ImaginXP Design Review 2020 by ImaginXP

Design Review by ImaginXP Volume 1, July 2020

Meet Our Team Prof. Col. Shishir Kumar is an author, motivator and a TEDx Speaker. He is an M.Tech in Industrial Engineering from IIT Delhi. He has served the Indian Army for 32 years and has been into university leadership roles for last 15 years.

Prof. Col. Shishir Kumar Director General

Col Prashant Mahajan, a veteran from Indian Army with 25 years of experience in various technically challenging assignments. Alumni of IIT Roorkee and IIM, Ahmedabad, he is passionate about organistional growth, business strategy, technology and leadership.

Col. Prashant Mahajan Chief Strategy Ofﬁcer

Nitesh Rohatgi has around 1.5 decades of experience in the ﬁeld of Sales, Marketing, Product, Operations and Program Management. He aims to focus on the developmental growth of our sales & marketing prowess. He is also involved in the end to end organisation machinery from product development to after-sales. He believes in enabling and managing the complete value chain.

Nitesh Rohatgi Chief Operating Ofﬁcer

Abhayjeet Singh has 1.5 decades of experience in training, development, academic management, spearheading management development programs for government, private organisations and young start-ups. He has extensively worked on introducing industry led programs for students and professionals across various verticals bringing industry and corporate connect with academia. He is into education business strategy development, pedagogy structures, faculty development, student

Prof. Abhayjeet Singh Chief Academic Ofﬁcer

learning and enrichment in design and future skills.

Editorial

I feel incredibly proud to launch the inaugural issue of ImaginXPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biannual Design Journal. The prime objective of the design journal is to provide insights into the world of Design, Design Thinking, User Experience Design and related topics. This journal is a platform to showcase some inspiring work, experiences and portfolios. It focuses on the views, ďŹ ndings, and knowledge of our students, academicians, and professionals in the design domain. The prevailing circumstances are not only impacting global businesses but also the social scape. The process of digital transformation has suddenly accelerated against the backdrop of challenges of lockdown and social distancing. The enterprises are transforming to satisfy the needs of the changing consumer behaviours by linking with them virtually and the needs of the employees working from home by skilling, upskilling and stand reskilling. The need for hyper-personalisation of learning experience assumes great importance in the era of business disruptions and unfortunate laying off employees or placing them on the bench. History bears testimony that reskilling has been one of the most exercised options during business disruptions/slowdowns globally. What needs to be understood by individuals and organisations is that they cannot delay their learning needs to evolve and meet the requirements of the changing times. It gives me a sense of pride and satisfaction that team ImaginXP displayed remarkable agility in adopting and migrating to the digital platform. The team strived to provide a continuous and uninterrupted learning experience to our students in various programs in our partnering universities/ urban learning centres. Our corporate partners trusted us with opportunities to create new programs for their employees to meet their training needs in this new normal. I want to place my appreciation for the editorial board to have conceived and created this inaugural issue and contribute to sharing the learnings in these challenging times and am sanguine that this issue will turn out to be readers' delight. I would encourage all readers to contribute with their experiences and creativity in the upcoming issues. We at ImaginXP, are dedicated to the cause of empowering our youth and workforce by creating an ecosystem for knowledge and innovations armed with skills of the 21st century to propel our nation and society to the centre stage of global order. Warm Regards, Prof. Col. Shishir Kumar Director General ImaginXP

Editorial

I take this opportunity on behalf of the editorial team to proudly announce the inaugural issue of ImaginXP’s Design Journal which is a testimony of excellence envisioned by the Director of ImaginXP, Prof. Col. Shishir Kumar; all the heads for their valuable efforts and chiselling done by the faculty members and students. It gives us immense pleasure to present the ﬁrst issue, Volume 1, July 2020 to all the students, professionals and academicians. The Journal provides an insight into the world of Design, Design Thinking and User Experience Design. It welcomes articles, case studies, white papers and portfolios on design which have relevance to design practice, theory, management, experiences and education. It also aims to publish inspirational work which will have a direct impact on design knowledge and the evolving role of Design. We’ll be publishing this e-journal every year twice, in July and December. Behind the scenes, much of the work is teamwork by all our ImaginXP heads, curriculum team, faculties and students, to pursuit the academic and professional excellence. As a team, we work, we commit, and continually strive to meaningfully represent design research, it’s culture, practices, theories, language, experiences and communities. The Design Journal is nurtured with equal measures of knowledge, compassion, and experiences. We look forward for your generous feedback in order to enhance our platform’s value in every possible way. Your sincerely, Neha Deshbhratar Editor-in-Chief ImaginXP Email : editor@imaginxp.com

Content 1. Thematic Section:

……………………3-18

Opportunities arising due to Covid 19

- India as a Futuristic Economy - Re - deﬁning the Post Covid Physical World - Conducting User Research during the Pandemic - A Designer’s Mind at Work during the Lockdown

Volume 1 Non-Thematic Section………………….19-27

- Roles and Responsibilities of a UX Designer - The Role of Animation in UX - Applying Emerging Technologies in Facets of Life

3. Faculty Speaks…………………………..28-36 - Nimble – A Concept for City Bus Services - What is Evolution without Emotion in the Field of Design - Persuasive Design - An Important Part of UX

4. Students corner…………………………37-52 - Speeding Response Time Using Design - A UX Case Study - A Headset’s User Experience through Storytelling and Scenarios - Will the Covid-19 Pandemic End the Use of Cash? - The Future of Retail Shopping - Introspect, Innovate and Integrate-Skills that Designers Should Develop for the New Normal

5. Alumni and Corporate Connect……..53-56 - Companies Testimonials - Alumni Speak - Student Internships

6. Dezutainment……………………..…..57-60 - Word Puzzle - Crossword - Match The Following - Answers

7. Our Programs………………….….…..61-66 - Partnering University - Certiﬁcate Courses - Corporate courses

Thematic Section: Opportunities arising due to Covid 19

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The role of the designer is that of a good, thoughtful host anticipating the needs of his guests.â&#x20AC;? - Charles Eames

India as a Futuristic Economy By : Naina Jain

An article that talks about India’s position as a digitally advanced country and how we can shape a bright future for both rural and urban areas through correct planning and by introducing emerging technologies.

With the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, people’s lifestyles and the nature of previously known activities have radically changed in the blink of an eye. But little did we know that this time would also serve as an opportunity to discover new interests and ease us to adopt a more digitally active way of living. There has been a clear dent on the consumerist lifestyles across the world. Health has surpassed all other needs and concerns, and people are ever so vigilant about their spending habits. Status and luxury are no longer a priority; industries stopped their manufacturing, and showrooms were abandoned overnight. The economy came to a standstill, shaking up the entire demandand-supply chains. In challenging times like today, we’ve come to understand that the sole way of moving ahead is by embracing a more user-centric, digital transformation of the country. A variety of industries have begun replacing their workforce with strategists, technologically smart professionals, and people with user experience expertise. Today, our future may look uncertain, but if our roadmap to digital transformation is deﬁned well, we can expect a V-shaped recovery from the present depression very soon. The Real Indian Problem India is the second most populated country in the world, and is one of the biggest sources of revenue for several global applications, products and brands. Despite that, there’s a signiﬁcant section of the population that lacks access to education, infrastructure, and healthcare. People from the rural areas have been migrating to cities and town in hopes of better jobs, and such has been the norm for decades. Indeed, many past studies and reports suggest that well-managed migration is often an asset for economies and societies, particularly for the future. Cities are the epicenters of

innovation and it’s the need of the hour to identify opportunities so that the migrants can maximise their contributions, thus aiding in economic and social development. Many would agree that the policy-makers and business leaders have yet to fully tap into the potential of the migrant population in cities. Unplanned relocation of the non-skilled youth in a developing economy like India often results in unemployment and is one of the leading reasons for its recent economic downfall. A change in policies is thus crucial for the empowerment of the unskilled. The question we must all ask - Why does the rural population continually remain to be a part of low-income groups? To answer that, a recent study by Census India suggests that there’s an enormous gap between the education system and employment that comes after. Much like the industrial revolution postindependence, we are now witnessing a digital revolution right. COVID-19 has forced many aspiring individuals to shift from physically demanding job roles to digitally skilled ones. While people with poor digital skills faced immediate pay cuts and unemployment, there has been a surge in opportunities for those wellversed in digital and UX strategic skills. A recent report by the Internet & Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) demonstrates that rural India has 227 million active internet users, which is 10% more than urban India’s active internet users.

Additionally, there are around 71 million children, aged 5-11 years, who browse the internet by using their parents’ devices. With this, India has surpassed another milestone of getting 504 million active users. With this number, India is the second-largest country in the world, after China, which has 805 millionplus active internet users in present day. The urban population has seen a drastic downfall of about 35% in internet users, whereas the population from tier two, tier three and the remote villages have seen an increase of 45% and 65% active internet users respectively. The study also suggests that an average Internet user spent approximately 3.5 hours on the web browsing social media, news, mails, and OTT digital services.

Various sectors like education, information technology, corporates, and government organisations have also undergone a digital transformation during the pandemic and are now actively adopting new and emerging technologies to help enhance their presence and widen customer reach. Post lockdown, people have started spending more time playing mobile games (such as Ludo and PubG), engaging on social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and video calling platforms like House Party and Zoom. A global study by Facebook suggests that India ranks the list with 360 million active WhatsApp users.

The Opportunities that Face Us

In June 2020, some of the biggest ﬁrms from around the globe such as Abbott and Google announced that they will be shifting their base from China to India. With a 1.38 billion strong manpower, there is no dearth of talent in the country. What does this mean for us? In order

to understand this better, I conducted a smallscale qualitative survey to understand the needs, skills, problems, and mindset of people from villages in the Uttarakhand region. After speaking with almost 40 people from diverse fields such as military, agriculture, education, hospitality, and retail, it comes as no surprise that digitisation is in fact the answer to the nearfuture for the young and old. It was heartwarming to see an 80-year-old lady become the talk of her village ever since someone uploaded a video of her singing in the fields. About 16 out of 40 people used TikTok to post content, and almost all of them were very active on WhatsApp. We are at the dawn of the era where technologies such as Augmented Reality (AR) are rapidly growing and are used to for entertainment and education. AR is capable of providing users with an experience that is interactive and enhances the real-world experience clubbed with stimulations that can target any human sense e.g. visual, auditory, sense of touch, or smell. It is an immersive technology through which the physical world is altered and made more informative and engaging. Popular applications like Instagram and Snapchat have encouraged people to use and adopt on Augmented Reality in day to day life. Similarly, it is observed that people in the village and rural areas are more comfortable using Artificial Intelligence enabled voice commands and speech recognition in their local language to performs various tasks. Remote learning has seen a sudden boost, and the world today is working towards more skillsbased development than just limiting themselves to what is in the books. During COVID-19, the number of people who moved back to their native places complained about losing their income to someone else who was more skilled. A smartphone is not just a device that connects people today, but it is a beacon of the future. Corporates, in collaboration with the government, have been working on developing highly compatible platforms such as SAP Leonardo. It will allow the people in India to connect with people from around the globe and collaborate for new opportunities. 5G can easily be classified as the nextgeneration network that will connect more and 5

more people by giving low-cost connectivity in a more than ever efficient way. A recent 5G economy study by Qualcomm Technologies confirmed that faster, ubiquitous, low-power connectivity will make mobile networks even more essential than they are today. The government must invest in an infrastructure that is capable of catering to the demand of cloud processing power which is way beyond the speed of a human brain. It will eventually help Artificial Intelligence translate the data into a remarkable user experience. IoT works on sensors that are easily and widely available in the market at a very reasonable cost. A robust Internet helps these sensors perform tasks, store data, and understand behavioural patterns. With the help of Artificial Intelligence we are capable of translating these data patterns within milliseconds. A revolutionary technology known as blockchains can be further integrated to secure all the transitions without the fear of losing them. A study by CNN suggests that people who have always lived in rural areas have limited knowledge and a very rigid belief system. If trained properly they are quick learners and are easier to train when compared to the vast number of people in the urban setups. With remote education being the next big thing, using technologies such as fast internet, strong connectivity, availability of devices, and screens will help uplift the rural infrastructure and bring them under the limelight. This will further help in bridging the gap between the rural areas and global services providers. The organisations can then, with the help of Asymmetry of Information, collect all the data of the devices and design strategies to fight situations like pollution due to unplanned disposal and production, emotional imbalance in society, and even pandemics. A Digitally Bright Future Sundar Pichai, the CEO at Google; and Caesar Sengupta who is globally heading the Next Billion Users Project have envisioned many emerging economies for their Next Billion Users project. With the recent Google India initiative, Mr. Sundar Pichai plans on investing $10 Billion in the Indian economy. Jio has bridged the gap and has helped companies like Google to achieve the Next Billion dream by reducing the per GB cost. India now has the cheapest

average 4G rate at $0.26 per 1GB in the world. India’s 4G penetration now stands at 88% according to a report by Mary Meeker’s. To prove this, a recent study suggests that Bihar and Jharkhand have witnessed a 48% increase in the number of people who use the Internet. But the big question is, are we ready for all the opportunities that are in the pipeline? This is a roadmap in its development phase and it is predicted that schemes like Digital India have changed the way people look at knowledge. An introduction of tools like Augmented and Virtual Realities for education and skills development simply could enable the Indian population closer to achieving this goal. Technology such as IoT will help us map and track our users’ path, needs, behaviour, and decision-making capabilities. We can plan our future well by understanding the degradation rate of the devices and the change in consumer behaviour trends. This will encourage us to smartly recycle our resources with minimum investments for imports. Employment rates will see a rise as there will be more digitally skilled people in the country who will be able to attract businesses from around the globe without leaving their ecosystems. With a boom in E-commerce platforms such as Big Basket, Zomato, and Amazon, we are becoming more uni-directional with our needs. We are living in a world where all our needs ﬁnd their way to our homes rather than us exhausting resources and time to visit market areas. Conclusion India is undoubtedly the most complex and diverse economy in the world. Inter-city migration has always been a key reason for India’s tumultuous economic changes. The current pandemic also helped us realize that the 6

traditional ways of working will no longer help us in shaping a successful future. User experience and behavioural design are essential solutions for rapid development. Right investment models that concentrate on creating content in the ﬁeld of emerging technologies (such as creating virtual classrooms and teaching subjects with the help of augmented and mixed reality) will create more diverse opportunities for people from different walks of life. On the other hand, with the increased acceptance of E-Commerce facilities, digitisation is set to replace the physical markets by 2030. We can imagine a more sustainable and well-planned future with the help of technologies such as the Internet of Things, Artiﬁcial Intelligence, and Blockchains. 5G will easily help the nation transform itself into a global supreme. References

“Mind full of unsaid things”

Student’s Artwork

By :Shubhi Agarwal DIT University

"Encephalon"

1. Talluri, R. (n.d.). Unleashing the full potential of 5G to create a massive Internet of things. Network World. https:// www.networkworld.com/article/3160851/unleashing-the-full-potentialof-5g-to-create-a-massive-internet-of-things.html 2. How to unleash the full potential of the IoT. (2019, March 26). Building a better working world - EY - United States. https://www.ey.com/en_gl/ consulting/how-to-unleash-the-full-potential-of-the-iot

Naina Jain UX Faculty | Designer | Entrepreneur A passionate educationist with teaching experience in some of the prominent design institutes of India and an entrepreneur who is an active member of social initiatives such as Healing Forest and Do-no Trash. She founded a Design studio and has worked for the Government of Uttarakhand, Rajnath Singh (Honourable minister of Home Affairs of India), Government of Arunachal, some of the top multinational companies like Bain and Company, DSM, TEDx, PSBT and many more. Her skills include team building, quality of work, progressive thinking, spontaneity and rapid design thinking.

