Design Thinking Report

By ABHISHEK GARG
Section S

Roll no .04

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Table of Contents

Details of Design Thinking.................................................................................................3

Empathy...............................................................................................................................6

Define..................................................................................................................................8

Ideate...................................................................................................................................9

Prototype............................................................................................................................10

Testing................................................................................................................................14

Reflections..........................................................................................................................15

References..........................................................................................................................18

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Details of Design Thinking

Design thinking is a strategic and practical process in which we use to tackle many complex
problems that are ill-defined or unknown. This is because this process reframes these
problems in a human-centric way. The process involves us to approach the user and
understand their needs in an attempt to identify the solutions of the problems. It also offers us
to think outside of the box in the effort of generating ground-breaking solutions. By using this
process, we will make decisions based on what they want instead of only relying on
assumptions and making risky bets.

Based on the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford (d. school). There are five
phases of Design Thinking. The five phases are as follows:

● Emphasise – approach your users.

● Define – state your user’s need, problems, and your insights.
● Ideate – generating ideas based on problem-solving.
● Prototype – adopting a hands-on approach.
● Testing – solutions

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PHASE 1 – Empathise

The first stage of Design Thinking is to empathise. This is where you are required to observe
and engage yourself with the users to uncover their needs and then try to understand their
problems. Empathy is very crucial in developing a human-centred process because it allows
us as the thinkers to think logically and set aside our own assumptions.

PHASE 2 – Define

On this specific phase, we will analyse the information and observations that we have
gathered in the previous phase. We will then try to synthesise all of them to define the core
problems or to be more precise, a human-centred problem statement. This define phase will
subsequently help us to gather great ideas to solve the problems or at the very least, it allows
the users to resolve their issues with minimum difficulty.

PHASE 3 – Ideate

This is the phase where we start generating ideas following the previous phases. At this point,
we have already had a solid background in generating brilliant ideas. The reason is that we
have grown to understand our user’s needs in the empathise phase, and created a problem
statement in the define phase. There are many methods in ideation techniques such as
Brainstorming. In this phase, we will need to come up with as many ideas as possible in
developing the solutions and applying the concept of ‘thinking outside of the box’.

PHASE 4 – Prototype

This is the phase where we turn the chosen ideas into a physical form of products as the
solutions. This is also known as the experimental phase. The idea is that we need to find the
best possible solution for each of the problems that have been identified in the previous
phases. The prototypes are investigated, improved and re-examined. With this, they are either
accepted or rejected based on how many problems that has been successfully tackled. At the
end of this stage, we as the thinkers should be able to have a clearer view of the product and
how the users should interact with the final product.

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PHASE 5 – Testing

The last phase is testing. This is the phase where we try to get feedback on the chosen
solutions from the users. This is a very important phase because it allows us as the thinker to
identify as many flaws as possible as well as making improvements on the products to make
it better. On the other hand, is also important to note that we can always return to the previous
phases to make further refinements and alternative solutions.

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 I. Empathy
The first step in Design Thinking process is to emphasise. Empathy is defined as the ability to
understand the problems faced by client or the end-user, for that empathy is required to
perceive yourself in client’s way of thinking, to truly see the world through their eyes in a
given context. Empathy is also the intersection of the designer and the user. As a designer, it
is our job to find solutions or improve existing ways to design a system which resolve client’s
needs.

An Empathy map can be very useful in this step. It helps you obtain many of the required
pieces of information that you will base your product on.
An interview with the end-user is often conducted during this process. A good interviewer
needs to adopt these principles to get maximum data.
 Listen carefully to what client says, immerse yourself with the user.
 Engage with the user so that you understand their way of thinking.
 Understand what really the user does so that you get to know their preferences.
 Understand the feeling of the user in different contexts.
 Considers what emotions the user is experiencing at certain points.

Another way to access data is by observation - observe client’s mannerism and body
language or facial expressions to understand their feelings.

One of the main objectives of empathy is to identify user needs and behaviours that are latent,
or unarticulated. In this process you should never assume anything or biased, design
accordingly to user.

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The Interview

For our project, we conducted an interview with Mr. Praveen A/L Sukhumaran to determine
some of his issues with myUTM information system so that we could work out some
improvements or come up with a wholly new concept.

Interviewee Profile Info

Name: Praveen A/L Sukhumaran

Age: 25
Education: Graduated in Graphics and Multimedia Software

From the interview, we deduced that Mr. Praveen believes that myUTM and e-learning have
all the qualities that a good educational information system, for a university should have.
However, he also pointed out some improvements he wished to see.

His main gripes being that the platform lacked a proper plagiarism checker and that every
notification had to be manually checked.

Some other complaints he had concerned the plethora of reports we have to write as students.
Therefore, we felt that a good time-management system had to be included on the platform.

