Down & Dirty with Dr. T is back with a new episode featuring Nishita Mohta, Creative Business Consultant, Design Educator, and author of the book “Inspired: The A–Z of Creative Unblocking”.
In this episode, Nishita explains what a Design Operations Consultant does and why design studios are increasingly looking for project management expertise. She shares how her work focuses on bringing structure to creative processes so founders can focus on growth and strategy.
Sitting down with Taapsi, she talks about how simple tools like Toggl can make time management easier, not by enforcing productivity, but by helping her stay aware of how her time is being used.
Highlights from the episode:
Project Planning and Tracking Systems: She discusses how she creates custom project planning and tracking systems, translating founders’ subconscious ways of working into usable frameworks for their teams and clients. Each setup is tailored to the studio’s specific needs.
Tools That Bring Structure to Creativity: To gain visibility into how her time is spent, Nishita turns to Toggl, valuing its intuitive interface and simple design. Alongside Google Calendar and Notion, it helps her manage anxiety and stay organised.
Learn more about our research shenanigans:
Website: https://www.poocho.co/
Blog: https://www.poocho.co/resources/blog/
LinkedIn: https://in.linkedin.com/company/justpoocho
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@justpoocho
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/poochonetwork
Chapters:
00:00:00 Introduction to Nishita Mota
00:04:28 Project planning & tracking systems
00:08:16 A consultant's daily structure
00:11:58 Essential tools & rituals for work
00:14:03 The importance of rituals & mindfulness
00:17:58 Mindfulness in practice & single-tasking
00:23:08 Why Toggle: design, functionality & reporting
00:27:06 Toggle's timer & reporting features
00:30:34 Goals feature (beta) & web/mobile sync
00:35:43 Feature request: distraction free mode
00:40:22 Google calendar vs. Toggle: intent vs. reality
00:41:43 Toggle's ideal user
Down & Dirty with Dr. T is back with a new episode featuring Sai Dheeraj, co-founder at Sigmaverse.
Sai walks us through how he leverages Microsoft 365 Copilot to boost productivity, streamline workflows, and make data-driven decisions across his team. From automating Excel operations and creating presentations to generating new ideas and strategy documents, he shares how Copilot has become an integral part of his daily work.
In this episode, he sits down with Taapsi to talk about managing cross-platform workflows, balancing Google Sheets and Excel with Copilot, using the tool to generate ideas and making professional productivity smarter and more efficient.
Highlights from the episode:
A day in Sai’s workflow: Sai shares how he manages his work on a Mac while collaborating with teams using Microsoft 365. His mornings involve checking dashboards, Google Sheets, and planning strategy documents before diving into client work.
Using Copilot to simplify work and analysis: Sai explains how Microsoft 365 Copilot helps him turn documents and PDFs into presentations, summarize videos, and handle large data sets. It also simplifies Excel tasks like creating pivot tables or pulling subsets of data without worrying about formulas, saving time on repetitive work and making complex analysis more accessible.
Streamlining collaboration and workflows: Sai talks about how integrating tools like Copilot with existing platforms and sharing outputs with team members helps coordinate work across different devices and software, reducing duplication and keeping projects on track.
Learn more about our research shenanigans:
Website: https://www.poocho.co/
Blog: https://www.poocho.co/resources/blog/
LinkedIn: https://in.linkedin.com/company/justpoocho
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@justpoocho
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/poochonetwork
Chapters:
00:00:00 A day in the life of the founder
00:03:37 Morning routine and team management
00:05:20 Continuous learning and marketing trends
00:07:01 Job responsibilities at Sigmaverse
00:08:17 Leveraging AI with Copilot for efficiency
00:13:37 Copilot vs. ChatGPT and prompt engineering
00:16:00 Introduction to Copilot and prompt engineering
00:18:26 Demonstration of Copilot for product launch planning
00:20:57 Integrating Copilot with Microsoft 365 and export functionality
00:23:45 Copilot vs. ChatGPT and its advantages
00:26:03 Practical applications and cost efficiency of Copilot
00:29:11 Workflow integration and the role of Google Sheets
00:32:02 Excel vs. Google Sheets with large datasets
00:33:49 Copilot integration and cross-platform use
00:36:00 AI tools: precision, flexibility, and creative inspiration
00:38:31 Rapid fire round
00:40:48 Closing remarks
Down & Dirty with Dr. T is back with a new episode featuring John Richard, former Consumer Insights Manager at Practo (now at United Breweries Ltd).
With nearly a decade of experience in brand research, John has worked across FMCG, healthcare, and now beverages, helping brands make smarter decisions by understanding what consumers really think and feel. Known for his strength in brand advocacy and voice-of-consumer work, John brings a researcher's eye to business performance and cultural nuance.
In this episode, he sits down with Taapsi to talk about how researchers can make their work more actionable, how to align teams around the consumer journey, why not every research output needs to prove ROI and how he’s been using ChatGPT to bring more structure and scalability to the research function.
Highlights from the episode:
A day in John’s life: John starts his day at 5:30am with a 10k run, followed by planning and clearing out his inbox. As someone who manages multiple stakeholders across the org, his mornings are about getting grounded before jumping into meetings and insight-sharing.
Making insights usable across teams: John walks us through how Practo built a central tracker to log and reference previous studies, so teams don’t redo the same work twice. It’s a small shift that’s helped drive bigger impact across functions.
Using ChatGPT to cut research time and make insights usable: John explains how he takes thousands of open-ended survey responses and with ChatGPT, quickly organizes them into themes, creates word clouds and generates process maps. This helps him save hours of manual work and makes it easier for product, marketing and service teams to use the research.
