What does the future of UX look like in the age of AI?

So welcome Madhukar on this UX India 2025. You are always a family and we always love to have people like you contributing, working along with us, making this as a grand success. So thank you for all your so far the efforts, but we'd love to have some lot of conversations what you are doing, what things that we are building ahead. That's the future that of UX I going forward. So >> Pleasure for having me. >> Thank you. So Madhukar, let's start with the the first part of the question and the set of ideas. I know you're building very interesting things in the industry. So um can you just give some insight about what do you force in the industry in the design very soon, how things are changing? I know you guys are doing very interesting approach in the industries. So please enlighten us with your ideas. >> Well, I mean more than the industry, I think you know, I give first and foremost importance to, you know, um what am I building within me, right? So I think that's very essential for you know, all of us with so much of you know, the technology advances, so much of you know, the AI influence that we have in the industry, it's very very pertinent for all of us to keep upskilling, cross-skilling, sometime, you know, unskilling, right? Which is also required because you know, the historically what worked or traditionally what worked for us a decade back or a two decade back doesn't mean that it mean that it'll have a forever, you know, a meaning um in in anything and everything that we do, right? So I think it's it's important for us to continue to work towards industry trends, understand it, be aware of it and then you know, work towards it. So you know coming back to you know your question that uh what are we doing? I think and I feel absolutely thrilled to witness and notice that design has very significant role to play in anything that currently you notice in the industry right? And the designer has a seat at the very top table. I think that's what you know you you know seen about also addressing it. Earlier days design was a completely towards the execution right? So if someone is coming and giving you the insights, giving you the instructions. Okay, so this is exactly what I want. Please make it interesting right? And that was the designers role. But that has exactly right? So you know we are not just to here make things prettier right? So UX has a very interesting and important role to play because you know we are here to understand the experience part of it. >> Absolutely. >> Right? And UI is an essential element of a delivery. >> Anytime. >> Right? But that's not the first or a core of it right? Experience is something because you know we always battle between the wants and the needs. >> Yeah. >> Right? If you ask people what you need, they have plenty things to say. But you need to identify what a user needs and the wants are then it's a very different ballgame all together. So yes you know we are navigating through that as a segment. And our designers are you know trying and understanding every client's needs more than the wants. And before we sell any of our core services, it's important for us to understand the problem that they have. >> Yeah. >> Right? So you know to simply put we are trying our level best to understand the problem that our clients have. >> Which means your designers are forefront here. >> Absolutely. >> Yes? >> Absolutely. We understand that how exactly you will understand how exactly you arrive at okay, this is the core problem that you have. And so this is like a co-creation collaboration effort that we have. We sync in with the bunch of team members from the client side to understand, you know, okay, what exactly you think you are at. And how exactly we can partner. So before giving them the solutioning, >> Mhm. >> right? So we understand the let's discuss, debate, and understand the problem areas. Because sometime what happens is um a top leadership perceive something different as a a problem area. >> Mhm. >> If you ask the same question to the technical team or a manager, >> he has completely different perspective. >> Yeah, it's like blind person exploring elephant touching with the different parts. >> Exactly. Exactly, right? So you know, it's it's a very interesting and of course, you know, since we all from the design industry, design thinking as a practice. So you if you put that into practice, you know, you explore, you do the research, you understand the persona, and then, you know, it'll give you a lot of insights. >> Yeah. >> And that's a core crux of it. And um one thing that I I truly believe that if you're a designer, think and act like everything is your business. Don't just mind your own business. >> Absolutely. Business and design has to go hand in hand. That's where the main aspect. We heard it in the morning also with Donald. He was also very much emphasizing that we are not just a, you know, screen creators. >> Yeah. >> We are a business builder for the entire company. That's where we as an industry moving. That's