Nirish Shakya
Current job
Human-Centred Design Consultant, Educator and Coach
Background
I grew up in Kathmandu, Nepal, before moving to Sydney, Australia, where I studied Maths and Computer Science. Starting my career as an engineer for five years, I pivoted to UX after falling in love with the human-side of technology during my postgraduate program. I moved to London in 2014 after catching the travel bug. Over the course of my 20 year career, I've worked for organisations of all shapes and sizes in Australia, Asia and Europe, including Commonwealth Bank, Nestle and Sydney Morning Herald in Australia and UK Government, European Commission and Sky in Europe. I've spent more than a decade teaching UX and product design at General Assembly and Berghs. I'm also the founder of Unthinking Space, a platform that helps high-performing professionals reconnect with themselves by unlearning the patterns keeping them stuck.
What inspires you?
What inspires me is the moment someone stops performing and starts telling the truth - about what they actually want, what they're actually afraid of, what they actually think. It doesn't happen often, but when it does, usually in a workshop or a conversation that caught them off guard, you can feel the whole room shift. That's what I'm always working toward, to help people feel safe enough to be themselves, whether I'm consulting, teaching or picking up a camera.
Do you have any hobbies/what do you do in your free time?
Photography is my main creative outlet and the gym is my happy place (despite the pain of the final reps before failure). Besides that, I've dabbled with lessons in acting, dancing and singing. Maybe that's the wannabe performer in me.
What’s the best part about teaching at Berghs?
It's the quality of the students I get to teach in each cohort. They come in questioning how design should work. They're not looking for a checklist. They don't settle on the first answer. They have real curiosity to learn, not just the what and how but the why. That keeps me on my toes as a teacher.
Why did you choose to become a Course Director at Berghs?
I was initially asked by a good friend and former colleague Andreas Conradi if I'd like to take up the reins. He used to teach the same program at Berghs and was leaving for another role. I then had a great call with Marco Ortolani, the former Director of International Business at Berghs, and jumped at the opportunity. The Berghs brand, the teaching community and the remote flexible teaching were too good to pass up.
Hidden talent?
I like to play pranks on people (harmless ones!).
Do you have a role model? Is there a specific person who inspires you?
I don't have one specific role model, but I'm drawn to people who question inherited scripts and conventional pathways to do something that actually matters to them. I find that inspiring because it takes a lot of self-trust and courage to leave the highway and enter the forest trails.
Tell us about a fun memory from Berghs!
The online teaching setup at Berghs allows me to teach from all around the world. I've taught from London, Thun (Switzerland), Istanbul, Sunshine Coast, Kathmandu, to name a few. Teaching from Australia at 3am was a killer though!
Do you have a career tip you would like to share?
Always be thinking - WIIFT. What's in it for them (the person you're speaking with right now)? Hard skills can only take you so far. Beyond that, it's your ability to understand and (more importantly) act on the needs of the people you work with.
What don't we know about you?
I have been journaling morning and evening for almost 10 years. It's my daily mental cleansing ritual.
Nirish Shakya
Course Director for UX and Digital Product Design at Berghs