Biryani and Zine (yes, really)

As the sessions kicked off, I was pleasantly surprised by the rush of excitement I felt. I was eager to contribute something of my own to this shared creative space. So, in my unique style, I created a playful Zine and included my father’s Biryani recipe. It was a delightful surprise, a reflection of my love for food, my culture, and how these passions often influence my design work.

Instead of a traditional portfolio or resume, I decided to bring a piece of myself to the table (literally) with a zine I made. It wasn't about impressing hiring managers—it was about sharing my creative journey, voice, and quirks. It wasn’t polished or “optimized for hiring managers,” and that was the point. It felt personal. Honest. More than a link in a bio.

“Everyone is a Designer”—and more.

One of the first things I heard was Figma’s familiar phrase: “Everyone is a Designer.” At first, I brushed it off—it sounded like marketing. But as the sessions unfolded, I started to feel its weight.

Talks like “Designing for the Speed of Culture” by Adam Grabowski and Jack De Caluwe dove into how product teams stay relevant while culture moves faster than ever. I found myself nodding constantly, screenshotting like mad, and whispering “yesss” to no one in particular.

Then came Emily Sim’s session: “Finding Joy.” It struck a chord with me. In a world that often prioritizes productivity and scale, she spoke about joy, not as a bonus, but as a principle. Her words didn’t just inspire me—they permitted me to design with more softness, more humanity, and more joy. Simple ways to stay on track

Humor, honesty, and rethinking everything

By day two, it became clear that Config wasn’t just about tech-forward design—it was about the soul of it.

Meg Lewis’s talk, “Design as a Joke,” was both absurd and brilliant. She reminded us that humor isn’t just fun—it’s powerful. It breaks down walls, invites honesty, and opens up new ways of thinking.

Eugene Korsunskiy’s session, “A Curriculum of the Future,” made me think hard about what we’re teaching new designers. Are we training people to use tools simply, or to explore ideas, ask better questions, and challenge existing systems?

And Jason Yuan’s delightfully chaotic talk, “The Beauty of the Internet,” was a love letter to all the strange, messy corners where design still feels playful and human.

Heart-forward innovation

Day three leaned deep into what’s possible when design meets purpose.

Corten Singer’s work on Augmentum’s MouthPad completely reshaped how I think about accessibility and the body’s relationship with technology. Ryan Hudson-Peralta brought both humor and gravity as he spoke about disability and lived experience in product design.

I was mesmerized by Dr. Madeline Gannon’s poetic take on human-robot interaction—something I thought would be intimidating but ended up feeling surprisingly intimate. And Nicole McLaughlin reminded us that upcycling isn’t a trend; it’s a mindset shift that can reshape how we think about material, waste, and storytelling.

And then came Jeff Staple. His talk, “Breaking,” was pure fire. It wasn’t about following the rules—it was about rewriting them. He spoke about showing up even when you feel like you don’t belong, and that deeply resonated with me.

My (unofficial) post-Config manifesto

Leave room for joy. Make room for weird.
Show up as a whole person, not just a title.
And always, always make time for biryani.

Huge thanks to Figma for creating this space—and to everyone who spoke, shared, and showed up. Config didn’t just level up my design brain. It reminded me why I fell in love with this craft in the first place.