Right in the middle of a global pandemic, Abin Rajan found himself stepping into the unknown. He was going from a rigid engineering background to the fluid, yet expansive and exacting world of product design at Canvs.
What comes next is more than a story of career change; it’s one of transformation, perseverance, the ability to hold uncertainty with both hands, and thrive in it.
When Abin arrived at Canvs, he was entering an industry during its most unpredictable phase. Every step that he took from now on would be on a journey towards both personal and professional reinvention.
THIS IS A STORY OF METAMORPHOSIS
From an engineer unfamiliar with design to a Design Manager, and a key player in a leading design studio, today, Abin comfortably occupies his role, confidently handling client interactions and mentoring others. His is not just a career trajectory - it’s a story about metamorphosis.
Abin’s initial conversations with Canvs were not straightforward. When he first spoke with Canvs in January 2020, the situation was far from ideal - for both sides. Debprotim Roy, Founder, Canvs, remembers clearly, “We were looking to get someone from a design background to expand our small team at the time. When Abin sent us his resume, we didn’t see how he fit in the crew.”
At the time, Abin had recently left his job as a planning engineer in Kuwait’s EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) sector. He recalls feeling a growing dissatisfaction there, “That was getting a little monotonous for me. I was looking for a change.” But getting back into the EPC sector in India was complicated. “It’s mostly through GATE exams, or you had to know someone,” Abin says candidly. He needed to find a different path.
Abin's transition was difficult, but not unachievable. He put in the work, and so did his teammates in helping him. Today, when he looks back, he finds that he continues to grow, and credits this to his hard work, as well as the openness of his team.
“There were plenty of chances to drop the ball, but the team always had my back. From design and management skills to technical queries, help was just an ask away. Today, each year, hearing that I'm finding new avenues for growth is humbling, and keeps me motivated.”
Abin addresses how he is known for being the most calm in the Canvs team, what actually goes on behind-the-scenes, for him to maintain his composure, and how it’s a must-have for the job.
“You need to reduce noise, and have clarity. That’s where having a proper plan of action and prioritizing helps, whether through a kanban board, an excel sheet, or even good old paper - it’ll help you get it all out of your head. It might look effortless, but it requires a lot of practice and homework.”
Abin explains how the Canvs team's fluid, collaborative approach, rather than deferring to titles, consistently helps deliver the best work out there to clients, and also helps the team achieve their best.
“Here, designations don't color design decisions. We work together, relying on sound business understanding and logic to come up with the best design solutions.”
// BUILDING PROTOTYPES
// EXPOSURE TO TECH
// REMOTE WORK ENVIRONMENT
Once Abin came on board, he started off with building prototypes, understanding user flows and getting his hands dirty with foundational building blocks that gave him exposure to tech, product design and how products are built, rather than an academic view of design.
His formal initiation into the field of design came rather quickly, “The first thing that I did at Canvs was a prototype for an Aditya Birla initiative,” Abin shares. “I had to connect the dots, literally and metaphorically. Each screen, each user flow taught me something new about how digital products come together.”
The sudden shift to remote work due to the lockdown could have added complexity, but Abin recalls it as friction-less. This phase needed him to be adaptable, and stay connected and productive in a new work environment for everyone.
// A GROWTH IN HIS CAREER
// TAKING OWNERSHIP
PREMANKAN SEAL, CDO, CANVS
Their partnership was one of mutual learning and adaptation. Abin, coming from a non-design background, found in Aalhad a mentor who could guide him through the nuances of design and client communication. "In those early months, I was mostly shadowing Aalhad. I didn’t speak much; I was trying to understand how the conversations went, how we explained our point of view.” Abin explains. This period of observation helped Abin’s transition from an industry outsider to being a competent Design Manager.
The real test came as Abin began to handle more client-facing responsibilities. Although he had secured his spot at Canvs, his journey was still in the early stages - and it wasn’t without its hurdles. Fear was a significant factor, especially when it came to interacting directly with clients. Abin candidly recalls: “My fear was more from a point of view that I didn't know enough, and I didn't want to let Canvs down.”
Premankan Seal, CDO at Canvs, acknowledges this challenge, “We had sessions with Abin to help draw out his personality, so he could overcome the fear around dealing with people, and not get stage fright.
From our end, it’s really just time and effort. But it takes a lot of ownership and humility from the person going through feedback to take that criticism and advice repeatedly.”
PREMANKAN SEAL, CDO, CANVS
These efforts weren’t merely casual coaching. Abin details the intense preparation involved, “When I started being client-facing, Premankan used to have pre-calls with me.”
The inspiration project
Abin Rajan | Jibin Vijayan | Soch Na Sake
Bollywood cover songs are something Abin engages in frequently, and this one stands out as a heartfelt rendition of his favourite artist’s work. Having done this with a bunch of close friends, it holds a lot of fond memories to cherish.
Ab jo wo nahin
Abin Rajan | Music Video | LessSuperstars
Abin has a few playback songs to his credit, and this one is particularly special - a reward for winning an online competition hosted by Smule.
‘Ab Jo Wo Nahin’ continues to hold a special place in his heart to this day because it marked a turning point in his musical journey.
Today, Abin's contribution to Canvs goes beyond his day-to-day project management duties. He has been an instrumental part of content and editorial initiatives that further a culture of continuous learning. One of his key contributions is to the Design & Tech weekly newsletter. What started as a small project by Aalhad Joshi and Debprotim Roy that grew significantly over time, is now under Abin’s watch.
The newsletter has a dedicated subscriber base of clients and industry professionals alike who stay updated through an exclusive curation of the latest trends, and in-depth editorial articles. "I'm happy with how it has turned out. We are going to push the 273rd issue next week, and if you’re reading this, you should subscribe," he says happily.
Abin’s story speaks to the power of perseverance. He turned potential stumbling blocks into stepping stones, a trait that helped him evolve from a newcomer in design to a seasoned member of the Canvs design team.
Abin attributes a significant portion of his growth to the people around him, noting their generosity and patience.
Product design is evolving, and the conversations need to catch up. Abin talks about how, at Canvs, the focus isn’t just on budgets and timelines, but also on driving change in the very way products and their processes are crafted.
“Product design is growing every day, and as a collective, there’s a lot we can do. As Canvs, we strive to have conversations that are more evolved than costs and timelines. We aspire to drive change in the products we work on as well as in the processes that go into building these products.”
As Canvs continues to evolve, so does Abin's role within it. From an engineer unfamiliar with design to a Design Manager, and a key player in a leading design studio, today, Abin comfortably occupies his role, confidently handling client interactions and mentoring others. His is not just a career trajectory - it’s a story about metamorphosis. So much so that looking back at his evolution, he now says, "I have no clue what I did in the past job... I have completely transformed."