By : Anshul Kumar DIT University

"Encephalon"

About Author :

By : Anshul Kumar DIT University

"Story of a wild child"

Connects :

linkedin.com/in/nainajain25

DID YOU KNOW? The ﬁrst Google doodle was designed as an “out of ofﬁce” message in 1998 By : Tushita Bhatia DIT University

Re - deﬁning the Post Covid Physical World By : Eshayat Taskin

In early 2020, mankind was forced into living in a world grappling with a pandemic, the Covid- 19. Anxiety and despair have been dominant ever since as small and large spaces alike are readjusting to a ‘locked down’ lifestyle. As a result, we are getting to see public and private organisations being pushed to their limits, particularly those with business models and services built along the standard of shared public spaces. What’s more, it’s evident that the ordinary physical experiences people once enjoyed without a second thought are now being considered selectively. For residents of high-density urban properties, access to safe and uncrowded open spaces and outdoor leisure areas have become, and will likely remain, a key factor when deciding where to live. Providing safe shared access to indoor and outdoor spaces through seamless integration of digital platforms will become a key requirement for urban space planning. The following paper attempts to shed light on how digitization and emerging technologies can efficiently address peoples’ practical needs of communication, entertainment, work, socialisation and consumption in their physical spaces. Social Spaces right into the new post-pandemic model. Banks, including HSBC and Barclays, have been using Social behaviours during the pandemic have speaker recognition technologies as a means of changed mostly out of emergency. From here authenticating a customer’s identity. on, the way people participate in social activities and do business will drastically change too. ABI details the following use cases in one of Response strategies to the pandemic have its Smart Cities and Smart Spaces Quarterly called for a radical shift in the long-standing Updates: design principles of shared physical spaces, and the mechanical and digital elements within 1. Drones: communication and implementation them. As organisations are learning to readjust, of social distancing rules; delivery of medical digital adoption has accelerated. This digital supplies expedition will be more relevant to some 2. AI-based remote temperature sensing industries than others. (Kogniz Health) 3. Autonomous last-mile delivery (Beep, Navya, The retail and travel industries are pressed to Nuro, Waymo, Postmates) get customers back into common public spaces 4. Digital twins: holistic, real-time visibility for safely while staying mindful of handling capacity resources and services (Siradel) and sanitation. But for customers, they will need 5. Real-time dashboards and data sharing: use to see, smell and feel that stores are in-fact of smartphone data crowdsourcing for location “sanitised”. Stores, restaurants, hotels, banks tracking. and common public spaces must make each day’s cleaning efforts explicit. This could look Many affluent cities are enjoying the benefits of like digitised cleaning logs and dashboards that a digital-only lifestyle in the form of immediate are regularly updated to ensure shoppers that adoption of e-Government services, e-Health the store undergoes a thorough cleaning and tele-consultation, remote work, online multiple times a day. The scent of bleach may education, and e-Commerce, thereby resulting be a new psychological parameter to instil in a striking downfall of traffic levels, city reassurance. congestion, accidents, and air pollution. Another factor to consider for shopping malls is In China, Hangzhou based elevator designing for in-store digital experiences. manufacturer XIOLIFT has launched a voiceInnovations such as virtual “dressing rooms”, in controlled elevator to mitigate the spread of place of the standard changing rooms, should fit contamination as people return to work. The 8

voice-controlled elevator operates much like a smart speaker. Users can use its customized wake-up command “Xiaoxi, Xiaoxi” and alert the elevator of which ﬂoor to go to. One can also operate the elevator commands with regards to weather, music, and other entertainment options.

Bubble Architecture Studio by Paulino Poveda hypothesised hexagon-shaped ﬂooring modules that can each accommodate one person. The architecture is furnished with technology that helps people connect thermal bracelets to heat-mapping technology. The bracelets measure vital bodily signals such as heart rate and temperature and will alert the user of any concerns. If the user is found to be symptomatic in any form, the ﬂoor will turn red, and the user will be escorted to an isolation module where they will be joined by a health worker.

EPAM Continuum has envisioned a similar model in a more ethical manner. The Screen Door health-check experience project uses fast thermal imaging, radio signals, and computer vision to detect early signs of COVID-19. Screen Door combines sensors and algorithms to identify elevated heart rate and respiration rate. Most importantly, it considers a respectful human-centred service design without raising an alarm or public shaming. This systemsthinking strategy will guarantee the security of public settings while supporting a culture of respect and empathy.

From all these models and examples it is evident that when public space designs connect the ordinary with the novel, it is possible to create more seamless experiences.

Reimagining the Oﬃce

Organisations and businesses around the world have risen to the occasion to also remodel the workspace. It has become everyone’s priority to safeguard their employees by adopting decisive business-continuity plans.

Before the pandemic, the office space was held crucial for enhancing productivity, professionalism, and time-bound performance. Densification, open-floor designs, and coworking were front-facing strategies. However, with the lockdown, senior managements were unanimous in accepting effective technologies

for videoconferencing and digital collaboration such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts. Indeed, the office of the future is digital and virtual. Across industries, leaders were keen to adapt to a work-from-home culture in order to reevaluate the functionality of a physical office space and whether there even is a need for one. According to McKinsey’s research conducted in the US to measure the change in office environments, 41% reported being more productive than they had been before, and 28% were reportedly just as productive. The future of the physical office will also prioritise health and sanitation over all else. It will be imperative to redesign workspaces that enable physical distancing and restrict movement in congested areas (for instance, elevator banks and pantries). Futuristic technology will play a central role in enabling workers to function in their office buildings. Facebook has been working on launching something of a futuristic desk platform, where virtual screens float in the air, and people can resize them to their needs. Facebook said the emerging technology is part of a modern computing platform that would combine augmented and virtual reality and connect them with new devices to create “infinite workspaces” that could allow co-workers to collaborate in virtual meeting rooms. It goes without saying that digitisation is only as effective as it is personalised. ‘Codec Avatars’, a concept of lifelike virtual avatars of employees – is a unique concept Facebook is working on to enhance social interaction, by “helping social connections in VR become as natural and familiar as those in the real world”. Corporate offices will be seen investing in the power of contactless technologies to prevent disease transmission. Zaha Hadid Architects’ response strategy for the Bee’ah waste management company in Sharjah, UAE may just be a preview of the immediate future. It is prepared with what ZHA calls ‘contactless pathways,’ wherein the workforce will rarely need to touch any physical touch-points with their hands. Office doors open automatically in response to motion sensors and facial recognition. Elevators - and even a hot beverage - can be ordered through a smartphone. 9

Global real estate company Cushman & Wakefield has adapted to the challenge of continuing to work in a physical space with their new Six Feet Office design strategies. The Six Feet Office is a state of the art transformation to ensure social distancing. By installing signals around its office to track employees’ movements via their mobile phones, the infrastructure can potentially send alerts when six-feet rules are breached.

While adapting to such advancements, the immediate need of the hour will be for organizations to manage which employees necessarily need to come to the office, how often the office is sanitised, whether the airflow is sufficient. In-office videoconferencing should no longer involve a group of people huddled around a screen. Seamless in-person communication, remote collaboration spaces (such as virtual whiteboards), and asynchronous working models will quickly move from futuristic ideas to becoming the standard organisational norm.

These adjustments may not only enhance how work is done but also reduce overheads and encourage savings. Companies should take a fresh look at how much and where space is required and how it promotes avenues for collaboration, productivity, and cultural exchange. The coming transformation will practice an assortment of space solutions: owned space, standard leases, ﬂexible leases, ﬂex space, and remote work.

Home- the Safe Haven

Before the pandemic, a majority of urban communities chose to live in dense residential neighbourhoods because of the convenience of proximity to work, schools, and the beneﬁts of shared resources and amenities. Living in shoebox apartments at the expense of being close to sought-after destinations (such as museums, restaurants, and clubs) oﬀered solace and respite from living in cramped spaces. However, since the impact of Covid-19, residents are particularly concerned about the health and safety risks that come with shared physical touch-points. We were previously used to twisting doorknobs, pressing buttons, and tapping touch screens to navigate our immediate living spaces. But now, visibility,

clear communication, and immediate response are growing concerns for people to feel secure in their homes. Where you live now is also where you work, hang out, ‘eat out’ and attend concerts. This has renewed the significance and the design of the state of the home environment. Urban space planners and designers have come to recognise the need to redesign residential spaces with the versatility to transform it into a space that supports work, inculcates learning, while also addressing comfort and social needs. For residents now, living at home has to meet the perfect balance of ‘community’ while also retaining ‘individuality.’ As some citizens settle into long-term remote working, they’ll need to make spatial changes to their apartments powered by technology. Homes will have to be restructured to include a workspace. Australian design firm Woods Bagot launched its ‘Split Shift Home’ design to respond to this need. The unit offers features like moveable walls, a space for cultivating plants and crops, and extra office and food storage spaces. Movable walls can be built into units to divide or expand spaces. Sensorial controls inspired by immersive luxury-hotel-like experiences can install softer lighting, music, and even scents to signal the end of the workday. For many affluent city dwellers, having a way to visualise, track, and gauge current traffic and hygiene conditions of a public space could enable people to plan their days around commotions, such as disinfection or containment zones, and avoid moving during certain specific times. Technological advancements like using smart surfaces in public areas to alert supervisors and residents when they need disinfection are key to helping residents continue a safe and secure life within their spaces. Certain other features could look like real-time status dashboards to display traffic conditions and measure risk density in an area through heat maps. With e-Governance bridging the gap between people and the government through contact tracing apps, the state and ruling bodies will have direct ways to address, correct and warn citizens. With health becoming a universal 10

priority, ﬁxtures like doorknobs, mailboxes, elevators, hallways, and parking lobbies will need regular disinfecting of which residents will be notiﬁed through smart-apps. Update residents about “safe zones” through lighting and environmental displays to show which areas have been recently disinfected will be another emerging practice.

The hard lessons we learn from the pandemic will have lasting eﬀects on communal living. Using a human-centered approach to spatial, service, and technological innovation should design for the current dubious moment and prepare for the next normal. Taking novel designs and services forward will create opportunities for more human-to-human and human-to-nature interactions. Such advancements will make domestic living even better on the other side of the pandemic.

The purpose of the local markets has also reinvented itself during this crisis. Consumers have regained interest in supporting their local economy due to mobility restrictions.

People are now making fewer trips to grocery, drug and convenience stores but are spending more per visit- a trend that can be observed as ‘larger shopping baskets but fewer trips’. Shoppers are choosing to have products shipped to them through click-and-collect options. This was evident in Big Basket’s revenue in March being 20% higher than normal days. Grofers saw an 80% surge in the orders and the amount spent by shoppers rose by 48%.

However, despite the growing popularity of the online stores, consumers still want the guarantee and immediate fulﬁlment that come with the brick-and-mortar stores. A whopping 90% of India’s $700 billion retail market is made up of neighbourhood kiranas, and families depend on open-air/wet markets for their basic food needs. In India, despite the expansion of big FMCG brands and plush supermarkets, the vast majority still buys 65% of their essentials from kirana stores as they are more likely to trust someone in their immediate vicinity. A model that has emerged from the pandemic is tapping into the potential of a localised ecosystem i.e going hyperlocal. It’s a business model that connects local oﬄine markets to customers through a digital platform. It enables

a customer to immediately purchase products or request for services at the click of a button. Hyper-localisation is a great model for Indian households as there is a tendency to develop deep, familial ties with vendors, shopkeepers and service providers within one’s locality. Millions of people living in gated communities depend on the Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) to combat the crisis locally. India’s RWAs and residential housing societies have a strong foothold over community’s safety, spread of information and operations. Hyperlocal startups could capitalise on this opportunity by exercising a framework to bring together hyperlocal data and storytelling on one platform. This is rightly being exemplified by apps like MyGate. Over 1.6 million homes in India use the MyGate app to perform day to day functions like authorising entry of delivery officials, paying maintenance bills, raising a ticket to the facility manager, scheduling health checkups. The app has partnered with several companies for express delivery of groceries and medicines, collecting digital payments, prompt delivery of epapers. This in turn has also created opportunities for local vendors who may set up their stalls inside the society to sell for a couple of hours everyday while the RWA officers monitor the flow of buyers from different houses. In real life, large and small companies have been delivering directly to customers through third-party eCommerce touchpoints (as being practiced by Swiggy Grocery). They are using social networking platforms to expand their customer base, thereby leveraging smaller secondary sales points or selling through thirdparty generalists, and working with packaging suppliers that employ safer methods of delivery. Farmers have wide scale opportunities to connect directly with consumers now, as aided by the Kisan Sabha App, thereby removing the middleman. In an attempt to restrict physical contact between people, major public spaces and social centres may have shut down but the purchase of food and essentials has remained inevitable. Open markets and grocers will remain a vital foundation of food consumption and distribution across the globe. Closing them would only impose financial constraints on the more 11

vulnerable groups. The future of retail shopping likely looks cashier-less. As coronavirus hit hard, Amazon saw an opportunity and began licensing cashier-free technology to retailers. The technology features computer vision, sensor fusion, and deep learning, all of which empower shoppers to place items in carts and simply walk out the door when they are done. The Just Walk

Conclusion

The one thing Covid-19 has taught everyone is that life as we knew it will not remain the same. What we need now is sincere governance and strategies that will promote health and security through design advancement of our physical spaces. Designers can then serve to formulate and re-engineer our cities and towns towards good health, revitalised streets, and more resilient neighbourhoods. As the conversations around undoing the densiﬁcation of places unfold over the coming months, it is important not to scapegoat the user experience of next generation urban space planning and architecture.

References

1. Tactical urbanism: Reimagining our cities post-covid-19. (2020, June 4). ArchDaily. https://www.archdaily.com/940877/tactical-urbanismreimagining-our-cities-post-covid-19https://www.epam.com/insights/ white-papers/how-to-design-integrated-experiences-for-the-postpandemic-world 2. This is how coronavirus could reshape our cities forever. (n.d.). World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/05/ coronavirus-change-cities-infrastructure/ 3. Reimagining the ofﬁce and work life after COVID-19. (n.d.). McKinsey & Company. https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/organization/ our-insights/reimagining-the-ofﬁce-and-work-life-after-covid-19 4. Screen door: https://www.pandemictechnews.com/2020/05/12/ screen-door-a-safe-innovative-human-centered-approach-to-openingup-public-spaces/

“It’s all about perspective. Just change the angle & get a new view.”

By : Richa DIT University

“Reﬂection of the past “

About Author :

Eshayat Taskin (MSc Clinical Psychology) As a dynamic and creative individual, Eshayat has demonstrated experience in the ﬁelds of early childhood education, special needs and mental health. Her interests include arts, design, and creative pedagogy. Her passion for exploring how human behaviour and social psychology apply in learning, culture and human development has brought her into the ﬁeld of designing curriculum and educational material for UX.

Connects :

linkedin.com/in/eshayat-taskin-msc-clinicalpsychology-575116b8

By : Vasundhara Dubey DIT University

Conducting User Research during the Pandemic By : Abhignya Srishaila

Design is often confused for art and craft. It is very commonly misinterpreted as a tool to enhance the visual appeal of something. But design is not just a sketchbook of illustrations and landscapes. It is an intuitive, informative and a cross-disciplinary field solving real-time problems. The design industry is a vast space of multiple disciplines- Fashion, Automobile, Product, Service, System Design, User Experience Design, to name a few. The design of a product (including its looks and the functions) is one of the main differentiators that helps businesses stand apart from their competitors, and this is why companies invest in branding, advertising, and package design almost as much as they invest in manufacturing. User experience design is a field that emphasises the usability of a product, service, or system by enhancing the experience of the user (emotional and cognitive perceptions) that follows it (Joo, 2017). One of the motives of UX design, apart from the aesthetics and ergonomics, is the fact that it arouses meaning and emotional responses in the user. Along with the need for a particular design solution, people look for a sense of their own identity and worth in the design (Merchant, 2018). The user needs, expectations, and connections can be met through an effective process called user research. “We wanted to more richly experience why we were alive, not just make a better life…there was definitely more to life than the materialism of the late 50’s and early sixties. We were going in search of something deeper.” - Steve Jobs What is User Research? User Research is nothing but the process of decoding users’ motivations, triggers, mental and behavioural processes that underlie their challenges and needs for a product/service/ system (“User Research Basics | Usability.gov”, 2020). The psychology of users is a very important factor in determining where the actual

problem lies. Needless to say, in a business, understanding the market and the target customers is of significant importance, with respect to their culture, belief systems, location, socio-economic status, and activity-focused behaviour. User research is a ‘systematic’ methodology, which means it follows an organised and a structured flow, similar to any scientific research. The tools and methods adopted in user research are often in sync with the kind of insights we look to uncover. Some of the best practices and trends of conducting user research are ethnographic studies, in-depth interviews, usability testing (moderated/ unmoderated) in qualitative methods, online/ offline surveys, product analytics, card sorting as quantitative methods. Thus, understanding the various aspects of emotional, cognitive, and behavioural processes of our end users helps us design and innovate upon products and services that people find relatable and worthy enough to use in their lives. “The challenge for companies that want to grow into unfamiliar markets is not only understanding the new cultures but also doing so quickly”- Vijay Kumar & Patrick Whitney Impact of Covid-19 Pandemic on UX and User Research The consequences of the pandemic has given rise to various emerging consumer behaviour trends in order to acclimatise to the current scenario. Health and hygiene tops everyone’s list of priorities now, while travel and luxury barely make the cut. It is a hard-hitting reality that design is often the first to get neglected during an economic crisis of an organisation, due to the crunch of time, money, and resources (Ardill, 2020). Due to the financial crisis, many design agencies and organisations experienced postponement or cancellation of existing projects, client withdrawals, and delay in product development and launch (Khemsurov, 2020). 13

A recent survey conducted by EnjoyHQ, an organisation assisting in UX Research and testing, reported insights on how UX teams were aﬀected by the disruption of the pandemic. The survey revealed that 31% of the designers and design researchers were already in stages of going completely remote even before the pandemic and 21% of the sample claimed to have already adapted to remote work for a while. However, the other 40% expressed a negative aﬃrmation to remote work experiences prior to the pandemic. The survey then highlighted one of the major challenges faced by 34% of researchers, which was the unpredictability of user behaviour and perceptions since Covid-19. Another crucial disruption that many professionals revealed was the psychological impact the pandemic would have on them such as the possibility of downsizing, reduced clientele, and disrupted funding. Nevertheless, this time has also opened up new opportunities for crisis intervention (Quintero, 2020).

