About Me

Saad Islam
Born In Kolkata, India
Lives & works in Indianapolis, IN
I'm Saad. I'm an Indianapolis based User Experience Designer with 4 years of professional experience.
While I was born in Kolkata, India, I moved to Greenwood IN when I was nine years old. After going through k12 education in Center Grove, I applied to IUPUI with the intention of going to dental school. After one semester, it was pretty apparent that this wasn't my true calling. While in high-school, I was lead designer of the Game Development Club, and chose to pursue something in media arts.
I decided to pursue web and app-development through the School of Informatics at IUPUI, where I discovered the wonderful world of user experience design. During my senior year, I decided to do a 4+1 program where I took masters courses in Human-Computer Interaction along with my undergraduate curriculum.
Through my college career, I have had the opportunity to work with a multitude of wonderful clients and companies, including Dr. Fawzi Ben Massoud at Intrallect Education Systems on their Digital Career Exchange application, the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity Working group at IUPUI School of Informatics, etc. I am currently working with CreateAbility on NORM, a remote monitoring system that supports individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder to live independently while providing a peace of mind to their family members.
As a professional in the field of User Experience, I advocate for intensive user research and testing in order to deliver the best product for our intended audiences. I prioritize the needs of the users over stakeholder demands, and firmly believe in a "goldilocks" approach to my app/product design - not too much or too little, just right. I am also very passionate about accessibility, as my grandmother had severe visual impairment.
I live in downtown Indy with my adorable golden retriever, JoJo. While I have quite a lot of hobbies, my main focus outside of work is music production. I am affiliated with Hidden Renaissance, a music collective that derives inspiration from abstract jazz and classic hip-hop. I have two production credits on the collective's upcoming group album, Napoli. Other hobbies include lifting, collecting and creating original art, and cooking.
I also like to work on my own venture ideas, and am currently working on designing an application called Barhop that aims to use modern technology to improve the convenience and safety of patrons visiting bars and pubs. I hope to have my own startup in the future.
Hey, thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoy your time here!
Things I've Done
Education
2021-2022: IUPUI School of Informatics
M.S in Human-Computer Interaction
2017-2021: IUPUI School of Informatics B.S in Media Arts and Science - Specialization in Web & App Development
Industry Experience
2022 - Borealis Grove Alaska/Gnomadic
2022 - CreateAbility Inc.
2021 - MaxMinds LLC
2021 - Intrallect Education Systems
2019-2020 - DEI Working Group, IUPUI SOIC
Extracurricular Involvement
2021-2022 - SOIC Teacher's Assistant
2019-2021 - SOIC Peer Mentor
2018-2021 - Web Design & Dev Association
2020 - IUPUI Asian Student Union Model
Volunteering
2021 - Crooked Creek Food Pantry
2020 - Paws Closet
2017-2020 - Paws Food Pantry
2017 - Institute of Child Health, Kolkata
2016 - University of Florida - International Service Learning