The term was made popular by celebrated American researcher, professor and author Donald Norman in the mid-1990s. But its usage has been seen through the 1930s or even earlier. Any experience that a user / human goes through while evaluating a product or service can be called the “user experience”. In common digital parlance, UX is often restricted to conversations on tools, technology and interface that a user experiences on an app or a website. However, I believe that the term is applicable much more widely. In a recent UX expedition where I was accompanied by 12 students and some faculty, we explored and were introduced to the true meaning of User Experience.
We, at Rishihood University, are rethinking the field of design. We believe that quality design solutions cannot be separated from cohesive disciplines like Technology and Entrepreneurship. Hence, our Bachelor in Design program stands at the intersection of this trinity (TED – Technology, Entrepreneurship, Design). To validate our dynamic curriculum, we decided to undertake this unique expedition that consisted of industrial visits and an exclusive conference dedicated to the field of UX.
Our visits to Pravaig (a deep tech mobility company), SAP Labs (Subsidiary of SAP) and the UXIndia conference showcased how UX was a part of each and every organization, irrespective of their domains. User Experience is an overarching phenomenon that resonates across verticals. Our learners were able to visualize UX in everyday life. For example, the UX of a high-end restaurant serving global cuisine was, au contraire, very restrictive. We had to use digital options for ordering our food, which for a large group, was not user-friendly. But the ease with which we were able to relish a wholesome south-Indian breakfast at a small cafe and restaurant with their perfect ordering system and super quick service, was the perfect example of User Experience.
Attending the UXIndia 2024 conference gave us a whole new perspective. Mr. Kaladhar Bapu, Co-founder of UMO Design Foundation, mentioned aptly in his opening address that UX is not restricted to graphic designers. UX is in everything we see, we feel, we perceive. Throughout the conference, learners, faculty and I engaged in some eye-opening discussions on a plethora of topics like Building Trust to Pave the Way for Impactful Research, Life Design for University Students, Visual Dynamics and What Really Matters Now and In Future. All these discussions gave me food for thought that as much as we can focus on water-tight specializations in our education, it all really comes down to the interdisciplinary nature of concepts around us. Understanding a subject in its totality with respect to how it interacts with different stakeholders, whether directly or indirectly related to it, makes the subject matter deeper and enhances our comprehension and application of it.
A very interesting session was specially curated for Design educators to voice out their opinion and expectations from the industry. I found myself interacting with faculty members and practitioners from various renowned design institutions like NID, NIFT etc and brainstorming on what would help us make the delivery of our education stronger to align with a learner’s goal of achieving complete knowledge and be prepared for the industry.
Other interesting workshops like Using Improv in Design Sprints to Build More Creative and Collaborative Teams and Situation Rooms for Life and Business and of course, many many workshops on AI, threw into perspective the need to bring together team members in aligning goals, building strategy and ensuring smooth execution using the modern day professional’s tech-driven toolkit.
When I reflect on the nature of the attendees, I recall some enthralling conversations with entrepreneurs, professionals and learners alike – all with a different mindset – strewn together by the common thread of building (or learning to build) stellar, cohesive and useful experiences for their end user.
As someone who has witnessed and contributed to the growth of higher education in India across the last decade, I could see the relevance of the entire expedition in making me stop and relook at some of the experiences I have been creating for my learners through the years. I found some answers to pertinent questions like Are we creating a happy experience? Are we really solving learners’ problems through a smooth and user-friendly process? One thing was clear – everything and everything boils down to how your user / customer / learner remembers you at the end of each experience. And what creates that experience is to remember that practicing true empathy is the differentiating factor for any organization – be it the world of UX or otherwise. Mr. Ravinder Pal Singh, Co-founder, School of Entrepreneurship at Rishihood University, resonated with my thought in his powerful keynote speech, by stating that “An empathetic experience will provide purpose.”
At Rishihood, our endeavor is to build this empathy within our walls, within our culture, within our education. User experience is central to how we think, learn and do things at the Best design college in India. It is truly a playfield for one and all.
So, what User Experience are you creating for an impactful journey?
Director - Outreach and Marketing, Rishihood University
UX Design or User Experience design is the practice of creating product designs that enable the users to effectively engage with your products, web applications & mobile applications.
UX design is a part of specialisation courses under the Bachelor of Design degree program offered by Rishihood University where you can learn different innovative techniques of UX & UI deisgns
Yes, after the 12th you can pursue B Design as it is an undergraduate course for Indian students