Conducting User Research during Covid-19

The crisis indefinitely affected the way design teams work, especially for researchers but it is not impossible to adapt to the situation. The world is changing and the responsibility of a user researcher is to observe, unwind, understand, and translate these changes, needs, and pain points into curating appropriate designs for the present-day context. There are still certain best practices, tools, and methods designers can adopt to conduct an effective user research, even with the limitations of the pandemic.

Empathy- Now, More than Ever!

Empathy has always been the go-to ‘mantra’ for a UX designer and researcher to deeply understand users’ behaviours, motivations, and thought processes. This life skill has helped designers innovate and design products of necessity and of high value. The unpredictability of the crisis is and going to be a major factor inﬂuencing consumer behaviour and researchers have to be comparatively more intuitive and empathic as opposed to the prepandemic times. We have to take into account the users’ behaviour, emotional response, decision-making processes with respect to perceptions of safety, aﬀordability, accessibility,

and sociability. Moreover, this time can also seem a bit more tedious than the previous UX research projects as the recruitment of user participants might not be as simple. The users’ mental models and openness to interact with the researchers have to be taken into consideration and researchers must ensure that the potential participants are not forced into their work. It is also highly important to understand that while every individual may not respond the same way to the crisis, they may not be completely different either. The main task for user research, even with the limitations of the pandemic. an organisation, due to the crunch of time, money, and resources (Ardill, 2020). Due to the ﬁnancial crisis, many design agencies and organisations experienced postponement or cancellation of existing projects, client withdrawals, and delay in product development and launch (Khemsurov, 2020). A recent survey conducted by EnjoyHQ, an organisation assisting in UX Research and testing, reported insights on how UX teams were affected by the disruption of the pandemic. The survey revealed that 31% of the designers and design researchers were already in stages of going almost/completely remote even before the pandemic and 21% of the sample claimed to have already adapted to remote work for a while. However, the other 40% expressed a negative afﬁrmation to remote work experiences prior to the pandemic. The survey then highlighted one of the major challenges faced by 34% of researchers, which was the unpredictability of user behaviour and perceptions since Covid-19 was unanticipated phenomenon. Some design researchers also stated that it is supposedly quite challenging to adapt to the changes in executing research during this time, adding to the fact that they are juggling home and work simultaneously. Another crucial disruption that many professionals revealed was the psychological impact the pandemic would have on them such as the possibility of downsizing, reduced clientele, and disrupted funding. Nevertheless, there are 2 sides to every coin and so, apart from the nailbiting challenges the designers and researchers are experiencing, it has also opened new opportunities for crisis intervention (Quintero, 2020). “Working remotely might be the new norm, but 14

it’s not always easy.”- Sofia Quintero Conducting User Research during Covid-19 The crisis indefinitely affected the way design teams work, especially for researchers but it is not impossible to adapt to the situation. The world is changing and the responsibility of a user researcher is to observe, unwind, understand, and translate these changes, needs, and pain points into curating appropriate the user researchers, in this case, is to figure out the common pattern among them. It is likely that the user needs of today might vary from the needs of next week. The need for higher-order empathic skills is also due to the limitation/low possibility of on-ground and in-person research, which means we may miss out on observing non-verbal cues (“UX research during crisis”, 2020). Empathy tools like Personas, Empathy Maps, and User Journey Maps may have to be refined and redefined constantly in different phases as the pandemic’s consequences keep unfolding in the coming months. Going Digital, Going Remote Digitisation and digital experiences are not novel to the 21st century. Every business, organisation, and individual is significantly connected through digital mediums and platforms- IoT and Artificial intelligence-based designs, Mobile Applications, Websites, Social Media are a few. The pandemic has created a situation where the dependency on these digital mediums is at a hike as working environments have turned remote and the interactions have become more on-screen, than in-person. This seems to be a case applied to user research as well. With all social distancing, hygiene/sanitisation protocols, and work-from-home lifestyle, user researchers are also obligated to accommodate themselves to remote research. Remote research tools and methods were indeed used by a lot of designers prior to the pandemic, but there are many who have mostly preferred a traditional approach of user research until now like personal interviews and contextual inquiries, card sorting etc. The pandemic opened a new scope to explore and familiarise oneself with the

digital tools like Figma, Miro, Slack, and Zoom. However, there are many other effective qualitative interactions and research methods that are available for remote studies are: - Remote interviews and focus group discussions. The researcher and the participants can interact through video call platforms like Skype, Zoom, hangouts which could be recorded for further references and analysis. - Diary studies- Users can introspect and enter personal accounts of their day to day more freely, especially because the vast majority is at home. The participant may also attach personal vlogs or voice recordings if they don’t feel comfortable writing. - Open-ended surveys- Open-ended surveys can pose speciﬁc questions followed by a space to write their answers, thoughts and experiences with no limitations. - Desk research- A very important, and effective method of observing measurable data patterns, existing case studies, reports and publications, trade reports, customer feedback scores that help identify and map various frameworks and contextual information to create validated, yet deeper insights. - Online co-design workshops for stakeholders and other collaborative groups can be connected for further understanding different perspectives and brainstorm user needs and design solutions, using collaborative tools like Figma, Slack, and Miro. In these online platforms, there is a transparency of what participants and designers have contributed to the collaborations, also allowing the possibility of screen and navigation control. - Usability testing and product evaluationresearch for product evaluation has also been made possible through tools like Crazy Egg, Userzoom, Validately. Remote moderated and unmoderated usability testing can also be carried out, where the users are given the freedom to participate from their natural environment, and the respective product is evaluated by the users, with or without the guidance of the researcher (“Going Remote User Research During COVID-19”, 2020). - Web-based intercepts- The viewers of the organisations’ websites could be provided with a pop-up asking if they would like to participate in the user research. The users who are willing 15

could then be redirected to a video conferencing platform, where they would now be observed or monitored as they use and navigate through the website, to complete a particular task (Travis, 2020).

Remote studies and workshops may not be as effective as on-ground studies, but nevertheless, it offers things that field studies couldn’t. Remote studies allow users to interact from the comfort of their natural spaces, reduces the time of travel, creates a flexibility in the time and duration of interactions, and allows a wider participant representation without geographical barriers.

For the Not-So-Tech-Savvy

Tech savviness and the capability of engaging with digital systems is a factor to be considered not only from the perspective of the user researcher but also the participants. A set of the global population, mostly belonging to generations before Gen Y or millennials (also known as Digital Nomads) i.e Gen X and Baby Boomers exhibit a lesser tech competency level and hence are not completely comfortable using the digital tools of this day. They may express reluctance and may lack patience to learn to use these digital platforms for an isolated purpose. Certain users also feel quite conscious about using Videocon platforms like Skype and zoom. Even so, the participants’ capabilities and comfort have to be respected and acknowledged, as every participant at this time of the pandemic is a valuable asset to creating optimal user experiences in their design.

If the researcher or the participants prefer to opt for the possibility of an interaction that doesn’t involve learning new tools or high-end tech usage, there are alternative ways;

Telephonic interviews- According to the Hawthorne eﬀect, users are more likely to be more direct and expressive during a voice-only telephonic interview as they are not being observed, and hence are less conscious about how they respond.

Vicinity and proximity-based research- A potential ‘green zone’ locality or people existing within the vicinity of the researcher’s neighbourhood may be able to give valuable information upon observation or interviews,

about their life and thought processes during the pandemic (Gupta, 2020). Conclusion UX design industry and user research were affected critically as the pandemic struck the world for obvious reasons but there is also an upside to every downfall, especially because designers are problem-solvers. The key to good UX research and design has always been to ﬁnd the actual problem, gain the deepest insight to design feasible solutions for the users- the mantra will always remain so even after the pandemic. References 1. What is design?. AIGA- the professional association for design. Retrieved from https://www.aiga.org/what-is-design. 2. Merchant, R. (2018). The Meaning of Design. Medium. Retrieved from https://medium.com/google-design/the-meaning-ofdesign-44f1a82129a8. 3. Joo, H. (2017). A Study on Understanding of UI and UX, and Understanding of Design According to User Interface Change. International Journal Of Applied Engineering Research, 12(20). https:// www.ripublication.com/ijaer17/ijaerv12n20_96.pdf. 4. User Research Basics | Usability.gov. Usability.gov. (2020). Retrieved from https://www.usability.gov/what-and-why/userresearch.html#:~:text=User%20research%20focuses%20on%20underst anding,of%20design%20on%20an%20audience.%E2%80%9D. 5. Kumar, V., & Whitney, P. (2010). Faster, cheaper, deeper user research. Design Management Journal (Former Series), 14(2), 50-57. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1948-7169.2003.tb00041.x 6. What is User Research?. The Interaction Design Foundation. Retrieved from https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/topics/userresearch. 7. Mortensen, D. (2019). User Research: What It Is and Why You Should Do It. The Interaction Design Foundation. Retrieved from https:// www.interaction-design.org/literature/article/user-research-what-it-isand-why-you-should-do-it. 8. Ardill, L. (2020). How Covid-19 could cause ‘product development debt’ for UX teams. Silicon Republic. Retrieved from https:// www.siliconrepublic.com/careers/ux-industry-covid-19.

About author :

Abhignya Srishaila UX Design Faculty “Being a design evangelist, I strongly believe in the concept of the ‘butterﬂy effect’. A small gust of empathic exploration can indeed create a storm of positive change and hence, advocating for adaptation and change as the world shifts to a digital collaboration, rather than digital dependency.”

Connects : linkedin.com/in/abhignya-srishaila-02a5a815a

A Designer’s Mind at Work during the Lockdown By : Malvika Kagzi

At the turn of the 21st century, the entire globe was in sheer excitement of stepping into a new era- the 2000s and beyond. But with that excitement also came the fear of possible mayhem not many had anticipated- the Y2K phenomenon. The term Y2K, also popularly known as the ‘Millennium Bug,’ was used by technology experts to refer to a widespread computer programming shortcut that could likely cause all computers and digital devices to stop working by the end of 1999. Sounds implausible? Well, at the time, it was the most frightening phenomenon known to mankind. Many computer programs only allowed 2-digit date conﬁgurations (i.e. ’99 instead of 1999). As a result, there was tremendous panic around the thought that digital devices could stop functioning forever if they were not prepared to switch from the date ’99 to ’00. The scare caused leading government organisations and corporates to move mountains to reconﬁgure and avert the risk in time. Fortunately, all things negative that were anticipated with the advent of Y2K passed rather smoothly and today it exists as a story the digital world looks back to and chuckles. Today, 20 years from that time, the world is battling with one of mankind’s most dreaded fears- the novel Corona Virus. Every single individual on this Earth is trying their level best not to get affected by it and avoid spreading it. Unlike the Y2K, this one’s cure has yet to come. In order to keep up with the changing times and the behaviour trends that have emerged in response to the pandemic, new and emerging technologies are constantly being designed to help make the ‘new normal’ more adjustable. India has been wrestling with a lockdown since March 2020, and like many countries, our bustling economy has come to a standstill during this time. An immediate and inevitable response pattern all leading organisations are embracing now is going digital. Plenty of mobile applications hit the digital marketplace overnight to help the

world adopt e-commerce facilities, entertainment, educational avenues, work from home collaborations, digital healthcare facilities, to name a few. Special contact tracing applications have also been designed to inform people if they have crossed paths with a carrier or agent within seconds of being out and about. In Singapore, the government launched an app called TraceTogether. It uses Bluetooth signals between phones to track if potential carriers of the virus have been in close contact with others. In Hong Kong, residents were made to wear a wristband which connected to a smartphone app and could signal authorities if a person left their place of quarantine. Depending on different scales of concerns of people, designers are increasingly working on needs-based ideas to create customised equipment. By paying heed to consumers’ growing concern for sanitation, several companies quickly responded by launching disinfecting sprays, sanitizers, soaps, and alcohol based solution products. India is a country with a booming population of nearly 130 crore people. I am a resident of the city of Mumbai, which is not only the commercial capital of India but also a population of more than three crore people by itself. Local trains, buses, and taxis are the primary forms of public transport in this city, and it is remarkable how nearly 75-80 lakh people travel by local trains alone. However, during the Covid-19 pandemic, all such public modes of transports were forced to shut down for over two months straight. Not only has this left the city incapacitated, but it has also plummeted its economy. Mumbai has never been this way in all its decades of existence. Little is known how quickly things could backﬁre when its enormous population goes back to using public trains. As a student of design, the lockdown appeared to be a good incubation period for me to ideate and act on the need for the hour. I tried to keep myself busy at home by making new designs 17

towards adaptability. Every new design I envisioned was a learning experience in its own way. It was both physically and mentally stimulating.

Amid this lockdown, two of my relatives shared their ideas with me about keeping the virus at bay on the daily. After all, we cannot spend all our lives indoors. By speaking to my family and hearing their needs, I was able to empathize and understand beyond my own needs. One of the products that I designed was a ‘Sanitization Box’ with Ultra-Violet (UV) Lights ﬁtted in it. This device would be electrically operated. Any article/object that requires sanitising can be placed inside the box, and then we switch it on. The UV Rays will then penetrate from every nook and corner inside the box and help kill all kinds of viruses and germs that rest on the surface of the object.

Another product that I have designed is a Body Cover Kit which is made of 100% cotton. It is inspired by the white robe traditional to Arab men and parts of the Middle East. The kit comes with a scarf that keeps the face and the head covered. A person travelling to work by public transport (especially by local trains), could wear this protective attire. On reaching oﬃce, this robe and scarf can be removed and placed inside the same UV Sanitization Box for sanitising. I also designed the logo for branding and marketing purposes for both products. This was one of my ﬁrst ventures at commercial designing, and I feel fortunate to have been a part of this process.

Student articles

Conclusion The two products were designed keeping in mind the primary ways Corona Virus can spread and the steps we can take to prevent our exposure to it. The two products intend to protect a person right from the initial stage of exposure and mitigate its spread in public spaces. My role was to design the look of the product. I had to keep in mind the intricate details of the products to make them convenient for use. The products are now in production and have started circulating nationwide. I feel proud to have made a contribution in this time of crisis.

Story Board 1 Board 2 Story Story Board 3 About Author : Malvika Kagzi, B.Des, DIT University. My name is Malvika Kagzi. Being a fresh commerce undergraduate and ﬁrst year designing student, I come with an analytical and creative background and I am looking to embark my career in the designing ﬁeld. My aim is to attain a UX-Design degree from the Dehradun Institute of Technology while getting a hands-on experience in the designing industry.

