An annual magazine, catering over 10,000 college students, faculties and alumni. Encompassing current occurences, cultural affairs, and philosophically tying them all up with the power of storytelling.
An annual magazine, catering over 10,000 college students, faculties and alumni. Encompassing current occurences, cultural affairs, and philosophically tying them all up with the power of storytelling.
EXCELSIOR
Excelsior Magazine, run by the Editorial Board since 1964, is more than a publication. It is a product of legacy, creativity, and teamwork.
Every edition requires thoughtful planning, from curating articles and interviews to shaping layouts and visual identity. The deliverables span editorial content, cohesive design, print-ready files, and promotional material, all coordinated seamlessly across the team.
Excelsior continues to carry forward its long tradition, proving how collaboration and design thinking can transform ideas into a timeless magazine experience.
Company
Editorial Board
Timeline
August 2022 – April 2025
Role
Joint Chief and Artist
I led this project as the Chief of the Board, journey from initially getting recruited as a fresher, to completion of 3 successful magazine launches, to recruiting freshers. My role included leading a team of 35 members, coordinating various flanks consisting editors, designers and artists. Handling administration roles, figuring out the appropriate publisher, curating tender documents, also came along with it.
Team
02 Chiefs
01 Head Designers
02 Head Editors
01 Head Artist
01 Head Artist
Alchemyst AI is a generative AI-based company in India that supports businesses by automating sales tasks. Although the company plans to expand into more AI models, its flagship product remains the AI Sales Agent, named Maya.
The project primarily targets businesses looking to automate their SDR roles with a simple, linear workflow for scheduling meetings, initiating sales campaigns, and generating leads.
Our service focuses on meticulously streamlining these SDR processes to automate daily tasks and reduce the repetitive work sales teams handle throughout the day.
Company
Alchemyst AI
Timeline
February 2024 – Ongoing
Role
Lead Product Designer
I led this project as the Product Designer, journey from initial exploration to final implementation, which included understanding the brief, conducting research, ideating, designing, and prototyping. Throughout, I maintained close collaboration with the product manager and partnered closely with engineers.
Team
01 Lead Product Designer
01 Product Manager
07 Engineers
01 UX Writer
Stories worth telling about
Stories worth telling about
Stories worth telling about
Alchemyst AI is a generative AI-based company in India that supports businesses by automating sales tasks. Although the company plans to expand into more AI models, its flagship product remains the AI Sales Agent, named Maya.
The project primarily targets businesses looking to automate their SDR roles with a simple, linear workflow for scheduling meetings, initiating sales campaigns, and generating leads.
Our service focuses on meticulously streamlining these SDR processes to automate daily tasks and reduce the repetitive work sales teams handle throughout the day.
Company
Alchemyst AI
Timeline
February 2024 – Ongoing
Role
Lead Product Designer
I led this project as the Product Designer, journey from initial exploration to final implementation, which included understanding the brief, conducting research, ideating, designing, and prototyping. Throughout, I maintained close collaboration with the product manager and partnered closely with engineers.
Team
01 Lead Product Designer
01 Product Manager
07 Engineers
01 UX Writer
My design approach places a strong emphasis on the platform's core features, allowing sales representatives and employees to generate and find leads, manage dashboards, co-work through multiple integration, and initiate sales campaigns. This includes the crucial steps of mannually shortlisting leads or take help of GenAI, making and initiating campaign decisions, and regulating the decisions accordingly to maintain the dashboard stats.
My design approach places a strong emphasis on the platform's core features, allowing sales representatives and employees to generate and find leads, manage dashboards, co-work through multiple integration, and initiate sales campaigns. This includes the crucial steps of mannually shortlisting leads or take help of GenAI, making and initiating campaign decisions, and regulating the decisions accordingly to maintain the dashboard stats.
(I) My Design Approach
(I) My Design Approach
(I) My Design Approach
What was the problem?🤷🏽♀️
Our primary challenge was creating a streamlined solution for Sales SDRs to automate their daily jobs, and facilitate this through seamless workflow within the product.
How to make such a product that integrates multiple applications already in use (such as slack, Calendly, mail, Whatsapp, telegram, etc.) within the various sequences of their workflow within the platform.
Additionally, how to promote generative AI and the use of an AI agent within the workforce.
What are we solving? 🧠
We've developed a flexible web platform for sales representatives, developers and companies needing sales aid.
Integrating multiple accounts of the office ecosystem, throughout the platform, making it a co-working process.
SDRs can generate leads by specifying their criteria as they normally would when searching online or through other resources — the difference being that GenAI and conversational AI does it for them. User can shortlist the leads based on filters and run automated campaigns on the selected ones.
Campaigns can be run on the selected leads, and also by shortlisting them using filters on detailed forms based on the industry category they cater to (Tech, Retail, B2B, B2C, Health, etc.).
Targeting the Indian and U.S. businesses, we've added essential filters for an enhanced user experience.
What was the problem?🤷🏽♀️
Relevance in a Technical College – Establishing the importance of an editorial board in a largely technical environment, where creative and literary pursuits are often undervalued, was a key challenge.
