Day 4: Seeing the Unseen – Uncovering Hidden Insights in Design | Skill Booster Challenge

Will under. It's okay. It's okay. Yes. Welcome to this live session guys. Welcome to the day three. In fact this is going to be very exciting. The reason is this is a very, very uncommon subject what design industry teaches.

Okay?

But if you ask me, this is the only subject which a designer needs. Rest of the things you can learn anywhere, guys. To be very honest, rest of the things you can learn anywhere in the online you can discuss in the offline with your friends or industries or anywhere. But if you learn this one skill, this is going to be the ultimate game changer for you. So people are there with me live. They are super lucky. But people are going to watch it later. You have to go and apply. Whatever has been discussed here, it is not. You are listening to this particular class and then you are leaving later. Okay, so now I'm sharing my screen. Okay, so guys, can you confirm me my screen is visible? Yes, sir. Great. Okay, so just a second. Okay, session guys. Been discussed here. Okay, so now I'm sharing my screen. Yeah, I just want to confirm the live stream is happening. Good, good, good. Great. Fine. So in the day one we saw about sketching. Second we saw about rapid ideation. Third we saw about wireframe sketching. Okay? How to do a UI UX wireframe.

Thank you.

Punish. I saw your comments yesterday only. So that mirror screen was black. I don't know why. Okay, maybe I'll have to do a re shoot. I guess that's okay. No problem. So the fourth skill, it's called seeing the unseen. Okay, everybody listen here very carefully. See, let's take an example of what Dharanidhan project is, okay? He has Talked about this 3D printing for the knee problem for the people, right? So every industry is actually solving this problem. This is not a new problem. So 30, 40 years people are already seeing this problem and they know about this problem and all.

Okay?

But now as a designer, what you're trying to see through this, what you're trying to see which other people are not seeing this. You have to very carefully understand that.

Okay?

Jagdish, do I have to have any magical skill or anything like that to see that? No, you just have to have a patience and you have to use your techniques and tools to analyze and understand. Presence of mind is mostly important. But if you calmly sit and think about it, you. You can get a clarity of what people are going to foresee it. Which you. Which other people are not seeing. Which you can see it. Okay, so I'll just tell you what is this? What Is this unseeing? See first of all it is a very, very important skill which helps you understand the focus for the user. What is your real need of the user? See, when you go and ask somebody what is your problems, people will not tell them. Like let's say if you're going and talking with some craft guys.

No.

So P did one project. What did she say? He said we don't have any problem, right? You can be on your own. Sorry sir, we don't have any project. And that's what they said, right? Punish.

Yes sir.

So they said, sir, we have sorted. Sir, we don't have any problem. So people don't know what is their problem. Like let's say if you go for the knee or three people also they'll say this is my fate sir, what to do? I will live with this for the rest of the life. That's what they'll say. But if you show them, hey see, I'm trying to help you with something. You are having some knee problem, right? Why don't you try to fix this? Then they will see the possibility. See, people will not see the possibility. You have to see that. So the reason why I'm telling you this is you have to unveil the hidden needs. How to find out that Jagdish? We'll come to that part. But understand this is the context what we are going to see.

Okay.

So find the user needs which is not expressed. Try to innovate on top of it. This is the only way you can unlock a new possibility. Being a designer, there is no shortcut. This is the only way you can able to unlock new possibilities. And make sure this design prevents some failures or anticipate some problem to avoid in the future.

Okay?

Ultimately you are going to solve the problem. Only you are not just making some innovation increments and everything. That is not what our purpose is. We are ultimately trying to solve a problem. In Dharnidharan's case, he is trying to solve the problem of knee authorities with more customization. Earlier customization was not there. Now he is trying to bring that. Maybe somebody else would have asked this. Maybe somebody else would have not asked this. Totally fine. You have to get a clarity on why this particular need is coming and how it can avoid some problems in the future. Okay, Take a full responsibility guys. When you are seeing the unseen, you should take the full responsibility from end to end to solve this problem.

Okay?