Challenging the ROI mindset in research: He reflects on the pressure researchers face to prove ROI, and why expecting a measurable outcome from every single insight is unrealistic, especially when no one asks finance or SaaS teams for the same.
Learn more about our research shenanigans:
Website: https://www.poocho.co/
Blog: https://www.poocho.co/resources/blog/
LinkedIn: https://in.linkedin.com/company/justpoocho
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@justpoocho
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/poochonetwork
Chapters:
00:00:00 Introduction to John Richard
00:01:39 A day in the life of a consumer insights manager
00:04:35 Stakeholder and agency management
00:07:30 Lean six sigma and research
00:09:38 Applying lean in research
00:12:33 Data challenges, ChatGPT, and the 5S methodology
00:16:49 Introduction to 5S methodology
00:20:04 Standardization and sustaining improvements
00:21:40 Real-world application of methodologies
00:23:42 Lean six sigma and data analysis
00:25:44 Introduction to ChatGPT for research
00:29:06 Enhancing desk research with ChatGPT
00:31:49 Strategic thinking and ChatGPT
00:33:47 Using ChatGPT for consumer data analysis
00:37:30 Generating process images with ChatGPT
00:39:55 Data validation and pictorial representation
00:44:36 Analyzing course data and visualizing processes
00:47:48 Integration with lean tools and personal efficiency
00:51:17 Closing remarks
Down & Dirty with Dr. T is back with a fresh episode featuring Abhimanyu Sirothia, Design Director at Designit!
With nearly 15 years of experience designing for everything from early-stage startups to large corporations, Abhimanyu is a design leader who blends craft, clarity, and curiosity. Known for his expertise in accessible design, design systems, and intuitive UIs, he brings an engineering mindset to every project and a deep passion for productivity.
In this episode, he sits down with Taapsi to talk about how he leads his design teams in high-pressure environments and how Raycast helps him manage his time better. He also shares his daily rituals and how he juggles multiple clients and parenthood. Episode Highlights:
A day in Abhimanyu’s life:
Abhimanyu walks us through his weekday flow, starting with dropping his child to playschool, followed by a quiet hour of focused work before calls begin. With 10+ projects across 4 to 5 clients, he shares how he structures his day to stay on top of priorities and support his team effectively.
Using Raycast to save time:
Abhimanyu explains how Raycast helps him cut down on small repetitive tasks like launching Figma files or switching Slack workspaces, so he can focus better and move faster without breaking flow. For him, Raycast is not just a launcher but a tool that enables smoother task switching and deeper focus.
Making time for focused work and intentional collaboration:
Abhimanyu shares how he carves out focused work blocks in his schedule and avoids back-to-back meetings. He talks about designing a rhythm that helps his team collaborate without constantly being in calls.
Mentoring and team support:
Abhimanyu shares how he supports his team by helping define project goals clearly and then stepping out of the way. He reflects on how trust, clarity, and fewer meetings create an environment where the team can do meaningful work without micromanagement.
Learn more about our research shenanigans:
Website: https://www.poocho.co/
Blog: https://www.poocho.co/resources/blog/
LinkedIn: https://in.linkedin.com/company/justpoocho
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@justpoocho
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/poochonetwork
Chapters:
00:00:00 Introduction to Abhimanyu Sirothia
00:01:25 A day in the life of a design director
00:03:27 Team dynamics and work-life challenges
00:06:05 Finding personal time and hobbies
00:08:09 Enablers for professional success
00:10:43 Challenges and obstacles
00:12:31 Daily tools and operating systems
00:16:19 Introduction to Raycast
00:17:52 Raycast value proposition and use cases
00:21:48 Raycast as a time-saving tool
00:25:12 Raycast in action: features and usage
00:28:47 Advanced features and availability
00:32:44 Introduction to Raycast
00:34:58 Raycast capabilities and use cases
00:37:27 Raycast as a personal assistant and future potential
00:40:25 Final thoughts and rapid fire
Down & Dirty with Dr. T is back with a fresh episode featuring Rachita Bisht, Lead UX Researcher at ShareChat and Moj! Rachita is a UX leader who’s passionate about understanding user behavior and always working to improve her research through real-world practice and new tools.
With a journey in UX research that began as an intern in 2019, Rachita has explored the depths of research in real world environments, working on everything from consumer apps to building live business units. In this episode, she opens up about her daily rituals, her unique approach to meet her users and how she's leveraging AI tools like Dot and Claude to make the design process smoother and smarter.
Episode Highlights
A day in Rachita’s life: Rachita walks us through her hybrid routine: checking Slack, planning her day on Notion, jumping into standups, and collaborating with cross-functional teams. She talks about balancing meetings, project updates, and deep work as a lead researcher at ShareChat and Moj.
From chatrooms to insights: Rachita talks about how she has made ShareChat itself her research base, tapping into the platform’s vast and active user communities to run fast, contextual research. She shares one example of a women-only focus group she ran inside a live ShareChat chatroom which was spontaneously set up and conducted within two hours. The story shows how she meets users where they already are and why in-context research matters.
Using AI to stay efficient: Rachita shares how tools like Dot, Claude, and Notion help her stay on top of her work. She uses them to plan studies, take notes, synthesize findings across multiple projects, and stay organized while managing overlapping timelines.
Crafting research that drives impact: Rachita explains how she works end to end, from planning and recruiting to synthesis and delivery. She highlights the importance of collaborating with PMs and designers to make research useful, not just insightful.
