This masterclass by Saptarshi, Assistant Vice President of Design at Swiggy, focuses on how Human Intelligence (HI) and design thinking are crucial for creating excellent user experiences, particularly in product design.
Saptarshi defines a product as something that solves a problem. It tells you what you need to know, and doesn’t tell you what you don’t need to know. He illustrates this with examples like a light bulb using electricity and AirPods Pro’s noise cancellation. Good products, especially well-designed ones, excel at balancing these two aspects.
Design thinking is defined as making smart predictions based on situations, time, and people.Saptarshi demonstrates this concept through scenarios like receiving a missed call at different times from different people and a game where the audience predicts his ice cream preference. He highlights that designers make decisions for millions of users based on limited information.
Turbo Checkout: Swiggy redesigned its checkout process to pre-select payment methods based on user history, reducing a step. The expected outcome was faster checkout, increased sales, and a better user experience. However, it led to an increase in payment failures. This was because users were accustomed to an extra step after hitting the green “pay” button. The solution was to change the button to a slider to prevent accidental taps and create a conscious action.
Cancel Order: Initially, cancelling an order required contacting customer care. Swiggy introduced a 1-minute cancellation window for accidental orders. This change resulted in a double-digit increase in cancellations due to “buyer’s remorse” amplified by a ticking clock. The solution was to remove the ticking clock and reduce the prominence of the cancel button.
Food Page Scroll Behavior: Swiggy experimented with whether the search/filter bar should stick at the top (A) or scroll away (B) . While “A” seemed more convenient to some, “B” actually won because it provided a larger viewport for users to see more restaurants, leading to a more comfortable experience.
Rating System Nuances: The speaker shares an anecdote about a user who rated all her favorite restaurants with one star because she thought “a number one” meant “the best” in Hindi, highlighting that common digital icons and conventions are not universally intuitive.
Saptarshi’s masterclass powerfully illustrates that truly effective product design, particularly in the digital realm, is rooted in human intelligence (HI) and thoughtful design thinking. By examining Swiggy’s real-world challenges with features like Turbo Checkout and Cancel Order, the presentation underscores that understanding subtle user behaviors, habits, and emotional responses is paramount, often overriding technically sound but unintuitive design choices. The core message is that successful design isn’t just about functionality; it’s about making astute predictions based on deeply empathetic user insights to create seamless experiences that align with how people actually think and behave, even when it defies initial logical assumptions.
In a landscape where aspiration quietly waits, Granthalay emerges as a circular building and sanctuary for learning—gathering people, knowledge, and place into a shared civic moment. Granthalay is conceived as a civic institution that extends beyond the conventional idea of a library, responding to the acute lack of educational and community infrastructure in the district […]
A dilapidated old manor house in Jaffna peninsula, with warped roof beams, warped door windows and many structural defects were presented to the architects for refurbishment- by clients- to be refurbished as a retirement home for themselves who were returning to Sri Lanka after escaping to overseas due to the 25 years old North East […]
This residence is a sincere exploration of how architecture can remain simple, climate sensitive, cost-effective, and emotionally grounded, without compromising on spatial quality or design intent. Conceived as a 3BHK modest home for a small family, the project stands as a testament to what is possible when thoughtful planning, craft-oriented construction, and material intelligence come […]
Design, when it emerges as a living tapestry, turns the experience of living into a vibrant everyday narrative. Baldota House in Alandi, Pune by ARCHOS accommodates three generations under a single roof in the area spanning 7500 Sq. Ft. Spearheaded by the family’s desire for a generous space and a theatrical essence along with balanced […]
Few homes are celebrated for their iconic interiors, while some are celebrated for their open layouts. True to its unique context and subtleties, this home with a monochromatic palette, designed by Ar. Saumya Khanna & Ar. Sudhir Ambawata Co – founders & principle architects of SSDA Architects brings the essence of volumetric design and a […]
Adopting sustainable living today, both in design and daily life, is crucial for reducing our environmental footprint and preserving resources for future generations. In the design of this bamboo pavilion, this means using eco-friendly materials, energy-efficient technologies, and creating spaces that harmonize with natural surroundings. In daily living, sustainability involves mindful consumption, reducing waste, conserving […]
Tucked into the lush landscape of Thiruvananthapuram, Aashiyana is a residence that balances context, climate, and craft. Designed by architect Srijit Srinivas, this bungalow is conceived as more than a tropical retreat-it is a spatial journey where bold colour, filtered light, and thoughtful materials orchestrate a distinctive atmosphere. Nestled Amidst Lush Landscape Aashiyana Balances Craft […]
Situated on a compact 1200 sft south-west corner plot, this residence was conceived as an inward-looking sanctuary for a family of four — a home that balances privacy and openness, light and enclosure, within the dense urban fabric. This Residence Was Conceived As An Inward-Looking Sanctuary For A Family Of Four | The Insideout Studio […]
Project 1374 is located in one of the plotted developments in the north of Bangalore, characterized by well-demarcated plots, open spaces, spacious roads, and organized infrastructure. Trees flank the wide streets, dividing the plots with dense canopies offering shaded avenues. Abutting the plot stood a cluster of trees- a quiet presence. We borrowed these trees […]
‘Roots’ was an experiment to build sustainably but not confer to the design language typically associated with sustainable buildings. This residential project re-considers the expression of sustainable architecture through a minimalist and materially grounded lens. Located on a 4,000 sq.ft. plot, the designers conceived the house for a family of three and their pet, organizing […]