Connects : Malvika1000@gmail.com

Non-Thematic Section

“Good design is obvious. Great design is transparent.” - Joe Sparano

Roles and Responsibilities of a UX Designer By : Kamaksh Gangani

You are sitting on your desk, creating that perfect user experience through an appealing user interface. You were up the whole night, solving an amazing interaction problem, spent days designing a sales dashboard that presents some very useful insights to show to the sales manager. You think you are ready for the stakeholder meeting, have taken all the right decisions and are pumped up about walking the team members through your decision-making process. But, on the day of the presentation, things unfold very differently from your expectations; You: “This is the dashboard I have come up with. As you can see, the graph shows some amazing insights like…” And before you can finish, you are flooded with a host of inquiries and evaluations.  Product manager: “I don’t like this graph. You should have used a bar graph…” Developer: “It will take me 30 hours just to code this small potion of the data!” Project manager: “This is not what we agreed upon. This will need one more sprint to develop.” Stakeholder / Client: “Can we change this circle to a hexagon? My wife loves hexagons! (This actually happened to me once). Now what? Even if you think you are a 100% right and this is the best possible experience for the user, suddenly the hero inside you who wanted to conquer the meeting by showcasing an amazing solution, dies. You feel undermined, and your designs are limited to various contrasting opinions. Give me a high five if these are the thoughts running through your mind: “These guys don’t know how UX works”, “Why do they have a say in design, I am the designer!”, “Only I know what is best for the user”, “Nobody is letting me work”, “Why don’t they mind their own business,

have I ever told them their pitch deck sucks?” Are you wrong? No. But are they wrong? Also no. Then where is the problem? The problem is not in the field of design but the way people think it works. I always compare the field of design with the movie industry. A director takes 10 months to make a movie and it takes the audience and critics two minutes to pass their judgment towards it. But only the director and the backend production team know all the tumultuous conditions that helped bring the story to life.  The fact is, the visual form of any product becomes very easy for people to comment on. Understanding and experiencing design is subjective. There is no right or wrong. It’s about whether it works for the user or not. So whose job is UX really? Why are others telling you what to do and why do they have an opinion only on design and not on coding and other technical aspects? Newsflash- UX is every member’s responsibility! Now before you think that your job is in danger and you start looking for other career options, let me try explaining why you are indispensable in the product ecosystem. There is one area where the job of a designer becomes unique; more than making design decisions, your job is to make informed design decisions. Even more so, your job is also to defend design decisions for the best interest of the user. Here are some expertise/tools you have to prove that you are exercising the right decision decisions and also evade blind feedback going in to design. Understanding UX as more scientific than a creative practice- UX is not conventional art. It’s an art of solving problems through science. A lot 20

of people misconceptualise UX design to be a result of creativity only, that it is all about designing beautiful screens. That’s where people often go wrong and start jumping in with their preconceived notions. As a UX designer, you hold the responsibility to educate and create awareness about this ﬁeld i.e it is about solving human problems and frustrations. User interface is only a tool/medium which designers use to interact with a system. But UX includes all that and the users’ psychology, personality, cultural inﬂuences, social settings, needs and goals.

User Research - The most important fact-sheet is user research insights. User research gives us the conﬁdence to take a design decision in user’s favour. As a UXer, it helps you convince the rest of the world that what you know stems from empirical evidence. For example, by conducting user research you discovered that when reading customer reviews, users typically prefer a scrolling log but they don’t like to click the “Read More” button all the time.

Empathy - a designer has maximum amount of empathy for the user as compared to anyone else. You are the advocate of the user. It’s the empathy that makes you learn more about them, care for them, and provide them the best experience they deserve. You are the face of the user for rest of the project members. The more empathy you possess as a designer, the more willingness to defend design decisions.

Experience and heuristics - Because you have solved a lot of design problems in the past, you have developed an ability to back your decisions and solutions with adequate reasoning. One of the greatest qualities of a designer is applying heuristics. Their ability to sense what works and what doesn’t is what makes them a designer by passion and not by accident.

Psychology -  plenty of scientiﬁc research and behavioural observation have gone into backing design principles. For example, the reason we shouldn’t have more than 5-6 menu items is explained by a concept called ‘cognitive load’. The human mind can store only 5-6 items in its working memory at a time. This proves it further that every single design decision is grounded in human behaviour and attitudes

such as Hick’s law, Fitt’s law, Gestalt’s laws, to name a few.  Conclusion Despite having existed in the market for over two decades, there still exists widespread misconception and lack of awareness about the ﬁeld of user experience design. UX is not a work of art alone. Plus, the job of design is not to create something beautiful only- its primary function is to solve problems. One more thing, when non UXers take design decisions with you, they are not always wrong. They have a perspective, remember? Design decisions never right or wrong, it’s always about whether it works for the users. It’s subjective. Always remember: UX is a collaborative process. Everyone has the right to exert design decisions but it’s you who can defend it for the sake of the user.  About Author : Kamaksh Gangani UX Designer Kamaksh is a Design Thinker who believes in taking “informed” Design Decisions. He has taken over 40 Design Thinking workshops, and has mentored over 100 Design Students. Has more than 13 years of overall experience in digital with over 10.5 years in Design. Kamaksh expertises in Design Transformation and setting up processes and teams. He has solved design problems for some large enterprises, one of them being Honeywell. His love towards behavioural psychology has brought him to this ﬁeld. He enjoys Road Trips and reading about Psychology.

Connects : linkedin.com/in/kamaksh

“Digital artwork”

By :Smit Kapse Sandip University

The Role of Animation in UX By : Rama Mitkari

Why Do We Need Animations? With advancements in technology, the animation industry has come a long way from creating hand-drawn, frame by frame films to creating smooth human-digital interaction. It has made it possible for humans to immerse themselves entirely into larger than life experiences. Various digital platforms, such as apps, websites, kiosks have become an integral part of human life, and one cannot even imagine going a day without them. We are surrounded by these devices 24*7, and our lifestyle is profoundly affected by them. Now, here’s some food for thought; in today’s world, we are exposed to tons of data floating around us, all available on our fingertips. Have you ever wondered why only a few leave their mark embedded in our minds from all the content that is being consumed? Is it just the quality of content, or is it related to how it is put across? As compared to our previous generations, the attention span and patience of humans have drastically plummeted. In such scenarios, animation proves to be a potent tool as it ensures that the users focus on data that you want them to see. “Animation enables the users to see WHAT YOU WANT THEM TO SEE!” Lately, more and more designers have started incorporating animation as a functional element while designing product interfaces, as it has been found to enhance the user experience. However, just randomly adding animations to the interface is not good enough, but placing them at the right spot is essential too! It’s our peripheral vision that helps us identify any movement outside the center of our field of view. From an evolutionary perspective, this serves to be an indispensable skill that helps us detect danger. However, it also implies that we are sensitive and prone to

distraction by sudden movements (be it meaningful or not). Thus, one has to carefully draw the line between the useful application of motion in user interfaces and one that is namesake, as the latter could defeat the purpose. It becomes difﬁcult to stop attending to it, and, if irrelevant to the task at hand, it can substantially degrade the user experience. How to Attain the WOW Factor while Designing Animation for UI One must ask the following questions: 1. User Focus: Where will the user’s attention be focused at the time the animation occurs? 2. Continuity Transition: What is the relationship between the objects already in the user’s focus of attention? 3. Frequency of the Animation: How often will the user encounter the animation in one session? 4. Mechanics of the Animation: Is it caused directly by a user action; or is it caused indirectly? (On page load, while scrolling, or any other such activity) Animation is Multipurpose as it: Helps build mental models Good animation is like adding just the right amount of salt in food: not too little, not too much, just right! It blends with various other elements of an interface to turn it into a wholesome experience. It has the power to either make or break your design. The subtle use of animation helps build mental models and enlighten the users about how a particular system works and how they are required to interact with it. Therefore, to enhance the user experience, animations should be incorporated at the right time and in the right place. Keeps the user engaged When a particular task has a longer waiting 22

time, interactive animations prove to be pretty useful in keeping the users engaged. They can be leveraged for usability by giving clues about what is currently happening with the system thereby inducing patience in the user.

Makes the interaction more fun!

Elements such as morphing from one form to another, fading through change of colour, or interactive motions are thought to delight the users and seem to make the design “pop.” Animations, along with sound eﬀects, are commonly found on sites that are built for children. Such elements often tend to distract children; however, because young audiences are generally less goal-oriented than adults, these eﬀects annoy them less and are better tolerated and perceived.

Helps overcome Change Blindness

Change blindness is the tendency of people to ignore alterations in images, especially when they are placed in a region far away from their focus of attention.

The two factors that play a signiﬁcant role in the likelihood of change blindness are:

1. Disturbance in our visual perception- this can occur when a page reloads. Our eyes quickly seem to jump from one ﬁxation point to another, or when a screen display shifts as a device reorients from vertical to the horizontal presentation. It might lead us to miss out on some details. 2. Speed: Instant changes in visual appearance are more likely to be masked by even brief interruptions. These factors have commonly occurred in digital experiences, where visual elements regularly appear and disappear almost instantaneously. Other factors like attention to detail and overall visual clutter also play a role in change blindness. Generally, any time a new visual element is introduced to an existing display, it is at risk of being overlooked. For example, on the website Vans.com, The Out of Stock message did not seem to grab attention because it looked very similar to the Add to Cart tab, and was placed too far from the

user’s ﬁeld of attention (on the Size and Quantity ﬁelds). This slight difference in the icon doesn’t stand out when the rest of the display stays the same (Fig 1.0). Fig 1.0. The Out of Stock message did not seem to grab attention because it looked very similar to the Add to Cart tab, Source: Vans.com

Change blindness is a pervasive problem, and it is essential that designers be acquainted with some basics tips and tricks to minimize the problem. For example, using appropriate animation speed and strategic element placement. Fast animations are more likely to distract users when they happen outside the user’s ﬁeld of view. They are suitable for essential elements that users must attend to and act upon. Strategically place important new visual elements close to the point where the users’ eyes are already focused. Pro tip: Always! Always consider the rule of thirds. (Fig 2.0

Fig 2.0- Rule of thirds simply states that if a wide canvas is divided in three equal parts both vertically and horizontally, the resulting grid helps decide where to place important design elements

12 Principles of UX in Motion Expectation, Continuity, Narrative and Relationship are considered to be the four pillars of Usability in motion However, these can be achieved only after understanding and applying the 12 Principles of UX in Motion.

8. Cloning results in continuity, relationship, and narrative when new objects begin to origin and depart. 9. Obscuration allows users to spatially orient themselves with objects or scenes that are not in the primary visual hierarchy. 10. Parallax creates a spatial hierarchy in visual flatland when users scroll. 11. Dimensionality provides a spatial narrative framework when new objects originate and depart. 12. Dolly & Zoom safeguards continuity and Source: uninmotion.net spatial narrative when navigating interface objects and spaces. 1. Easing results in reinforcing the ‘naturalism’ inherent in the seamlessness of user Conclusion experiences and creates a sense of continuity when objects behave as users expect them to. Thus far, we have realised that animations play Disney refers to this phenomenon as ‘Slow In a significant role in designing the UX of any and Slow Out.’ digital product. However, before its application, one must consider the art’s strength, weakness 2. Offset & Delay is the second of the two UX and make sure not to overdo it as that could kill in motion principles that is influenced by Disney’s animation principles, in this case, from its actual purpose. It’s essential to have it in appropriate proportions in order reap its full ‘Follow Through and Overlapping Action.’ The implementation is similar in execution; however, benefits! it differs in purpose and outcome. While Reference Disney’s Principles result in ‘more appealing animations,’ the UI Animation Principles result in 1. The importance of good animation in UX | Inside design blog. (n.d.). more usable experiences. InVision | Digital product design, workflow & collaboration. https:// www.invisionapp.com/inside-design/importance-good-animation-ux/ 3. Parenting helps in creating spatial and 2. The role of animation and motion in UX. (n.d.). Nielsen Norman temporal hierarchal relationships by interacting Group. https://www.nngroup.com/articles/animation-purpose-ux/ with multiple objects. 3. Willenskomer, I. (2018, March 4). Creating usability with motion: The UX in motion manifesto. Medium. https://medium.com/ux-in-motion/ creating-usability-with-motion-the-ux-in-motion-manifesto-a87a4584ddc 4. Transformation brings about a continuous state of narrative flow when an object changes 4. Change blindness. (n.d.). ScienceDirect.com | Science, health and its utility. medical journals, full text articles and books. https:// www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/change-blindness 5. Value Change results in a dynamic and About Author : continuous narrative relationship when the value of a subject changes. Rama Mitkari, UX Content Writer 6. Masking creates continuity between an Rama Mitkari is a design enthusiast and an animation graduate from object group and an interface object when Institute of Design. She has a keen interest in UX, research, and usability is determined by a particular part of the MIT loves collecting interesting facts about everything in and around design. object or group is revealed or concealed. The urge to help spread design knowledge across India has brought her to work with ImaginXP as a UX Content Writer. 7. Overlay creates a narrative and objects Connects : spatial relationship in visual flatland when layered objects are location dependent. linkedin.com/in/rama-mitkari-481456194 24

Applying Emerging Technologies in Facets of Life By : Rucha Udgirkar

Introduction Our digital and technical environments are rapidly growing in varied ways, especially in response to the pandemic. Such dynamic changes mandate designers to come up with more innovate, ergonomic and adaptable solutions to create smarter devices. It goes without saying, a great designer is a thinker with the opportunity to evaluate patterns and create better products or services. So, let’s look at some evolving opportunities in the ﬁeld of emerging technologies like augmented reality, virtual reality and mix reality. What is Augmented Reality? Augmented Reality (AR) adds a visual element to a live view often by using the camera on a smartphone. Even some Snapchat ﬁlters use AR technology. Devices like Google Glass were solely designed to involve oneself in this reality. There used to be a time when Pokémon Go took the world by storm. Users of this addictive game used to be hooked onto their phones, trying to locate the virtual Pokémon in the real world. It is one of Augmented Reality’s best examples. What is Virtual Reality? Virtual Reality (VR) is an immersive experience that shuts out the physical world. VR can be viewed easily using a VR app on your smartphone, but the use of a special headset is still preferred. This is because VR is a simulated environment; that is, anything you can see or hear isn’t going to be the same as your current environment. Several popular VR headsets are available such as Oculus Rift, Google Cardboard, and Samsung Gear VR. What is Mixed Reality? The real-world and digital objects interact in a Mixed Reality (MR) experience, which incorporates elements of both AR and VR.

Although VR transforms the world entirely, MR merely alters it. However, it contrasts with AR. Augmented Reality needs to employ digitally enhanced objects to be played on the screen, but MR allows the user to monitor these objects. They can zoom in or out of any purpose and shift it from place to place. Mixed reality technology has started to take off with the most popular mixed reality apparatuses, the Microsoft’s HoloLens. Fig 1. Differences in VR, AR and MR, Source: Wonder share Filmora Applications

Augmented Reality 1. Advertisement - Augmented Reality helps marketers and advertisers reach their audiences through immersive experience. AR ads are interactive and engaging as compared to traditional ads. So, they not only promote sales but also increase brand awareness. For example, Pepsi used AR technology for an advertisement campaign to turn a standard bus shelter poster into an entertaining experience. A screen and camera were installed in London bus shelters to overlay virtual objects onto a real-life camera view. 2. Manufacturing - Augmented Reality aims to increase proﬁtability and efﬁciency in manufacturing businesses. Workers in the manufacturing sector can get support from AR devices to reduce human error, save time, and improve performance. Many of the world’s largest companies, such as Boeing, are already using AR solution to give aircraft technicians real-time, hands-free, interactive 3D diagrams right before their eyes. 25

3) Navigation - Augmented Reality is particularly used in navigation. Virtual objects which overlap the real world can give directions and guide people to places. Many companies use AR to attract people to their stores; for instance, Yelp has an option that shows you the closest cafes and restaurants.

Virtual Reality

1. Education - VR based educational and study content can revolutionize education and make learning more immersive and engaging. Besides schools and universities, virtual environments can also help businesses train their workforce for skills development. Certain universities also provide VR educational content to companies and organizations. . For example, University of Michigan Football program gives students a chance to feel what it’s like to play at the Big House in front of 100,000 + screaming fans.

