D Talks - The Design Podcast

Sanjay Reddy

Welcome to my show! I'm Sanjay Reddy, an engineer turned Designer, Author & Mentor. I had a very tough transition to design, spent sleepless nights figuring out how to make my way into design, reached out to many people, visited institutes, spoke to professors and what not. All of that just to know more about design. I want to make this journey easier & fun for design enthusiasts, aspirants and students. On this show, I have candid conversations with designers about topics ranging from how to get into design to landing your first job as a designer & also how one can switch to design.

  1. UCEED 2024 Solved | AIR 1 | Shreyansh Agarwal | Sanjay Reddy | D Talks The Design Podcast

    12/11/2025

    UCEED 2024 Solved | AIR 1 | Shreyansh Agarwal | Sanjay Reddy | D Talks The Design Podcast

    In this episode of D Talks - The Design Podcast, Shreyansh Agarwal discusses his approach to UCEED 2023 questions. Shreyansh Agarwal was All India Rank 1 in UCEED 2023. ________________________________________Shreyansh's journey to AIR 1 in UCEED 2025Connect with Shreyansh on Instagram________________________________________Order the book: INTRODUCTION TO DESIGN“Introduction to Design” isn’t just a book; it’s a helpful guide that clears up confusion, busts myths, and shows the way for new designers. With the help of beautiful and simplified diagrams and illustrations, this book makes understanding the design world even easier and more practical, empowering readers to explore their creativity with confidence. Split into four main parts, each one acts like a map, leading you through the world of design. It helps you understand what design is all about and figure out your own path within it. With easy-to-understand writing and detailed illustrations, this book goes beyond just teaching—it becomes a joyful experience, full of knowledge, and a journey of discovery and understanding yourself better.I've been designing for 15 years, and if this book had come 15 years ago, I would have achieved all I did till now in 8 years! Aaquib WaniFounder & Creative Director Aaquib Wani Design________________________________________Mentorhsip courses for UCEED CEED NID & NIFT#NID #UCEED #CEED #NIFT #designpodcast ________________________________________Connect with Sanjay Reddy(Host)LinkedinInstagram

    2h 26m
  2. Design Director to Founder, Adit Gupta (ex ServiceNow), Founder Bookstates | The Design Podcast

    08/11/2025

    Design Director to Founder, Adit Gupta (ex ServiceNow), Founder Bookstates | The Design Podcast

    Adit Gupta is a seasoned design leader and entrepreneur with a deep-rooted passion for mathematics and philosophy. For over 15 years, he has driven high-impact design initiatives across a wide spectrum of industries — from education and travel to payments, retail, finance, health, and customer experience. Most recently, he served as Director of Product Design at ServiceNow, where he built and scaled world-class design teams and helped shape products used by millions worldwide.Adit’s approach to design — and to life — is grounded in the belief that truly meaningful products emerge at the intersection of empathy, systems thinking, and a profound respect for the human condition.________________BookStates A personal reading companion for curious minds. Available on iOS, Android, and Web, it helps readers track their reading progress, reflect on their reading patterns, capture highlights, and discover book recommendations tailored to their intellectual journey. More than a tracker, BookStates is designed to reveal what your books say about you — turning reading into a deeper act of self-discovery and connection. Built with intention, it caters to readers who value reflection as much as information.0:20 - Introduction1:39 - How to become a Design Director5:02 - Do you need Degrees to climb up the corporate ladder7:26 - Role of a degree10:13 - How to introduce yourself in a job interview12:08 - How to deal with the constant urge to do something16:30 - A.I. in Design20:42 - Staying up to date with A.I.22:45 - Quality of Ideas25:50 - 'Design Debt' Concept31:33 - Journey to building BoosStates35:52 - Evolution with reading books and BookStates41:22 - Reflective reading in BookStates45:20 - The age of Solopreneurs47:25 - Does Gen Z take risks50:10 - Feeling overwhelmed with switching jobs54:37 - Conclusion________________ Order the book: INTRODUCTION TO DESIGN“Introduction to Design” isn’t just a book; it’s a helpful guide that clears up confusion, busts myths, and shows the way for new designers. With the help of beautiful and simplified diagrams and illustrations, this book makes understanding the design world even easier and more practical, empowering readers to explore their creativity with confidence. Split into four main parts, each one acts like a map, leading you through the world of design. It helps you understand what design is all about and figure out your own path within it. With easy-to-understand writing and detailed illustrations, this book goes beyond just teaching—it becomes a joyful experience, full of knowledge, and a journey of discovery and understanding yourself better.I've been designing for 15 years and if this book had come 15 years ago, I would have achieved all I did till now, in 8 years! Aaquib WaniFounder & Creative Director Aaquib Wani Design________________________________________ Mentorship courses for UCEED, CEED, NID & NIFT________________________________________Connect with Sanjay Reddy(Host)LinkedinInstagram

