Travel Technology Insights: Aakash Kumar at Adobe MAX 2025

During an exclusive discussion at Adobe MAX 2025 in Los Angeles, Aakash Kumar, who serves as the Vice President of User Experience and Head of Design at MakeMyTrip, shed light on the company’s design philosophy. He delved into the impact of user feedback, the emergence of generative AI, and the future landscape of travel technology.

The Core Philosophy

Aakash highlighted that MakeMyTrip’s design philosophy is fundamentally centred on two crucial aspects: the user and the business.

Aakash stated that their design philosophy has remained consistently focused on both user and business needs. It is essential to view users and the business in tandem, rather than as opposing forces.

With generative AI shaping new paradigms, the design team is re-evaluating traditional customer journeys. It is a transformation from a funnel-based model towards understanding intents and engaging in dialogues with users. The underlying focus remains unchanged: prioritising user needs while addressing business objectives.

Designing with Feedback

Aakash stressed the importance of real user feedback, which becomes evident only when the product is actively used.

He noted that while extensive usability tests and studies are conducted, actual feedback emerges when the user interacts with the product. By examining data, conversion rates, and interactions, the team continually refines their designs, embracing an iterative approach.

The Power of Personalisation

Significant impacts have been observed by the MakeMyTrip team as a result of design modifications driven by user data and personalisation strategies.

Aakash shared a pivotal example regarding their homepage redesign. They transitioned from a desktop-first approach to mobile and realised around 2015-16 that their application lacked sufficient personalisation. They took the initiative to be among the first to implement a personalised homepage.

Subtle adjustments, like showcasing recent searches on the homepage, stemmed from recognising user challenges. Users may not explicitly request personalisation, but their struggles reveal the need for it. Observational insights lead to making processes easier for the end-users.

Partnering with Adobe

The collaboration between MakeMyTrip and Adobe spans a substantial period.

Aakash mentioned that the partnership deepened recently with their transition to an enterprise licence, allowing them to explore tools like Firefly and Express. These tools have significantly enhanced their design workflows, improving efficiency by 30 to 50 per cent in certain tasks.

Furthermore, Adobe’s enterprise solutions have addressed MakeMyTrip’s critical concern regarding safety in the market and copyright implications. They value ethical practices highly, which was a key factor in their decision to pursue the enterprise licence.

Emerging Trends in Travel Tech

Looking forward, Aakash envisions the next generation of travel technology embracing multimodal interfaces.

He expressed strong optimism about multimodal interfaces, which will be primarily driven by voice but will also incorporate various formats. This evolution will not be restricted to typing and searching; instead, it will seamlessly blend video, audio, text, and visual elements to provide a holistic user experience.

The Future of Design in the Age of AI

Regarding the impact of AI on design careers, Aakash maintained an optimistic outlook.

He stated that while the world is evolving, job losses will not happen instantly, as mundane tasks may disappear. Adopting AI can enhance productivity; however, it cannot replicate the nuanced taste that stems from a designer’s insight. AI models are based on existing designs, which means that true innovation will always require human insight.

Aakash noted that even if AI can generate numerous variations of a design, the need for quality, originality, and aesthetic judgement will always be essential, highlighting the irreplaceable role of designers in the creative process.