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.
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 […]
‘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 […]
This project was planned in between lockdown when the client realized the importance of open space close to nature, aligning with a greenery house design that was required by the client’s aging parents and his young kids. Editor’s Note: Rooted in stillness and shaped by togetherness, this home flows gently between the indoors and nature […]
The Sanctum in Amritsar, designed by Renesa Architecture Design Interiors Studio, stands as a rare architectural experiment in India. It is an attempt to reinvent the domestic typology through geometry, material, and spatial narrative. Spread over 12,000 sq ft on a generous 3 acres plot, the house positions itself as a contemporary meditation on permanence and […]
Mishti’s House by KD ASSOCIATE is a striking example of contemporary residential architecture that blends modern aesthetics with mindful design. The facade features a harmonious mix of exposed red brick, smooth white plaster, and wooden-toned vertical fins, creating depth and visual balance. A unique geometric lattice screen with a Buddha motif serves as both a […]
Located in HMT Layout, Bangalore, Isha_Srinidhi Nilaya stands as a multi-generational home designed on a compact 60×40 ft (2400 sq. ft) East facing plot, with a total built-up area of 8000 sq. ft. East Facing a lush public park, the residence responds to its urban setting through a layered design that balances privacy with a […]
Timeless architectural features, such as courtyards, are always associated with bringing the naturally public forms to the world’s heart, building the most peaceful, secluded outdoor areas. These outdoor spaces maximize the living experience with their private space feature, which gives one the option for leisurely relaxation, recreation, or gardening. Furthermore, it has also been a […]
Architecture font choices go beyond style—they shape how your work is perceived. From portfolios to presentations, the right architecture font instantly communicates clarity, precision, and personality. As architects, we design not just with space but with every detail, including typography. Selecting a strong architecture font shows your commitment to visual storytelling and design consistency. In […]
The Indian farmhouse accommodation goes on to capitalize on a mature evolutionary synthesis of ancestral aesthetics and contemporary features. With this, the outside and the inside of farmhouses became places of comfort with nature. In this blog, we delve into 15 incredible farmhouse designs that entail a harmonious blending. While they exhibit different spaces in […]
Aangan is a modern residence that seamlessly integrates with the lush environment of Kerala, showcasing a tropical home design. Designed to embrace the region’s warm climate, the house features a striking sloped terracotta roof at varying levels, enhancing both its aesthetic appeal and functional efficiency. The structure is enveloped in a vibrant tropical landscape, adorned […]