Additionally, after some research we discovered that myUTM has no way of sorting through
all the notices and announcements. Therefore, most of the useful information get lost.

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II. Define
 We lack a proper plagiarism checker

Throughout, the 4 years of our studies, we will have many reports to submit so we
require a good plagiarism checker, to help in our reports.

 Notifications and announcements have to be checked manually

We don’t get notified about any news or any update posted by our teachers in MY
UTM, hence we are required to check them manually

 Add Multi-language

We can add multi-language into our prototype so that foreign students can use the
apps to suit their taste.

 Add FAQ

We can add an FAQ (frequently ask questions) for the new user of the app.

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 III. Ideate
After the first two steps of empathizing and defining the problem, we continue along the
process of Design Thinking to get to step three. This involves ideation or coming up with
ideas that can help fulfill the requirements of the information gained in the first two steps.
You can define a problem, keeping in mind all considerations, and you can also empathize
with your subjects and their feelings, but those are futile if you cannot come up with the
appropriate ideas to solve those issues. This makes the ideate phase very critical to the entire
design thinking process.
When it came to our case, we considered the possibilities by discussing them together as a
group. We managed to have a diverse range of perspectives and made sure to give everyone a
chance to speak and express their viewpoints. We drew up a list of whatever was being put
forward, no matter how unfeasible or outlandish at may seem at the outset. The goal was to
come up with as many ideas as possible and look for what could be improved upon any such
notion. We also looked for emerging patterns to get a sense of where we could be headed.
We eventually settled upon a three-pronged approach, where we looked at solutions in three
categories. First, quick win solutions. Second, rational options that would make sense as
possibilities in terms of cost, practicality, and fitting the time constraints. And thirdly, long
shot ones that may not be probable in present circumstances but could be options in the
future.
Quick win solutions included using different existing apps that offer functionalities that the
users were looking for. For instance, ability to communicate with fellow classmates and
especially the lecturer has been a regular problem. When it comes to time sensitive queries,
such as last-minute clarifications right before a deadline, the fact that it is hard to reach
classmates, or your teacher leads to undue stress and pressure. To solve that, WhatsApp does
exist as an option, so if we wanted something right now, we would just utilize that.
The long shot option would be to start from the ground up. We would completely redesign
and come up with a new platform that replaces all the existing features of E-Learning. The
new interface would be more user-friendly and would have new options to deal with the
demands of the users, the students of UTM. Eventually, the new platform would be viable
and marketable to other universities and learning institutions that require online resources.
The rational option, or the one we opt to pursue as a solution would be to create a platform
that would adopt the functionality of the existing my UTM and E-Learning sites and improve
upon them. We would add features that solve the problems outlined in the previous couple of
steps, such as the inability to quickly and succinctly view approaching deadlines in one go.
Our solution, for instance and not limited to the following, would be to add a calendar that
includes all such assignments and gives an outlook that helps the user stay on track and on
task.

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 IV. Prototype

We had to come up with a rational solution and idea to overcome all the problems faced by
our client. So, we came up with a complementary program that syncs to myUTM which
includes all features. Our prototype is an app called UTMhub which is integrated with
myUTM.

First of all, we came up with a logo design for the app with a moto “One for All” - which
means one app include multiple features, then the app will have a login page which uses
UTMID and Password to login.

After the login page the app has a menu window which includes all the features such as every
user has his own personalised profile.

Lost and Found Forum is a feature which allows the user to post their lost things without
overlapping with other posts and also include a comment menu. Additionally, if someone
found the item they can comment below the post.

Next is a personalised calendar with all assignment due date, exam dates and other important
campus events. This is automatically updated through eLearning and includes an automatic
notification message for each important date so that there is no need to refer manually each
time.

Our app also contains a Plagiarism checker since lots of report has to be submitted, it’s
difficult to check plagiarism, and so Plagiarism checker could be really useful in this case to
check their required plagiarism percent.

The main feature in our app is the Group Chat. In this chat interface each subject class creates
a group, so that information can be exchanged, doubt can be clarified and also discussion
regarding the subject can roll on. In each group Lecturers will be the admin. They set the
discussion and hold authority and priority of the system. Chat system will be offline until the
Lecturer activates it. Each class has its own group where lecturers can post announcements
and student can ask class-related questions.

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1. Logo

This is the logo for our UTMhub

app with a slogan “One for All”.

2. Login Page

This is the login page to the app

which requires UTMID and
Password.

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3. Menu Window

This is the Menu page which

includes all the features.

4. Lost and Found Forum

This feature allows the user to post information regarding things or object they lost.

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5. Personalised Calendar

With every due date for

assignment, exam dates and other
important campus events.

6. Plagiarism Checker

An inbuilt plagiarism checker to

enable students and lecturers to
abide by the maximum limit of
plagiarism.

7. Group Chat

A chat engine within a formal setting

which enables group work and
student- lecturer communication

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