Ahla.

Ahla Asim

UX Researcher & Illustrator | Championing Human-First Design for Social Impact

Overview

UX Researcher and Illustrator with a background in ethnographic research and QA testing. Expert at bridging the gap between technical rigor (SUS scores, manual/automated testing) and deep human empathy. Passionate about using visual storytelling and qualitative insights to advocate for marginalized users and informal networks, particularly in social impact and healthcare spaces.

Lahore, Pakistan

Experience

Jan 2025 – Present

WORK

Qualitative Researcher (Caregiver Wellbeing System Design)

Carefor

Conducts deep-dive qualitative research to understand caregiver fatigue and systemic challenges. Translates thematic patterns into actionable design requirements for technology-based support systems.

•Conducted 20 in-depth semi-structured interviews with caregivers to examine emotional, physical, and systemic sources of caregiver fatigue

•Performed Thematic Analysis to identify key patterns informing user needs and intervention design

•Translated qualitative insights into early design requirements for a technology-based caregiver support system

Key Achievements

→Pivoted the system design from a functional utility to a mental-health focused support application after identifying emotional fatigue as the primary caregiver pain point.

→Synthesized 20 in-depth interviews into actionable design requirements aimed at alleviating daily cognitive and emotional burdens for caregivers.

2025 – Present

FREELANCE

Free Lance Illustrator

Behance

Delivers custom illustrations and visual assets for international clients, focusing on branding and digital content. Manages the end-to-end creative process from conceptualization to final revisions.

•Created custom illustrations and visual assets for international clients across branding, social media, and digital content

•Translated client concepts into polished visual designs through iterative feedback and revisions

•Managed projects independently, meeting deadlines while maintaining consistent quality

Jan 2025 – Dec 2025

WORK

Digital Advertising Animator

Midnight Walleye Madness

Produced dynamic digital advertising animations using the Adobe Creative Suite. Managed the full creative workflow from asset design to final motion graphics production.

•Designed and produced a dynamic digital advertising animation using Adobe After Effects, Illustrator, and Photoshop

•Created vector assets, motion graphics, and composited visual effects to enhance brand storytelling and audience engagement

•Managed the full creative workflow from concept development and asset design to animation and final export

Adobe After EffectsAdobe IllustratorAdobe Photoshop

Jan 2025 – Dec 2025

WORK

Ethnographic Researcher

Municipal law as a weapon: The Anti-Homeless Architecture of Lahore's Spatial Cleansing

Lahore, Pakistan

Executed ethnographic research in historic bazaars to investigate the impact of modernization on cultural heritage. Produced a comprehensive research report on the erosion of historical identity.

•Designed and executed ethnographic research across Lahore’s historic bazaars using interviews and observational methods

•Investigated how modernization and urban change are reshaping collective memory and cultural heritage

•Presented findings in a written research report on the erosion of Lahore’s historical identity.

Key Achievements

→Developed a critical framework for evaluating urban development, advocating for the preservation of informal networks and human history over mere physical restoration.

→Created original artwork to visually document and showcase the struggles of informal workers at Naulakha Bazaar, bridging ethnographic research with visual advocacy.

→Documented the physical displacement of informal economies, observing the confiscation of goods and destruction of 'rehris' (carts) by parapolice.

→Analyzed the tension between state-led 'formalization' of historic spaces and the resilient informal networks that have sustained Lahore's bazaars for generations.

→Translated complex interview insights into visual metaphors, such as the 'pointy needles' artwork, to communicate the hidden systemic violence of urban reform policies.

Jan 2025 – May 2025

WORK

QA Tester

PawPal

Validated a MERN-based e-commerce platform through rigorous manual and automated testing. Ensured 100% pass rates for core user flows including checkout and chatbot interactions.

•Tested and validated PawPal, a MERN-based e-commerce platform for pet products and services, achieving 100% pass rate across 32 manual Black Box test cases and 10 automated Selenium scripts covering core flows like login, checkout, and chatbot interactions.

Key Achievements

→Achieving 100% pass rate across 32 manual Black Box test cases and 10 automated Selenium scripts

MERNSelenium

Jan 2025 – May 2025

WORK

UX Researcher & Designer

LUMS Markaz

Led the UX research and design for a campus e-commerce application, achieving high usability benchmarks. Utilized Figma for high-fidelity prototyping and conducted extensive scenario-based testing.

•Developed a HI-FI Figma prototype for an e-commerce app (LUMS Markaz)

•Led usability evaluation for a campus e-commerce mobile app (LUMS Markaz), designing and executing 20-task scenario-based tests with 20 diverse participants.

•Analyzed 400+ data points (task completion, time-on-task, misclicks), achieving an average SUS score of 81.67 (above-industry benchmark).

•Identified critical usability gaps (e.g., 55% failure rate on hidden payment flows) and recommended design changes improving discoverability and reducing mis-clicks by projected 30%.

