Tell us about yourself
My name is Pallavi, and I’m from Pune, a city in the western part of India. Professionally, I work as a Senior Project and Program Analyst, where I manage different kinds of programs. I am also learning Japanese.
Why did you participate?
I decided to participate because my work is somewhat related to UX, where I’ve developed an understanding of employee experiences within my company. Over the years, I’ve found that when I’m asked to capture feedback, I naturally empathize with employees' needs and how they approach survey questions, as my work mainly involves survey analysis and similar tasks.
I thought this workshop would be a great opportunity to dive deeper into UX, and I was happy to find that the workshop had no prerequisites. For a complete newbie like me, it was a great opportunity to jump in and explore the field.
So you wanted to learn more about UX?
Totally! I wanted to learn more about UX. Theoretically, I knew a few steps of design thinking, but applying it in a real-world setting - where you’re actually trying to improve the economy or help the people who live there - that’s the best part.
How did this workshop meet your expectations?
To be frank, I was a bit scared at first because none of my friends knew about Shimoda, and we weren’t sure about the facilities here or how the food situation would be, especially since I’m vegetarian.
But the workshop exceeded my expectations in many ways. The facilities, the content we were given, and the way everything was organized - it all came together in a sequence that helped us understand things clearly.
On day one, we were all a bit overwhelmed, it felt like the first day of school, but gradually, I became accustomed and made friends from all over the world. It made us want to stay.
It was really interesting to learn about everyone.
What would you tell any colleague or friends interested in attending in the future?
I would definitely tell my friends and colleagues, especially those approaching UX as newbies like me, that this was a great way of gaining hands-on learning experience.
Would you recommend it to them?
I would definitely recommend it to them.
Why would you choose Japan to study UX among other places?
I have a personal interest in Japan, which makes studying UX here even more compelling.The culture really resonates with me. It’s fascinating to see how detailed-oriented Japanese people are. Even though it takes time, they’re very patient and trust the process. In the end, the kind of products Japan produces, which are known globally, are amazing. The quality is always exceptional.
Was there a particular part of the workshop that you enjoyed the most?
What I enjoyed most was bringing people together from different countries. In my company, I often work with stakeholders and teams across cities and countries, but it's all done online.
Meeting new people in person, you actually become friends and experience fascinating cultural differences first hand, such as different cultural interactions style.
It's rare that people take leaves from their regular lives to come to Japan. It's like taking a vacation that includes some work, but it’s not tedious work, it’s fun! If you ever need a break from your entire life and want to meet a new group of people, this is a great way to do it.
