Design Thinking Approach for Better User Experience: A Systematic Review

The user interface is an influential element in software applications. A well-designed user interface will potentially increase the usability of software applications. Therefore, user interface designers should deliberate when considering which approach and method to implement for designing user interfaces. Design thinking is currently a widely followed approach in user interface design practices. Hence, this study aimed to explore research trends and current practices of design thinking approach for user interface design. This study employed a systematic literature review following the Kitchenham method. This study found 39 articles deemed relevant to the design thinking approach. In general, our study found five common stages broadly mentioned in the articles, i.e., empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and test. The most widely practiced method during those five stages is interview, user persona, brainstorming, user interface, and usability testing. However, there is no consensus on what kind of stage(s) and which method(s) should be employed when following the design thinking approach for user interface design. Therefore, it will depend on the designer's decision in choosing which stage(s) and their related method(s) will be employed.

The effectiveness of user experience design is dependent on many factors including complete and accurate contextual information, design approaches, and methods followed. The recent HCI literature clearly shows that there is a growing research interest on integration of User Experience (UX) design and agile software development. A framework based on design thinking is proposed that enhances the current user experience design by integration of three design approaches - design thinking, designing for user experience and agile software development. These three different design approaches of the framework complement each other to benefit effective derivation of contextual requirements that include functionality of the system as well as aspects of total user experience based on the shared understanding gained from stakeholders in the context. Implications of each design approach on stakeholders and the context are discussed in detail to show the significance and value of the proposed framework on the whole design and design process. It is expected that the proposed framework is capable of enhancing the design quality and user experience of products, systems, and services created through agile software development approaches.Keywordsuser experienceagile software developmenthuman-centered designhuman-computer interactiondesign thinking

Aim/Purpose: To explore the effectiveness of utilizing the design thinking approach in developing digital self-directed learning environment to enhance digital literacy skills in Thai higher education. Background: To foster digital literacy skills in higher education, Thai students require more than access to technology. Emphasizing digital self-directed learning and incorporating Design Thinking approach, can empower students to learn and develop their digital skills effectively. This study explores the impact of digital self-directed learning environment, developed using a design thinking approach, on enhancing digital literacy skills among higher education students in Thailand. Methodology: The research methodology involves developing a digital self-directed learning environment, collecting and analyzing data, and using statistical analysis to compare the outcomes between different groups. The sample includes 60 undergraduate students from the School of Industrial Education and Technology at King Mongkut Institute of Technology, divided into a control group (n=30) and an experimental group (n=30). Data analysis involves mean, standard deviation, and one-way MANOVA. Contribution: This research contributes to the evidence supporting the use of Design Thinking in developing digital self-directed learning environment, demonstrating its effectiveness in meeting learners’ needs and improving learning outcomes in higher education. Findings: Key findings include: 1) the digital media and self-directed learning activities plan developed through the design thinking approach received high-quality ratings from experts, with mean scores of 4.87 and 4.93, respectively; and 2) post-lesson comparisons of learning outcome and digital literacy assessment scores revealed that the group utilizing digital media with self-directed learning activities had significantly higher mean scores than the traditional learning group, with a significance level of 0.001. Recommendations for Practitioners: Practitioners in higher education should use design thinking to develop digital self-directed learning environments that enhance digital literacy skills. This approach involves creating high-quality digital media and activities, promoting engagement and improved outcomes. Collaboration and stakeholder involvement are essential for effective implementation. Recommendation for Researchers: Researchers should continue to explore the effectiveness of design thinking approaches in the development of learning environments, as well as their influence on different educational aspects such as student engagement, satisfaction, and overall learning outcomes. Impact on Society: By enhancing digital literacy skills among higher education students, this study contributes to the development of a digitally skilled workforce, encourages lifelong learning, and aids individuals in effectively navigating the challenges of the digital era. Future Research: Future research could explore a broader range of student demographics and educational settings to validate the effectiveness of the Design Thinking approach in enhancing digital literacy. This could include integrating design thinking with alternative digital learning and teaching methods to further improve digital literacy.