    56 min
  3. UCEED 2025 Solved | AIR 1 | Shreyansh Agarwal | Sanjay Reddy | D Talks The Design Podcast

    06/24/2025

    UCEED 2025 Solved | AIR 1 | Shreyansh Agarwal | Sanjay Reddy | D Talks The Design Podcast

    In this episode of D Talks - The Design Podcast, Shreyansh Agarwal discusses his approach to UCEED 2025 questions. Shreyansh Agarwal was All India Rank 1 in UCEED 2025. 00:00 - 44:07 - NAT (Numerical Answer Type) 44:08 - 1:07:08 - MSQ (Multiple Select Question) 1:07:09 - 1:44:11 - MCQ (Multiple Choice Question) ________________________________________ Shreyansh's journey to AIR 1 in UCEED 2025 ________________________________________ Order the book: INTRODUCTION TO DESIGN “Introduction to Design” It isn’t just a book; it’s a helpful guide that clears up confusion, busts myths, and shows the way for new designers. With the help of beautiful and simplified diagrams and illustrations, this book makes understanding the design world even easier and more practical, empowering readers to explore their creativity with confidence. Split into four main parts, each one acts like a map, leading you through the world of design. It helps you understand what design is all about and figure out your own path within it. With easy-to-understand writing and detailed illustrations, this book goes beyond just teaching—it becomes a joyful experience, full of knowledge, and a journey of discovery and understanding yourself better. I've been designing for 15 years and if this book had come 15 years ago, I would have achieved all I did till now, in 8 years! Aaquib Wani Founder & Creative Director Aaquib Wani Design ________________________________________ Mentorship courses for UCEED CEED NID & NIFT ________________________________________ Connect with Sanjay Reddy(Host) Linkedin Instagram ________________________________________

    1h 44m
  4. Designing Life | Vinamra Agrawal, Foudner Brandhero | Sanjay reddy | The Design Podacst | D Talks

    06/16/2025

    Designing Life | Vinamra Agrawal, Foudner Brandhero | Sanjay reddy | The Design Podacst | D Talks

    Vinamra, a TEDx speaker and a seasoned design strategist with over a decade of experience, has collaborated with more than 130 brands. He works closely with tech company founders, CMOs, and product managers to elevate business KPIs, such as user retention, engagement, and conversions, through impactful brand design, UX design, and web design for both new and existing digital products. In this episode, we discuss how Vinamra transitioned from a corporate employee to starting a Design agency, the decisions he has taken over time to develop a location and time independent mindset. ________________________________________ Online courses for UCEED CEED NID & NIFT ⁠ ________________________________________ Order the book: INTRODUCTION TO DESIGN “Introduction to Design” isn’t just a book; it’s a helpful guide that clears up confusion, busts myths, and shows the way for new designers. With the help of beautiful and simplified diagrams and illustrations, this book makes understanding the design world even easier and more practical, empowering readers to explore their creativity with confidence. Split into four main parts, each one acts like a map, leading you through the world of design. It helps you understand what design is all about and figure out your own path within it. With easy-to-understand writing and detailed illustrations, this book goes beyond just teaching—it becomes a joyful experience, full of knowledge, and a journey of discovery and understanding yourself better.I've been designing for 15 years and if this book had come 15 years ago, I would have achieved all I did till now, in 8 years! Aaquib Wani Founder & Creative Director Aaquib Wani Design ________________________________________ Connect with Sanjay Reddy(Host) Linkedin Instagram ________________________________________

