Product Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Designer

Company: HowNow

Location: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Product Design / UX/UI

Date Posted: 2026-08-13

Experience Level: Mid-Level (2-5 Years)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive end-to-end product design for digital products, translating user needs and business objectives into intuitive and engaging user experiences.

• Leverage advanced proficiency in design tools like Figma and cutting-edge AI coding agents for rapid prototyping and development cycles.

• Conduct lightweight user research and analyze product analytics to inform design decisions and iterate on product features.

• Collaborate effectively within a cross-functional squad comprising Product Managers, Engineers, and Data Analysts to deliver high-impact features.

• Contribute to the evolution of a robust design system, ensuring consistency and scalability across the HowNow platform.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a Product Designer with a strong emphasis on hands-on execution and innovation, particularly in the realm of AI-assisted prototyping. The hybrid work model and specific office attendance days indicate a need for on-site collaboration while offering flexibility. The salary benchmark provided is specific to the Indian market for this role and experience level.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Own the complete design lifecycle of features, from initial concept and user research to wireframing, prototyping, UI design, and final release.

• Develop and maintain detailed design documentation, including user flows, information architecture, wireframes, and high-fidelity mockups.

• Utilize Figma's advanced features (components, variants, auto-layout, variables) to build and manage design system elements.

• Build and iterate on live, deployed prototypes using AI coding agents (e.g., Claude Code) and standard IDE/terminal workflows.

• Conduct qualitative and quantitative user research, including interviews, concept tests, and usability sessions, synthesizing findings into actionable design improvements.

• Analyze product analytics and experiment results to validate design choices and identify areas for optimization.

• Ensure design adherence to accessibility standards (WCAG) and best practices for type, spacing, and hierarchy.

• Collaborate closely with Product Managers to understand requirements and with Engineers to ensure accurate implementation of designs.

• Participate actively in team critiques, providing and receiving constructive feedback to elevate design quality.

• Contribute to the company's knowledge base by documenting design decisions, rationale, and open questions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of traditional product design skills and emerging AI-driven development practices. The emphasis on "owning" features and operating "without hand-holding" suggests a need for a highly autonomous and proactive designer. The explicit mention of Git proficiency underscores the collaborative nature of the development process.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Interaction Design, or a related field.

• Alternatively, a strong portfolio demonstrating equivalent practical experience and design expertise. Experience:

• 3-4 years of experience in designing digital products end-to-end (web, mobile, or both) within a product-led team environment.

• Proven track record of personally owning at least one feature from a vague brief through to release. Required Skills:

• Figma Mastery: Fluent in Figma, including advanced usage of components, variants, auto-layout, and variables; experience working within a maintained design system.

• AI-Assisted Prototyping: Experience building and iterating on real, deployed prototypes using agentic coding tools (e.g., Claude Code); comfort with terminal/IDE workflows.

• Version Control: Competent use of Git for everyday work, including branching, committing, pushing, and resolving minor conflicts.

• User Research & Testing: Ability to conduct lightweight user research (interviews, concept tests, usability sessions) and translate findings into design decisions.

• Information Architecture & Wireframing: Proficiency in creating user flows, information architecture, and wireframes.

• UI Design Principles: Strong fundamentals in typography, spacing, hierarchy, and color; habituated practice of designing accessible interfaces.

Preferred Skills:

• Startup or scale-up background, demonstrating adaptability in fast-paced environments.

• Experience with motion design and micro-interactions using tools like Rive or Lottie.

• Experience in building or significantly contributing to a design system, not just consuming one.

• Conceptual understanding of how Large Language Models (LLMs) function, including context, tokens, and non-determinism.

• Ability to build small automations or internal tools to enhance design team efficiency.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on AI coding agents and Git is a significant differentiator for this role, suggesting a forward-thinking approach to product development. The "or a portfolio strong enough that it doesn't matter" clause indicates that practical skill and a compelling portfolio can outweigh formal education for exceptional candidates.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase 2–3 deep case studies detailing the problem, design process, iterations, discarded ideas, shipped features, and measurable outcomes.

• Demonstrate end-to-end ownership of at least one feature, from initial concept to post-release analysis.

• Highlight experience working within or contributing to a design system.