And yeah, so people call it as a empathy mapping, right? You have to ultimately understand the what you call you have to ultimately understand what is empathy mapping and how people are trying to. What you call how people are trying to innovate and how people, what people want, how my business requires and let me understand this both and then I'll bring the idea in. In the name of seeing the unseen, you should not go off track. You should understand the context and come inside. Are you guys understanding what I'm saying? This is a very, very common mistake. Many people do, okay, let me make it very creative and innovative. And then they are, they are trying to forget what they started the project for. Only something fancy will be there. Nothing will be there of importance.

Okay, okay.

Why it is very vital. First of all, it helps you understand the holistic perspective. I told you right from end to end. You will see it creates a very deeper empathetic connection with your user solution. You will go into that level of deep where people will not be able to see that kind of context. What you're trying to say, okay, Anticipating the future and it provides you a great competitor advantage. In fact, this is a superb thing. Unique selling point for unique selling factor usp. Unique selling point for your product will come out. Okay, so this puts you apart being a designer or being an engineer or anybody for that point. Okay, this is the importance of doing this. Okay, Key techniques to develop it. See guys, today we are going to see the neuroscience background also why this particular skill is very important for a designer. Okay, first of all the technique, what I know, I'll tell you. Okay, just a second guys. See you can do some mind mappings. You can find some hidden links between the behaviors. Like let's say while you're going for this user study, okay, in the live demo, maybe I'll help you. But I'll tell you what is this mind mapping little detail over there, okay, you can, you're going to ask the users lot of questions. You're going to understand like let's say, hey, like let's take the example of knee problem itself. Okay, you're trying to understand various doctors, various people also and you're trying with trying to talk with manufacturers also here asking sir, what are the problems you're facing in this knee surgery? How do you fit this component? Okay, sir, manufactured. You're going and asking sir, what is the problem with this? Okay, Customizing is problem. Okay, Lightweight is problem. Okay, you're going to patient and asking so what is the problem? You're using this device, okay, you're having lot of stress. Okay. It is very heavy in weight. Okay, you're going to Ask all of this answers with the people, with the doctors, with surgeons, I mean patients who are using it and manufacturers who are developing this. Right? After collecting this information, you have to put that in a mind map.

Okay?

You can use Miro to do that, you can use PPT to do that, you can use Word File to do that. It doesn't matter. You can just simple Excel sheet.

Okay?

The point is if you put it in Miro and mind map it, you will know the full patterns in one go. What are the connections, what are the interconnections, what people are saying? So try to find out some hidden links. I'll show you when it comes to the real time.

Okay?

And you have to make some contextual inquiry based on that project and context, you should understand what people are really needing. Like let's say people will say, sir, I'm having a lot of stress, very painful. Again and again a lot of people are telling that. Like let's say first person is also telling the same second person. Third, fourth you are interviewing 10 people. 10 people are telling stress, stress, stress, stress, stress. Now you have to understand what is stress here. Okay? Then you can ask one more question also to them. Sir, what do you mean by stress? Where is it exactly paining? Some people will say, no sir, it is not paining in my knee. It is paining somewhere in the upward of the knee. O. Okay, okay. Fine, fine, fine. Okay sir, thank you. Second user. Sir, you're saying stress, pain and all. What exactly is your stress? You're saying so? No sir, I'm getting a psychological feel that I'm using this device and I'm not able to move to toilet. See, this problem is not in the knee. This problem is there in the mind. Okay, third person. Sir, you're saying stress, stress, stress. What is stress here? Sir, actually some problem is happening in my knee which affects me to not move in the daytime. Normally itself, while I'm sitting, it's okay. But in while I'm moving, only problem is there. See now three users have given three feedbacks of stress. One user has given he has a problem in upward knee. Second user has told this problem is there in mind. While I'm. While I'm fitting this device, it feels psychologically uncomfortable. Third user is saying, I have a problem of like let's say moving from place to place while I'm sitting, it's okay, no pain is there. So you have to understand, while people are moving, problem is happening. Mind problem, we can't do anything. Okay, we'll try to solve it but not immediately. Okay, we'll try to solve it. Mind problem. Second is first person. What is the problem we said? So first person problem is upward knee. Upward knee. Can you see? This guy is saying moving problem. This guy is saying upward problem. So can you see some pattern here? Maybe this movement is obstructing.

Is.

Obstructing his upward knee. I don't know. It could be there. I'm just giving you some example. Okay. It is not exactly correct. It could be a possibility.

Okay.