2. Real Estate - For decades, pictures were used by real estate brokers to advertise properties. But now agents can use virtual reality to have the client walk through the ﬂoor space to experience the sense of depth and height. VR is immersive, unlike images, and prospective buyers can take three-dimensional walkthroughs and better understand what each property has to oﬀer before they visit. For example, companies such as “Roomy” are providing VR staging services to real estate agents.

3. HealthCare - Virtual Reality will oﬀer an indepth insight into human anatomy, helping doctors better understand their patients’ needs. Also, VR technology is handy for surgical training. A Medical Realities focused platform uses 360-degree images and virtual anatomy to train potential surgeons. Companies like Osso VR oﬀers VR solutions to train surgeons on conducting surgeries.

4. Marketing - Businesses can reach their markets by introducing immersive and interactive marketing strategies, thanks to virtual reality. It is particularly important in the online shopping era, as familiarity with VR helps people get a feel for their products without leaving their homes. IKEA created a kitchen incorporating VR technology. Using a VR headset and a controller, people can explore

his virtual kitchen and even connect with objects in the space. Mixed Reality 1.Virtual Workspaces - Using MR, team members will be able to network in a virtual world. Thus, a connected environment will be created in which workers can collaborate and interact with virtual items. For example, a pharmaceutical sales representative may bring two mixed-reality devices to a doctor’s appointment. The doctor and the sales representative can then both wear the tools and see the new drug model, as explained by the sales representative. They will then visualize the drug’s chemical structure and model how the drug will work through the body to combat disease. Via this shared experience, the sales agent will create more robust relations with the specialist and have a more detailed description of the drug being sold. 2. MR for Remote Experts - Most companies usually find it challenging to respond to any requests from clients who need counseling. It is expensive to fly in expertise or to fix issues at different locations, and also time-consuming. Moreover, in such situations, there are also issues pertaining to network, connectivity and device configurations. But all of these can now be avoided by introducing mixed reality which will help provide the counseling remotely. With this technology, access to experts can be made quick and effective. For example, physicians in the healthcare sector can provide guidance and decision-making to students or other physicians without the need to be in real locations. Opportunities evolving due to Covid-19 Covid-19 has shaken the world. Humans are social individuals who visit malls and other fun places to purchase goods and socialize. By being forced to stay indoors for months on end is causing heightened anxiety issues. Many people are reporting feeling like prisoners in their homes, and they miss going outdoors. This crisis has turned the world upside down. But they say, “Every problem has a solution,” so technologies such as AR / VR / MR enable people to shop, chat and socialize virtually.

Due to Covid-19, people will be socially distant, but they will be virtually close. Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, and Mixed Reality are not just elements of science ﬁction anymore, but they are fully built technologies as functional as smartphones and laptops. The only thing that was earlier stopping these technologies from widespread adoption was the lack of need to interact virtually. But the pandemic made it possible, even mandatory, and has forced us to shift our gears towards bridging the gap between reality and the digital.

Now, let’s look at some of the sectors evolving using AR/VR technology amid Covid-19:

Tourism

Due to Covid-19, the tourism industry across the globe is struggling to survive. But, technologies like AR/VR have proven to act as boon amidst this pandemic. With its a trybefore-you-buy experience, it has opened a door as an opportunity to the booming AR/VR industry. Once the pandemic finally fades away, the benefits of virtual tours won’t end. In January of this year, South Carolina State Parks released a five-minute VR version of the rugged Table Rock Mountain climb. Those with health restrictions would also experience the 3.6-mile trek. Providing VR experiences like this for crowded destinations can proactively slow environmental deterioration and overcrowding as people start travelling again.

Automobile

Most customers are avoiding purchase of new vehicles due to social distancing norms. This represents a great opportunity for AR / VR technology to enable consumers to select their future purchases from their own home. In response to the Covid-19 measures, BMW India launched a fascinating range of products and services virtually. Customers can simply use their smartphone or personal computer to interact with the sales consultant virtually and get a 360° view of vehicle exterior, interior and discuss other features. Vehicle brochures, speciﬁcation details and other documents are shared online avoiding any physical contact. Customers will receive their BMW at the place of their choice after a thorough sanitisation process.

Retail Retail was one of the sectors that were hit hardest in this crisis. People will now search for items using AR/VR devices. If someone wants to buy new furniture, they will visit the online store, where there will be an interactive catalog of a store, and he/she can pick the furniture and superimpose it to their intended venue. Hence, a family can see exactly how furniture would look in their home without stepping out. AR systems can also be used to select products like apparel. Shoppers can try different clothes without the inconvenience of visiting changing rooms again and again. For Example, Swarovski launched a VR mobile app in collaboration with MasterCard for the Atelier Swarovski Home Decor collection. Conclusion Covid -19 has ushered the era of emerging technologies like AR/VR/MR in every sector. Trends are still evolving, and we will be living in a world that will be more virtual than real before we realize it. References 1. Marr, B. (2019, July 19). The important difference between virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality. Forbes. https:// www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2019/07/19/the-important-differencebetween-virtual-reality-augmented-reality-and-mixed-reality/ #16ee32e935d3 2. Bharadwaj, H. (2017, November 2). New realities: VR, AR, Mr, and the future of design. Toptal Design Blog. https://www.toptal.com/ designers/product-design/vr-ar-mr-the-future-of-design 3. Merel, T. (2020, May 1). How could COVID-19 change AR/VR’s future? VentureBeat. https://venturebeat.com/2020/04/25/how-couldcovid-19-change-ar-vrs-future/

About Author : Rucha Udgirkar UX Content Writer Graduate in CSE from Pune University. My hobbies are traveling, reading books, and listening to music. I am passionate about exploring the psychology behind user experience design and implementing new ideas in my work.

Connects : linkedin.com/in/rucha- udgirkar-692645150

Faculty Speaks

“Experience is the teacher of all things.” - Julius Caesar

Nimble – A Concept for City Bus Services By : Rakesh Ahirwar

The bus undeniably remains one of the most effective modes of transport in the country. From young to old, one can always see people queuing up in towns and cities to catch that one bus on time to get to their desired place, be that the office, college, home, or just the 8’ o clock movie. The bus system becomes an essential service for traveling both inside and outside the city especially for those who do not own personal vehicles. Despite the high demand, the quality of the bus system in India has undergone very little change since their inception. Due to an increase in the ratio of personal vehicles and the rising population and over-crowding, it has never been a priority to provide the customers a delightful experience. Nimble is an original concept of a mobile application designed to reduce friction in the experience of travelling through public buses. The solution is focused on the following target audience: Primary target audience 1. Office going – These users have very little chance of changing their regular routes, and they generally know which bus to board and from where to board. 2. Students (School/College) – These users have a very high frequency of changing routes because they are quick, often indecisive and open to adapting. Secondary target audience 1. New in the city – those who are visiting the city for the first time. 2. Occasional user – those who travel for a specific cause like going to the hospital, shopping, catching a movie etc. User Research We conducted unstructured interviews with couple of people to understand user insights.

And to understand the situation in detail, we conducted more in-depth personal interviews with users who allowed us to gain a deeper understanding of 1. Why users travel on a public bus ? 2. How they find the bus ? 3. If they don’t get the bus then what alternatives do they have ? 4. Frequency of changing bus routes 5. Using maps for nearest bus stand 6. Frequency of cell phone use while traveling or walking 7. Spending time while traveling The user interviews revealed that regular users like office going population generally know the estimated travel time to the destination and have a very little chance of changing routes. To board the bus, they simply wait at the bus stands. They prefer buses with fewer crowds. But if they are not getting buses at the right time, they have to arrange the alternatives themselves. Alternatives at such peak times/ rush hours are almost twice as expensive due to fare hike. In contrast, users like college students and occasional travellers have a very high frequency of changing their routes. They generally depend on waiting for the bus at a bus stand or checking for bus numbers with other waiting passengers. They also look for alternatives. while waiting for the bus or traveling inside the bus. They use their cell phone to while away time on social media applications or listen to music. Following the user interviews, we narrowed down the user needs as following: 1. The user wants adequate information about buses going towards their destination in order to find alternatives. 2. Nearest bus stands where they can board the bus (if the user is new to the location) 3. Information on the number of people traveling 29

inside the bus- this has become a crucial need especially during the COVID – 19 crisis

4. Ticketless travels – physical tickets can be tough to arrange amidst the crowd

5. Digital/Contactless tickets

Product Goal

The main goal of the product is to serve middle-class families for whom public transport is key for their daily commute. This app will not only help them reach their destination on time, but they can also keep track of their spendings. This app will oﬀer beneﬁts like paperless tickets, sharing your live location with your friends.

How the App Works

This app basically works by sharing live data from bus operators directly to the end-users. The solution comprises of two applications that will exchange the data. The ﬁrst app will be used by bus staﬀ like conductors and drivers. They will upload the route number, starting point (Bus Stand) and the endpoints (Bus stand) along with the fare and other details. The app will generate a QR code that can be scanned from the back of all the seats to purchase the tickets.

On the consumer-facing application, users need to on-board using their mobile number. They have to conﬁgure their account number in order to purchase tickets but this is optional because many users are still more comfortable using cash. Users will start the task by entering the travel destination. Upon entering the destination, the system will show the nearest bus stand where he/she can board the bus from. It will also help the user navigate to that bus stand. At the bus stand, the application will display the bus options going towards the desired destination and the respective fare. In case there are no direct buses, the application will suggest other connecting buses along with the details like where to board the next bus from.

After boarding the bus, the user can take a seat and purchase the ticket by scanning the QR code placed on the back of the seat in front of them. When users are about to complete their journey, the application will show a notiﬁcation

message- “You are about to reach your destination in the next 5 minutes. Kindly move towards the exit door to leave the bus” App Interface On-boarding Process

Importance of Call-To-Action (CTA) Buttons

Fig 1. Upon installing the app, the user will select their desired language. Next, they will verify their phone number by entering a 4 digit OTP and ﬁnally complete the on-boarding by entering their name. Fig 2. The user will simply enter their travel destination by clicking the ‘where to’ box. The app will then provide various bus routes and the user can select the one most convenient. At the bus stop, it will further suggest the buses that are heading towards your desired destination. can select the one most convenient. At the bus stop, it will further suggest the buses that are heading towards your desired destination

Purchasing Ticket

and severance” Importance of Call-To-Action (CTA)“Love Buttons

By : Khushi Chandola, Chitkara University

By : Akash Sah, Chitkara University

Conclusion The Nimble bus application will help users better manage their travel time by making quick decisions with regard to locating public buses and their timings. This in turn should help reduce the trafﬁc of personal vehicles in and around the city. City bus service is the second most preferred mode of transport in cities after the metro. People prefer city metro because they have the visibility of time and frequency of trains. The Nimble bus service intends to apply this kind of convenience and visibility in availing bus services through the city. About writer : Rakesh Ahirwar Senior UX Design Faculty I am an Architect and Industrial Designer with a heart of solving

“Peace begins with a smile”

Fig 3. Upon boarding the bus, the user clicks the top right corner of the screen that opens up a QR scanner. Simply scan the QR code on the back of the seat that faces you. Finishing purchasing the ticket by choosing your desired mode of payment.

By : Khushboo Kumari, Chitkara University

“Peace begins with a smile”

problems creatively with design. I believe in absolute humane empathy in product design. In my spare time I love to stitch denim based products like Jackets, Bags etc. I get a kick through working between tight timeline and delivering the best solution by my hard work.

Connects : linkedin.com/in/rakeshkumarahirwar

By : Akash Sah, Chitkara University

What is Evolution without Emotion in the Field of Design By : Ashvesh Nayak

Indians are known to be best some of the best engineers and doctors around the world. And yet, we forget that there’s plenty more that sets the nation apart from the rest. We have a diverse population, a myriad of languages, cuisines with enthralling pallets, one of the biggest entertainment industries - Bollywood, and not to forget, our culture and architecture. India in the pre-colonial era was very different from the one we see today. Not so long ago, our history was enriched by royalty and their dynasties. It used to be a time when artists were performers for the Royal Blue Bloods, may that be in the form of music, painting, sculptures and other art forms. Artists were rewarded for their skills; art was revered as valuable and enriching. So much from that time has contributed to the rich culture we thrive in today. Stemming from the practices of ancient India, we are recognised as a nation that enjoys its vibrant attires. For us, colours and patterns speak volumes, they are a means to communicate our emotions and values. We are a people that knows what it takes to design intricate jewellery, the mirage of magnanimous monuments, folktales and relics that truly would sound unreal to the outside world.  When looking at this from the point of view of UX design, the lives we live today is an amalgamation of our forefather’s design decisions. An indispensable factor of user experience is sensory stimulation i.e what we take in through our ﬁve senses- touch, sight, smell, taste and vision. It’s important to take into account that our senses don’t work in distinct stages of design, rather they are on-going elements of the overall journey of a user. Incorporating stimulation and emotion is still rare in the world of technology, but it’s deﬁnitely gaining recognition. Emotional and stimulatory design rightly combines art & science. Driving a car is one of the best known modern examples to explain such a complete design process. When a person drives a car, he/she needs to sit

on the driver’s seat, put on the seat beat, hold on to the steering wheel or control the gear knob & infotainment system. All of these functions have a tactile function- the sense of touch. The roaring of the engine, listening to your favourite tunes inside the car allure the sense of hearing. The smell of the leather seats or just the burning rubber of the tyres works on our olfactory senses. The high-speed drives, rising RPM of the centre consul, the ambient indoor lighting stimulate our vision.  Autonomous technology will bring hope to new possibilities and innovations. Given the circumstances of the pandemic in the year 2020, we don’t just need to improvise and build on the importance of the sensors, but we also need to optimise the value of emotional-design. It is not just about installing the feature of touch and feel, rather we need to make the sensation of touch and feel more reliable and seamless to use. Sensory stimulation is what keeps us prepared for ﬁght and ﬂight responses in the face of danger, yet they also as serve as pleasure centres to our brain. Involving the element of sensory stimulation is thus vital to our survival and civilisation. There are endless possibilities to design, ones we might not have dreamt of previously. Changing the way people think, changing the way people behave and changing the way we treat the surroundings we live in can change the world that is to come for our generation. Call it evolution, trend cycle, shelf life, progress or better yet, globalisation - the fact remains that as a generation, we are swayed greatly towards building ‘India’ yet forgetting ‘Bharat’ that we grew from. Ideas and inspiration from life in the pre-colonial days can be incorporated in the way we will be living in the future. Design thinking needs to consider experiential factors such as senses and emotions in our way of life. Biomimetics or biomimicry is the imitation of 32

the models, systems, and elements of nature for the purpose of solving complex human problems (as seen in ﬁgures 1 and 2). Some great examples are the kingﬁsherinspired bullet train, baobab tree inspired treehouses, armadillo backpack.

skill where a person needs to take command of more that 400 components of a machine to be the first to reach the finish line while keeping everything else in harmony that’s been designed to work for the maximum output. By stretching the human body to its limit; the racer is trained and skilled to make decisions in a fraction of a second. That’s what racing culture is all about and there exists great parallels with the design world.  All in all, it’s the passion that marks the difference between a driver and a racer. In a similar manner, it’s the passion that differentiates a designer and a visionary. The world is in need of a sustainable change, and designers are the professionals who strive for that transformation. The year 2020 has shown us that nature was, is, and will be the most important element that contributes to our livelihoods. Humanity holds still and technology is being challenged to roll out new solutions. Global economy and survival have become two ends of the same coin. Instead of trying to clear the situation, we will benefit more from churning the opportunities that come from this time for a better future. Despite having plenty of untapped potential, our population of millions only seeks education ‘to get a job’. Many such professionals are trained in an industrial manner where they are certified for a specific skillset but such skills don’t match up those of the artisans. There lies a huge dent in our education systemwe lack subject matter experts and perhaps our education system doesn’t inculcate design and art to be a necessary skillset. The main purpose of design at this time remains sustainability while balancing with the nature. Reference

Importance of Call-To-Action (CTA) Buttons

Fig 1. Biomimicry is the imitation of the models, systems, and elements of nature such as the kingﬁsher inspired bullet train and the armadillo backpack.

