Sakshi

A Nottingham Trent University graduate and winner of the Best Student Award in BA Product Design, Sakshi joined the Rodd team last year as a Junior Designer. In that time, she’s brought creative energy, craft, and a willingness to dive headfirst into new territory.

Now, nine months into the role, Sakshi has begun to find her footing. 

We sat down with her to talk about what she’s learned so far, how she’s grown, and why she thrives on staying uncomfortable.

When I graduated with a First-Class Honours in Product Design, I walked out of university full of confidence. And that confidence mattered, it’s what got me through briefs and interviews. But stepping into industry was something else entirely.

At university, the design process felt linear, full of clear steps and landmarks. In industry, those landmarks got scrambled into endless combinations. 

University gave me the toolkit, but industry added this unavoidable, chaotic thing called reality. One of the first things my boss, Ben, told me was, “Get used to being uncomfortable.” He was right. It’s often said, but it’s true: real learning only happens outside your comfort zone.

Industry doesn’t move in straight lines. It’s more like being an Indian god with multiple arms – juggling CAD, sketches, Illustrator, and KeyShot all at once just to bring one idea to life.

It’s messy and sometimes overwhelming, but that’s what makes it exciting. The biggest lessons have come from the smallest moments: finding the confidence to step into the workshop, accepting that a rough sketch can sometimes communicate more than a polished render, and watching ideas evolve between two screens in real time. Those little moments have shaped me more than any single project.

At university, every brief was about solving a problem: fix, innovate, improve. That gave me a strong foundation, but I’ve realised that not every project starts with a problem. Sometimes it’s about craft. About making something beautiful.

Ben once told me, “There’s no problem to solve here, just focus on finding the beauty.” At first, I thought that meant the work was simpler. It’s not. The challenges are just different, like reducing costs without losing design essence, working within manufacturing limits, or repositioning a brand. “Make it beautiful” often means solving a hidden challenge with sensitivity and precision.

The best part is the variety. In just nine months, I’ve worked on everything from a UI sprint for an air purifier to helping brands enter new regions and even some CMF exploration for a coffee machine. Every day brings something new.

Design works better in a team. When you tell a story and someone else adds theirs, that’s when it becomes fun. At university, so much of the work was individual. Here, collaboration brings the project to life.

Everyone around me has at least six years of experience, so it can be intimidating. I’m competitive; I want to be the best, but that energy now pushes me to keep learning rather than trying to prove myself.

I don’t see my aspirations as a single destination. For me, it’s about staying open, staying curious, and continuing to learn. I want to keep finding that balance between problem-solving and craft; to create products that carry stories and connect with people.

I want to keep stretching myself, experimenting with new materials and manufacturing techniques, and getting more hands-on in prototyping. 

Growth comes from discomfort, and I’m learning to be comfortable with that.