This guy is already saying upward knee. This guy is already saying. Sir, when I'm moving this, then you have to go and ask the user again. Sir, you're saying upward knee problem. When are you exactly getting it? Then he will say sir, while I'm moving only I'm getting this problem. So now you understood right? So the problem comes while people are moving. The problem comes in the upward knee. So that's clear. So you found out that pattern. See no user will come and exactly tell you. Sir, I have exact problem in the upper bone of the. What you call in my. In my knee. In my knee. And while I'm exactly moving only I'm facing this problem. Can you fix it? Nobody will tell like that. People will tell they are having pain. Some people will not even tell that. They'll say it's okay. Some user will tell no painful at all. For them it is habit. They will not think much. No painful at all. Yeah. Doctor will say sometimes no problem at all. Then you have to ask sir, while moving, are you guys facing any problem? Then these people will say yes, yes. While moving, little pain is there. But apart from this no problem. Sir, while moving where exactly pain. Sir, while moving I'm getting problem in upwardly. See now the patterns is very clear. Can you see the patterns Here everybody is saying moving, moving, moving, moving. So now this is your pain point. Exact pain point is this only. So you are going to customize a device which is having a problem of arresting the knee while people are moving. While moving what are the moving joints in your part in the human body? Try to understand the anatomy. Try to understand your. Your user also. And the path also the 3D model also. And then change your design Then iterate then make it more robust and then test it with your user. Okay, this is what. So this is an unseen pattern. This is not coming out of any research. This is coming out of you sitting and thinking backward and then going back and forth to the field and coming back. Then and only you will get this idea. That's why Whenever you're going to the field, you have to get some contact, email, anything from the person. Because later also you can go and touch base with them. Okay, so recognize this pattern. Spot the patterns that reveal the hidden problems. I just showed you.

Okay.

Empathy mapping. Go deeper into the user's fear and thinking. See, nowadays every portfolio has this templated way of empathy mapping. Guys, templated way of empathy mapping. Empathy mapping. You don't have to do it at all. First of all, for all the projects, it's not a mandatory requirement but it is mandatory to understand your user based on the context. It's not like you have a template and then you're doing it. It should be driven based on the problem. So don't go by a templated way. It should be driven by the process. Should be driven by process. Then and only you can find the hidden pattern. What others are seeing. It should be driven by process. Don't go with the templated method. Please don't do that. That is absolutely not correct. Okay, so this is the part. So are you guys understanding so far?

Good.

This is very, very important as you go along. The fourth is. Yeah, I just showed you. I just showed you some actions. I just showed you one example. Okay, so activity setup. Observe user actions and reactions. Okay, fine. And deconstruct them. Break down the behavior and find the issues. I just showed you. Now one example. Let's say if you take any other project. Let's say if you take this patamadai PI. What punish has did this is also a great query. PI. Right Corey? PI which is also a great project where user will sometimes give you some answers. So this is during seasons. This is getting. Can you tell one pain point?

It's a seasoned one, sir. Like during DY only the people are exchanging those things. And another major point was they are totally selling to the retailers. They are not meeting the end customers directly. The waivers. Only the retailers are meeting the end customers.

Okay, right, got it. So the two pain points. Very nice. So now people are telling it as a pain point. But you should not just like that. Accept it. You have to understand. Okay, if they are selling to the retailers, why they have not connected to the customers? Maybe something would have happened in the past. Maybe they don't have the systems. Systems not there. Maybe it is very expensive for them to set up a shop with the customers. But retailers can do it easily. They can sell it to the people very easily. Because they already have stores. They already have a fancy shop. Selling one or two mat is not a big problem for Them. But if that hor mat guy is coming to the market where he will find the shop, he has to build a new shop or he has to create one rental floor to get the shop. So for him it is difficult. So try and understand what is the problem which is not told by these guys. Then you can ask them. Sir, you're saying you're not able to reach to the customer directly and you're selling to the retailer. Is this a problem with 10 years also before? This is the problem with 20 years also before. Why haven't you not tried to sell to the user directly? That. That it wrong. That could be a good finding. Because what happens is the moment when you open up this conversation user will tell these points. But be careful. While you are trying to see the unseen, don't try to force fit something. Sir, is this the real problem? Please tell me. Yes, Please tell me. Yes. Don't force them. You have to ask them with the open mindset to understand. Sir, your question should be open ended, okay? See, whenever you are breaking down the behavior of the people, the question should be open ended.