•Delivered insights using qualitative observations and Pearson correlation analysis to inform prototype iteration in Figma.

•Created a product teaser and walkthrough video for a campus marketplace mobile app (LUMS Markaz) using Capcut and Canva.

Key Achievements

→Achieved an average SUS score of 81.67 (above-industry benchmark).

→Redesigned payment flows by leveraging existing user mental models (schemas), significantly improving discoverability and task completion rates.

→Achieved an average SUS score of 81.67 (above-industry benchmark).

FigmaCapcutCanva

Jan 2024 – Dec 2024

WORK

Multimedia Storyteller

Kafka’s The Judgment

Illustrated and animated Franz Kafka's 'The Judgment', integrating original visual art with stop-motion to explore complex narrative themes.

•Produced a multimedia storytelling project integrating two original illustrations and a stop-motion animation film, applying visual design, narrative development, and video editing techniques to deliver an engaging creative experience.

Key Achievements

→Illustrated key narrative moments, including the father as an overpowering entity and the protagonist's psychological disintegration.

→Produced a stop-motion animation depicting the story's climax, using visual metaphors to represent internal collapse.

Jan 2022 – Dec 2022

WORK

Video Producer

Geeti Kaara

Conceptualized and produced a video advertisement for a tea brand, handling scripting and production.

•Conceptualized, scripted, and produced a video advertisement for “Geeti Kara”- a tea

Project Portfolio

ACADEMIC

Present

Visual Advocacy: The Pointy Side of Reform

A conceptual artwork and research piece depicting the struggle of informal workers in Lahore's Naulakha Bazaar. Used the metaphor of 'pointy needles' on concrete to illustrate how urban reform policies, while appearing harmless from a distance, inflict systemic injury on those they displace. Based on ethnographic interviews with local shopkeepers regarding survival in informal economies.

IllustrationEthnographic ResearchVisual Storytelling

Education

BSc

Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS)Specialization in Computer Science

A-levels

Beaconhouse College Program (BCP)

Vision & Goals

Core Drivers

What are my motivations

Social Impact

Human-Centric Design Advocacy

Healthcare Innovation

Visual Storytelling

Objectives

Goals and Aspirations

To leverage UX research, ethnographic insights, and visual storytelling to design systems that drive social impact, particularly in healthcare and urban development.

Principles

What I value

Empathy

Critical Thinking

Human Dignity

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Skills & Interests

Figma

TOOL

Qualitative Research

TECHNICAL

Usability evaluation

TECHNICAL

Adobe Photoshop

TOOL

Thematic Analysis

TECHNICAL

Adobe Illustrator

TOOL

Scenario-based tests

TECHNICAL

SUS score analysis

TECHNICAL

Motion graphics

TECHNICAL

Video editing

TECHNICAL

Ethnographic research

TECHNICAL

Adobe Suite

TOOL

Capcut

TOOL

Manual Black Box testing

TECHNICAL

Adobe After Effects

TOOL

Pearson correlation analysis

TECHNICAL

Canva

TOOL

MERN stack

TECHNICAL

Selenium

TECHNICAL

Areas of Expertise

Swimming

Ukelele

Sketching

Painting

Communication

Native and professional proficiency in multiple languages, enabling global collaboration and clear technical outreach.

English

Native Speaker

Urdu

Native Speaker

Let's Connect

I'd love to hear from you. Feel free to reach out.

These unlock once you finish onboarding and publish your profile.

Talk to AI Ahla

Online

I am an AI representation of Ahla. Ask me anything about their experience, skills, or working style.

Overview

Experience

Qualitative Researcher (Caregiver Wellbeing System Design)

Key Achievements

Free Lance Illustrator

Digital Advertising Animator

Ethnographic Researcher

Key Achievements

QA Tester

Key Achievements

UX Researcher & Designer

Key Achievements

Multimedia Storyteller

Key Achievements

Video Producer

Project Portfolio

Visual Advocacy: The Pointy Side of Reform

Education

BSc

A-levels

Vision & Goals

Core Drivers

Objectives

Principles

FAQs

How does your ethnographic background influence your design approach?

How do you use art to enhance your research findings?

How do you approach a new design challenge in a complex field like healthcare?

How do you approach designing for chronic healthcare conditions?

How does your ethnographic background influence your approach to UX and design?

Skills & Interests

Figma

Qualitative Research

Usability evaluation

Adobe Photoshop

Thematic Analysis

Adobe Illustrator

Scenario-based tests

SUS score analysis

Motion graphics

Video editing

Ethnographic research

Adobe Suite

Capcut

Manual Black Box testing

Adobe After Effects

Pearson correlation analysis

Canva

MERN stack

Selenium

Swimming

Ukelele

Sketching

Painting

Communication

Let's Connect

Talk to AI Ahla