    47 min
  5. What is UX (User Experience Design) | Rama Kini, EVP Design Terralogic & Lollypop | D Talks - The Design Podcast

    04/26/2025

    What is UX (User Experience Design) | Rama Kini, EVP Design Terralogic & Lollypop | D Talks - The Design Podcast

    In this conversation, host Sanjay Reddy has a candid conversation with Rama Kini, EVP design and software services at Terralogic Inc. about The Real-UX. They discuss about - Is over-simplification a thing? Does it affect the overall experience of the product?How do you ensure the balance between Business Goals, Tech feasibility and user needs when creating products?How do you ensure your team understands what is most important to achieve the best outcome for the product and business?I would also like to briefly touch on "Over-autonomous" considering AI. ________________________________________Order the book: INTRODUCTION TO DESIGN“Introduction to Design” isn’t just a book; it’s a helpful guide that clears up confusion, busts myths, and shows the way for new designers. With the help of beautiful and simplified diagrams and illustrations, this book makes understanding the design world even easier and more practical, empowering readers to explore their creativity with confidence. Split into four main parts, each one acts like a map, leading you through the world of design. It helps you understand what design is all about and figure out your own path within it. With easy-to-understand writing and detailed illustrations, this book goes beyond just teaching—it becomes a joyful experience, full of knowledge, and a journey of discovery and understanding yourself better.I've been designing for 15 years and if this book had come 15 years ago, I would have achieved all I did till now, in 8 years! Aaquib WaniFounder & Creative Director Aaquib Wani Design________________________________________Online courses for UCEED CEED NID & NIFTMentorship courses for design aspirants appearing for Design entrance exams. ________________________________________Connect with Sanjay Reddy(Host)LinkedinInstagram________________________________________

    38 min
  6. UCEED 2025 All India Rank 1 | Shreyansh Agarwal | Preparation Strategy for UCEED NID and NIFT

    04/18/2025

    UCEED 2025 All India Rank 1 | Shreyansh Agarwal | Preparation Strategy for UCEED NID and NIFT

    UCEED (Undergraduate common entrance exam for design) All India Rank 1 in general category. Shreyansh AgarwalIn this episode of D Talks - The Design Podcast, host Sanjay Reddy speaks to Shreyansh, who secured AIR 1 in UCEED 2025. Shreyansh Agarwal, a design enthusiast based in Delhi, has secured the All India Rank 1 in the UCEED 2025 examination. Growing up, Shreyansh was always interested in animated films, novels, and comics. However, leading the creative department in his school’s technology club made him realise his true passion for design. He has a particular love for 3D design and has spent much of his high school years working on various projects in Blender and participating in multiple competitions. Preparation resources for download ________________________________________ Introduction to Design ⁠online courses for UCEED CEED NID & NIFT ________________________________________ Book: INTRODUCTION TO DESIGN “Introduction to Design” isn’t just a book; it’s a helpful guide that clears up confusion, busts myths, and shows the way for new designers. With the help of beautiful and simplified diagrams and illustrations, this book makes understanding the design world even easier and more practical, empowering readers to explore their creativity with confidence. Split into four main parts, each one acts like a map, leading you through the world of design. It helps you understand what design is all about and figure out your own path within it. With easy-to-understand writing and detailed illustrations, this book goes beyond just teaching—it becomes a joyful experience, full of knowledge, and a journey of discovery and understanding yourself better. I've been designing for 15 years, and if this book had come 15 years ago, I would have achieved all I have done till now, in 8 years! Aaquib Wani Founder & Creative Director Aaquib Wani Design

    52 min

About

Welcome to my show! I'm Sanjay Reddy, an engineer turned Designer, Author & Mentor. I had a very tough transition to design, spent sleepless nights figuring out how to make my way into design, reached out to many people, visited institutes, spoke to professors and what not. All of that just to know more about design. I want to make this journey easier & fun for design enthusiasts, aspirants and students. On this show, I have candid conversations with designers about topics ranging from how to get into design to landing your first job as a designer & also how one can switch to design.