Okay?

This is called quality way of wally way of questioning. Because ultimately if you're not able to understand what they're saying using the conversations, you cannot get answers. So you can use close standard. Also when you have to use close ended, you have to ask, sir, is this a seasonal matter? Not yes, no. People will say only yes, no, right? They can't answer more than that. If you ask them, sir, what do you think in January and all, will this m go good or not? If it is not, why that's called open ended question. So you should be very carefully asking this. When you ask this questions, only user will exhibit some behavior. You have to provide the chance for the user to exhibit their behavior, right? If you just like that go and tell them something, they will not give you some answers.

Okay?

Then you have to observe. This is most, most important.

Okay?

And then you have to listen. See, 80% of your understanding comes from this is very important. A lot of designers I've recorded a podcast also while listening is very important, particularly in research, okay? Because when you observe, listening is not only just what people are saying. Listening, no, listening is about trying to see. This person is going to give me the last information in the world which I need. If I hear this properly, only I can able to save my life with that full consciousness. You have to listen to them and then only you will make a note of it. And listening is not only people's listening, it's Also about seeing the environment. Observing that. Listening to the situation. Listening to the environment. Listening to the non object things. Also what it is trying to say. Listening to the movement of the place. Listening to the spatial arrangement. Listening to the whole field. Try to understand how this orthopedics procedure is happening. Try to watch one video. There are huge videos available. How people are fitting it, how people are manufacturing it. If I open YouTube, thousands of videos will come. How this Device is getting 3D printed. Lot of people would have already did lots of lot of good work. Try to observe very very carefully. See you're listening there. This is your secondary research, right? So try to listen and understand. While people are doing this project, what are they really exhibiting? What are they thinking? What is their goal? What is their happiness? What is their frustration? See you have to understand everything very carefully. While you are continuing this project, what is their goal? So if you understand this then you will get lot of data points and sets and information in that you have to find the behind pattern. The only way to get lot of information is by questioning and listening very carefully. Observing. Listening very carefully. Asking them to do something. Listening carefully.

Okay.

You can also trigger some actions.

Okay.

Make them trigger some actions. So these are all the way how you can able to make these people talk. Are you guys understanding? Are you with me? This is most, most important.

Okay.

I'm just keeping this open for you so that you can get some clarity here.

Okay?

Okay fine. So what are the misconceptions? So people think that okay, if you have to find some hidden pattern then I need to be a very, very, very, very extremely giftful person and all. Anybody can learn the skill. Guys, if you take one project, understand it very deeply and observe the patterns, you can bring a unique value proposition compared to any other people. See I'll take AR project now. AR did one project, right? This Chitra Kadi. So you find out this spy people are doing this 100 years before to communicate the message. This a very good finding. People are trying to read about this craft. Maybe they'll not do it. But you have found out that pattern, right? AR here?

Yes sir.

So you have found out that pattern. Switch on your camera here. So that particular pattern, whatever people have seen, whatever people have understood, this is really good. Not lot of people will find out that. So it's not a rare gift. If you practice it, it will automatically come.

Okay.

It's only useful in research. That is the major, major pain point. I'll tell you. It can be used in any part of project. Any. It can Be used in any part of project. Can be used in your life, personal, professional. See, if you wanted to become a designer and imbibe as a lifestyle, you have to go and implement this tactics, whatever I taught you, everywhere in your projects or anywhere in output of your projects, Personal life, professional, everything. Because when you start practicing it, it will become a habit. Because how we do anything, how we will do everything. We will not be two different people in different different scenarios. Our habit will be only determined by our internal game.

Okay.