Learn more about our research shenanigans:
Website: https://www.poocho.co/
Blog: https://www.poocho.co/resources/blog/
LinkedIn: https://in.linkedin.com/company/justpoocho
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@justpoocho
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/poochonetwork
Chapters:
00:00:00 Introduction to Rachita Bisht
00:01:21 A day in the life of a UX Researcher
00:02:56 Research team structure and collaboration
00:05:37 Using AI tool 'Dot' for self-reflection
00:07:45 Tech touchpoints and creative user engagement
00:10:27 Tools and platforms for research
00:12:25 Personal creative outlets: digital collages and YouTube
00:16:11 Early experiences and the power of user feedback
00:18:17 The importance of user perspectives and research challenges
00:22:27 ShareChat chat rooms as a research tool
00:27:14 Using ShareChat chat rooms for targeted research and feedback
00:30:38 Evolution of chatroom usage and user comfort
00:33:29 Use cases for chat rooms
00:36:16 Alternative research tools
00:38:37 Suitability for external researchers
00:39:56 Chat rooms for live interaction and social listening
00:41:14 Social learning and community building
00:42:19 Introduction to AI tool Dot
00:43:46 Dot for brainstorming and writing
00:46:01 Dot vs ChatGPT
00:47:24 The evolution of AI tools
00:48:41 AI as a companion
00:51:30 Rapid fire and closing remarks
Down & Dirty with Dr. T is back with a fresh episode featuring Sarath Nair, Senior Associate Experience Design at JPMorganChase and former UX Lead at Divami Design Labs. Sarath is a design leader, mentor, and early morning cyclist who’s shaping thoughtful digital experiences while leading a fast-paced design team.
With over a decade in the UX space, he’s worked on everything from enterprise platforms to consumer apps. In this episode, he opens up about his leadership style, daily rituals, and how he’s using AI tools like ChatGPT to make the design process smoother and smarter.
Highlights from the episode:
A day in Sarath’s life:
Sarath shares his daily routine - from 6 AM group rides in Hyderabad to a focused 9-to-5 schedule. He talks about managing scrums, reviewing work, attending client calls, and wrapping up in time to spend evenings with his wife and their pup, Frenchie.
ChatGPT in the UX workflow:
Sarath gets into the nitty-gritty of how he uses ChatGPT to-
✅ Create user personas from stakeholder interviews
✅ Turn those personas into KPIs and dashboards
✅ Speed up research synthesis and ideation
✅ Train his team to use AI as a thinking partner, not a shortcut
Leading by empathy and clarity:
Sarath reflects on what it takes to manage a design team today. From giving actionable feedback to making sure he’s not a bottleneck, he shares how empathy, patience, and time management help him support his team while staying hands-on with the craft.
Learn more about our research shenanigans:
Website: https://www.poocho.co/
Blog: https://www.poocho.co/resources/blog/
LinkedIn: https://in.linkedin.com/company/justpoocho
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@justpoocho
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/poochonetwork
Chapters:
00:00:08 Meet Sarath Nair
00:01:37 A day in the life of a UX lead
00:03:08 Designing around life
00:04:15 Leading by design
00:05:37 What makes a good leader
00:08:18 Tools of the trade
00:09:38 Onboarding smarter with ChatGPT
00:13:05 Fast-tracking personas with AI
00:15:35 Dashboard design with a brain
00:17:05 Designing for clarity
00:19:16 Building personas (live)
00:22:11 Turning personas into action
00:26:08 Templates, tools, and truths
00:31:04 Time management & leadership tools
00:33:59 Lessons learned & rapid fire
00:35:10 Wrapping up
Down & Dirty with Dr. T. is back with another episode and this time our featured guest is Abhimanyu Shekhawat.
Abhimanyu is a seasoned leader in the consumer tech space with over two decades of experience across e-commerce, fintech and AI. He's currently building Nurix, a generative AI startup focused on reimagining customer experience for enterprises.
In this episode, Abhimanyu shares how tools like YouTube and his organized approach to content consumption help him stay ahead of tech trends while managing the constant ambiguity and challenges of building an AI company from the ground up.
Highlights from the episode:
A day in the life – What does a day in the life of a founding member generative AI startup look like? Abhimanyu takes us through his routine — from checking WhatsApp and Slack at 7:30 AM, to managing sales calls, product meetings, and client solutioning for a 20–25 person team. He shares how tools like Slack, Google Workspace, HubSpot, and ChatGPT help streamline operations, and how he evolved from a hands‑on “get it done” approach to a highly organized one.
YouTube as his indispensable content platform – For Abhimanyu, YouTube is his "one indisposable item"—a platform for consuming diverse content from AI trends to movie trailers. He shares how he consumes podcasts during Bangalore traffic, multitask during work, and stay updated through creators like Lex Friedman and Think School. His highly organized channel subscription system helps him quickly navigate to different content categories. As for why he sticks with YouTube Music instead of Spotify? You’ll never guess.
Challenges in startup life – It’s not all smooth sailing in the startup world. Abhimanyu talks openly about the shift from structured corporate roles to the ambiguity of joining a founding team, where prioritization is a constant challenge, resources are limited, and every team member has to wear multiple hats. In this environment, “there’s no concept of time” as weekdays and weekends blend, and cross‑functional collaboration becomes vital. Scaling from a team of 10 to 25 adds its own complexity, making resilience and focus essential in the fast‑paced AI space.
