Error Makes Clever

Welcome to Episode 7 of Valley in the Making - your space for real, practical, career-shaping conversations.

This episode is a masterclass on UI/UX, design psychology, brand strategy, and building a creative career that stays relevant in the AI era.

Yuvaraj Muthu breaks down the true foundations of design, the people, the psychology, the systems, and the mindset behind high-quality work.
If you're confused about how to start in UI/UX, what to learn, which tools matter, how to build a portfolio, or how AI is reshaping design roles,  this episode is your roadmap.

About the Guest:
Yuvaraj Muthu is a product designer, strategist, and founder of Payan Design Studio.
With 20+ years in design across visual, UI/UX, product, motion, and creative direction, he has helped brands build scalable design systems, high-conversion interfaces, and strong digital identities.
He is known for his ability to simplify complex design concepts, connect creativity with business outcomes, and mentor designers to think deeper, beyond colors, shapes, and tools.

What You Will Learn:
• The real meaning of design - beyond aesthetics
• Branding vs. design: where they meet and where they differ
• How to build a design team the right way: guidelines, templates & consistency
• The psychology behind digital design: infinite scroll, loops, triggers
• Why UI (looks) and UX (experience) must work in harmony
• Business design vs. aesthetic design
• How beginners should learn UI/UX the right way
• Tools vs. mindset - what actually matters in design
• Full-stack design: the modern designer’s superpower
• How AI is evolving design work and where humans still win
• Portfolio mistakes, hiring insights, and real salary expectations
• How to grow creativity, build taste, and master problem-solving
• The Payan Design Studio journey

Chapters:
0:00 – Trailer & Sneak Peek
1:50 – Introduction
8:44 – How Yuvaraj entered design
16:04 – What design really means today
16:57 – How design evolved over 20 years
19:26 – Designing websites for business growth
24:39 – Why designers need psychology & business sense
26:53 – Design domains (visual, UI/UX, product, motion, marketing)
31:40 – UI vs UX explained
32:29 – Industries hiring designers
35:00 – Beginner roadmap to learn design
38:29 – Portfolio & LinkedIn mistakes
42:14 – Full design process (pre to post)
47:31 – Who can become a UI/UX designer
51:04 – UI in marketing & business
54:12 – Social media design strategy
59:16 – Tool myths (Figma, MacBooks, etc.) 
1:01:37 – UI/UX intern salaries
1:04:41 – Top salaries for UI/UX in India
1:06:11 – How Payan Studio was built
1:10:35 – When a business should fix design
1:18:33 – Who to hire first in a design team
1:21:57 – Skills designers need for 2026
1:27:36 – Final advice for founders & designers

Who Should Watch:
• Students exploring UI/UX or design careers
• Beginners trying to understand true design fundamentals
• UI/UX designers looking to scale skills & thinking
• Creatives interested in branding & psychology
• Founders who want better product design
• Professionals switching to design roles
• Anyone curious about how AI is changing design

Keywords:
UI/UX career roadmap 2026, design jobs India, product design, full-stack design, branding strategy, design psychology, business design, user research, AI in design, Figma, Payan Design Studio, Valley in the Making, Error Makes Clever, Agnel John, Yuvaraj Muthu

#uiux #productdesign #designcareers #branding #aiindesign #techpodcast #valleyinthemaking #errormakesclever #agneljohn #yuvarajmuthu #payan

Follow Us on Social Media
🎙 Host: Agnel John
 Instagram: @theagneljohn
 LinkedIn: /theagneljohn

📌 Valley in the Making
 Instagram: @valleyinthemaking
 YouTube: @valleyinthemaking

📌 Error Makes Clever
 Instagram: @errormakesclever
 YouTube: @errormakesclever
 LinkedIn: /errormakesclever

🎙 Guest: Yuvaraj Muthu
 Instagram: @yuvi_mastermind
 LinkedIn: /yuvarajmuthu

To know more watch the full video &  Stay tuned here for the tech insights

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Subscribe : https://www.youtube.com/@ErrorMakesClever

Website: https://www.errormakesclever.com/

How to Build a Successful UI/UX Career in 2026 | Ft. Yuvaraj Muthu | Valley in the Making

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