So try to practice it. Even if you're watching this mouse. Even if you're taking this phone. So try to observe very carefully. Try to see what is happening behind. Try to see what people are not trying to say. Even that's also one important thing. Okay, listen. Listen to what people don't say reading between lines. So if they say sir, this is expensive but I think it is affordable for me. See they have told two answers, right? So they said sir, this is expensive. But okay sir it is affordable. I can buy it. That means the hidden pattern is. He's not able. He. He doesn't have money to buy this orthopedics device 3D printed. But he want that. Okay, by some means he will go and get the money. And then he'll get it either through EMIs or to medical loan or insurance something. He'll try to find a way to it. So you can also think about if you are giving to the business owner. You can also ask them to suggest provide them lot of insurance and payment plans. So that the people can afford this very easily. Because while I'm doing this research, I understood this people have a problem of paying this device. Also because this is more expensive. More than 1 lakh rupees or something, right? You can suggest that. See, you're not just designing some as a design thinker thinking telling this. Much of people are undergoing this problem as a knee surgery. So why don't your insurance plan can help this medical benefit for the people. Maybe you can try and talk to them. This is a great project for them. You can create one mobile app. Or you can create one dashboard. Or you can create one small information also as a document and show them. See, this is the cost of the product. This is the insurance. What you're trying to say. Nobody people are mostly middle class. This much people in one state itself is there. So why don't you contact these people and tell them and sell insurance and sell this policy. Because that will be much helpful for them, right? Policy is 400, 500 rupees. But they can get insurance of worth 1 lakh or 2 lakh, right? So you can tell them so anywhere. If you go and try to solve the problem, people will be able to happily give you opportunity. Guys, in fact every industries is now coming to design thinking because of this problem only. See now we have touched medical industry. Now you. Now you have touched technology. Now you have touched user. Now you have touched insurance. Now you have touched cost. Now you have touched business angle. You're covering everything. The reason being you are seeing the unseen what other people are not seeing. What a typical mechanical engineer will do. Let's design this 3D model. Okay. Let's take SolidWorks. Let's print this model. That's it. Project is done. First of all understand whether there could be another way to also design this product. There could be another possibility also where this customization can be done. Are you listening? So you're watching this in the mobile. Okay great. So looking down I thought. Okay fine. So mainly you have to observe this pattern. Since I'm taking your case. Because I have just explained about your project. But it's applicable for everything guys. So applicable for every project which you're trying to see as a improvement for you.

Okay?

This is the misconceptions. What are the neuroscience backing? See guys, this is very important. See your mind wanders while you're doing research. But try to connect the dots. That is called introspection. Your mind wandering helps connect hidden patterns. So if you give lot of data points, only your mind will try to bring one thing right. If you don't have enough data, where will you find the pattern? That's why I ask you to do deep research and field study. Please be little careful.

Okay?

Perpetual awareness Mindfulness improves attention to the subtle details. See when you start doing this, what happens is internally you will think everything in a more detailed way. Not only for this project. That's what I told you. Perpetually means every time.

Okay?

Lifetime you'll be getting this awareness.

Okay?

If Dr. Is saying what does this mean? What does this not mean? What doctor trying to say on the other end, it improves your neuroplasticity. That means you will be able to flexibly think. Your patterns in the neurons will be very flexible to adapt and understand anything. You will be very close observer regularly when you do it, guys. It improves your brain's pattern. Like anything. This is a great advantage. And I'll tell you some techniques also to introduce do some mindful practices. Have you seen this Vipassana? Whatever. I told you this 10 minutes audio try to use that. Try to listen to that. That will be most most important. We are going to do that also today.

Okay?

And you can use divergent thinking. Divergent thinking will bring you a lot of creativity. Sometimes convergent will be good. But divergent will bring you a lot of patterns. Because if you. If you want to see unseen, you have to think about unseen. Think about animals, how they are solving this problem. Animals have also bone problem, right? Over the time nobody's operating animals under how are they solving? How naturally it gets skewed. Try to understand bring that natural cure here. See. Try to see the pattern which others are not seeing. Don't always think I'll design one 3D model and then I'll print it. Think about how animals are solving this problem. How nature has solved this problem automatically. How it is curing. Is there any mechanism inside? Can I bring that mechanism in my device also? Think about it. So if you go and bring lot of ideas outside in your context then your brain will start working in a totally different way. Okay, I tell you an important information. See, Research company shows improved innovation success is happening in the design industry. Already company was focusing on empathy. Outperforms others by 211 percentage. As I told you, right? Every industry is now coming into design thinking. You cannot tell any industry who is out there. I'm telling you guys, there are industries like I told you, insurance agencies and other things, right? People need design thinkers a lot. They need somebody to help them to solve their big problems.

Okay?

