Ajith Ranka

I'm an independent consultant, designing and developing user interfaces and visualisations. At the moment, I'm studying the history of HCI and learning to build tools for visualising systems, making them easier to see, understand, and communicate.

Previously, I built mapping tools at Mapbox, interactive audio tools at Adori, and consulted on UI development for clients like DashX and Nova. Sometimes, I teach creative coding to unsuspecting designers.

@ajith.is

• Workshop

  

  Electric Dreams

  Interactive teaching material and workshop recreating classic pieces of generative design. Presented at the Creative Coding Crafts Space with Priti.

• Master's Thesis

  

  Designing Interactive Visualisations for Complex Systems

  My thesis on making complex systems learnable through active exploration. Studies the principles and process behind designing effective visualisations.

• Talk

  

  Interpreter Meets Interface

  A talk inspired by my reading of Michael Eisenberg's Programmable Apps paper. Explores the synergy between direct manipulation and programming interfaces. Presented at the Feeling of Computing.

• Workshop

  

  Introduction to Creative Coding

  An interactive playground and workshop material I built to teach creative coding basics to beginners.

• Workshop

  

  Interactive Reference to p5.js

  An explorable reference guide to the basics of p5.js that usually accompanies my workshops. Featured in p5.teach.

• UI Library

  

  FRP.js

  A JavaScript library for creating reactive user interfaces by composing event streams. Built under the mentorship of Santosh Rajan to study Functional Reactive Programming.

• Visualising Archives

  

  Atlas of Intangibles

  Atlas is an interactive data experience and installation designed to visualise the rich, interconnected web of sensory data from everyday encounters. Collaborative project with Priti Pandurangan.

  • 2024 – Gold, Data2Speak Awards (Data Art & Storytelling)
  • 2023 – Honourable Mention, The Pudding Cup

• Visualising Archives

  

  100 Seats of India

  Interactive archive visualising the history of seating in India. Developed in collaboration with Hanno, Godrej Archives, and Priti Pandurangan.

  • 2023 – Blue Elephant, Kyoorius Design Awards
  • 2023 – India's Best Design Award

• Mapping Tools

  

  OpenStreetMap To-Fix

  OpenStreetMap Changeset Visualiser

  Open source mapping and validation tools for the OpenStreetMap community built as part of the Mapbox Data Team.