Designing Across Cultures and Careers with Aysha Samrin , S6, E7

In this episode, we are joined by Aysha Samrin, UX Design Architect at McAfee.
Aysha’s journey is a testament to the power of creativity and resilience. From illustrating children’s books and building brands to leading UX strategy in global tech, her path has been shaped by cultural influences spanning India, Abu Dhabi, the UK, and Canada. Alongside her industry roles, she also mentors the next generation of designers as a Senior UX Instructor at the Vancouver Institute of Media Arts.

Discussion Points -

~ What was your journey like from illustration and branding to becoming a UX leader? 1:47
~ What is PropTech? 12:58
~ How have cultural influences from India, Abu Dhabi, the UK, and Canada shaped your design approach? 13:45
~ Rapid Fire Round 20:48
~ How are you experimenting with AI tools, and what opportunities or challenges do you see for designers? 26:54
~ What has your experience been like teaching UX at VanArts and mentoring the next generation of designers? 29:57
~ What advice do you have for young designers who are just beginning their careers in this field? 35:34

Show notes -

~ A lot of cultural influences show up in my design without me consciously putting them in—it’s what I’ve grown up with and observed.
~ Illustration taught me storytelling, and that skill has been invaluable in UX.
~  Understanding cultural context, like payment methods, colors, or patterns, can make or break a user experience.
~ Exploring AI tools has been eye-opening, not to replace designers, but to see how they can support creativity.
~ Teaching reminds me that design fundamentals never go out of style.
~ Formal design education matters; it gives you a foundation to build a long-term career instead of realizing too late that you’re in the wrong field.
~ Living and working across different countries taught me that even simple design choices, like colors or payment methods, carry deep cultural meaning.

Aysha’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aysha-samrin/