great. And I think but you one more thing that I remember uh is slightly different when we used to design earlier. And the generation that is actually coming up having some fear with AI. Some are overconfident with AI. >> Yeah. >> And that's changing the entire business of design. Anything that you would like to share here with the the things that we're actually doing? >> See again, you know, last year when we were interacting with you know, a bunch of college students, right? And they had that very eagerness to understand you know, how do I prepare myself? And you know, this this exactly what we touched upon during our grads you know, season also, right? And all of them has uh great ideas. No doubt about it. And they're very eager to step into the corporate world. And some of them wants to establish their own you know, businesses. So you know, definitely I could see entrepreneurial um you know, um uh you know, that that um hunger, right? I want to do something. I want to create something. I want to give back to the society in a in a different way. And and uh you you know, of course you know, because the student when I say student, of course you know, these are not the only student from the college outs, right? So some of these individuals or professionals who wanted to shift their career >> Mhm. >> from X to Y. >> Mhm. >> And at the mid-level, they wanted to take that you know, plunge and move from uh X job role to the design role. And so they were like, "What do I do now?" >> Mhm. >> Okay, should I do a certification? Do I need to you know, focus on the human-centered design? Do I need to uh you know, take up XYZ certification? So a lot of prominence was on the certification, which certification has more value. >> Yeah, that's true at >> end of it, who will hire me? If I have what certification? Right? So, you know what? Majority of the industry leader because you know that you are more grad was you know very interesting initiative by UX India. Uh which primarily focused on teaching the industry trends, not the certification >> Yeah. >> part of it. >> Mhm. >> All of us as in different you know industry leaders who you know took a part of in this, >> Mhm. >> they spoke and they taught a particular subject of areas of expertise. Sure, right? Everyone brought something very different to these people. So, >> Mhm. >> we taught them you know the psychology part of it. We talked you know about design thinking aspects of it. They talked about uh uh entrepreneurship. They talked about uh visual design. So, very different areas, right? I think end of it you know everyone had you know a good idea about what's happening in and around. >> Mhm. >> Now, last leg of it is a AI part. >> Mhm. >> Right? >> Mhm. >> Um as they say you know you need to be aware, right? Uh whether AI is a friend or a foe, time will tell. But apply it >> Mhm. >> um with with with certain responsibility. Because you know now we are not just talking about okay, which AI tool that I need to learn. You need to be more mindful about what kind of a privacy, what kind of legality, what kind of a ethics will come into picture, right? So, if you are designing you know AI a code or app, think about you know how what kind of a responsibility you know you have. >> Absolutely. >> So, a small ignorance can cost or lead into very very situational kind of a hazard. So, I think you know, yes, AI is a very very interesting field. I would love to explore, you know, every day on this. At least, you know, half an hour to 45 minutes I keep reading what the industry trends are. Um because you need to be aware of those things, right? >> Yeah, I think when the fundamental things are still there. I mean, ethics have more relevant now once AI is in picture, but that was there earlier as well with a different shell. Uh even the technology agility which is emphasized well because of the AI, things are moving very fast because of AI. But that was there and that was also a core part of this. Only thing which I see with AI is something Earlier we were having maybe four legs animal. Now we are having rocket jet working at the pace that we want earlier. Have a lot of ideas. But I don't know how to do it. Being a designer, I don't know how to that convert that ideas into product. Now I know. This by the way I have coding things. People are able to do it. And we want that. I mean, I was having very similar conversation with Aditi today. And Aditi was also mentioning that boss, we need a good designers and she used a very specific word. That's about, you know, we need people or designer who will be able to cover a lot of different grounds with the different ideas. It's just not about the screens. It's not about the concepts. It's about you know, converting that ideas into products. >> Right. >> Show that it is making sense to the business. Make people buy your ideas and if they are not buying or they are not getting convinced whether it is going that's where the designers have to convert that into product. Get the quick binds from the people. That's the beauty of uh the new age designer that