We must not forget that all great works of art today is the contribution of professionals who have spent portions of their lives dedicated to their art form. Let’s take the example of F1 racers, there are just 20 seats to race in the F1 season every year and each of the twenty contenders are the best in their own way country. Years have gone into honing such a

1. https://youtu.be/sNbGU_I9HWwAbout Author

About Author : Ashvesh Nayak Automobile & Concept Yacht Designer. Currently UX Trainer with ImagineXP I completed my Masters from SPD Milan; Got opportunity to work on Sponsered projects with Lamborghini, Italy and Audi AG, Germany.

Connects : linkedin.com/in/ashvesh

Persuasive Design - An Important Part of User Experience By : Krishna Kumar

In the broad field of design, persuasion is generally regarded a subset of user experience, but it also entails mechanics of traditional usability. Persuasive design applies intellectual thoughts that have an effect on decisionmaking, engagement strategy. It applies principles of social psychology to every step of the design process, and it identifies functionality barriers and emotional triggers to elicit the popular reactions. Persuasive layout is designed using persuasive technology that has 3 roles- to assist customers obtain their goals, as an interplay media that creates enjoyment among customers and product, and as a social actor who makes use of creation to solve problems associated with behavioral and social influences. Designing a successful web site means designing a successful user experience. Designing a successful user experience means creating a design that ensures users “can do” and “will do”. Persuasive design is also process in which an individual encounters information meant to lead to the development of new attitudes, or the reinforcement of existing attitudes. It involves shaping or reinforcing an attitude. This is important because people strive to hold the correct attitude. Let’s attempt to understand this with some examples. The director of a food service establishment was concerned about the nutritional value of the foods the youngsters were eating and the choices they were making. While she could dictate exactly what foods were offered to the young customers, she knew that providing the youngsters with choices was important in getting them to eat and be happy about being at college. So she tried something different. She varied the sequence in which the foods were presented. She put specific options at eye level. She remodeled what the youngsters saw first and what they saw last. By the end, she

discovered that she could increase or decrease the consumption of some foods by nearly 25%! By customizing the food selection process, she nudged the youngsters to eat healthier without restricting their choices or reducing their satisfaction. Her goal was to urge the youngsters to form healthier decisions. When a child made a healthier choice that was a conversion to her. When we consider this scenario, the director of food services relied on some basic principles about human attention (putting more nutritious things at eye level) and commitment (putting more nutritious things first once children had already chosen them, they would be less likely to undo that choice and select something else later on). Positive Persuasion Understandably, the utilization of persuasive design brings up moral and ethical issues— there may be a fine line between deceptive design and using the art of persuasion to make compelling user experiences. Deceptive practices are carefully thought designs that intentionally trick users into taking an action without being fully aware about what they are doing (i.e., hidden costs, disguised ads, or trick questions on sign-ups). In his famous book, “Don’t make me think”, Steve Krug wrote that a good software program or website should help people accomplish their intended tasks as easily and directly as possible. Persuasive design uses an understanding of human behavior to influence decision-making, most commonly on e-commerce and travel sites. Some ecommerce sites sell things within the traditional sense – you exchange money for a product. Some, however, sell things in a different way – you exchange some time, effort and a spotlight for information, engagement, or a service. As designers, we must be comfortable with the notion that persuasion may be a perfectly acceptable method for achieving noble goals. Every internet site features a goal relative to the site’s visitors. If that visitor achieves the goal, they are potentially converted; which may 34

mean purchasing something, but it’s going to also mean finding a bit of data, signing up for a new service, or maybe taking some offline action. Therefore in that sense, every internet site – including government and non-profit internet sites – is trying to influence its visitors of something. It’s going to be persuading them that the knowledge they find has relevancy and trustworthy.

Today, we are spending a lot of our time in the online world. This case scenario can be best utilized by the designers to craft better user experience using what they had already learnt from the oﬄine behaviors. Whether you would like to tweak an existing website or build an app, persuasive design will guide and support the user’s online experience that will in due course help the business.

Leveraging Psychological Principles to Persuade

Apart from the principles of social inﬂuence, there are psychological principles which designers can leverage to increase the engagement and help people make informed choices. The desired user behaviors is of utmost important so that the product’s business objective is met and this may be achieved by making things easy, relevant and trustworthy.

The Fogg Behavioural Model

A behavioral scientist, B.J. Fogg put forward this model. The beauty of this model i.e. the Fogg Behavioral Model (FBM) is that it can be applied in virtually every situation. FBM is generally applied to make the designed product more capable to inﬂuence its users so that it can achieve the target behavior. It consists of three main factors which are motivation, ability, and trigger. The elements of motivation are pleasure / pain, hope / fear, and acceptance / rejection.

From this we may infer that higher the motivation and ability, the more likely the trigger will be eﬀective. Each element is essential when it involves driving behavior. Whether you’re trying to change the behavior, this model is applicable. So it may be summed as: A person needs to be motivated to do a task. For this,

there needs to be a trigger to “remind” them to do it. Fig 1. The Fogg Behaviour Model states that higher the motivation and ability, the more likely the trigger will be effective. The KISS Approach The acronym “KISS” here stands for the following: K - KNOW THE RIGHT BEHAVIOUR TO TARGET I - IDENTIFY BARRIERS AND MOTIVATORS S - SIMPLIFY THE EXPERIENCE S - SELECT APPROPRIATE TRIGGERS KNOW THE RIGHT BEHAVIOUR TO TARGET The first step is knowing the behavior you’d wish to target, and identifying the only action which will cause that behavior change. Take the instance of life assurance companies who stand to profit if their policyholders are healthy and don’t die while the policy is active. While those companies have a long-term ambitious goal of helping their policyholders lead healthy lives (mutually beneficial), that can be simplified into an easier target behavior of walking 10,000 steps daily. This behavior is straightforward to know, achieve, measure, and contributes to the long-term goal of healthier policyholders. One such insurance firm is offering new policyholders the newest Apple watch for an affordable down payment. The continued monthly payments can be waived monthly now that the policyholder leads a lively lifestyle and exercises regularly (e.g. walks about 10,000 steps a day). Identify Barriers and Motivators User research for persuasive design digs below 35

the surface to the sensation level, and moves beyond the rational to the emotional level, as shown in figure 2. User interviews that specialize in users’ feelings and emotions will help uncover barriers and motivators the users consciously or subconsciously face while trying to realize the target behavior. This helps us identify which blocks we’d like to weaken, and which motivators we should always strengthen, through persuasive design techniques and tactics. Fig 2. Levels of thinking and emotions users undergo the mental verifications of relevancy, credibility, and usefulness of the experience. This includes making it easy for the user to seek out what they’re trying to find, credibility indicators like professional design, contact information, and certificates or badges and also addressing usability issues. Select Appropriate Triggers Users who have made it this far within the process have an interest in something you’ve got to supply. As a designer, you’ve got to nudge them to perform the specified action. A good starting point is Robert Cialdini’s, six key principles of persuasion: 1. Reciprocity: People are obliged to offer something back in exchange for receiving something. 2. Scarcity: People want more of those things that are less or rare. 3. Authority: People follow and listen to credible and knowledgeable experts. 4. Consistency: People like to be consistent with those things that they have previously experienced. 5. Liking: People prefer to say yes to those that they like. 6. Consensus (Social Proof): People will look to the actions and behaviors of others to determine their own actions when they are

uncertain or confused. Conclusion As practitioners of design, we hope that users take the trail we paved for them but this is often easier said than done. Instead of focusing solely on guiding your users through visual design patterns, there are subtle ways to nudge the user towards the right direction through the appliance of design principles grounded in psychology and sociology. Persuasive design is a broad field of study that explores human behaviour and motivations to influence the ways people behave. For more robust experiences, start with an analysis of your user’s journey to know the behaviour of your user base. Subsequently, it will help to map their paths during a flow and describe their motivations, ability, triggers, actions users would take, and rewards provided throughout. Dissect the user’s path to know the roadblocks in the paths towards performing target behaviours and if need be, employ empathy maps to know how the user is thinking/feeling at moments in time. If possible, utilise user research and analytics to validate hypotheses. And always keeping testing! References 1. International Conference of Design, User Experience, and Usability 2. B. J. Fogg, Proceedings of the 4th International Conference of Persuasive Technology (Claremont, USA, 2009a), pp. 40-45. 3. B. J. Fogg, Persuasive technology: using computers to change what we think and do (Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, Amsterdam, 2002). 4. Craig, M. (2020, March 11). Breaking down persuasive design principles. Toptal Design Blog. https://www.toptal.com/designers/ux/ persuasive-design-principles

About Author : Krishna Kumar UX Faculty Hi everyone! This is Krishna Kumar. A UX researcher and evangelist, teacher, artist, an avid reader, an independent traveller, having deep interest in gardening. With a mix of discipline, a bit of humour and a lot of curiosity is what deﬁnes me as a person. Taking surrounding problems head-on and discovering ways through innovative mindset has remained my sole motive in life from the time I was exposed to the very broad subject of UX.

Connects : krishna.kumar@imaginxp.com

Students Corner

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Creativity is nothing but the way to solve new problems.â&#x20AC;? - Diana Santos

Speeding Response Time Using Design - A UX Case Study By : Yogesh Dhakal

The world is increasingly moving towards a seamless digital life. We are constantly interacting with multiple technological platforms, both online and offline. Most online services, apps, and websites mandate us to open personal user accounts with them. We invariably end up sharing some personal information about ourselves on such platforms. While it is essential today to have a digital presence, is it really worth it at the cost of our security and privacy? Just as there are two sides to every coin, the digital world has its own set of opportunities. But there’s a darker side that we are blissfully unaware of or rather choose to ignore- hacking. There are multinational companies that invest millions of dollars in ethical hacking in order to draw up user data patterns. Security plays a crucial role in preventing misuse of our personal data and saving us from irreparable damage. Hackhut is a crowdsourced security platform that connects companies with penetration testers and cybersecurity researchers to discover any vulnerability and help them fix it. Its smart design motivated me to redesign it for efficiency by applying the design thinking methodology. Design Process It is well established that design thinking need not be a linear process. I could work and iterate along every stage in parallel. By using the design thinking approach, I made sure to include the users from the beginning. Empathise First, I needed to find out who I was designing for i.e understand the users and their problems for which I started doing remote research. I created a questionnaire using Google Forms and sent it to some hackers I had previously connected with Facebook. After getting their responses, I was able to decipher their goals, problems, frustrations, and needs. I did a follow-up interview with them in

order to uncover the root of their problems i.e the how’s and why’s of every roadblock in their journey. Deﬁne Based on my research, I categorized the users goals, frustrations and needs using card sorting. Fig 1. Card sorting to organise users’ goals, needs and painpoints

By doing thorough analysis of the interviews, I proceeded to develop a user persona that summarised the overall characteristics of a typical hacker. Fig 2. User persona

I observed a similar pain point across all user interviews: Problem Statement Companies were slow to respond to hackers on the platform In order to solve the problem, simply knowing and stating it is not enough. I needed to know the reason behind it.

Getting to the Root of the Problem During a follow up interview I got to know about a few things behind the problem. 1. Due to an overwhelming number of submissions from thousands of hackers around the world, it is difﬁcult to sort through all of them and many remain inapplicable to the project objective. These kinds of reports are time consuming and defeat the purpose. 2. Companies are often too busy solving old bugs. 3. Higher severity bugs might get more priority.

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I enlisted certain key questions from these problems: 1. How might we reduce the number of nonapplicable reports? 2. How might we help companies ﬁx the bugs faster? Ideate Now that I knew the users’ problems and needs, it was time to ﬁnd some ideas and solutions. For ideation, I used the SCAMPER method Information Architecture Fig 3. Information Architecture

I looked into the current security platforms to identify features needed in the platform. I mapped them out to get an idea of how to organise the content. After all, the way the content is organised is as important as the content itself. Prototype & Test I started sketching my ideas, and also went through the web to ﬁnd some inspirations. Fig 4. Sketching wireframes

Instead of creating low fidelity wireframes and testing with users, I decided to break down the features and create a high fidelity prototype and test it, add more features, and test it again. Create → Test → Improve → Repeat The user flow was pretty smooth. Users are already familiar with security platforms & I tried my best to simplify it more. We commonly see the use of green & black colors in relation to ideas of hacking (pop culture, movies, digital tools etc). Going by this notion, I decided to use green, black & white colors to induce that feeling in the user. Fig 5. Choosing a colour palette conducive to the tasks

My name is Yogesh Dhakal and I am from Nepal, currently pursuing bachelors in UX Design from DIT University, Dehradun. I live the ﬁeld of design but with technology. I like experimenting and reading and learning new techniques. I like to explore all the possibilities technologies and have a knack for everything new.

Connects : linkedin.com/in/tushitabhatia/? originalSubdomain=in

and “Conquering Artwork Student’s surviving terror”

By : Rakshika Dhar, Chitkara University

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"Conquering and surviving terror"

Final Design View Full Presentation On Behance Conclusion The design objective was keeping in mind the needs and user psychology of hackers. The intention was to make an already smart design more seamless and simpler which would help the users speed their tasks. This would not only help its users save time and effort but also be more loyal to Hackhut irrespective of the policy and services the platform currently provides. This personal project was my attempt at learning and improving my UX & UI skills. About Author: Yogesh Dhakal Jagannath University

By : Rakshika Dhar, Chitkara University

“Typical Parker Luck”

"Typical Parker Luck" By : Janmeet Singh Chadha, Chitkara University By : Janmeet Singh Chadha, Chitkara University

A Headset’s User Experience through Storytelling and Scenarios By : Arjun Sengupta

Three months into the lockdown, and I find myself a changed person. I do my own chores, a large portion of which is oddly cleaning and doing dishes. Through all of this, music has remained an undeniable pillar of support that gets me through long tedious, and oftentimes, boring duties of the day the day. One such typical day, as I was cleaning my place, I was growing increasingly frustrated with my pair of wireless ear-buds by the brand Noise. Cleaning is no stationary task. To make matters worse, the ear buds would repeatedly disconnect each time I turned around to reach the bucket while mopping. So there I was online, looking for a new pair of Bluetooth earphones this time a neckband style. My needs and pain-points were specific. I was frustrated with the awful connection the previous wireless earphones offered. I wasn’t fond of having to take them off and put them back in the case. I couldn’t enjoy wearing them independently because in order to do that, I had to pair them up all over again in a different manner. I also faced issues with voice calls because the mic was placed right on the earplug, which, embarrassingly enough, needed me to speaker very loudly or the other person could barely hear me. So I decided to go with a neckband for it comparatively has quite a stable connection because of the wire that goes around. It’s easy to take off and carry on the go as it rests around your neck. Even if you have just the one earplug on, it still does the job just as efficiently. And the best part, the long lasting battery life. My incessant search brought me to the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z. It’s as if the heavens had heard my prayers and the product was tailor made for me! To my delight, its features are everything I was hoping to find in a pair of earphones: 1. A quick switch lets the user switch between two paired devices, such as your laptop and the phone.

2. The earbuds clip together with the help of a magnet. When you want to use it, simply separate the earphones. When you need to pause, just clip the earbuds back together. 3. Liberty to move- the device moves with you. With increased connectivity, you needn’t worry about the distance between you and the device. Design is super powerful. Who would have thought that there would exist a Bluetooth audio device that should be able to switch between two host devices just by the click, or should I say, double click? The fact that OnePlus’ design team recognised such a microscopic user need, which at the time might have appeared silly to many, but now there’s no unseeing or going back from this as we have learned it, accepted it and we love it! Let’s look at a use case for this product’s functionality through user scenarios; imagine you’re watching a web series on your laptop, and suddenly you receive a call from your dad. Your phone is sitting right across the room from you. 1. First, you unplug your earphones. Then, you get to your phone, accept the call and take it to your ear. 2. You unpair your Bluetooth earphones from your laptop and then, reach out for your phone, open the Bluetooth settings, pair the phone to the earphones and then take the call. Chances are you have already missed that call by now. Now check this out, 3. You simply press a button twice which is on the left end of your neckband and instantly you’re connected to your phone. You accept the call clicking the answer button on the wire controls and start the conversation. This would feel amazing as you would not even need to physically reach out for your phone by walking all across the room. This is what makes the UX design process so valuable. And you 41

were able to imagine my experience as a story. This situational story telling is called a scenario, which is a vital visualising tool in UX design. User scenarios are valuable aids for designers to visualise aspects of their solutions that users might appreciate most in their contexts of use and with their unique needs and motivations. Scenarios explicitly capture what users would likely experience as they proceed toward using an ideal solution. It needs to be mentioned that scenarios are built upon a tool called user story: these short statements describe what a certain user persona needs, and why. Scenarios take user stories to the next level by adding the interaction with the product or service to the story.