• Include examples of how user research and data analysis informed design decisions and led to improvements.

• Present designs that adhere to strong UI principles and accessibility standards. Process Documentation:

• Clearly articulate your design process, from problem definition and research to ideation, prototyping, testing, and implementation.

• Provide examples of how you've used AI coding agents and Git in your workflow for prototyping and development.

• Detail how you measure the success of your designs and communicate these results, ideally with quantitative data.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio requirements are highly specific, emphasizing not just the final output but the entire design process, including early-stage ideation, research synthesis, and post-launch impact. The explicit need to showcase AI coding agent usage and Git proficiency is critical.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• The benchmark range for this role in Mumbai, India, is approximately ₹11 LPA – ₹13 LPA (Lakhs Per Annum).

• This range is calculated using the SaaS benchmarking tool, Figures. Benefits:

• Performance Bonus: Eligible for a performance-based bonus.

• Hybrid Working: Work from the office 3 days a week (Monday-Wednesday).

• Wind-down Fridays: No meetings from 3 PM onwards on Fridays for personal activities.

• Enhanced Parental Policies: Enhanced maternity and paternity leave policies.

• Generous Holiday Allowance: 25 days of annual leave, plus bank holidays, and your birthday off.

• Learning & Development: Annual budget of £200 for professional development.

• Pet-Friendly Office: Dog-friendly office environment.

• Social Events: Monthly team socials and dinners.

• Learning Platform Access: Unlimited access to the HowNow+ learning platform.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time working hours, with an expectation of 40 hours per week.

• "Wind-down Fridays" offer a unique benefit by eliminating meetings after 3 PM.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is provided in INR, reflecting the Indian market. The "Wind-down Fridays" benefit is a unique cultural offering designed to promote work-life balance. The L&D budget is specified in GBP (£200), which is an interesting detail for an Indian-based role and may require clarification from the employer.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: EdTech / SaaS (Learning and Skills Platform)

Company Size: Scale-up phase, indicated by rapid growth and established enterprise clients.

Founded: 2019, suggesting a relatively young company with a modern approach to technology and work culture.

Team Structure:

• Operates within a "squad" model, comprising a Product Designer, Product Manager, Engineers, and Data Analysts.

• This structure fosters close collaboration and shared ownership of product features.

• The Product Design Lead, Ashish Soundalkar, is directly involved in hiring and the interview process. Methodology:

• AI-First Prototyping: Central to the workflow is the use of AI coding agents (Claude Code) for building live prototypes, moving beyond traditional clickable mockups.

• Agile & Iterative: Embraces shifting priorities and incomplete information, characteristic of agile development in a growing company.

• Data-Informed Design: Utilizes product analytics and experiment results to guide design decisions, balanced with design intuition.

• Continuous Learning: Promotes ongoing skill development through internal learning platforms and external budgets.

Company Website: https://careers.gethownow.com

📝 Enhancement Note: HowNow positions itself as an innovative EdTech company disrupting traditional learning methods. The "squad" model implies a collaborative and integrated approach to product development, where designers work hand-in-hand with other functions. The AI-centric approach to prototyping is a key differentiator of their methodology.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Mid-Level Product Designer. This role is expected to operate with a significant degree of autonomy, taking ownership of features from concept through to launch and iteration. It's not an entry-level position but offers substantial responsibility.

Reporting Structure:

• Reports to the Product Design Lead, Ashish Soundalkar.

• Works within a cross-functional "squad" alongside Product Managers and Engineers. Operations Impact:

• Directly influences the user experience and functionality of the HowNow Learning and Skills Platform, a critical component of the company's SaaS offering.

• Designs contribute to user engagement, skill acquisition, and ultimately, the platform's value proposition for enterprise clients.

• The application of AI and efficient prototyping methods aims to accelerate product development and market responsiveness. Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Deepen expertise in AI-assisted design, advanced Figma usage, and potentially contribute to building the design system.

• Leadership Potential: Opportunity to grow into senior design roles or potentially lead specific product initiatives within squads.

• Startup Environment: Exposure to rapid growth and evolving processes, offering a dynamic learning curve and potential for expanded responsibilities.

• Learning & Development: Formal L&D budget and access to HowNow+ platform for continuous upskilling.

