Apple

ROLE

Intern

CLIENT/ORG

Apple

TIMELINE

May 2024 - Aug 2024

TEAM

Production Design Team

SKILLS

Design Systems
Product Design
Systems Thinking
UI Design
Visual Design
Cross-Functional Collaboration

TOOLS

Sketch
Keynote

Project Overview

Bounding boxes, rounded edges, and pixel perfection. That was my summer at Apple. I had the privilege of zooming so far into Apple's design systems that I can now look at your iPhone and tell you the size of the typeface and the distance between the components on your screen (for the most part!)

It isn’t often that you get to go deep into the intricacies and the practices that result in the design that comes out of Apple; and then to be able to create meaningful work that will have real impact. I spent time creating and navigating design system practices that will enhance workflows of designers and in turn lead to effective cross-functional collaboration.

Learnings

My learnings from my time at Apple are numerous. Among the most valuable are:

One of my favourite aspects of the internship was the opportunity to ask any question and receive a thoughtful answer or guidance. Why does Apple think x way about y? Why don't we use 13px instead of 12px? What's for lunch at Cafe Macs?
The ability to make decisions that impact teams, workflows, and billions of users is a significant responsibility. At Apple, I gained experience in making bold choices and understanding their implications.
Deep, intricate and precise work. This was my first time immersing myself this deeply in design systems. It widened my perspective as a product designer. Thinking in design systems is a new perspective I gained.
I learned best practices for communicating and collaborating between designers and engineers, ensuring smooth handoffs and efficient workflows.

"Tanvi consistently exceeded expectations during her design internship with us at Apple, demonstrating skill, creativity, and professionalism beyond her role. She adapted quickly to our fast-paced environment and made meaningful contributions, particularly in refining foundational components of our design system. Her proactive approach, attention to detail, and ability to incorporate feedback improved team workflows and earned praise across teams. Beyond her technical expertise, Tanvi’s enthusiastic, collaborative attitude and strong communication skills made her a joy to work with. I am confident she will continue to excel in any design role she undertakes."

Luc Martin

Senior Design Manager : UI Production Design
Apple Inc