Following are my sketches that bring the scenarios to life;

Fig 1. I have my earphones on as I am watching a movie on

my laptop. The earphones are

paired with the laptop. The

phone sits across from me, and it’s on charge.

Fig

2. Suddenly, the phone starts to ring as I receive a call from my

father. Naturally, this is can a little

irritating in that moment as I answer it instantly cannot

through my earphones and it

requires me to physically get up to

answer the call.

Fig 3. I remove my regular

earphones, reach out for the phone, and get up to answer

the phone.

Fig 4, 5. With the new and improved Bluetooth earphone innovation, I have

to simply press a button twice which is on the left end of a neckband. Instantly, with a double click, I can switch pairing from the

laptop to the phone, and in seconds I switch to a diﬀerent task the call) without having to move from my place. (answering

I drew this storyboard to illustrate a user scenario, and this is how designers also help stakeholders imagine their ideas. Creating Scenarios requires a special mindset. It is about focusing on the users’ goals: what will they try to accomplish on a website, inside an

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app, a service, or a product? Additionally, it is also important to think about their context, their prior knowledge, and background. It is also important to consider how the steps implied would be perceived by the user and will it turn out to be of any use or if it might stay left out, because most of the time, extremely thought over ideas as well go unnoticed, because of poor usability and lack of mere need in the real-world situations. Scenarios help to keep the user always in the center of the design process because it is often easy to get carried away with different features and functionality that don’t directly contribute to the user’s goal.  User scenarios also serve as a basis for user journey mapping. This is a more interactive way of displaying the user journey. Scenarios help stakeholders envision the ideas of the design team by providing context to the intended user experience – frequently bridging communication gaps between creative and business thinking. For the design team, scenarios help them imagine the ideal solution for a user’s problem. I look forward to experiencing this ideation process as an up and coming UX designer. How fun it would be to discuss and build stories and sketch user scenarios, storyboards for product development. References : 1. Personas, scenarios, user stories and storyboards: What’s the difference? (2017, July 28). Free prototyping tool for web & mobile apps - Justinmind. https://www.justinmind.com/blog/user-personas-scenariosuser-stories-and-storyboards-whats-the-difference/

About Author: Arjun Sengupta Jagannath University Hello, everyone, I am Arjun Sengupta, I am a bong turned 18 during this pandemic. I live at Jodhpur, Rajasthan. I am an artist becoming a UX designer, I am a guitarist, painter, car enthusiast, and collector.

Connects : linkedin.com/in/arjun-sengupta-39181918a

Will the Covid-19 Pandemic End the Use of Cash? By: Tushita Bhatia

The Covid-19 pandemic quickly swept across the globe and posed a major challenge to the health, economic and social factors of all countries. Every aspect of life has been affected ever since and it is clear that the global economy was the ﬁrst to take the fall. Countries that have effective healthcare systems as well as those that lack such facilities have been equally hard hit in their unique ways. In dealing with the pandemic, each country faces unique challenges. India’s low health care costs, reduced state capacity, and a large number of impoverished communities, many of whom are already carrying other health problems, face challenges of the utmost. Sanitisation does not come easy for hundreds of millions of people that have no access to clean drinking water, sanitary equipment, while living in spaces that have little to no scope for social distancing. Issues related to money management saw an uptick during Covid-19. The World Health Organisations (WHO) published a statement that “people should use contactless payments as banknotes will transmit the latest coronavirus”. While the WHO statement sparked confusion, WHO spokesperson Fadela Chaib told MarketWatch that their statement was unveiled poorly when it really meant to suggest that “customers should wash their hands after touching banknotes because infectious Covid-19 may cling to the surface for a couple of days. Doing so, it is just good hygiene practice.”  There are two factors that support the use of digital currency in the face of the pandemic: 1. Banknotes and coins were allegedly infected with the virus and the digital payment was preferred instead of the ‘dirty money’. This could result in an increase in the use of digital payments, which will result in the implementation of digital payment technology.

2. Second, during the lockdown, there have been job losses, and governments are providing assistance with digital payment methods. These are the simplest forms of fund transfer from donors to recipients, as can be seen in past crisis relief cases.  In a variety of disasters where human migration was restricted, many mobile payment service providers (e.g. Vodafone in Afghanistan, Safaricom in Kenya, and Orange in Africa) provide instant cash transfers from immigrants to their homes, as well as assistance from government to victims. This is also seen in the Covid-19 problem. The long-term goal of moving into a less-cash economy comes with a new public health riskcash can potentially be a carrier of (the) virus. But to mitigate this risk, “digital payments provide effective ways to maintain social distancing in these difficult times,”- Amitabh Kant, Chief Executive of NITI Aayog. Cashless transactions isn’t novel to this year, but if anything, Covid-19 has only accelerated its rapid and more widespread utilisation. In-store purchases and in-person banking continue to be under restriction, leading to an increasing reliance on online transactions and online banking services for people. As a result, the digital payment ecosystem is at an all-time high, with only one point of comparison — demonetisation. The crisis of long queues outside ATMs and kiosks is back, this time with heightened health risks if people do not maintain social distancing. However, to aid this, many banks are introducing additional community discounting policies. Nearly everyone, from financial regulators to government officers, have gone back to proposing digital options to avoid those lines. In a paper (published; 2018) examining the impact of demonetisation on the Indian economy, the authors applied data obtained from Reserve Bank of India to develop a metric

called “Local Area Demonetisation Shock.” On average, the sites were found to hold up 42% of their revenues after demonetisation compared to pre-demonetisation levels. The paper also measured adverse eﬀect of demonetisation on economic activity. The study revealed occupational exclusion and nightly exits used for two percentage points due to demonetisation, the consequences of which may occur during the course of 2019.

Demonetisation opened up many entries in the digital payment system of India. People became less apprehensive of technology, and they were starting to feel comfortable with the digital world with each passing day. While the deterioration of the country’s economic growth is being felt worldwide, now more than ever - as we move to eradicate the virus, we have newer opportunities for economic growth. The initial lockdown was estimated to cost the country USD 4.5 billion daily. This is because almost half of the businesses in India are disrupted, adversely aﬀecting supply chains. CAIT (Confederation of All India traders), a trading community with the largest users of currency notes, panicked on the subject of crude currency notes posing a risk of coronavirus transmission.

The industrial sector has proposed a switch to polymer currency notes such as in the UK, Australia, and Canada. It has also explored the possibilities of using polymer notes in India. The Bank of England noted that the risk posed by handling a polymer note is no greater than touching any other common surfaces such as handrails, doorknobs or credit cards (Bank of England (2020). Whether the concern is appropriate or not, the notion that money can spread pathogens can change the eﬀectiveness of payment by users and ﬁrms.

In the medium term, the outbreak could lead to higher precautionary holdings of cash by consumers and systematic increases in the use of mobile payments, cards and the Internet of Things. This development may vary across communities, and among diﬀerent consumers. To bolster monetary conﬁdence, central banks are actively communicating, urging continued acceptance of cash and, in some instances, sterilising or quarantining banknotes. Some

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encourage contactless payments.  Digital payments and digital currencies are likely to play an important role in the post-pandemic environment. Since digital payments are less contagious, they will be promoted by the government, and will likely see a positive surge. The gig economy and WFH (work from home) conditions will also enhance this. The unprecedented and unique type of economic crisis caused by this epidemic requires that we remain ﬂexible in our response and not be wedded to existing frameworks. References : 1. Pandemic policy in developing countries: Recommendations for India by Shruti Rajagopalan, Alexander T. Tabarrok :: SSRN. (n.d.). Search eLibrary :: SSRN. https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm? abstract_id=3593011 2. Cashless during COVID-19: Necessity over convenience? (n.d.). ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/ 341458286_Cashless_during_Covid-19_Necessity_over_convenience 3. Varadharajan, P. (2020, June 19). COVID-19 and demonetisation: How have they affected India? Inventive. https://www.inventiva.co.in/ stories/priyadharshini/covid-19-and-demonetization-how-have-theyaffected-india/

About Author : Tushita Bhatia, B.Des, DIT University. An artist at heart with designer brains, who loves to write, travel and explore. My superpowers include being restless and chasing multiple missions at the same time.

Connects : linkedin.com/in/tushitabhatia/

Student’s Artwork “Enjoy the life”

By : Madhurika Rajput Sandip University

The Future of Retail Shopping By - Nishita Sharma

Technological advancements are changing the way every industry does business. By designing for efficiency during this pandemic, many new product innovations are helping consumers move rapidly towards digitisation. In addition, retail stores are leveraging emerging technologies to make shopping a simpler and more agile experience for consumers, keeping in mind the current situation where social isolation is one of the key factors in everyday life. The “cashless retail” concept, or “just walk out,” or “touch-free payment system,” is one of many leading industries’ newly acquired response strategies. The following paper sheds light on the retail industry’s changing scenario due to technological advancement by focusing primarily on the concept of cashier-less stores to curb human contact during the pandemic and how it will be normalised in the near future. Cashier-less Stores – A Self Driving Technology Cashier-less shopping is a dynamic and effective technological solution. As is with most supermarket’s business goals, the main justification for implementing this program is profit-making. The key concern discussed here is customer’s time consumption. The most popular example of the latest innovation is Amazon Go – “a new kind of store with no checkout required”. That means, when someone shops at Amazon Go, they’ll essentially never have to wait in line. The store operates through an Amazon Go application - a customer enters Amazon Go, takes the products they want and, with help of the technology, just leaves directly without having to interact with a cashier. Its infrastructure relies on a combination of Near Field Communication (NFC) and Bluetooth technologies to create real-time, wireless links with mobile wallets for its customers. The shop is fitted with several cameras and sensors that follow shoppers on their shopping trip which are used to monitor the product they want and test whether they want to

return the product back to the shelf. Amazon is applying a blend of artiﬁcial intelligence, computer vision and data gathered from multiple sensors to ensure customers are only charged for the items they pick up. There is also a mention of “facial recognition” and personalisation, which may include user images, personal details like height and weight, biometrics, a username and password, and most importantly, purchase history for suggestive shopping. Yet, Amazon is not alone in the search to make supermarkets and retail shopping as quick and seamless as possible for today’s customer. The Chinese retailer, BingoBox, where shoppers access QR code scanning at the door is available in more than 300 locations in 30 cities in China. A growing number of other retailers are jumping into the game, including-Albert Heijne, Starbucks Walmart, 7-Eleven. In India, Kochi’s fully automated, cashier-free shop is inspired by Amazon Go stores in the US. Retail Stores to Prevent Spread of Coronavirus With the increased need for essential items over the past few months, few large retail stores have introduced the trend of touch-less and cashless shopping experience to facilitate consumer movement, for a friction-free experience with minimal human contact. In their shopping journey, customers have always demanded experience, comfort, and speed from purchase to delivery, and now they also want a safe and “contactless” shopping environment. But the better it sounds, the harder it is to maintain when we consider variables such as communication with staff, waiting in line for check-out and check-in, money exchange comes to light. Walmart-which is America’s largest source of jobs- is removing cashiers from its stores. It says it’s a tactic to reduce human contact, but it’s also helping consumers pay and leave the store faster. The company could extend the idea to more locations if it goes

well. 7-Eleven, which debuted its ﬁrst cashierless store for employees at its corporate headquarters, follows the concept similar to that of Amazon Go.

There are also newer measures such as shifting hours to help senior citizens shop with lower traﬃc to maintain six feet of separation. This is demonstrated by ‘avec box’. A modern convenience store based in Switzerland. It is a new way to shop where one downloads an app, registers their personal details, goes to a shop, picks what they want, pays through the app, leaves with the items. The main beneﬁt of this innovative food retail business model is its implementation. By stream-lining stores it ensures they can rapidly be designed to satisfy consumers across various regions.

Scope for Improvement

1. Even after being successful enough to serve the function, the program today observes a few gaps in addressing a broader audience.

2. Without adequately conﬁgured smartphones, access to either of those stores is complicated.

3. The cashier-less solution is suitable to transfer day-to-day consumer products rapidly. But the business model may not work for larger items.

4. Another drawback is the cost of opening up such a shop. For small to medium businesses, that would entail waiting for the technology to become more available and usable.

Conclusion

Technology has begun to shape and construct diﬀerent aspects of our lives, making them no longer a peripheral-inﬂuential factor but a coredetermining factor in our everyday patterns of existence. Therefore, the AI-powered cashierless shopping is gaining ground worldwide. And while it is now dominated primarily by well established companies like Amazon and Walmart, it could well become ubiquitous in a few years as the technology becomes simpler and more available, generalising the digital medium used.

It shows COVID-19 accelerated the redeﬁnition of retail’s future. Such diﬀerent styles of shops could alter the customer’s experience well after a crisis. Pop-up, cashless stores may be

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perceived by the future generation as part of their daily shopping habits, delivering exactly what they want, right where they need it. References 1. https://www.intugroup.co.uk/en/insights/how-technology-is-changingthe-retail-industry/ 2. https://uxdesign.cc/the-ux-of-retail-shopping-b60865107ab1

About Author : Nishita Sharma, B.Des, DIT University. I’m Nishita Sharma. I am a third year design student at the Dehradun Institute of Technology pursuing Ux. I believe in solving problems with a creative approach to achieve the goal.I am looking forward to graduating and contributing to the design Industry.

Connects : nishitashrama15@gmail.com

Artwork Student’sWarriors” “Corona

By :Shweta Pawar Sandip University

Introspect, Innovate and Integrate- Skills that Designers Should Develop for the New Normal By : Harman Bains

Life before Covid-19 is one for the movies now. Getting dressed to go out on a Friday night or attending the weekly yoga class with our friends used to be a way to break away from our mundane lives. As most can relate, signing in to the regular 9 to 5 corporate job, and then coming home to eat take-outs, these were some of our regular day-to-day deeds. Who would have thought the hip-happening way of life could turn into being forcibly locked down inside our own homes? The pandemic has certainly left us all perplexed and asking, “What next?” John F. Kennedy, the youngest US President, once said, “When written in Chinese, the word ‘crisis’ is composed of two characters. One represents danger, and the other represents opportunity”. This has definitely been exemplified during the time of the pandemic. While Covid-19 has dawned on us as a devastating crisis, on the other hand, it has also provided everyone with a chance to pause, take a breath, look around, introspect and come up with new innovations. Individuals vigilant about their well-being may not abandon social distancing soon, and organisations that have endured the COVID-19 won’t abandon their learnings from this. So, how can we, as designers, turn these unprecedented times into great opportunities that are not only innovative but also serve as a way to give back to the community? Innovation and Design Thinking The Parkinson’s Law states that ‘work expands to fill the time available for its competition’. This principle can be applied to the growth and bureaucracy in an organisation. COVID-19 has taught us that the piece of work that earlier took an organisation a month to complete can now be better and more efficiently executed in much less the time. All the formalities of conducting discussions, follow-ups, formal approvals can be conducted digitally as aided by popular collaborating tools like Zoom, Google Hangouts,

WhatsApp, and more recently, Microsoft Teams. The situation is such that even the neighbourhood shopkeeper has now begun to embrace e-commerce platforms to sell through Swiggy, Kisan Sabha, Zomato and Amazon. The food industry, education, and even the fitness industry, on the whole, have shifted their services online. From going completely cashless to shopping for grocery items online, many countries have come up with creative solutions that ensure their citizens stay at home and while their requirements are still made available to them sans trouble. Even if the individuals have to go outdoors, digital solutions like Aarogya Setu and contact tracing apps make for effective implementation of social distancing to prevent the spread of the virus. The word design itself means a “solution to a problem”. As designers , we should think of creative solutions and innovations that not only benefit the people during this pandemic but also serve them post-pandemic. We need to seek an iterative process to understand users, challenge assumptions, redefine problems, and create innovative solutions. There is and there will consistently be an immense requirement for digital products in the coming months. One can work from home, yet possibly grow one’s business and impact over the long haul. Time to Relearn “Conditions during the COVID-19 crisis are harsh on learning and render traditional training nearly impossible,” says Graham Waller, distinguished UP Analyst, Gartner. Now is a good time to relearn and strategically plan our next move. Improving our skillset by integrating new and emerging technologies in our day to day will help us develop skills for vocational opportunities. One of the major changes which have come into practice in the business sector is that 47

organisations are shifting with rapid strides to adopt e-commerce facilities, and those without an intriguing e-commerce portal and proper digital infrastructure need to build rapidly to survive in the market. E-commerce facilities could become a vital part of our new normal. As the saying goes, “There is always room for improvement,” these are the skills that can help us upgrade our tool kit:

· User Experience (UX)

· Coding Skills

· E-commerce Analysts and SEO

· Cybersecurity Training

· Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Software

Shane Decoste, Express Franchise owner in Nova Scotia, Canada, says, “Now is the time to stand out as someone who can add immediate value by bringing the right attitude to the table. Taking online courses or adding new certiﬁcations will tell employers that you are resourceful and driven to learn and grow.” He prompts those searching for work to consider how they can improve in-demand soft skills. Among the top soft skills, businesses search for are work ethic/integrity, attitude, basic reasoning, communication, and time management.

