Haniya Ghauri

College: CUNY Queens College

Education Level: Senior

Career Interest: UX/UI Designer

I am a senior majoring in Computer Science with an interest in design. I am a very creative person with an eye for detail and enjoy creative-thinking for problem-solving. I want to apply my design skills to technology and make an impact through my work mixing my computer science background with design in my career as a UX/UI designer. My creative side kicks in other parts of my life too, like doing my friends’ henna and trying out new recipes. I also like spending time in nature; going on walks and having mini picnics in the park.

What was your role?

What did you work on?

What was the impact of your project?

My project has a long-lasting impact on both the company and our clients. This new feature is an important addition to Unadat which not only generates revenue, but also makes a difference in users’ everyday lives. It provides users with a roadmap and additional help at every step of their goal. It provides direction and access to the right financial wellness tools to individuals, families, and in the long term, businesses, to outsmart debt and achieve financial independence.

What did you learn or improve on from this internship or from your teammates?

My teammates have taught me the importance of communication. Our team made sure that everyone is kept in the loop and always informed of any changes or updates. This helped us stay on the same page, avoid confusion and work together better.

What skills have you gained?

Over the course of my internship, I have improved my skills and gained new soft and hard skills as well. I learnt how to confidently speak and present my work during presentations. I also created my first ever prototype during this internship. I had prior experience with Figma but this internship allowed me to explore and challenge myself to learn a new skill.

What was the biggest roadblock you've overcome?

The biggest roadblock I’ve overcome during this internship was coming up with a solution to display non-tangible services as effectively as physical products. Unadat’s vision for offering quick financial services to its clients is a relatively new idea that hasn’t been fully explored in this industry before, so creating user-centered designs and solutions without much data and market insight to rely on was definitely a challenge starting off. However, I was able to overcome this roadblock by researching indirect competitors and connecting back to our clients and came up with a solution that serves Unadat’s purpose and aligns with its values.

How has company culture guided your work?

The company culture at Unadat made it much easier to work as a team and be more productive. Informal team presentations are valued just as much as formal presentations. Unadat prioritizes input and productivity more than standard working ethics which ensures everyone’s time is utilized properly.

What was your experience at Unadat?

My experience at Unadat was great. I got the opportunity to work along with other talented interns that share the same passion for technology, creative-thinking, and problem-solving. The company culture allowed me to freely express my ideas and encouraged both the independent and team work. I was very pleased with my role and the work assigned to me, it was closely related to my career goals and gave me a lot of valuable experience.

What was one big project you worked on during the internship? Can you walk me through the process?

I worked on the Money Coach project that is a new addition to the existing Unadat website. This new feature takes it a step further to help the users with their financial goals by breaking them down into milestones and offering assistance from qualified money coaches through the process. As a UX/UI Designer, I conducted research and designs for best solutions for connecting users to a money coach by identifying key elements required and their best placement on the existing website. I also created wireframes and prototypes that translate product requirements to design ideation while actively working with the education and developer teams to create seamless user experience.

What advice would you give to future interns?

I would advise the next crop of interns to get out of your comfort zone and don’t be afraid to try new things. You never know how much you can learn from something you thought was outside of your interest. Mistakes are part of the process and will take you closer to your success if you learn from them.