Effective user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) design are essential in improving the convenience and efficiency of using digital applications. This study aims to redesign the UI/UX of the BCA Mobile application by applying the Design Thinking method to create a design that is more relevant to user needs. The research method begins with a literature study and data collection through the User Experience Questionnaire (UEQ) questionnaire filled out by 10 respondents to identify user problems and expectations. Furthermore, five stages of Design Thinking are applied, namely Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Testing. The design prototype was retested with respondents using the UEQ questionnaire to evaluate aspects of attractiveness, efficiency, clarity, dependability, stimulation, and novelty. The results showed a significant increase in UEQ scores on all scales, with an average increase of 3.55 points from a range of ?3 to +3. This shows that the Design Thinking approach is able to produce a UI/UX design that is more responsive and in accordance with user expectations, as well as improving the quality of user interaction with the application. This research is expected to be a reference in the development of UI/UX for other digital banking applications.

ContextThere is growing interest and importance for responsible research and innovation (RRI) among academic scholars and policy makers, especially, in relation to emerging technologies in the agricultural context. While the evolution of smart technologies in agriculture has led to an increase of available solutions that can be used by farmers, the RRI process of new farming technology has been minimally detailed in research contributions to date. ObjectiveThis paper thus aims to describe the first 3 phases of a design thinking process to aid with the development of an agricultural innovation, namely, a geotag photo application for use on smart devices. MethodsThe design thinking approach involved engaging with target users, such as farmers, farm advisors and inspectors, alongside research scientists, app developers and the national agricultural governing body in Ireland to commence the app development process. This paper describes methodology used to elicit the first three major phases of the design thinking approach: empathise, define and ideation. In the first phase a stakeholder mapping activity was conducted, as well as 7 focus groups and 10 interviews with users and other key actors regarding the challenges and needs related to using the app. The define phase included a reflection of results from the first phase and subsequent development of user-personas and problem statements to inform the third phase. The third phase, ideation, consisted of four interactive user-centred workshops, focusing on app needs, in which ideas and solutions were developed and prioritised. Results and conclusionsThe design thinking approach supported multiple stakeholders to express and evaluate the benefits and challenges they associated with the initial development phases involved in designing a new geotag photo app. It also revealed that, by including farmers and additional actors in developing new farming technology enables technology developers to harness the full value of multiples types of knowledge and expertise. In conclusion, future research on innovation development should consider that by enabling engagement among a wide variety of actors, such as that offered by the initial stages of design thinking, and attending to a greater diversity of values is essential to the development of a responsible, and responsive, digital tool. SignificanceThis study is the first to methodically document the early stages of developing a geotag smartphone app using a design thinking approach. This paper will therefore benefit other scholars aiming to include farmers, and other agricultural stakeholders to have an input on the agri-tech development decisions that will ultimately impact their farming lives.

Teaching user experience (UX) design has increasingly become a virtual process. This is particularly true for instructors running online synchronic courses due to the impact of the recent pandemic. A large portion of user research study, which is the backbone of UX design, is now undertaken using non-contact modes and conducted through online tools and methods to facilitate students learning this critical piece of UX design.User research study is essential to UX design. It leads to creativity and inspires design thinking. To fulfil their coursework on user research study, students explored online resources and utilised remote user research tools, such as online card sorting for user-centred information architecture and a web-based eye tracking machine learning tool for information hierarchy.Even though it lacked physical human interaction, using online user research tools in our experience was found to be accessible and effective and produced satisfactory learning results. This paper shares the experience of the online synchronic teaching of a UX design course at a state university and calls for an open discussion for utilising online tools in UX design education, which holds potential for becoming a new normal in academia in the post-pandemic era.KeywordsCovid-19User experience designGraphic designOnline user research toolsDesign pedagogy