Learn more about our research shenanigans:
Website: https://www.poocho.co/
Blog: https://www.poocho.co/resources/blog/
LinkedIn: https://in.linkedin.com/company/justpoocho
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@justpoocho
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/poochonetwork
Chapters:
00:00:00 Welcome and introduction
00:00:48 Transition to generative AI startup
00:03:53 Structured vs. unstructured work
00:05:38 A day in the life at Neurix
00:08:42 Enablers for effective work
00:11:36 Task management and personal growth
00:12:59 Challenges and opportunities in a startup
00:15:06 Tech touchpoints and tools
00:16:59 Morning routine and app usage
00:19:27 Entertainment habits: YouTube and cooking
00:21:03 YouTube as an indispensable tool
00:23:37 YouTube features and content preferences
00:26:46 YouTube’s role in daily life
00:28:48 Entertainment: trailers, soundtracks, and YouTube Music
00:30:27 YouTube organization and consumption patterns
00:33:53 YouTube Premium and its benefits
00:35:53 Contextual recommendations and algorithmic understanding
00:37:16 Evolution of media consumption
00:39:24 The power of long‑form content for brand building
00:41:20 Rapid‑fire questions and reflections
00:42:42 Conclusion and farewell
Down & Dirty with Dr. T. is back with another episode and our featured guest this time is Amrita Sen.
Amrita is a cultural researcher and Partner at Quantum Consumer Solutions with over 10 years of experience in marketing strategy, consumer culture, and product innovation. She also mentors young team members and loves turning insights into ideas.
In this episode, Amrita shares how she manages both research work and team leadership, and how tools like Apple Podcasts and her morning routine help her stay informed and turn customer insights into practical ideas for her clients.
Highlights from the episode:
A day in the life – What does a day in the life of a cultural researcher working across multiple continents look like? Amrita takes us through her routine, from podcast-powered morning walks to clever cooking hacks that keep her fueled. She shares how tools like Zoho and Microsoft Teams help streamline global collaboration, and reveals her Instagram curation trick that turns social scrolling into creative fuel. All this while leading cultural research projects across India, Indonesia, Thailand, and Saudi Arabia. She shares how tools like Zoho and Microsoft Teams help streamline global collaboration, and reveals her Instagram curation trick that turns social scrolling into creative fuel.
Learn more about our research shenanigans:
Website: https://www.poocho.co/
Blog: https://www.poocho.co/resources/blog/
LinkedIn: https://in.linkedin.com/company/justpoocho
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@justpoocho
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/poochonetwork
Chapters:
00:00:00 Introduction to cultural research and Amrita's background
00:03:27 A day in the life: routine and tools
00:06:34 Enablers for success: personal strengths and company culture
00:12:27 Challenges and obstacles in the workplace
00:14:47 Tech tools and apps used daily
00:19:31 Podcast preferences
00:21:40 Audio vs. video
00:23:21 Podcasts in the workplace
00:25:06 Podcasts vs. AI
00:30:41 AI and visuals
00:34:04 AI in research and content curation
00:36:35 Podcast listening habits and research
00:38:41 Podcast selection and influence on research
00:40:19 Discovering new podcasts
00:41:58 Rapid fire round
00:43:49 Final thoughts and appreciation
This episode of Down & Dirty with Dr. T features an exciting conversation with Ruchika Jajodia. Ruchika is a UX Design expert with prior experience at top brands like Aston Martin, JLR, and Dyson. She specializes in UX strategy, research, and human-centered design. Over her three years at Aston Martin, she built a 17-member UX team from scratch, starting as the only designer!This episode explores the world of UX in the automotive industry, specifically focusing on the unique challenges and processes involved in designing user experiences for luxury vehicles. Episode Highlights:Day in the life: Ruchika walks us through a day in the life of a UX manager—from tracking tasks on agile boards and attending alignment meetings to driving research and development for new features and using the right tools to get stakeholder buy-in.It's all in the research: Ruchika details the extensive research process in the automotive industry. The entire project can take up to three years and involves customer clinics, simulator testing, and iterative design improvements.ProtoPie for buy-in: Ruchika demonstrates through screenshare how tools like ProtoPie are used to create interactive demos, allowing stakeholders to experience features before implementation, which helps in gaining buy-in.Challenges in UX: Ruchika shares the challenges that arise as a UX manager, the biggest one being stakeholders changing their minds, which can impact the design process and timelines.** This episode was shot last year and is being published now.**Find guest here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruchikajajodia/Also listen on:Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3UEbOtfApple Music: https://apple.co/3yw1uvGAmazon Music: https://amzn.to/3UWVrJvLearn more about our user research shenanigans at Poocho - Website: https://www.poocho.co/?utm_source=youtubeBlog: https://www.poocho.co/resources/blogLinkedIn: https://in.linkedin.com/company/justpoochoInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/justpoochoContact us: podcast@poocho.co
In this episode of 'Down and Dirty with Dr. T,' I had the pleasure of chatting with Pankaj Rai, the Chief Data Analytics Officer at Aditya Birla Group. Pankaj shared his insights on how WhatsApp has become an essential tool for him to maintain and enhance relationships, both personally and professionally. He described his typical day, which is meticulously planned from his morning run to his bedtime at 10:30 PM, emphasizing the importance of sleep and personal connections. We delved into his philosophy of using AI to drive business transformation and how he fosters a culture of engagement and learning within his team. Pankaj also shared some fun facts about his hobbies, like long-distance running and badminton, and his love for action movies. It was fascinating to hear how he balances his professional life with his personal interests, all while maintaining a strong network of relationships.
Show notes:
In this episode of Down and Dirty with Dr. T, I had an insightful conversation with Pankaj Rai, the Chief Data Analytics Officer at Aditya Birla Group. We delved into his daily routines, his approach to leveraging WhatsApp for work and personal relationships, and his unique methods for staying organized and engaged.