happening and that's changing now. >> Absolutely. >> Uh you already mentioned about this UMO activity is also discussed about the designers I mean the leads UMO leads league that we have. Anything that would like to share more which was discussed in the and this is purely for people so >> Uh UMO has a lot of people as a you know uh leads in the industry in India and abroad who are actually constantly contributing and designing and envisioning things in the industry. And that's where people like Madhukar are actually one of the team members there and we would like to have some uh something going out in the industry. Let people know what we are thinking as a leads in uh UMO org. >> Yes. >> Absolutely. So when um lead uh as as an idea it started um 3 years back um when we met at one of the UX India conference. I think it happened at the same place. >> Yeah. >> And we were debating about you know the challenges that we have in our own spaces, right? Um and when we did a a workshop around it we came together with a bunch of verticals. And then we decided that okay so you know of course yes you know we're dealing with the multi-faceted you know the culture. So that is also one thing that we need to be mindful. Second one is you know the talent. Okay. So how exactly we need to you know account that. And the third one is probably um some of the challenges or emerging industry trends, right? Um all of these you know we encountered and then we were like okay so what do we call this as an initiative? And then, you know, we debate about different, you know, names and you know, that's where the lead came into picture because we need to lead by example. We need to lead the industry. We need to lead ourselves. So, and then that stuck. All right, that's very interesting, you know? And as lead, you know, today morning also I touched upon so lead stands for learning. E for enabling. >> Oh. >> Third one, which is the A, stands for advancing. And the D is, of course, you know, designing it. So, and with that, you know, we just kick-started. We started connecting with a bunch of, you know, the industry leaders. And we kept on connecting at the very regular interval. And two emerging themes that, you know, today morning also we had a very close room session. Two key things which came up as considerations. Design leadership. >> Okay. >> Second one is design entrepreneurship. And that's the theme of the UX India. Right? And you'll hear more about this. We are we are having a very detailed workshop tomorrow as well. And we will share the outcome of it probably second half of it. So, look forward for that. Very interesting things are emerging. And See, the the the idea is to extend all the possible support that we can as a UX India platform to every individual who come as a participant every single year. With certain expectations, of course. Right? So, what do I want from this industry? What do I, you know, look forward from all the topics that I'm going to hear from couple of days. And the last leg of it is, you know, how do I give back to this community as well. >> Yes. >> Right? Uh and that's exactly what we are and and the learning doesn't stop at the entry level. We all need learning, constant learning. So, we are coming up with a three leg of a learning also. What a student look for in learning, what a mid uh career professional look for a learning, upskilling. >> Mhm. >> And uh those who are at the you know the final journey, uh final leg of their very top leadership uh level of uh uh roles in the design leaderships, where you want to uh invest your time in uh upskilling yourself, which area that is. >> That's right. >> Right? So, that is exactly what we were discussing and uh there are very very uh experienced people. Some have taken a very bold step to move away from uh 9:00 to 5:00 kind of a a job profile to uh 24/7, which is you know establishing your own you know uh a startup. >> So, I think that's a best part of it. So, you know stay tuned and um I'm going to touch upon the same thing in in tomorrow one of my uh a panel a discussion also, where I will be interviewing a bunch of panelists who uh and and couple of them are uh you know have started their own uh startups. Very interesting, very diverse uh you know kind of um uh startups. And at this platform, when we say a design entrepreneurship does not limit to establishing or starting your own design uh studio. >> Mhm. >> No, we're not only talking about it. It could be any business. But imagining a designer investing in understanding the business versus a business person want to start a business. >> Yeah, at any time better. Yeah. >> Any Right? So, you know designer the way they think is completely different. And that's exactly the differentiate between the design people or a design background, you know, professional starting up their own journey into entrepreneurship versus, you know, a family-led businesses or you know, any investment as as a business. So, you know, there are See, the whole point is identify the problem area. >> Mhm. >> Right? And wherever whenever you identify anything