Project Overview

Role: Product Designer (Solo Project)
Duration: 6 hours (Design Sprint)
Tools: Figma
Year: 2024

The Problem

Indian content creators, students, and marketers naturally code-switch between English, Hindi, and regional languages while writing. But existing AI writing tools like Jasper and Copy.ai are:

• English-only - Don't understand Hinglish or regional languages

• Expensive - $50/month (₹4000+) is unaffordable for most Indian users

• Culturally disconnected - Built for Western audiences, ignore Indian context

• Black-box AI - Users fear losing their authentic voice

"I think in Hindi, outline in Hinglish, but need to deliver in professional English. No tool understands my workflow." - User Interview Insight

Design Solution

Lekhak is India's first multilingual AI writing assistant that celebrates code-switching while making professional writing accessible at ₹499/month.

Core Features

1. Multilingual Smart Editor

• Seamlessly switch between English, Hindi, and Hinglish mid-sentence

• AI understands context across languages (e.g., "Meeting ko postpone karna padega" generates professional suggestions in either language)

• Devanagari script fully supported with proper rendering

2. Cultural Tone Intelligence

• Professional (Business English)

• Conversational (Natural Hinglish)

• Formal Hindi (Government/Academic)

• Regional styles (Adapts to user's location)

3. Transparent AI Collaboration

• Split-pane editor: Original text (left) vs AI suggestions (right)

• Users see exactly what changed and why

• "Match Score" shows how well AI preserved user's voice (e.g., "92% match")

4. Affordable Credit System

• Free: 10 AI generations/month

• Pro: Unlimited for ₹499/month (vs competitors at ₹4000+)

• Clear pricing in rupees, supports UPI/Cards/Net Banking

Key Design Decisions

Decision 1: Split-Pane Editor

Why?
Users feared AI would "take over" their voice. Side-by-side view builds trust by showing exactly what AI changed.

Alternative Considered: Inline suggestions (Grammarly-style)
Why Rejected: Users wanted full context before accepting changes

![Editor mockup showing original text left, AI suggestions right]

Decision 2: Language Switching in Real-Time

Why?
Indian creators don't write in one language—they code-switch naturally. Making them choose "English" or "Hindi" upfront breaks their flow.

How it works:

• User types: "Meeting आज 5 baje रखते हैं?"

• AI detects mixed language and offers suggestions in:

  • Option A: "Let's schedule the meeting today at 5 PM" (Professional English)

  • Option B: "Meeting आज शाम 5 बजे रख लेते हैं" (Formal Hindi)

  • Option C: Same Hinglish style, just refined grammar

![Language detection demo showing mixed script text]

Decision 3: Cultural Tone Presets

Why?
"Professional" means different things across languages. Indian users need:

• Business English (formal, global)

• Conversational Hindi (warm, regional)

• Hinglish Professional (modern, relatable)

Alternative Considered: Single "tone dial" from casual to formal
Why Rejected: Doesn't account for language-specific cultural norms

![Tone selector showing language-aware options]

Decision 4: Transparent Pricing in Rupees

Why?
Dollar pricing feels foreign and expensive after conversion. Showing ₹499 upfront vs "$6.99 (₹580 + taxes)" builds trust.

Psychological pricing:

• Free: 10 credits (enough to evaluate value)

• Pro: ₹499/month (less than ₹17/day = "cost of one chai")

• Anchor: "Save ₹3500/month vs Jasper"

![Pricing comparison: ₹499 vs competitors at ₹4000+]

What I Learned

1. Localization ≠ Translation

Adding Hindi labels isn't enough. True localization means:

• Understanding code-switching patterns

• Respecting cultural tone differences

• Pricing for local purchasing power

• Supporting local payment methods (UPI)

2. Trust Requires Transparency

Split-pane editor wasn't just aesthetic—it solved the core fear: "Will AI erase my voice?" Showing before/after side-by-side built confidence.

3. Constraints Drive Innovation

Limited budget (₹499 vs ₹4000 competitors) forced creative solutions:

• Credit system creates perceived value

• Templates drive activation without costly onboarding

• Freemium model balances access + monetization

4. Accessibility = Better UX for Everyone

Designing for:

• Low-end devices → Faster load times for all

• Screen readers → Clearer information architecture for all

• Keyboard navigation → Power user shortcuts for all

Reflection

This project taught me that design is as much about what you respect as what you create.

Respecting that:

• Indian users are multilingual by default, not English-only

• ₹499 ≠ $6.99 in psychological value

• Devanagari deserves equal design treatment as Latin script

• Cultural context affects what "professional" or "casual" means

The biggest validation would be hearing a user say: "Lekhak feels like it was made for MY brain, not translated from Silicon Valley."

That's the bar for culturally intelligent design.