Data driven insights. 40% of the product issues come from unspoken frustration. See, this is most most important. That means whatever you're doing research, it is covering 60% only remaining 40% you have to uncover.

Okay?

And the pattern recognizes improves problem solving by 25 percentage. See guys, if you're solving the problem, if you understand the pattern behind it, you will be able to solve even more better. You have to go to the YouTube and type out. Okay guys, go to my YouTube channel. Just type out your chat. Even you don't have to go for other platforms inside the chat GPT itself. You can get to find this information.

Okay.

Goal of the project key insight. See recommendations. It is also recommending you solutions. Wonderful, right? So now you can expand your research from here. So tools will help you to find out some patterns, guys. But do not, do not be hundred percentage what you call relying on these tools. Just use these tools carefully to find out how much patterns you can build on top of it.

Okay?

Once if you are building your pattern and then you're using your brain and methodology what you have collected. Then you become strong. I'm warning this with caution, okay? Use the tools carefully. Don't love the tools and believe them.

Okay?

That's why I told you initially you have to do all this research and find out the pattern. Then you can come for the AI tools to do it. Because AI tools can accelerate your data analysis process. Finding out the information, documenting it. Then you can easily copy paste in your PPDs or project portfolio or anything. Are you guys with me? Type out in the chat? Yes, if you are with me till now. Okay, so I'm going to give you one live activity guys.

Okay?

So practice one unspoken user need in the earlier project. Like you could pish can take any one project. Arin can take any one project. People are watching this. They can take any one earlier project. Don't take new project, new project. You can't find unseen things.

Okay?

You have to go back to your earlier project. Can take this knee project.

Okay?

Try to find out one unspoken need closely look at it. Try to mind map it. 15 minutes you can do. Okay. After this call you can try it out. Okay guys. And then build a project around it. You have to observe the subtle gestures and frustration. While you're going in the field you can do it. But while you are in the. While you are in the mind map thinking, reflect it slowly.

Okay?

So this is what you can able to try to do it and then you can apply whatever has been learning. Say observe the subtle moments regularly process and integrate the information. Ways to see it and then tools to practice it. See these are all the things which you can apply and then integrate it in your earlier project. Once you're doing this only you will be reflecting guys.

Okay?

And also people are watching this new for the first time in the YouTube. You can subscribe my channel and you can come for all the day, 5, 6 until 100 days. We are going to teach 100 different skills. Every skill. We are going to go 30 minutes and sometimes it goes little higher also.

Okay?

But also visit my blog. Guys, how many of you have seen my substack blog? This is one of the great things which we are doing now in design for change. Please go and subscribe in that substack blog.

Okay?

If you are. If you are not having account, please go and create there in depth articles and insights. I'll be posting there only because you have to read some materials also and learn fastly. Because as a designer you should develop the skill of reading and understanding the patterns also. That is the reason I've created a blog as well as a YouTube so that you. The content will be very different guys. The same topic only but the pain point I'll address different there because while I'm writing the the style will be different, the information will be different. Some of the important points I'll cover there also. But not can go and subscribe there.

Okay.

And people are very interested. I'm telling you Sunday we're going to have a great workshop where you're going to see the full picture. Some of you might have seen that that's good. But other people you're going to see the full picture. Because seeing the unseen is okay, one part of it, research is one part. But ultimately if you want to scale up your game, if you want to get results in 90 days to to get at least minimum 50,000 per month salary, you have to really connect the full dots. So every Sunday I'm conducting a session at 11 o' clock to 1 o' clock with where you can come there and take maximum advantage to learn something which is not prevalently available in online chatgpt. All these things. Okay, so see you there guys. Really good talking with you. Thank you so much. If you really like the session, write your top three takeaways. Okay, everybody please go to the YouTube channel.

Okay?

I'll also paste you the stream key.

Okay.

Try to find, try to recollect what is you are learning here, okay. And then bring back here and mention what is your top three takeaways.

Okay?

I'm just putting it in the chat as well. You can click here guys. You'll be redirected to the live write your top three takeaways. Later you can take it to your learning management portal because you're going to get points as well if you write down your top three takeaways.

Okay.

I'll also tell you once everybody is here so you can able to put it there. Okay, fine guys, thank you so much and we'll see you at the day five for some more.