Nabin Sapkota

About

I like messy problems, half-formed ideas and the bit before the brief makes sense.

I started in industrial design, working alongside electrical, firmware and software engineers, which means I naturally think in systems instead of focusing on screens. I care about how things are built, not only how they look.

The line between designing and building is dissolving fast, and I think that's the most exciting shift in years. I've been leaning into it as I prototype on real hardware, ship native apps, and learn things I never thought I'd touch. More on that below.

Product design process

Working at RØDE, I'm surrounded by developers and engineers building real audio products every day. That proximity changed how I think about design. I stopped being the person who hands off a Figma file and started asking what would happen if I could build the thing myself.

AI made that possible. Claude Code has become a core part of my workflow. I use it to spin up working prototypes on off-the-shelf hardware, and to build native iOS apps that go far beyond what a Figma prototype can communicate. When a stakeholder can hold a real app in their hand instead of tapping through static screens, the conversation changes completely.

That same toolset led me to co-develop Relai Code, a desktop app that simplifies Claude Code for makers and non-engineers. The idea is straightforward: lower the barrier so more people can build real products without needing a CS degree. Democratise the tools, not just the ideas.

Outside of work, I'm designing and wiring my own schematics for a portable digital audio player, from component selection through to a custom PCB layout in KiCad. The kind of engineering challenge I used to only design around, I'm now designing through.

From design to prototype of a DAP

I also actively test new AI design tools at the edges of what they can do. Claude Design, Google Stitch, whatever ships next. I want to understand where these tools break, not just where they work, because that's where the real design decisions still matter.

My curiosity has always outpaced my knowledge. Now I have the tools to close that distance, and I'm using every one of them.