Aman is a multidisciplinary designer with work focusing on data visualization, information design and branding. He has a Master of Design from the Emily Carr University of Art + Design and authored a research paper titled Design Explorations of Ethics and Agency in Social Media. Aman has worked with Kai Analytics extensively on a variety of design projects and has a sharp eye for layout, UX, and other design considerations.
You combine your knowledge of graphic design with that of data science to create beautiful data visualizations. Can you share some of your thoughts on this process?
Design is an iterative process. What starts as a rough sketch can sometimes change a lot by the time it gets to the final version, and this shows the amount of creative liberty that designers have. But designing with data is a bit different. It has its own set of constraints. When I start to visualize a dataset, the first and foremost step for me is to understand what questions we are trying to answer through the data. These questions then become the constraints within which I must work and find a way to best visualize the data at hand so that answers to those questions get across most effectively. This is to say that not every visualization can be a bar graph or a pie chart. The design is mostly led by the data it represents and working within these constraints is what I enjoy the most while designing with data.
How did you find out about Kai Analytics and what made you interested in working here?
I was introduced to Kai Analytics a little after completing my master’s in early 2022 by a friend who was an intern here at the time. The company was looking for a designer who could specifically help them with data visualization. Since data visualization was an important part of my thesis, I realized that this could be the perfect opportunity for me to delve deeper into this branch of design. So far, I have had the opportunity to work on a wide range of projects that have at times challenged me to work out of my comfort zone and inspired me to learn more about designing with data.
"When I start to visualize a dataset, the first and foremost step for me is to understand what questions we are trying to answer through the data. These questions then become the constraints within which I must work and find a way to best visualize the data at hand"
What is the most rewarding part about working in this role?
Without a doubt the most enjoyable part of working here is the fact that I get to work with a multi-cultural team. As part of my job, I also design social media posts for the different holidays that we observe here at Kai Analytics. This is a good opportunity for me to learn something about these cultures. The monthly virtual water-coolers that we have are also something that I enjoy as they give me the chance to interact with my colleagues outside of a professional setting.
What do you do outside of work?
I love to travel and go on road trips. Ever since I got my drivers license, I never miss a chance to just drive out to a nearby place. I also enjoy biking and going on hikes whenever I get a chance, and with spring just around the corner, I have already started planning a few hikes for this season. Very recently I started playing badminton which I have been enjoying a lot, especially because there is not much you can do outdoors during the colder months.
Which hikes have you enjoyed the most so far?
The two major hikes that I did last year were the Stawamus Chief and Garibaldi Lake in Squamish. I enjoyed hiking the Chief especially because of its challenging terrain, the chains and ladders section, and for the views at the top, which were totally worth the grind.