Chapters:
00:00:00 Introduction and Background of Pankaj Rai
00:01:47 A Day in the Life of a Chief Data Analytics Officer
00:12:53 Lessons Learned from Engaging with People
00:15:30 Introduction and Leadership Philosophy
00:17:03 Challenges in Building Relationships
00:24:10 Communication Tools and Networking Tips
00:30:54 Transition from Phone Calls to WhatsApp
00:32:24 WhatsApp Groups and Communities
00:36:04 WhatsApp vs. Other Communication Tools at Work
00:45:27 Effective Use of Social Media for Corporate Leaders
Learn more about our research shenanigans:
Website: https://www.poocho.co/
Blog: https://www.poocho.co/resources/blog/
LinkedIn: https://in.linkedin.com/company/justpoocho
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@justpoocho
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justpoocho
This episode of Down & Dirty with Dr. T. features a thought-provoking conversation with Ankit Vengurlekar. Ankit is an award-winning journalist, Executive Speech Coach, freelance content consultant, and creator of mindful content on AI, well-being, and slow living. He is also a former Executive Editor at Amazon.
Ankit has had a remarkable 19-year-long career and made a bold decision to quit full-time work, take a break, and embrace the freedom of freelancing. In this episode, he shares his journey of balancing work, technology, and personal growth. He and Taapsi also dive deep into his interactions with generative AI and the possibility of a future where anyone can be a Tony Stark.
Highlights from the episode:
How freelancers get it done: Ankit walks us through his work routine, explaining how he follows slow work principles and limits his work to just four hours a day.
Challenges & enablers – He opens up about the struggles of freelancing, from career roadblocks to the emotional support of family which has played a crucial role in his journey.
Generative AI & its evolving scope – Ankit discusses how AI can serve not just as a validation tool but also as emotional support. He quotes Mustafa Suleyman, the CEO of Microsoft AI, who calls AI a “new digital species.” He believes this is how we should look at AI.
ChatGPT-4o in action – Ankit has a live conversation with ChatGPT-4o on the show, showcasing the number of ways a conversation with generative AI can go. From generating pick-up lines to offering dating advice to avoid being friend-zoned!
Chapters:
00:00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome
00:07:40 A Day in the Life of Ankit Vengurlekar
00:13:18 Challenges and Roadblocks as a Freelance Content Consultant
00:21:03 Enablers of successful career
00:34:29 Gen AI as Validation and Emotional support
00:43:33 Deployment of Tech in his life
00:54:00 Introduction to Chat GPT 40
00:58:08 Scope and Future of Gen AI
00:59:29 Rapid fire and conclusion
Learn more about our research shenanigans:
Website: https://www.poocho.co/
Blog: https://www.poocho.co/resources/blog/
LinkedIn: https://in.linkedin.com/company/justpoocho
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@justpoocho
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justpoocho
This episode of Down & Dirty with Dr. T. features a leader who merges creativity with business acumen to drive impactful solutions.
Introducing Priti Saini, Director of Experience Design Lowcode at LTIMindtree. Priti is passionate about creating great user experiences that meet user and business requirements.
As a leader, Priti swears by Miro as the go-to tool for collaboration and innovation.
Highlights from the episode:
Designing with a business mindset – Priti emphasizes the importance of thinking like an entrepreneur, even as a designer. Simply showcasing attractive designs or user-friendly interfaces isn’t enough, designers must articulate the value their work brings to the company. Priti credits her mentors and hands-on experience for helping her understand the numbers behind the design process.
All things Miro – Whether leading workshops, explaining complex tasks to stakeholders, or mapping out customer journeys, Priti relies heavily on Miro. She talks about how Miro’s templates help streamline processes, ensuring that everyone involved can contribute to building solutions in real-time.
Working in remote and in-person settings – Priti highlights how Miro enhances collaboration, even when teams are geographically dispersed. Through a screenshare, she shows how she uses the tool to visualize ideas, conduct interactive workshops, and foster team collaboration, even in remote settings. She finds that noting down ideas digitally helps teams revisit and refine their work long after meetings conclude.
Learn more about our research shenanigans:
Website: https://www.poocho.co/
Blog: https://www.poocho.co/resources/blog/
LinkedIn: https://in.linkedin.com/company/justpoocho
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@justpoocho
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justpoocho
Down & Dirty with Dr. T. is back with another episode and our featured guest this time is Rahul Jain.
Rahul is the Data Engineering Manager at Snowflake with 13+ years of experience in data engineering, analytics, and data management. He was also recognized as one of LinkedIn's top 200 creators in India and participated in the LinkedIn Creator Accelerator program.
In this episode, Rahul shares how he balances his technical and management roles, and how tools like ChatGPT and Grammarly help him enhance his productivity and clarity in communication.
Highlights from the episode:
The enablers of effective management: One of the key strengths that enable Rahul to be an effective manager is his ability to get things done through people. Transitioning from an individual contributor to a managerial role required him to become an abstract thinker who can provide clarity and alignment to his team. He emphasizes that modern management is less about micromanaging tasks and more about giving teams a clear vision and removing roadblocks. This approach ensures that his team is empowered to take initiative and deliver results.
Obsessed with data: Rahul describes data engineers as people who are obsessed with data both professionally and personally. He shares an anecdote about how he asks his wife for grocery bills so he can analyze their consumption patterns over six months. This obsession with data leads them to always challenge guesses or gut feelings with actual data.
Leveraging tools for productivity: Rahul extensively uses tools like ChatGPT and Grammarly to enhance productivity and clarity in communication. Through a screenshare, he shows how he also uses ChatGPT for generating foundational code snippets for projects, significantly reducing development time from hours to minutes. However, he cautions against using ChatGPT for sensitive organizational data due to privacy concerns.
