Hey, I’m Alagu.
I work at the messy edge of AI strategy and craft - where the problem is ambiguous, the stakes are enterprise-grade, and the interaction model doesn’t exist yet. I move comfortably between product strategy, interaction and visual design, design systems, prototyping, research, creative direction and coaching - with designing for real people at the heart of everything I do.
Selected work
AI Hub Build
Instabase / 2022
From concept to public release in four months; cut average solution delivery from 18 to 3 months. Named inventor on the UX patent behind it (US 12,067,039 B1).
Full case study on request
ML Studio
Instabase / 2021
Launched from zero — made machine learning and NLP accessible to enterprise users building document extraction solutions.
Full case study on request
Coach
People.ai / 2019
A coaching module helping sales managers turn overwhelming data into better coaching. Oversubscribed beta (7 customers vs. a 5 goal); drove managers’ weekly active usage up.
Kuri
Mayfield Robotics / 2017
The communication IA for Kuri’s heart light — a scalable system covering initiated, indeterminate, determinate, and teleop states plus character moments.
View Case Study
About
Previously, I was Head of Design at Instabase, where I grew the design team from 3 to 6 and set the design direction for AI Hub and ML Studio. Before that, my path took me through People.ai, Mayfield Robotics (hi, Kuri!), Adobe, IDEO.org, and co-founding Ladyfingers Co.
Outside of work, I’m mom to two gorgeous girls and usually have a creative project underway. I love dreaming up hands-on activities for my kids (putting that design degree to good use!), exploring museums, and making things just to see where an idea might go.
Other things that make me happy: chocolate (not picky), brunch (sweet AND savory, please), and Formula 1 (still holding out for Lewis’s #8!).