“I started with a design agency without even knowing the terms UI and UX. I was an engineer and did more coding, but I know design helped me to express myself better!” — Nilesh Chaurasia.
UX Design is both an expressive and logical field in tech. Its expressive nature makes digital products an art. People can relate to UI/UX Design, mirror their problems and needs with it, and use it to decipher the beauty of science.
Art is subjective, hence the need for context. UX Design transcends beyond Maharashtra or Detroit. The world is a global village, and as technology advances, context is needed to ensure users are not alienated from growth and development.
However, some people will also argue that context takes away the scientific and logical part of UX Design. It might be a crack in the wall for inconsistency, differences and confusion in digital products. To what extent does this hold water? To what extent is contextual UX Design good or bad for users?
There is only one way for you to find out!
Nilesh Chaurasia: The engineer passionate about UX Design
Nilesh Chaurasia, our speaker for the day, is an IIT Kharagpur alumnus. We can all agree that it is not a walk in the park. He transitioned from engineering to design to tackle real-world challenges.
Starting as an engineering intern at Qualcomm, he quickly realised that design is crucial to making technology more usable, accessible, and relatable. His curiosity led him to Blue Tie, where he worked as a product designer.
Ever since, he has continued working on UX journeys for over twenty digital products in the last five years for various companies and startups worldwide in domains such as Digital Payments, Corporate Expenses, Neo-Banking, Share and Crypto Trading, Smart Home, Edtech, Logistics, Bookkeeping and Accounting Services, Mobile Gaming, Health and Fitness, and E-Commerce.
Some designers create experiences, while others shape how we interact with the digital world. Nilesh falls into the latter category. He now uses design to solve problems for people.
His foundation in communication design provided a solid base, which he further strengthened through his design experience. He is now a design leader, and we have never been more open to his thoughts on contextual design.
Contextual Design as a part of Problem-solving
He initiated the session with an interactive exercise; he told us to share screenshots of their favourite designs on a FigJam file. It was really interesting to see different UI/UX designs. He eventually picked two designs— Pinterest and Swiggy to illustrate the importance of context in design.
So, he posed a question: is good design subjective or objective?
It’s a pretty common debate in the design field. Some people say design is subjective due to their experiences, while others say they can quantify the objectivity of a good or bad design using data like user feedback.
He explained by comparing a personal design, such as a T-shirt or poster, with a corporate design, such as a wedding IV for a friend or a presentation. This ensured that UI/UX design was seen as an art but, more importantly, a solution.
Art is self-expression, so it cannot be validated as good or bad, successful or unsuccessful. However, the design needs constant validation at each stage.
| Art | UI/UX Design |
| It functions as a tool for the expression | It is a solution for either branding or engagement. |
| There is no communication | It is a two-way communication |
| It cannot be validated or measured | It has to be Validated for user-centricity. |
Do we see design as an art or a solution? Even if we see it as a solution, it still has its roots in the arts—creativity. That is where context matters. More so, both art and design recipients differ, so context is very important.
Why does context matter in Design?
Nilesh gave us a rundown of his experience at two fintech organisations, one in India and one in the UAE.
His experience designing KYC for both companies made him see the differences in user behaviour. He attributed it to where the users come from, their behaviours, and their interactions. He elaborated on his explanation by showing us screenshots and telling our designers to identify which screens would cause dropouts.
He gave us a context for the target audience, which is migrant workers working in construction. Many of them are not highly educated or tech-savvy. One would have thought that scanning ID or taking a selfie video would be the cause. However, his team did research, and the drop-off point was the question about their birthplace.
Shocking right? How would they not understand what their birthplace means?
He then consolidated his explanation with the fact that it is not “their birthplace” they do not understand; they just know it by a different concept. They used Emirates ID for official documentation, which included scanning and selfies. They did not have to type any extra details as their ID contained those information. They were familiar with visual patterns, so written instruction was an issue for them.
Similarly, users had issues scanning their PAN cards in India because they are unpopular. PAN Cards are not generally mandatory, and not everyone has them readily available; even if they do, they can’t trust any website or app enough to give out their PAN cards easily.
It’s important to know the environment in which they interact with your product. Are they interacting while moving on the metro? Are they interacting while sitting at home? These contexts are not based on assumption; they come with data.
The difference between your product and a high conversion rate might just be contextual data!
Case Studies of Contextual Research
Nilesh gave us examples of how context matters to put us in perspective.
Africans shift to Fintech
Africans navigate digital products easily due to their general exposure and experience. They went directly into fintech and net banking; even the lower literacy class is proficient in using wallets to make daily transactions.
It differs for Indian, Bangladeshi, or Pakistani users. The shift to fintech is slow and gradual. Creating designs that appeal to their exposure and experience would require a slower or more meticulous approach.
East Asian Vibrant Lifestyle
If you notice, there’s a stark difference between the street appearance in Western Europe and that in China, Japan, and East Asia. East Asian countries tend to be more expressive and dynamic.
Their culture, diversity, environment, and nature give them many reasons to live vibrant lifestyles, which are reflected in everything they do, including their houses, streets, and other spaces. Vibrant colours and visuals would work well with South Eastern users.
On the other hand, Europeans live a minimalist lifestyle. They all have similar building patterns, fewer people living together as a family, and a monochromatic wardrobe. The region is colder, so their clothing is monochromatic. Simple and minimalist designs would appeal to them.
Is Design Objective or Subjective?
You see, that’s where context and a better understanding of your user come into play. If you want a design to be objectively good, you need the support of proper context. You can objectively claim it to be good with proper context and data.
Question and Answer
Aramide: You mentioned cultural differences and talked about Africa and all of that. Does this apply to UX writing as well?
Nilesh: You must have heard of the word KYC, perhaps? We use “complete your KYC” to guide users through onboarding. This was not a problem for Indian users because it is a popular lingo. However, when we introduced it to African users, they did not know what it meant, so we had to change it to “Identity Verification.”
So, your UX copy needs to cater to all kinds of audiences, and it becomes much more difficult when designing an app with a diverse user base. You need to research their language, use of words, dictionary, slang, etc.
Priya: What problems does the Fintech industry face that can be solved through designs? I know that KYC is a huge problem in lending tech, so can you share more issues that can be solved through designs?
Nilesh: Depends on the kind of Fintech you’re talking about. All the Fintechs go through this KYC bottleneck. As you have outrightly mentioned, the KYC issue for lending tech is much stronger. However, when it comes to investment, people can be fickle and uninterested.
There is also a payment issue. You can minimise the steps and leverage existing structures and technologies, such as PAN cards. You can also provide multiple payment options. They are used to a pattern; just stick to it rather than try something new.