Chapters
00:00:00 Introduction to Rahul Jain
00:03:07 Daily Life and Management Challenges
00:09:54 Leveraging ChatGPT in Professional Life
00:12:25 Introduction to AI and Data Strategy
00:15:00 Using ChatGPT for Content Creation
00:20:10 ChatGPT in Coding and App Development
00:26:08 The Importance of Precision in Communication
00:28:20 Using Grammarly for Day-to-Day Communication
00:32:34 Deploying AI Models within Organizational Boundaries
Learn more about our research shenanigans:
Website: https://www.poocho.co/
Blog: https://www.poocho.co/resources/blog/
LinkedIn: https://in.linkedin.com/company/justpoocho
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@justpoocho
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justpoocho
Welcome back to another episode of Down & Dirty with Dr. T. and this time, we had the most introspective chat with Sidhaant Karnick.
Sidhaant Karnick is a versatile Indian actor who made his television debut as Arjun Khanna in the teen drama Remix. He gained widespread acclaim for his role as Rana Indravadhan Singh Deo in Ek Tha Raja Ek Thi Rani and added another feather to his cap with his portrayal of Varun Pratap Malhotra in the blockbuster film Animal.
Join Taapsi (Dr. T.) as she sits down with her old friend and takes a look at his daily life, his passion for biking, and how he stays grounded amidst the unpredictability of an actor's life. Sidhaant also shares his thoughts on the importance of introspection and how he uses YouTube Music to set the mood.
Highlights from the episode:
A day in the life of an actor: Sidhaant is not just an actor but a seeker in many realms. He shared that there is no average day in his life due to the ever-changing nature of an actor's schedule. From early morning badminton sessions to late-night movie marathons, Sidhaant’s days are filled with a variety of activities that keep him grounded and inspired. He also shared how he likes to take long rides on his motorcycle to help him hit 'neutral' after getting deeply involved in a character.
Seeking Self through various mediums: Throughout the conversation, it became evident that introspection is central to Sidhaant’s lifestyle. Whether it's through acting, biking, or manifesting goals on a whiteboard, he constantly seeks ways to better understand himself. He even participates in physically challenging activities like trekking or surfing annually to push his limits and return home more grounded and appreciative of life's comforts.
Music as an emotional anchor: Music plays a significant role in Sidhaant's life. He starts his mornings with soothing tunes from artists like Louis Armstrong or Norah Jones via Alexa. Depending on the activity—be it working out or preparing for a meeting—he uses music to set the right mood. Unlike others who might use music to tune out the world, Sidhaant uses it to enhance his focus and emotional state. He also shared how YouTube Music’s terrific and intuitive algorithm curates playlists that help him discover new sounds that resonate with his moods and inspire his creativity.
Chapters
00:00:00 Introduction and Siddhant's Career Overview
00:02:04 A Day in the Life of an Actor
00:12:54 The Importance of Manifestation
00:14:30 Manifestation and Daily Routines
00:18:05 Digital Minimalism and Social Media
00:23:01 Introspection and Personal Growth
00:29:25 House Parties vs. Nightclubs
00:31:02 The Role of Music in Daily Life
00:43:16 The Importance of Breathing
00:44:43 Rapid Fire Questions with Siddhant Karnick
Learn more about our research shenanigans:
Website: https://www.poocho.co/
Blog: https://www.poocho.co/resources/blog/
LinkedIn: https://in.linkedin.com/company/justpoocho
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@justpoocho
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justpoocho
This episode of Down & Dirty with Dr. T. features a woman who wears many hats👒
Meet Priyanjali Datta. She is a serial entrepreneur who has won several awards including being recognized as one of the "Top 10 Best Young Technology Entrepreneur" by One Young World & Novartis. She also co-founded Aarogya International, developing AI tools for early health condition detection among underprivileged women. She is currently leading expansion efforts at Audio Futures (Virtual Sonics Inc.) as their Chief Growth Officer.
Managing multiple projects comes with the challenge of staying organized. The tool that Priyanjali trusts to keep track of everything is Trello.
Highlights from the episode:From Shillong to Silicon Valley: Priyanjali comes from Shillong, a matrilineal society where early detection of health issues is highly valued. After moving to Delhi, she noticed that women often came to hospitals at very late stages of their illnesses. This spurred her to work on developing first- and second-generation AI algorithms for breast cancer detection. Her efforts have led to diagnosing over 70,000 women across four countries.
Challenges in product development and fundraising: Priyanjali’s main challenges in product development are recruiting skilled team members, creating a standout user experience, and executing effective distribution strategies. Additionally, fundraising has become more difficult due to the economic downturn. She shares how she navigates these complexities successfully.
Using Trello: Priyanjali was all praises for her preferred project management tool, Trello. She highlighted its simplicity, efficiency, and visual appeal for managing tasks and projects. Through a screenshare, she showed how its intuitive interface allows easy creation of boards, lists, and cards that help keep everyone on the same page.
Chapters
00:00:00 Introduction to Priyanjali Datta
00:01:19 Transition from Health Sciences to AI
00:13:18 Current Challenges and Responsibilities
00:14:16 Recruitment Challenges
00:17:01 Personal and Professional Growth
00:23:37 Tools for Productivity
00:30:01 Introduction to Mobile App Management
00:32:01 Using Trello for Company Objectives
00:42:06 Trello's Interface and Limitations
00:46:10 The Importance of Brainstorming in Trello
Learn more about our research shenanigans:
Website: https://www.poocho.co/
Blog: https://www.poocho.co/resources/blog/
LinkedIn: https://in.linkedin.com/company/justpoocho
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@justpoocho
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justpoocho
This episode of Down & Dirty with Dr. T. features an insightful conversation with a seasoned designer who continues to place his complete trust in a timeless design tool: Microsoft PowerPoint.
