating brand collateral, and developing business communication presentations/proposals.
What skills are needed for your role? How did you acquire the skills?
To thrive in my role, a combination of technical skills and soft skills is essential. On the technical side, strong UX/UI design skills, proficiency in design tools (like Adobe XD, Figma), and knowledge of information architecture are vital for creating user-friendly digital products. My education in Graphic and Communication Design gave me a solid foundation on graphic design principles, but most of the advanced skills I developed on the job, particularly when it comes to user experience design.
On the soft skills side, communication, good presentation, problem-solving, and leadership skills are key. These skills help me collaborate with our cross-functional team, present design solutions effectively, and lead design initiatives within the organization.
What’s a typical day like?
To my immense happiness, every day has the potential to bring completely different tasks! A typical day at STENUM involves a mix of design work, meetings with the technical team, and sometimes, strategic discussions with stakeholders. I spend a significant amount of time working on design projects – whether that’s improving the usability of our digital tools, creating prototypes, or assisting the consulting team with their presentations and processes that require design inputs. My day also includes mentoring junior designers and giving feedback, and collaborating with consultants to ensure our tools align with both user needs and technical feasibility, besides getting their expert advice on the inner workings of a tool. When our digital tools are finished being designed, I also collaborate with our in-house development team and assist with any coding related requirements.
What is it you love about this job?
The diversity of projects and the constant problem-solving aspect keeps me engaged and excited to work every day. I’m grateful for the supportive and empathetic work environment at STENUM, where my colleagues value my input. What I love most is the opportunity to work at the intersection of design and sustainability. This niche combination has allowed me to develop unique, transferrable skills that set me apart from the typical design role. Being able to contribute to sustainability through design makes the work even more meaningful and rewarding.
How does your work benefit society?
As a visual communication designer, my work focuses on creating designs that communicate important messages in clear, engaging, and accessible ways. Visual design is often dismissed as just “aesthetics,” but the reality is that 90% of my role is dedicated to solving problems for real people, with the remaining 10% being about the visual medium I use. Whether it’s designing intuitive user interfaces for digital tools, infographics to present complex data, or promotional materials, visual design ensures that the right information reaches the right audience and is understood in the right way.
Working in a sustainability consultancy, my designs also contribute to the larger conversation around environmental responsibility. It is incredibly rewarding to be part of a movement that not only benefits the clients we work with, but also has a positive, long-term impact on society as a whole.
Tell us an example of a specific memorable work you did that is very close to you!
One project that really stands out was a trip I took to Tashkent, Uzbekistan, where I worked on an app design for a group of technical consultants. I was tasked with presenting our app and gathering feedback through usability testing techniques. However, all the participants’ working language was Russian! So, I got to team up with a translator and make sure we were all on the same page. The challenge was definitely a bit nerve-wracking, but it was also an amazing opportunity to adapt to this unique challenge and truly learn from our users. The insights we gathered shaped the next phase of the project, and the experience was so valuable that I later got to lead similar usability testing workshops in Myanmar and create other multilingual apps. It was a wild ride of cultural exchange, design, and learning that really made me appreciate the power of collaboration across borders!
Your advice to students based on your experience?
Don’t rush to have everything figured out! As any designer would tell you – ‘Trust the process’ and be open to where it takes you. I certainly didn’t have an easy time accepting this either. It’s easy to get caught up in the pressure to specialize early, but remember, your career path doesn’t have to be a straight line. Explore different roles and areas; you’ll develop a unique skill set by learning from diverse experiences. And when things get tough (because they will), trust in your ability to adapt and grow. The key is to stay open-minded, believe in your potential, and take accountability for your journey. Opportunities may not always be handed to you, but they can often be created by showing up and taking initiative. Most importantly, give yourself the permission to learn as you go—perfection isn’t the goal, growth is.
Future Plans?
Yet again, there are a lot of options open. I want to keep gaining experience in my current role for the near future. A master’s degree has always been an option that piques my interest, but I’m carefully weighing the pros and cons of pursuing it at this stage.