as a problem area, that's an opportunity. >> Mhm. >> And that's exactly a first step because, you know, you want to cater to that area. And if you have an idea, you establish that idea. >> Absolutely. >> Right? So, that will give a next path. >> The I think the level of um empathy that designers are having towards, yeah, employees, to people, to a customer, towards users on the digital journeys or on the physical journeys that no one can have as a profession. Be it a businessman. And of course, there are people with the businesses having that as a sense, but converting that sense into design ability is something only designers can do that. And that's the basic skills I can see. These are the things that we are born, brought up, and we are grow glooming with these skills, and that's the best part that we always want our designers to be a next level entrepreneurs. It's just not to be As you said, it's just not only, you know, having your own business. It's sometimes just be a part of the business which will also support the business at different level at all together. >> Absolutely. And and just to build on that, right? So, you know, not just a um establishing or a starting up a new venture, but many of us, you know, we are part of the corporate. Yeah, right? We are leading our own service lines. We are leading our own functions. Now, that also require entrepreneurial mindset. >> Absolutely. >> Because you need to think like an entrepreneur. Because you it's it's a business end of the day, you know, you are running. What kind of areas that you want to identify? How exactly you dealing with the clients? How exactly you understand the you know the P&L? >> Absolutely. >> Are you you know a good to read the you know the P&L statement? >> Right. >> Do you understand the EBITDA? So, you know, if you're a designer, don't limit yourself to design. >> Yeah, right. >> Right? Our core job is to deeply understand the problem and explain that problem in a simplest form. >> Yeah, of course. That's very true. Very true. Very true. Uh be it in a I just uh recollect be it uh on the consulting role or be it on the you know a design head role, you're always answerable to business. And business understands certain languages. >> Correct. >> And honestly, if you're a good designer, those language really doesn't matter. You can learn that. The only thing that business need to cope up with the design is to you know get the translations out. And that's beauty >> Yeah. >> that you already mentioned, Madhukar. It was very fantastic uh discussion that we had today. And I just uh pass on to you for uh the closure note. Uh please, what's it is? >> No, I think um every time you know um I I um join the UX India conference, it's it's it's like um you know amazing experience. It's always a pleasure to share a dais and to share the stage with you know um people like you and and such a talent outside. Uh everyone has something to give back to the you know um community. And it's always um you know great energy and um knowledge is enormous. Right? Experience is enormous. And it's not the number of people here always come and and share their um only the success story. Right? I get to hear things that didn't work. You know, Bapu always talk about you know, the bad design. We started with that. Right? Last year we started with a portfolio review. And uh hats off to everyone who took that, you know, a courage. Because you know, how many of us will say yes >> Open my open my portfolio. >> critic >> Exactly. And now you know, let me know what you think about it. And I think that's a very very brave step. And in this we really appreciate people coming forward and you know, extending uh their contributions. And I wish every um participant all the very best. And every student you know, good luck in their uh next journey, whether it is um in the field of design or those who are aspiring from mid-level to you know, the senior-level design entrepreneurial journey or you are elevating yourself in within your own organization to the leadership roles. All the very best. And um UX India will always be a platform where uh it will try its level best to cater to everyone who's looking what's in it for me. So, there is definitely there is something for everybody here. >> Fantastic. One last question. You just have to say in that camera >> Mhm. >> and tell us how do you how will you describe >> Okay. >> UX India 2025? >> I think um >> In one word. >> In one word? Okay. Um evolving >> Perfect. >> Probably that one word that I will use because you know, we all are evolving through a different journey different journeys and the AI is coming. We are looking into it with a very curious mind. Um so yes, um we are evolving constantly. >> Absolutely. That's really really good one. I think you concluded the entire journey in one word. That's beauty of you, Madhukar. I mean, you have a very base philosophical thought process probably that gives you a lot of words. Thank you so much for joining us here for the discussion. >> Pleasure is always mine. Thank you for having me. >> Thank you.