Kapil Joshi is the current Head of Experience Design Practice at Capgemini. With over 20 years of experience in design and analytics within the fintech sector, Kapil brings a wealth of knowledge to our discussion.
These days, while many designers have shifted to more specialized platforms like Figma, Sketch or AdobeXD, he stands by this classic and showcases how it is versatile and accessible for initial concept building and presentations.
Highlights from the episode:
Day in the life: Kapil gives us a peek into what a day in his life looks like. His mornings are filled with meetings with leads and prioritizing tasks for the day. Whether working from home or the office, his tasks range from creating solutions for proposals to coordinating with account managers and staffing partners. In leadership roles like his, strategy work is crucial. Weekly or bi-weekly sessions involve preparing points of view or identifying industry trends.
Challenges and enablers in design leadership: Leadership roles come with their own set of challenges. For Kapil, these vary daily—from resource constraints to project escalations. One significant hurdle has been getting people back to the office post-COVID-19. Despite such challenges, he finds immense support from his leadership team at Capgemini, who are visionary thinkers pushing him to innovate constantly. The healthy competition within his team also acts as an enabler for continuous growth.
Al things PowerPoint: Through a screenshare, Kapil gives us a detailed walkthrough of how he uses PowerPoint via the examples of creating a user journey and dashboard. The feature he uses most in PowerPoint is “shapes” and demonstrates how they can be used to create detailed wireframes quickly. This accessibility makes it easier for non-designers to collaborate on projects without needing specialized software.Chapters
00:00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome
00:01:38 A Day in the Life of Kapil Joshi
00:10:42 Challenges and Enablers in Experience Design
00:12:29 Challenges and Enablers
00:16:04 Design Philosophy and Tools
00:22:19 PowerPoint as a Design Tool
00:25:55 Introduction to PowerPoint for Interviews
00:30:36 Creating Visually Appealing Presentations
00:36:00 The Role of AI in Presentation Design
Learn more about our research shenanigans:
Website: https://www.poocho.co/
Blog: https://www.poocho.co/resources/blog/
LinkedIn: https://in.linkedin.com/company/justpoocho
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@justpoocho
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justpoocho
This exciting episode of Down & Dirty with Dr. T. features a woman who needs no introduction – The one and only Malini Agarwal aka MissMalini!
Malini Agarwal is one of the first globally recognized Indian influencers, best known as the Founder of MissMalini Entertainment. But that’s not all, she also founded Girl Tribe by MissMalini, co-founded Good Creator Co., and authored two books: To the Moon and Under the Influence.
In this episode, Malini tells Taapsi about her daily life, her use of technology, and how she manages her busy schedule. We delved into her favorite apps and tools, particularly ChatGPT and the UltraHuman ring, and discussed how these technologies help her stay efficient and healthy.
Highlights from the episode:
Role of technology in her routine: Malini relies on her phone as her main tool for managing daily tasks, handling most work via handheld devices. She occasionally uses a laptop for writing, which is where she worked on her two books. She shares how she uses apps like Instagram, Google Calendar, Uber, Google Pay, and ChatGPT to stay productive and connected.
Using the Ultrahuman wearable: Malini always wears her Ultrahuman ring and uses it to monitor various health metrics such as sleep quality and stress levels. The ring provides detailed insights into her sleep patterns—tracking light sleep, deep sleep, REM cycles, and even sleep debt. She shares how this has encouraged her to make healthier choices like reducing caffeine intake before bedtime and prioritizing naps when needed.
Using ChatGPT to write in her style: Another fascinating aspect of Malini's routine is her use of ChatGPT for content creation. By uploading PDFs of her books into ChatGPT, it can now generate content in ‘Malini’s style.’ This has made tasks like writing Instagram captions remarkably more efficient. She uses ChatGPT not just for social media posts but also for brainstorming ideas and organizing meeting notes.
Chapters:
00:00:00 Introduction to Miss Malini
00:01:44 A Day in the Life of Malini
00:08:49 The Importance of Sleep
00:12:16 Introduction to Wearable Technology
00:15:26 Exploring ChatGPT's Capabilities
00:23:01 Screen Time and Digital Detox
00:26:10 Introduction to ChatGPT
00:29:02 Caution with AI Tools
00:31:34 Rapid Fire Round
Learn more about our research shenanigans:
Website: https://www.poocho.co/
Blog: https://www.poocho.co/resources/blog/
LinkedIn: https://in.linkedin.com/company/justpoocho
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@justpoocho
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justpoocho
This episode of Down & Dirty with Dr. T. features Juhi Arya, the Product Marketing Manager at Galleri5, an AI-powered influencer marketing solution.
Juhi, a growth marketing expert, has 8 years of work experience in her field and is a BITS Pilani graduate. In this episode, she shares her daily routine, the tools she uses for work, and her experiences with WhatsApp Wati and why it is the top CRM software in her eyes.
Highlights from the episode:
Importance of planning and coordination: One key takeaway from the conversation was Juhi's emphasis on planning and team coordination. She spends about 30-45 minutes every morning planning out her tasks and coordinating with her team to ensure smooth workflow. This planning phase is crucial for avoiding last-minute hiccups. She also highlighted the importance of transparency within the team, which helps in timely delivery and boosts overall confidence.