The implementation of hospital information systems in the digitalization-based era, including medical records, currently shows that there is a need for nursing education to focus on information education, including developing electronic-based practical student nursing care applications. This research aimed to design the user interface and user experience of electronic nursing documentation, named "The ENC". The ENC (electronic nursing care) with a design thinking approach. Designing the user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) used a design thinking approach consisting of empathize, define, ideate, prototype and test. Data collection was carried out at the empathize stage using content questionnaires and interviews. UI/UX design using the Figma application. Application testing with nursing student users based on predetermined scenarios. The ENC (electronic nursing care) application design uses the design thinking method to produce an application prototype that adapts to the needs of nursing students. To validate the efficacy of The ENC application, testing was conducted with nursing student users through predetermined scenarios. The design thinking approach facilitated the creation of an application prototype attuned to the specific requirements of nursing students. Following this, a comprehensive survey involving 30 nursing students was conducted to assess usability, quality, and satisfaction with the application's UI/UX, thereby capturing both positive and negative feedback. The ENC application adapts to the needs of nursing students to ease the transition from paper-based to electronic-based documentation, increase acceptance of the application, and increase its use in the clinical environment.

Innovation is fuel for the sustainability and competitive advantage of an organization. Practitioners have proposed several tools to promote innovation in an organization. The design thinking framework is one approach for problem-solving that can lead to innovations. Some industries have already matured in practicing the design thinking approach, while others are in the nascent stage and still exploring the benefits of creating more innovations. This article puts forwards a systematic literature review followed by a bibliometric analysis on adoption of a design thinking approach for fueling innovation and solving complex problems in different domains. The present study also gives an overview of the penetration of the design thinking approach in various industries and domains. The literature review reveals that design thinking is practiced in almost all industry segments, with more evidence in education and healthcare and an upward trend in user-centered design and complex problem-solving.

The alignment of User Experience (UX) design and business strategy is now a primary factor in the success of organizations operating in the current, competitive digital environment. Salesforce is a renowned Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system that consistently facilitates the processes of customer engagement, sales, and service. Nonetheless, to get the most out of it, a well-designed UX strategy must be developed to help it keep up with the business-wide goals. This paper gives a systematic process of coming up with and transforming a salesforce UX design strategy such that it fulfils outlined objectives of a particular organization. We discuss the importance of stakeholder analysis, persona creation, UX design principles, agile iteration, and Salesforce Lightning Design System (SLDS) integration. The research design is perceived as a combination of qualitative understandings, case studies, and empirical research, aimed at observing gaps and offering solutions. The presented key issues are user adoption, data visualization and optimization of tasks and cross-functional team cooperation. The proposed strategy illustrates positive differences in customer satisfaction, workflow efficiency, and Return on Investment (ROI) that will be quantifiable due to the consideration of a combination of design thinking, Human-Centered Design (HCD), and business analysis. UX evaluation metrics and KPIs used to determine impact are also analysed. The article serves the field of knowledge by providing practitioners and researchers with a step-by-step method for designing UX in enterprise CRM systems, aligning the needs of users with business performance metrics

Abstract—Currently, an academic system with structured data is needed for all lecture institutions, especially universities in Indonesia, Siliwangi University, with its academic system, namely the Campus Academic Information System (SIMAK). Over time, complaints from the visual aspect and user experience that did not keep up with the times became a new problem for SIMAK with student access rights. Therefore, the UI/UX aspect in developing an application is vital in accessing the available features. In this study, the method applied is Design Thinking to develop SIMAK WEB and SIMAK MOBILE application designs according to the data and input obtained from users. The research stages include Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test. The final result is user testing from expert users with ten examiners, each producing a success rate percentage of 100% for SIMAK WEB and a percentage of 90% for SIMAK MOBILE. In addition, the User Experience Questionnaire (UEQ) assessment from the same expert user plus end-users of 39 respondents and 33 respondents for web and mobile respectively increased 6 UEQ scales, namely Attractiveness, Clarity, Efficiency, Accuracy, Stimulation and lastly especially Novelty which has an increase of 5.286 and 5.264 from the initial value of -0.880. The Novelty scale is the only scale with a negative impression initially and was successfully evaluated in this study with a good score. The implication for further research is that an in-depth study and application of unique methods regarding the conversion of designs into prototype form is necessary so that coding can run smoothly. Keywords— Design Thinking, Campus Academic System, User Experience, User Experience Questionnaire, User Interface