Content Curation – Articles had to be carefully selected and developed to reflect the college’s present realities, ensuring the magazine stayed relevant and engaging for its audience.
Print vs. Digital – Administrative pressure to publish only online conflicted with Excelsior’s 60+ years of print legacy, pushing the team to balance digital formats with hardcover editions to preserve tradition.
What are we solving? 🧠
engaging students across all academic stages: recruiting freshers from technical branches, publishing skill and placement-oriented articles for intermediate years, and introducing annual voting titles for final-year students.
Collaborative Consultation – To ensure inclusivity and accuracy, we actively consulted team members, batchmates, faculty coordinators, deans, and the director, incorporating diverse perspectives into the magazine’s development.
Preserving Legacy – As a united team, we negotiated with the administration to secure the production of at least 2,000 hard copies annually, emphasizing the enduring importance of a print edition in a technical institution.
What was the problem?🤷🏽♀️
Relevance in a Technical College – Establishing the importance of an editorial board in a largely technical environment, where creative and literary pursuits are often undervalued, was a key challenge.
Content Curation – Articles had to be carefully selected and developed to reflect the college’s present realities, ensuring the magazine stayed relevant and engaging for its audience.
Print vs. Digital – Administrative pressure to publish only online conflicted with Excelsior’s 60+ years of print legacy, pushing the team to balance digital formats with hardcover editions to preserve tradition.
What are we solving? 🧠
Targeted Content Strategy – We addressed relevance by engaging students across all academic stages: recruiting freshers from technical branches, publishing skill and placement-oriented articles for intermediate years, and introducing annual voting titles for final-year students.
Collaborative Consultation – To ensure inclusivity and accuracy, we actively consulted team members, batchmates, faculty coordinators, deans, and the director, incorporating diverse perspectives into the magazine’s development.
Preserving Legacy – As a united team, we negotiated with the administration to secure the production of at least 2,000 hard copies annually, emphasizing the enduring importance of a print edition in a technical institution.
Breakdown of the Problem.
Breakdown of the Problem.
Breakdown of the Problem.
Engaging the students of technical background in a often creative kind of literature in a time when the generation has largely forgotten reading for leisure.
Engaging the students of technical background in a often creative kind of literature in a time when the generation has largely forgotten reading for leisure.
Engaging the students of technical background in a often creative kind of literature in a time when the generation has largely forgotten reading for leisure.
The college goes through a lot of past lores and recent situations. To curate such incidents, speculate what is right to put up considering the readers include students, faculties and administration.
The college goes through a lot of past lores and recent situations. To curate such incidents, speculate what is right to put up considering the readers include students, faculties and administration.
The college goes through a lot of past lores and recent situations. To curate such incidents, speculate what is right to put up considering the readers include students, faculties and administration.
The growing dilemma of printing hardcover magazines in the rise of maintaining sustainibility in every aspect of our lives now, and maintaining the growing legacy of over 60 years.
The growing dilemma of printing hardcover magazines in the rise of maintaining sustainibility in every aspect of our lives now, and maintaining the growing legacy of over 60 years.
The growing dilemma of printing hardcover magazines in the rise of maintaining sustainibility in every aspect of our lives now, and maintaining the growing legacy of over 60 years.
Curating college news, placement stats and other administration oriented matter. Often the admin don't co-operate regarding publishing such data in a public domain.
(II) Design Process
(II) Design Process
(II) Design Process
Following the design processes doesn’t just give users an intuitive and pleasurable experience — it poses an opportunity for designers to iterate and improve their designs.
Following the design processes doesn’t just give users an intuitive and pleasurable experience — it poses an opportunity for designers to iterate and improve their designs.
We interviewed 5 users in an average of 30 minutes to ask some questions about their experience when listing leads and running campaigns. We did find some interesting data!
We interviewed 5 users in an average of 30 minutes to ask some questions about their experience when listing leads and running campaigns. We did find some interesting data!
We interviewed 5 users in an average of 30 minutes to ask some questions about their experience when listing leads and running campaigns. We did find some interesting data!
Dr. Karunesh Shukla - Director of MANIT
In your opinion, what is the importance of an annual magazine of any institution? How do you view the work of MANIT’s annual magazine?
Answer:
The magazine of any institution is a reflection of that institution, and therefore it should be published regularly. Through the magazine, the progress of the institution should be showcased, making it clear to everyone in which direction the institution is moving forward.
Apart from this, the magazine should include the thoughts of different stakeholders—teachers, staff, and students—so that everyone gets an opportunity to express themselves and present their suggestions and ideas. Along with highlighting what new developments and progress are happening in the institution, the magazine can also inform the outside community.
Dr. Karunesh Shukla - Director of MANIT
In your opinion, what is the importance of an annual magazine of any institution? How do you view the work of MANIT’s annual magazine?
Answer:
The magazine of any institution is a reflection of that institution, and therefore it should be published regularly. Through the magazine, the progress of the institution should be showcased, making it clear to everyone in which direction the institution is moving forward.