As designers, we are well aware the world of design revolutionises after every ten years. But with the on-going crisis, it is pushing us to our limits and we need to keep up with the pace in order to stay relevant

Business with a Purpose

“Sustainability has become an economically recognised management issue and a movement that is not only shaped by a few pioneers but also brings about broad-based change. Entrepreneurial success is increasingly linked to how well sustainability is built into corporate DNA” -Prof. Dr. Stefar Schaltegger

Mismanagement of waste, shortage of assets, and issues with labor are driving us to change our utilisation and production patterns. We should perceive this pandemic as a wake-up call. Nature can heal itself if we stop exploiting it. We should contribute through our innovations and designs in such a way that it has a motive and serves both man and nature. Designers should routinely conduct user

Student articles

research in order to discover interesting opportunities. Anthony Lopez, founder and principal designer of Lopez Design said in a panel discussion held by the DesignUp conference team that “Technological transformation will be aligned with giving more respect for humanity and nature. We will also have better capabilities to understand technology and development, leading wiser laws and principles which govern it, ultimately leading to the greater good.” There is a plethora of opportunities facing us in the eyes in this time, we can explore these by birthing innovative ideas, or being a part of the engine (by being an efﬁcient gatekeeper).

Conclusion

As human beings, we are unceasingly under the impression that everything is in our control. But this time has shaken everyone’s conscience to the point that we can admit it’s necessary for nature to take its course and for us to adapt with changing times. It took mankind a whole pandemic to realise that our plans can be turned upside down in blink of an eye. Yet, design and inventions have always remained the driving skillsets that aided evolution and economic development since the caveman era. Challenging the present scenario and transforming it into an opportunity is in our hands as designers.

References : 1. https://yourstory.com/2020/04/designers-productivity-purposecoronavirus-covid-19 2. https://m.economictimes.com/wealth/earn/future-of-work-what-toexpect-after-coronavirus-crisis-blows-over/amp_articleshow/ 75502728.cms

About Author :

Harman Bains B.Des, Chitkara University A well presented, hard working individual with a great attention to detail. I enjoy new challenging tasks that push me to learn more and more each day. I believe each day is a new opportunity to make yourself better.

Connects : harman.bains1999@gmail.com 48

Portfolios University Programs

“Divvy Redesign”

Anant Jain, Chitkara University behance.net/anantjain288

“Salutplus Doctor Patient Platform” Kasturi Jharimune , DIT University behance.net/kasturijharimu

“Travel App” Aarushi Mahajan, Chitkara University behance.net/aarushimahajan

“Orionis Branding” Vaibhav Shelke , Sandeep University behance.net/vabhishelke

“MOBdoc"

Ritik Singh, Chitkara University behance.net/ritiksingh6

“FoodGasm"

Himanshu Upadhyay, DIT University behance.net/gallery/93645877/FOODGASM

“Blockchain in Fintech"

Ayush Sharma , Chitkara University drive.google.com/ﬁle/d/1yGtuiePDCPtY91wH7Wr7q51 Mo2j5k018/view

“Education Allure"

Avni Goswami , Chitkara University behance.net/avnigoswami

“InteriorRxn"

Asiya Siddiquee, DIT University behance.net/gallery/93766253/InteriorRxn

“Karo.na"

Navadheer Nuli, DIT University behance.net/gallery/99169943/Karona-Be- Productive-Get-Rewarded-UIUX

“Redesign of Aarogya Setu to improve user experience" Sreejaya Swaminathan, Srinivas University behance.net/sreejayswaminan

"Neumorphic Instagram Redesign 2020" Aman Sinha, Chitkara University behance.net/amansinha138d2

Photography

"Rangeen" By : Siddhant Sisodia, DIT University

"Daylight" By : Mohan Dhirwani, DIT University

"Beauty of clouds moving with sun rays" By : Mansi Rawat, DIT University By : Akash Vishwakarma, DIT University

"The untold story of the man the sarangi" By : Bhavini Nag Chitkara University

"The soul blossoming in nature"

By : Karina Choudhary, DIT University

"The night escape"

Alumni and Corporate Connect

“Practice design, Not Decoration: Don’t just make pretty talking points. Instead, display information in a way that makes complex information clear.” - Nancy Duarte

Company Testimonials

SRV Media “ImaginXP has always been supportive in our hiring of professional UX candidates or interns. Since UX is a niche proﬁle in the market, ImaginXP knows exactly what it takes to develop and groom someone with industry grade knowledge and expertise. We look forward to maintaining a longterm collaboration with ImaginXP for the future.” -Roma Chandwani (HR - SRV Media)

Karma Circle “ImaginXP has been instrumental in helping us recruit a very good resource for our UI and UX requirements. Rupam, a graduate from ImaginXP, is outstanding at coordinating and managing his assigned tasks. All of the candidates delivered some impressive work during their interviews.” -Manu Tiwari (HR - Karma Circle

Truly Tech Solutions “Candidates of ImaginXP are wellversed in the design thinking process. We found them to be professional and collaborative at our interview sessions in Hyderabad.” - Sukanya (HR - Truly Tech Solutions)

Smartmade Infotech “On behalf of Smartmade InfoTech, I would like to extend my gratitude for ImaginXP. ImaginXP has shown great support and helped us coordinate our efforts in ﬁnding suitables candidates as per our requirement. The selected candidates are great assets to our organisation & it gives us great pleasure in seeing them perform their jobs efﬁciently. We look forward to maintaining our alliance for our future needs.” -Hardik Sanadhya (HR - Smartmade Infotech)

Alumni Speak

Gopal Kasbe, Go Protoz I would like to recommend ImaginXP to all those fresher who wants to get into UX industry, as the atmosphere is excellent. The trainers are highly dedicated and knowledgeable. The UX course is value for money with a good focus on key concepts. The placement team is very helpful, friendly and always provides the best available opportunities to students. Shivam Sachdeva Smartmade Infotech Hello, I have done my Jumpstarter course from ImaginXP, Jaipur. I come from a technical background and have completed my graduation in Bachelor of Technology. Still I preferred this course cause it helped me to give a different career direction. Shanika Statute, Softnet world

I was already working as a UI/ Web designer but this UX Jumpstarter course changed my whole thinking process and gave me conﬁdence in whatever designs I did. I got a fresh start as I wanted to enter the UX domain. The Placement process is really good and all the staff in ImaginXP is really cooperative.

Naveen Andrew, Diatoz, Bangalore

“To the people

who want to learn

the world of UX design the right place for you to be is ImaginXP, the practicality and the current trends in the design are well taught by the mentors and I got the push start in my career as UI/UX designer through ImaginXP, thanks ImaginXP for enlightening my dream of UX” Omkar Ghodke, Coditation, Pune “ImaginXP helped me understand the true importance of UX in our daily lives. It’s well-guided assistance throughout the course helped me identify my hidden skills in Design and how to nurture them in the future.” Vivek kumar, Smartmade Infotech “The teachings provided by ImaginXP are very exciting and knowledgeable. I had a great experience of learning UX design. And because of ImaginXP, I completed my certiﬁcation and got placed in Smartmode Infotech.

Student Internship

Anshuman Kakoty, Merge Intern, Bangalore

Ashray Makkar, Holly & Whyte Clothing, Delhi

Ashish Kumar Prusty, Algo8.ai

Watan Raj Freeware lovers GmbH, Eckental, Bavaria, Germany

Akash Mishra, 73 Strings All India Limited

Jagriti Sood, PrepBytes

Anant Singhal, R-square Web Studios Private Limited, Delhi

Aditya, DigiMeGlobal

Ajeet Singh, Ridznow, Ambala

Anant Jain, Headth

Utkarsh Gupta, Think Future Technology, Gurgaon

Mansi Rawat, Algo 8

Harshit Daniya, Ishantimes Media House, Delhi

Aveksha Mahajan, Arachnomesh Technologies Pvt. Ltd.

Janmeet Singh, DriveU Pvt Ltd, Bengaluru

Svaneel Biswas, Alorb Technologies Pvt Ltd, Bangalore

Amish Patel, CUCEED, Punjab

Rakshika Dhar, Rely on Resources, Delhi

Kasturi Jharimune, Exa Mobility, Pune

Divya Kakkar, Kindbeings

Dezutainment

“The Game gives you a Purpose. The Real Game is, to Find a Purpose.”  - Vineet Raj Kapoor

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Our Programs

“The best way to predict the future is to create it.” - Abraham Lincoln

Partnering Universities

Courses and seats B. Des - 120 M. Des - 40 B. E. Integrated BFA Integrated BBA Fintech - 60 Links: B.Des in UX : https://www.chitkara.edu.in/arts/b-des/ BBA in Fin-tech : https://www.chitkara.edu.in/bba-ďŹ ntech/

Courses and seats B. Des - 60

Link : B.Des in UX https://www.jagannathuniversity.org/faculty/ courses/architecture/bachelor-of-design-in-userexperience-bdes-ux

Courses and seats B. Des - 60 M. Des - 40 Links: B.Des Ux : https://www.dituniversity.edu.in/program/ugcourses/bachelor-in-design

Courses and seats B. Des - 60

Link : https://collegedunia.com/university/25815-jagannath-

Courses and seats B. Des - 60 M. Des - 40

Courses CertiďŹ cate in UI/UX Link :

Links:

https://www.kluniversity.in/

B.Des : http://www.sandipuniversity.edu.in/designschool/bachelor-of-ui-ux-design-course-imagin-xp.php M.Des : http://www.sandipuniversity.edu.in/designschool/master-of-ui-ux-design-course-imagin-xp.php

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Courses and seats B. Des - 60 M. Des - 40 Links: B.Des in UX: https://srinivasuniversity.edu.in/College-OfCIS/BDes-UX M.Des in UX: https://srinivasuniversity.edu.in/College-OfEngineering-Technology/Master-UED

Courses and seats B. Des - 60

Link : B.Des in UX : https://www.swarrnim.edu.in/swarrniminstitute-of-designs/bachelor-of-design-in-user-experience

Courses and seats B. Des - 60 M. Des - 40

Courses and seats M.Des - 40

Links:

Link :

B.Des in UX :https://srinivasuniversity.edu.in/College-OfEngineering-Technology/Master-UED M.Des in UX : https://jlu.edu.in/course/master-of-designuser-experience/

M.Des : http://www.khyatischoolofdesign.com/ mdes_user_experience_design.html

Courses and seats B. Des - 60 M. Des - 40

Courses UX Specialisation UX Add-On

Link :

B.Des in Ux : http://www.modyuniversity.ac.in/course/bdes-user-experience-ux/ M.Des in Ux : http://www.modyuniversity.ac.in/course/mdes-user-experience-ux/

UX specialisation : https://hindustanuniv.ac.in/

Courses and seats PGD : 60

Courses and seats M. DES In UX Vacancies : 40 Link :

Link: PGD : https://www.spit.ac.in/academics/pgd-ux-design/

UX Specialization, M.DES M.Des in UX : https://vgu.ac.in/m-des-user-experience/

For University related queries : Aman Sanjay, Ph. No. : +91 86962 48805 aman.sanjay@imaginxp.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/aman-sanjay-08296178/ 63

CertiďŹ cation Courses

User Research This course is based on strongly understanding and empathising with users. In this 3-week crash course, you will learn how to plan, conduct and document effective user research studies to gain valuable user insights and design innovation solutions. Senior Industry Experts in UX, working with best of brands are associated with us as Mentors and train students with Industry ready toolkits following the standards of industry.

UX Jumpstarter The UX Jumpstarter Course is an intensive 3.5 Months program where one learns in depth the ImaginXP 6D UX design process. Light theory and heavy on practice to execute UX design from concept to delivery. Design Thinking ImaginXPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Design Thinking course helps master the concepts of Design Thinking: the powerful process of problem-solving that involves understanding customer needs on a deeper level. One will learn our patented 5D Design Thinking Framework, aligned to industry standards, frame design problems, and validate innovative solutions. This Design Thinking course helps to expertise in business strategy and innovation, empowering to drive a design thinking culture in any organisation

UI Design and Tools UI Design and Tools is a 42-hour course where one can learn the nuances of User Interface Design and the relevant tools employed by the industry. This course aims at imparting skills to design an engaging user interface using industry-relevant tools like Axure, Figma and Invision. It also helps to learn the relevant aspect of branding and its strategy.

Mobile UX Design Mobile UX Design course is a 36-hour crash course, which helps in learning techniques for mobile user experience design. Designing effective mobile navigation, interaction design and responsive design overview.

RedeďŹ ning CX This course aims to demonstrate how businesses can transform themselves with evolving customer behaviour in response to Covid-19. It covers methodologies on omnipresence experiences, digital transformation of businesses, solving problems via Design Thinking. It highlights the use of design deliverables like personas, empathy maps, customer journey maps and service design blueprints to optimise customer experience.

Visual Design In this 6-week visual design course, one can learn the principles of design, visualisation techniques and the process of designing interfaces for different technology platforms. Interaction Design It is a 6-week interaction design course where one learn techniques and processes for information architecture design, interaction patterns on web and mobile, and rapid prototyping. The course is about how to bring ideas to paper, design information intelligibly and quickly design prototypes to get feedback from customers, team members and users.

For CertiďŹ cation Course related queries : Yash Lalwani, Ph. No. : +91 87699 67581 yash.lalwani@imaginxp.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/yash-lalwani-854539186/ 65

Corporate Courses

Our corporate trainings are designed to meet the organisations training objective wherein we map the skills as per organisational structure and identify level based skill gaps. Accordingly, we customise the offering by defining a clear roadmap. This involves designing course structures and modules based on employee level and expertise. We deliver both online and offline course delivery, which is based on practice based pedagogy. Our trainers are practicing industry professionals having rich and diverse experience. The training KPIs are defined and continuous evaluation and assessment are implement to measure the participants progress. Corporate Offerings DESIGN THINKING

- Design Thinking, Training & Workshop - Design Sprint Consulting Workshops - Creative Thinking & Problem Solving - Design Trends & Emerging Technology - Ideation, Innovation & Patenting - Customized training & workshop for Design tools

- UX Design Thinking & Workshops - Product Lockdown & UX Workshop - UX Design Management - UX for Emerging Technology - Responsive Design - Data Visualisation - Customer Centricity - Omni chanel Customer Experience Design - Information Architecture - Mobile UX and Web Experience Design

STRATEGY

- Creative Strategy in Art & Design - Customer Experience Design Strategy - Time Management - Digital Experience Strategy - Enterprise Experience Strategy

MISCELLANEOUS - Time Management - Service Design Workshop

Our Corporate Clients

For Corporate related queries : Ashwin Mathur, Ph. No. : +91 93569 39040 ashwin.mathur@imaginxp.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashwin-mathur-97205b77/ 66

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Editorial Board

Neha Deshbhratar Editor in Chief

Faculty Members

Naina Jain

Abdul Kalam

Abhignya Srishaila

Design Faculty

Priyanka Gehlot

Shailja Singh

Sweta Raj

Design Faculty

Student Members

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Arjun Sengupta

Heta Patel

Pratik bhute

DIT University

Jagannath University

Sandip University

Tushita Bhatia

Harmanpreet Bains

Rakshika Dhar

Abhishek Pastey

DIT University

Chitkara University

Shrinivas University

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