Purpose The double threat of unequal job opportunities for persons with disabilities (PWDs) and the lack of professional training to use innovative technologies at work have led to multiple calls to promote inclusivity at work. PWDs are underrepresented in the workforce and often face discrimination by employers. One way PWDs have responded to their limited employment within organisations is by pursuing self-employment or business creation. Higher education institutions (HEIs) and technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions are expected to embrace new pedagogies facilitated by digital technologies to promote creativity in business among PWDs. While many studies have explored the potential of entrepreneurship education in equipping PWDs with the requisite skills and knowledge to become successful entrepreneurs, the aspect of technology has been largely overlooked. In this study, we employ a design thinking (DT) approach to propose a metaverse-based entrepreneurship education for disabilities (MEED) framework aimed at fostering inclusive innovation and entrepreneurship for vulnerable populations such as those with disabilities. Results: By leveraging metaverse technology based on the DT principle of empathy, entrepreneurship education for PWDs can be transformed to create lifelong learning opportunities. This approach enables seamless interactions and immersive learning experiences that support the educational needs of all learners. Implications Different entrepreneurship learning opportunities and scenarios for different disabilities are presented. Future research areas and possible implications are also discussed.

Reducing Time to Chemotherapy Administration in the Outpatient Setting of a Tertiary Cancer Centre Using a Design Thinking Approach

This research raises the issue of high sugar consumption which has a negative impact on public health. Data shows that sugar consumption in Indonesia is very high, making it one of the countries with the largest sugar consumption in the world. To overcome this problem, establishing a low-sugar dessert business is a very relevant solution. In this research, researchers used a qualitative descriptive method by adopting the Design Thinking approach as the main approach. Design Thinking is used to understand consumer needs and preferences and develop dessert products that are low in sugar but still delicious and satisfying. This method involves five stages, namely, empathy, defining the problem, ideation, prototyping, and testing. The research results show that the Design Thinking approach is successful in creating low-sugar dessert products that are well received by the market. The products resulting from this process not only meet health criteria but also satisfy consumer tastes, making them an attractive alternative to healthier desserts. This research also provides valuable insight into the market potential for low-sugar desserts and supports efforts to increase awareness of healthy eating among the public.

Purpose of this conceptual study is the identification of design thinking approaches and underlying logic for increasing the value proposition to improve customer experience in today´s dynamic and fast-changing business environment. Method of research based on content analysis of distinctive streams in the literature on design thinking for delivering the increased value proposition. Core elements of design thinking were identified and combined with service-oriented thinking logics aiming at providing superior value proposition and thus to improve customer experience. Furthermore, the article elaborates on the delimitation of Design thinking from Designerly thinking, and a new model for enhancing customer value propositions, the wheel of Design thinking, was developed based on core elements of Design thinking approaches. This approach has a potential to shape and redefine existing markets and to improve adjustment of products and services to dynamic customers´ needs and demands.DOI: 10.15408/etk.v17i2.7311

Design thinking is a process based on a set of tools that encourage innovation and is advocated to be used to solve abstract and complex problems (Brown, 2019). It is a human-centered approach to innovation, the concept is based on understanding customer’s needs (IDEO, 2022). This interactive, creative, experimental, collaborative, and explorative can play very important role in designing assistive technologies. In this article, we present case study research where design thinking methodology is used to develop accessible technology- Morphic auto personalization. Morphic is a tool that helps to discover features in computers that make them easier to use, allows anyone to make frequently used features and functions easily available and allows accessibility settings to follow users to other computers (Morphic, 2022). Through this case study, we identify how the use of design thinking methodology supports the development IT accessible technology. This work implemented a protocol of guidelines developed by a group of experts in disability research, information technologies, design, and management. The team conducted 5 phases of design thinking: 1. Empathize—research users’ needs, 2. Define—state users' needs and the problems, 3. Ideate—challenge assumptions and create ideas, 4. Prototype—start to create solutions, 5. Test—try solutions (Kelley, Kelley, 2013).Design thinking approach helped to develop a holistic understanding of the problems that users deal with when they use computers. Thanks to this project research participants were provided a grounded basis on assistive technologies built into the computers. The research revealed knowledge gap that the development of assistive technology should enhance the voice of participants and consider their ideas, desires and needs. Design thinking approach can develop a holistic understanding of the problems that users deal with when they use computers. Thanks to this project research participants were provided a grounded basis on assistive technologies built into the computers.