Apart from this, the magazine should include the thoughts of different stakeholders—teachers, staff, and students—so that everyone gets an opportunity to express themselves and present their suggestions and ideas. Along with highlighting what new developments and progress are happening in the institution, the magazine can also inform the outside community.
Dr. Rahul Tiwari - Faculty Coordinator
I am delighted to announce the release of Excelsior 2025, the annual magazine of the Editorial Board at MANIT. This publication stands as a testament to the creativity, dedication, and hard work of our students, faculty, and staff who have contributed to its growth.
Excelsior has always been a platform to showcase the intellectual and artistic talents of our community, and this year’s edition is no exception. It brings together thought-provoking articles, engaging artwork, and inspiring stories that capture the spirit of our institution. I am proud of the Editorial Board and all contributors for their tireless efforts in bringing this vision to life.
This edition highlights not only the achievements of our academic community but also the diverse perspectives and experiences that make our institute unique. Excelsior continues to foster a culture of creativity, expression, and academic excellence at MANIT.
I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the entire team—writers, editors, and artists—for their passion and commitment. Let us celebrate the power of words and creativity that unite us as a community and carry forward the enduring legacy of Excelsior.
Dr. Rahul Tiwari - Faculty Coordinator
I am delighted to announce the release of Excelsior 2025, the annual magazine of the Editorial Board at MANIT. This publication stands as a testament to the creativity, dedication, and hard work of our students, faculty, and staff who have contributed to its growth.
Excelsior has always been a platform to showcase the intellectual and artistic talents of our community, and this year’s edition is no exception. It brings together thought-provoking articles, engaging artwork, and inspiring stories that capture the spirit of our institution. I am proud of the Editorial Board and all contributors for their tireless efforts in bringing this vision to life.
This edition highlights not only the achievements of our academic community but also the diverse perspectives and experiences that make our institute unique. Excelsior continues to foster a culture of creativity, expression, and academic excellence at MANIT.
I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the entire team—writers, editors, and artists—for their passion and commitment. Let us celebrate the power of words and creativity that unite us as a community and carry forward the enduring legacy of Excelsior.
(V) Design Goal
(V) Design Goal
(V) Design Goal
By understanding the users' daily work routine and experience review, we found our focus area for creating this new platform.
By understanding the users' daily work routine and experience review, we found our focus area for creating this new platform.
By understanding the users' daily work routine and experience review, we found our focus area for creating this new platform.
Flexible
Signing up, generating leads, shortlisting, and targeting campaigns should be streamlined, with each step integrated and accessible at any point in the workflow.
Flexible
Signing up, generating leads, shortlisting, and targeting campaigns should be streamlined, with each step integrated and accessible at any point in the workflow.
Simple
Clean out the clutter, and help users easily complete their tasks.
Simple
Clean out the clutter, and help users easily complete their tasks.
Coherent
Integrating different applications all at once for various members of the team all at once to create a co-working space within the platform.
Coherent
Integrating different applications all at once for various members of the team all at once to create a co-working space within the platform.
Flexible
Signing up, generating leads, shortlisting, and targeting campaigns should be streamlined, with each step integrated and accessible at any point in the workflow.
Simple
Clean out the clutter, and help users easily complete their tasks.
Coherent
Integrating different applications all at once for various members of the team all at once to create a co-working space within the platform.
Definition of Features
Task prioritization using the MOSCOW Method
We decided to start with the must and should features, we consider that those features could solve the main problems and relieve the pain points of the user like frustration for generate and mail multiple leads repetitively.
Definition of Features
Task prioritization using the MOSCOW Method
We decided to start with the must and should features, we consider that those features could solve the main problems and relieve the pain points of the user like frustration for generate and mail multiple leads repetitively.
Comparison Over the Years
Comparison Over the Years
Comparison Over the Years
Taking feedbacks and user research analyses, we rejected some of the initially designed Lo-Fi Designs.
Taking feedbacks and user research analyses, we rejected some of the initially designed Lo-Fi Designs.
Taking feedbacks and user research analyses, we rejected some of the initially designed Lo-Fi Designs.
Map fields constant on screen above the leads table in leads interface.
(VIII) Redesigned
(VIII) Redesigned
Efficient Feedback & Research = Efficient Flow
Efficient Feedback & Research = Efficient Flow
Key Takeaway
A tool designed to make the life of a sales representative easy and ease burden on a company's outreaching logistics.
Understanding the schedule of an SDR and their daily problems dealing with ordinary GenAI problems helped a lot. Both of them stitched together helped building the product. Be it wrappers or stand alone AI models, our product has been able to achieve the intricacies of the average working day on an SDR.
A tool designed to make the life of a sales representative easy and ease burden on a company's outreaching logistics.
Understanding the schedule of an SDR and their daily problems dealing with ordinary GenAI problems helped a lot. Both of them stitched together helped building the product. Be it wrappers or stand alone AI models, our product has been able to achieve the intricacies of the average working day on an SDR.