How does design transition from a tool of persuasion into an instrument of systemic change? For Dhvani (Dh-v-uh-n-ee), the answer lives within her name, which translates to “sound” in Sanskrit. True design operates like an acoustic wave, traveling through space, striking the intended audience, and leaving a lasting resonance in the space.
Curiously enough, she got her start in the fast-paced world of top-tier advertising agencies, learning how to use big brand budgets to address real cultural friction points. At Ogilvy Mumbai, she worked on the Cadbury Dairy Milk Unity Bar, combining four distinct chocolate tones into a single bar to speak to India’s diversity. The product sold out in five days and then became a global news story. During the same period, she contributed to the Unilever Hamam Waterproof Saree campaign, which tackled women’s safety at the massive Kumbh Mela pilgrimage and earned a shortlist for the Cannes Lions Glass Lion.
Her approach to human-centered design was evident from the beginning of her career. Through her pop-up project #BreakTheCloset, she and her friend invited members of the LGBTQ+ community in India to literally break a wooden closet as a cathartic performance piece that reflected the struggles many faced in seeking recognition and dignity.
Wanting to go deeper into systemic problem-solving, Dhvani left the lucrative marketing agency life to pursue something more fulfilling in the form of a Master’s in Social Design at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA). It was there that her focus turned to how everyday conventions erode identity and shape inequity in a quiet, slow drip. Her thesis examined how patrilineal naming conventions reinforce gender inequity and explored how these traditions could evolve. Through more than 20 interviews, she developed The Last Name Game, an interactive prototype designed to spark conversations about inherited systems of identity, family, and gender.
Last Name Game prototype
Her commitment to creating more inclusive spaces within the industry also led her to become a founding member of Indian Creative Women, a platform with more than 5,000 supporters that collaborates with organizations including Cannes Lions See It Be It, The One Club, and Kyoorius to support and advance women creatives.
That background in social theory and brand strategy eventually led her into the world of federal government technology. Working with an IT consulting company., Dhvani now designs the user experience for legacy and government systems,modernizing data platforms that are used by thousands of people. The current platform she is working on serves around 1,600 organizations supporting young children and families across the United States.
Redesign of a financial system
Designing for government platforms comes with heavy compliance requirements, including legacy systems and zero room for error, making it a world away from fast-turnaround ad campaigns. Yet whether she is streamlining public benefits or launching an interactive pop-up, her underlying approach remains identical. She looks past the bureaucracy, finds the core human problem, and builds a simple, direct solution.
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