#1 – Tell us about your role and journey so far at DoorDash.
I’ve been at DoorDash for about two and a half years now. I currently handle the Trust, Safety and Identity domain. I predominantly work in the Dasher app, but have had the opportunity to touch upon multiple areas from Drive to Convenience and Grocery. When I started at DoorDash, we were a small and mighty design team of 20. Now we’ve almost quadrupled in size, but it still feels like a close knit family.
What I love about working at DoorDash is that you don’t have to be a designer to be customer-obsessed. Everyone here lives and breathes our audience, which makes it a very special and empathetic place to work.
#2 – How did you get into product design?
Since I was very young, I have always been a self-professed artistic math geek. Breaking down problems and solving them always gave me a lot of joy. But in the same vein, understanding why those problems occurred in the first place and being of service to people around me has also been a great passion of mine. This led me to get an undergraduate degree in computer science engineering. After having worked as an engineer for a few years, I was exposed to the world of design, solving people-problems through tech and it felt like a perfect fit. I went on to get a postgraduate degree in design, and there’s been no looking back!
#3 – What are you working on right now?
At DoorDash, I’ve been part of multiple initiatives from DoorDash Drive, our white-label fulfillment service, to Convenience and Grocery, and now to Trust, Safety and Identity. This year, we’ve launched some exciting new products, including Dasher Shop & Deliver, which helps our Dashers shop for groceries efficiently and seamlessly. I’m currently working on a brand new initiative in the Trust and Safety space that will greatly improve our audience’s trust in the platform.
#4 – What challenges or opportunities are you looking forward to as DoorDash grows?
I’ve been extremely lucky to have worked on all three sides of the DoorDash Marketplace––Dasher, consumer, and merchant. I’m constantly challenged to stay close to our Dashers, consumers, and merchants as we grow as a company. And I enjoy being able to help them through every little challenge and celebrate their achievements along the way. Being able to pick up the phone and ask them questions about how we can make their lives a little bit easier is a huge driver for how we go about crafting solutions for our growing list of audiences.
We’re constantly evolving and innovating, so the work here is very exciting and dynamic. With DoorDash expanding to new verticals and markets, we have bigger opportunities as a design team to impact a wider audience.
#5 – What is it like collaborating with Product partners at DoorDash? How do you work to build strong relationships with them?
At the DoorDash Design team, we work very closely with our product counterparts. We meet with them almost on a daily basis and have a strong strategic relationship. Design is usually involved right from the beginning in the planning phases where we help identify problems. We then continue to be closely involved throughout the problem definition, ideation, solutioning and implementation phases.
To build a strong relationship, I wear my Product Designer hat, and try to step into my Product Manager counterparts shoes to truly understand their point of view and rationale. This helps me not only think of problems in a different way but also empathize and align with them so we can quickly come to an agreement.
#6 – What do you love about the Design team culture, and what do you think is important for potential candidates to know?
The DoorDash Design team is a wonderfully inclusive, close-knit bunch. Humility is a virtue that is highly valued at DoorDash, and the Design team truly exemplifies it. Everyone is extremely skilled at what they do and are always willing to help out. Another special aspect of our design culture is high impact and ownership. Each designer owns large end to end domains and is able to have a direct impact on customers and business alike, which is very satisfying.
#7 – As a parent, how do you manage your work life balance? How does the team work to support you?
As a mom of a toddler, I have two full time jobs, and my team recognizes that. I always set strong boundaries and have worked towards creating a space where I work vs. where I hang out with my family. Evenings are sacred for me, as that’s when I spend time with my family, and I clearly block my calendar to communicate that to my team. My team has always been supportive of my dual role. We also have a wonderful group of parents on our Design team, and we’re always exchanging tips and tricks to balance work and family!
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Learn more about the Design team on the DoorDash Design Blog and apply to an open role today!
The post <strong>Employee Spotlight: Ashmita Vish, Senior Product Designer</strong> appeared first on DoorDash Newsroom.