Unit I – Design Thinking Fundamentals
UNIT – I: DESIGN THINKING FUNDAMENTALS
1.1 Introduction to Design Thinking
Q1. What is Design Thinking?
Answer:
Design Thinking is a problem-solving approach that focuses on understanding users, their needs, and creating solutions that are useful, usable, and desirable. It encourages creativity, experimentation, and continuous improvement.
Q2. What is the purpose of Design Thinking?
Answer:
The main purpose of Design Thinking is to develop solutions that truly solve user problems.
It helps teams:
• Understand users deeply
• Challenge assumptions
• Explore many ideas
• Build quick models (prototypes)
• Improve designs through testing
Overall, it leads to innovative products, apps, and services.
Q3. What are the five stages of Design Thinking?
Answer:
The five stages are:
Empathize – Understand users, their feelings, needs, and problems.
Define – Clearly state the real problem based on insights from users.
Ideate – Generate many creative ideas and possible solutions.
Prototype – Create simple models or mockups of selected ideas.
Test – Take prototypes to users, collect feedback, and refine the solution.
Q4. Explain the Empathize stage with an example.
Answer:
Empathize means putting yourself in the user's place to understand their difficulties.
Example:
Before designing a mobile banking app, the designer observes how users perform online banking, the steps they struggle with, and what features they expect. This helps in creating a user-friendly interface.
Q5. Explain the Define stage with an example.
Answer:
Define means writing a clear problem statement based on user needs.
Example:
“Users find it difficult to complete online payments because the app has too many confusing steps.”
This statement guides the design team to simplify the payment process.
Q6. Explain the Ideate stage with an example.
Answer:
Ideate means generating multiple solution ideas without judging them.
Example:
The team may suggest ideas like one-click payment, fingerprint login, or a simplified checkout screen. Later, the best ideas are selected.
Q7. Explain the Prototype stage with an example.
Answer:
Prototype means building a simple, low-cost model of the solution.
Example:
A designer creates a basic clickable mockup of the new payment screen using tools like Figma. This helps visualize how the final app might work.
Q8. Explain the Test stage with an example.
Answer:
Test means giving the prototype to real users and collecting feedback.
Example:
Users try the new payment screen. They share which part is easy or confusing. The design team uses this feedback to improve the final design.
Q9. Why is Design Thinking important in UI/UX Design?
Answer:
Design Thinking ensures that UI/UX designs are user-centered, practical, and effective.
It helps designers create digital products that:
• Solve real problems
• Are easy to use
• Look appealing
• Improve user satisfaction
It leads to better websites, apps, and digital experiences.
1.2 Introduction to UI/UX
Q10. What is ‘Design’ in the context of digital media?
Answer:
Design in digital media refers to planning and creating digital products like websites, mobile apps, dashboards, and software interfaces. It involves layout, color, typography, navigation, and how users interact with these elements.
Q11. What is User Interface (UI)?
Answer:
User Interface (UI) is the visual part of a digital product that users see and interact with.
It includes:
• Buttons
• Icons
• Navigation bars
• Fonts
• Colors
• Layouts
UI focuses on how the product looks and how users perform actions.
Q12. What is User Experience (UX)?
Answer:
User Experience (UX) is the overall experience a user has while using a digital product. It includes how easy, smooth, and satisfying it is to use the product.
UX covers:
• User research
• Information architecture
• User flows
• Wireframes
• Usability
• Emotional satisfaction
Q13. What is the difference between UI and UX?
Answer:
| UI (User Interface) | UX (User Experience) |
|---|---|
| Deals with visual design | Deals with user satisfaction and usability |
| Focus on look and feel | Focus on problem-solving and user journey |
| Includes colors, fonts, layouts | Includes research, flow, wireframes, testing |
| Aesthetic-oriented | Functionality-oriented |
Both UI and UX must work together to create good digital products.
Q14. Briefly explain the history of UX.
Answer:
• The concept of UX started with early human-centered design practices.
• In the 1990s, Don Norman at Apple introduced the term “User Experience.”
• With the rise of the internet and smartphones, UX became essential to product design.
• Today, UX is a major field shaping websites, applications, e-commerce, social media, and digital devices.
Q15. Why do we need UI and UX in digital products?
Answer:
We need UI and UX to:
• Make digital products easy and enjoyable to use
• Reduce user frustration
• Improve task completion speed
• Increase product engagement
• Attract and retain users
Example: A well-designed food delivery app shows clear menus, easy navigation, quick checkout, and real-time tracking. This improves user trust and satisfaction.
Q16. How do UI and UX work together in real projects?
Answer:
UX designers first research user needs, plan structure, and create wireframes.
UI designers then apply colors, typography, spacing, icons, and visual styles on these wireframes.
Together, they ensure the product:
• Works well
• Looks good
• Feels smooth to use