All about WhatsApp Wati: WhatsApp Wati has proven to be an invaluable tool for Juhi's growth marketing tasks. Through a screenshare, she takes us through features like broadcast message templates, chatbot efficiency, and analytics such as response rates and engagement metrics. According to Juhi, this tool has streamlined many aspects of customer engagement by offering automated responses based on predefined workflows. While it excels in handling small to medium-sized queries effectively, it might struggle with high-volume inquiries.
Challenges in Growth Marketing: Despite all the tools at her disposal, Juhi acknowledged several challenges she faces regularly. These include ad-hoc tasks that disrupt planned schedules and communication gaps that lead to inefficiencies. She emphasized the need for transparent communication to mitigate these issues effectively. Her experience underscores how vital it is to have both reliable tools and clear processes in place to navigate these challenges successfully.
Chapters:
00:00:00 Introduction to Juhi Arya
00:01:09 A Day in the Life of a Growth Marketer
00:10:39 Challenges and Enablers in the Workplace
00:12:53 Importance of Transparency at Work
00:14:03 Essential Tools for Digital Marketing
00:22:24 Advantages of WhatsApp for Business Communication
00:27:09 Transition from MailChimp to WhatsApp Wati
00:28:39 Analytics and Templates in WhatsApp Wati
00:33:05 Challenges and Future Prospects
Learn more about our research shenanigans:
Website: https://www.poocho.co/
Blog: https://www.poocho.co/resources/blog/
LinkedIn: https://in.linkedin.com/company/justpoocho
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@justpoocho
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justpoocho
We’re thrilled to introduce today’s guest on Down & Dirty with Dr. T.: Atul Khola.
Atul started his journey at the National Institute of Fashion Technology in Mumbai and went on to work at cool startups like Cure.fit and Topper. He is now rocking it at CRED as the Lead Product Designer.
Atul tells us that he has optimized his work day to its full extent. The tools that helps him navigate the million things he has to do in a day? ChatGPT.
Highlights from the episode:
A day in the life: Atul gives us a peek into his daily routine, which includes waking up early for contemporary dance classes, hitting the gym, and then diving into work at CRED. He shares how he maintains a balance between creating and mentoring - sometimes even playing cricket for fun during office hours!
Work culture at CRED: One of the highlights of working at CRED for Atul is its unique team culture. He describes it as a close-knit group where everyone hugs instead of shaking hands every morning. This sense of warmth has created an environment where no one wants to leave. The design team spans across various disciplines such as motion graphics, illustration, VFX, and marketing. According to Atul, this combination of talent not only makes work enjoyable but also incredibly productive.
Harnessing ChatGPT for Design Efficiency: Atul shares his insights on how he uses ChatGPT to streamline his work processes. For instance, he employs ChatGPT for drafting emails and generating UX copy efficiently. It helps him frame emails by simply speaking his thoughts rather than typing them out laboriously. Additionally, he demonstrates how ChatGPT can assist in product design by providing competitive analysis and user stories within minutes—tasks that would traditionally take days to complete.
Chapters:
00:00:00 Introduction to Atul Khola
00:02:44 A Day in the Life of a Lead Product Designer
00:10:03 Leadership and Team Dynamics at CRED
00:15:09 Introduction to Design Philosophy
00:17:00 Challenges and Time Management
00:21:03 Leveraging AI in Design
00:28:47 Introduction to Empathy Mapping and Wireframes
00:31:09 Using ChatGPT for UX Copy and A/B Testing
00:35:29 Personal Assistant Capabilities of ChatGPT
Learn more about our research shenanigans:
Website: https://www.poocho.co/
Blog: https://www.poocho.co/resources/blog/
LinkedIn: https://in.linkedin.com/company/justpoocho
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@justpoocho
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justpoocho
This episode of Down & Dirty with Dr. T. features Anshita Solanki, a Senior Content Writer at Softweb Solutions.
Anshita is a creative person through and through and her passion for writing extends beyond her job as she's also a poet and filmmaker.
In this episode we explored her daily routine, her work process, the tools she uses, and how generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Google Bard (now Gemini) fit into her workflow. She also shares personal insights on the challenges and strengths she experiences in her role.
Highlights from the episode:
ChatGPT and Gemini: Through a screenshare, Anshita shows how she uses both ChatGPT and Bard for research and writing and how they contribute differently to her workflow. She shared how these tools help her gather information and refine her content, although she prefers to write most of it herself to keep the human touch.
Importance of her team: We also dug into the collaborative nature of her job, where peer reviews and teamwork are key. She was all praises about her team and got candid about how every member actively contributes to each other's growth. Their collaborative and thorough review process helps them produce high-quality content that meets the company's standards.
ChatGPT v/s Gemini (formerly Bard): Both tools have their own place in Anshita’s workflow. She points out the differences between the two and the roles they play and while she uses them both, she prefers Gemini over ChatGPT in a lot of cases, especially when it comes to professional writing. One of her favourite features about the tool is that it also gives the references of the articles that it has taken the content from.
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction to Anshita Solanki
01:00 A Day in the Life of Anshita
07:30 Challenges and Tools in Content Writing
13:21 Integrating ChatGPT and BARD into Daily Workflow
16:25 Creative Uses of AI Tools
20:02 Comparing AI Tools for Writing
26:36 Introduction to Data Analysis
29:04 Using BARD for Professional Writing
35:01 Generative AI Tools in Content Creation
Learn more about our research shenanigans:
Website: https://www.poocho.co/
Blog: https://www.poocho.co/resources/blog/
LinkedIn: https://in.linkedin.com/company/justpoocho
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@justpoocho
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justpoocho