• Cross-Functional Exposure: Gain deeper insights into product management, engineering, and data analysis through integrated squad work.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role offers a clear path for growth within a dynamic startup environment, with opportunities to specialize in cutting-edge design technologies and contribute significantly to a growing platform. The emphasis on autonomy and ownership suggests a fast-paced learning trajectory.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid work model with 3 days per week in the Mumbai office (Monday-Wednesday). This suggests a blend of focused individual work at home and collaborative sessions in the office.

Office Location(s):

• K.Raheja Platinum, Mumbai, India (Pin Code: 400059).

• This implies a modern office space in a business district, likely equipped for collaborative work. Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The office days are structured for team interaction, squad meetings, and design critiques.

• Technology Focus: Expect access to necessary design software and hardware, with an emphasis on tools like Figma and environments supporting AI coding agent use.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities to connect with peers in Product, Engineering, and Data, fostering a shared understanding of product goals.

Work Schedule:

• Standard full-time hours (approx. 40 hours/week).

• "Wind-down Fridays" offer a unique flexibility, allowing for personal activities after 3 PM, promoting a healthier work-life integration.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model aims to balance the benefits of in-person collaboration with the flexibility of remote work. The "Wind-down Fridays" are a significant cultural differentiator that impacts the weekly work rhythm.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

1. Initial Screening (30-min Video Call): With Naaz (People Operations Coordinator) to discuss experience and role fit.

2. Round 1 (Call with Product Design Lead): Ashish Soundalkar will evaluate your overall design experience and approach.

3. Round 2 (Design Assignment): A practical assignment to assess your design skills, competency, and ability to apply the required tools and methodologies.

4. Final Interview (60-min Presentation): Present your design assignment to Nelson (CEO & Co-Founder) and Ashish Soundalkar. This is a key opportunity to showcase your reasoning, process, and impact.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Case Study Depth: Ensure your 2-3 case studies are comprehensive, detailing the problem, your specific contributions, the design process (including research and iterations), what shipped, and the resulting impact (quantified where possible).

• AI & Git Emphasis: Explicitly highlight projects where you utilized AI coding agents for prototyping and Git for version control. Explain your workflow and the benefits derived.

• Figma System Proficiency: Demonstrate your understanding and application of design system principles within Figma (components, variants, auto-layout).

• Problem-Solving Narrative: Clearly articulate why you made certain design decisions, referencing user research, data, and your design rationale.

• Visual Polish: Ensure your portfolio is visually clean, well-organized, and easy to navigate.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the "AI-First" Philosophy: Be prepared to discuss your understanding of AI in design and how you see it augmenting or changing the product design process.

• Demonstrate Ownership: For the assignment, clearly show how you took initiative and drove a feature to completion.

• Articulate Design Rationale: Be ready to defend your design choices with data, user insights, and design principles during the final presentation.

• Company Context: Research HowNow's product, mission, and target audience to tailor your approach and demonstrate genuine interest.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is structured to progressively assess your skills, from initial fit to deep design competency and strategic thinking. The final interview with the CEO is a significant opportunity to make a strong impression, requiring thorough preparation of the design assignment and clear articulation of your value.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: The core design tool, used for UI design, wireframing, prototyping, and design system management. Proficiency in advanced features like components, variants, auto-layout, and variables is essential.

• AI Coding Agents (e.g., Claude Code): Central to the prototyping workflow for building live, deployed prototypes. Experience with terminal or IDE environments is expected.

• Git: Essential for version control in collaborative development, requiring competence in branching, committing, pushing, and basic conflict resolution.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Product Analytics Tools: The ability to read and interpret data from product analytics platforms is crucial for informing design decisions. Specific tools are not named but are implied to be in use.

• Experimentation Tools: Understanding how to interpret results from A/B tests or other product experiments.

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly a design tool, understanding how design impacts user journeys within a CRM context could be beneficial, though not explicitly required.

📝 Enhancement Note: The technology stack is heavily focused on modern, efficient design and development workflows, with a significant emphasis on AI integration and robust version control. Familiarity with Figma and an eagerness to work with AI coding agents are paramount.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Innovation & Forward-Thinking: Encourages pushing boundaries with technology like AI coding agents.

• Work-Life Balance: Demonstrated through "Wind-down Fridays" and a focus on employee well-being.

• Continuous Learning: Commitment to upskilling through internal and external resources.

• Impact & Ownership: Values individuals who take initiative and drive features from start to finish.

• Collaboration & Ego-Free Critique: Fosters an environment where ideas are shared openly, and feedback is given/received constructively.

• Data-Driven Decisions: Emphasizes using evidence and taste to guide design choices.

Collaboration Style:

• Squad-Based: Works in integrated, cross-functional teams (PM, Engineering, Data, Design) for cohesive product development.

• Open Communication: Encourages clear explanation of design reasoning to non-designers and active participation in critiques.

• Documentation: Values clear written communication of decisions, rationale, and questions.

• Self-Direction: Promotes autonomy and proactive problem-solving rather than waiting for detailed briefs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture appears to be a blend of startup agility, a commitment to employee well-being, and a strong focus on adopting innovative technologies. The emphasis on open communication and constructive critique is vital for a collaborative design process.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Adopting New Technologies: Rapidly integrating and mastering AI coding agents and advanced prototyping methods within a live product environment.

• Balancing Speed and Quality: Delivering high-quality, accessible designs quickly in a fast-paced scale-up setting.

• Navigating Ambiguity: Working effectively with shifting priorities and incomplete information inherent in a growing company.

• Cross-Functional Communication: Clearly articulating complex design concepts and rationale to non-design stakeholders.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI Design Frontier: Become proficient in cutting-edge AI tools for product design and prototyping.

• Design System Contribution: Opportunity to move beyond consuming a design system to actively building and evolving it.

• Product Ownership: Gain extensive experience in owning features end-to-end within a product-led organization.

• Cross-Functional Expertise: Develop a deeper understanding of product management, engineering, and data analysis through daily collaboration.

• Formal L&D: Utilize the annual £200 learning budget and access to the HowNow+ platform for structured skill development.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary challenges revolve around embracing new technologies and thriving in a dynamic environment. The growth opportunities are significant, offering a chance to pioneer new design workflows and develop a broad skill set.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• AI in Design: "How do you see AI coding agents changing the role of a Product Designer? Can you give an example of how you've used AI tools in your design process?"

• Design Ownership: "Describe a time you owned a feature from a vague brief to launch. What were the biggest challenges, and how did you overcome them? What was the outcome?"

• Figma & Design Systems: "How do you approach building and maintaining components within Figma? How do you ensure consistency when working with a design system?"

• Research & Data: "Walk us through a situation where user research or product analytics significantly changed your initial design direction. What was your process for gathering and interpreting that information?"

• Collaboration: "Describe a time you had to explain a complex design decision to a non-designer. How did you tailor your communication?"

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about HowNow's mission and our approach to learning?"

• "How do you approach giving and receiving design critique?"

• "What are your thoughts on our 'Wind-down Fridays' initiative?"

• "How do you handle shifting priorities in a fast-paced environment?" Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Focus on Impact: For each case study, clearly articulate the problem, your solution, and the measurable results. Quantify impact wherever possible.

• Showcase the "Why": Be prepared to explain the rationale behind your design decisions, referencing research, data, and design principles.

• Highlight AI/Git Usage: Dedicate specific talking points to how you integrated AI coding agents and Git into your workflow, detailing the benefits.

• Demonstrate Process: Walk through your end-to-end process, from initial ideation and research to iteration and final delivery.

• Conciseness: Be mindful of time; practice presenting your case studies within a defined timeframe.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should heavily focus on demonstrating practical application of AI tools, strong design process, and the ability to articulate impact. The final interview with the CEO requires a confident presentation of your work and a clear understanding of HowNow's vision.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Designer position:

• Submit your application through the HowNow careers portal.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight 2-3 deep case studies, specifically emphasizing end-to-end feature ownership, the use of AI coding agents (like Claude Code), and Git proficiency.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly articulates your 3-4 years of experience in digital product design, using keywords like Figma, AI prototyping, user research, and design systems. Quantify achievements where possible.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, rationale, and the impact of your work. Be ready to discuss your experience with AI tools and your approach to collaborative design.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with HowNow's mission, product, and values. Understand their approach to learning and their innovative use of technology.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.