Creating User Delight Through UX

My experience of working at Urban Company taught me one key lesson about Indian consumers: Convenience may be tempting, but control wins every single time! You see, I was a product guy at UC then. - And Abhiraj (the founder and CEO) had tasked me and my colleague Sripad (now heads product at Dezerv) to improve new user conversions - In our shoes, most people would have thought of shortening the flow by selecting a few options by default, so the user would have to make fewer decisions or taps - But, we went by the approach of adding more options that the user could choose. This was because we wanted to make the user feel way more in control and in charge - Driving the calls And this worked wonders for our conversion rates. Why? Because customer trust went up massively. Thus, when launching the feature to schedule weekly bookings for our Dubai business, we actually added a step, elongating the flow. And again, we saw conversions go up! This taught me: - You can cut a user journey by two clicks, nail a sleek UI, and still see drop-offs. Why? The user didn’t feel in charge - In a country where ration shops and bank queues have taught people to expect friction, control is power. Control is trust And anything that makes the user feel that they hold the decision making, the control - IT WINS! And this shouldn’t be surprising. I’ve seen users manually enter OTPs over auto-read because typing feels safer. They skip recommendations to re-search, ensuring they’re not tricked. That’s not inefficiency - it’s defence. Ignore this, and your retention tanks. A good example is that of a fintech (I won’t name) which launched an “auto-invest” feature - It ended up driving away 20% of users who felt sidelined. But apps like PhonePe thrived with the same product with “confirm payment” prompts. - It’s pretty simple and logical. Every flow should ask: “Where does the user say ‘I’m in charge’?” - A “you can change this later” label, a manual toggle, or a “review before submit” step builds comfort Zomato’s customisable delivery instructions are one more example. These trust signals scale because they align with India’s psyche, where almost every user prefers double-checking. Thus, I now always recommend to founders in my circles, if you are building for Indian audiences, audit for control points. Add confirmations, transparent labels like “No hidden fees.” Don’t force automation - offer manual options. Test retention, not just conversion. Study PhonePe or Paytm’s “over-communicative” designs. Those extra prompts aren’t accidents - they’re trust engines. They’re not hurdles - they’re well planned and well placed handshakes. What do you think? Do share below. Best, Shiv

4 out of 5 CRO agencies I've worked with usually relied on 'best practices' to increase conversion rate. These practices include: - Adding badges like 'few left', 'bestseller' - Making reviews more prominent - Creating urgency with timers - Adding key product USPs - Leveraging offers While these strategies do give results, many tend to overlook a critical aspect. Which is UX/UI design. That’s likely the least spoken topic at a CRO agency. Despite its significant potential to increase conversion rates. In this example, using Nourish You India's PDP, I've implemented UX/UI and other changes that can increase conversion rates. Below are the 8 changes I recommend a/b testing - 1. Move the product name above the product image along with reviews+price. That way, the space between the images and the add-to-cart CTA is reduced, increasing the chances of adding to cart. 2. The primary product image should highlight key USPs. This would help the user to quickly understand why to buy this product and why from you. 3. Consider adding product image thumbnails. If your product requires education then use the image slider to provide that. Most important in consumables, personal care industry, and tech. 4. Consider adding 3 quick bullet points or USPs about the product before the user goes to add to cart. This way, they are educated about the product before they consciously think about purchasing from you. 5. Motivate users to add more quantity, increasing the AOV. Do this by highlighting savings when they buy in bulk or highlighting the cost per item if they buy a bundle. 6. Optimize the area around the add-to-cart CTA. Highlight the estimated delivery time, free shipping threshold and return policy. 7. Highlight key USPs to differentiate your product and brand from the others. 8. Add accordions that the user can click on to read more. This way they can find the answers to their questions quickly. Other 2 CRO changes I did: 1. Added 'Few left' once the user selected the pack they want to buy. This creates urgency. 2. Re-iterated price near the pack selection so the user doesn't have to scroll back up to see the price. Success lies in attention to detail. Found this useful? Let me know in the comments! P.S. The learning curve for UX/UI design is quite different from that of CRO. Some great resources to explore are Baymard Institute and Nielsen Norman Group to get started. #conversionrateoptimization #uxdesign

⛳ Product Design and Strategy Playbooks (+ Worksheets) (https://lnkd.in/e2SJVWDb), a large repository of research methods, techniques and guides to estimate the impact of a problem, review solutions, test pricing strategies, explore revenue streams, refine and uncover insights, brainstorm and encourage action ethically — with plenty of examples and case studies. One for the bookmarks! The collection is very vast and comprehensive, but what I appreciate about it is fair and ethical recommendations and sources that are included in each section, along with useful questions to raise and pairings to achieve desired outcome. (Just the color contrast really needs some improvement there.) Many companies speak about “validation” of ideas. Yet validation often means merely accepting and confirming existing assumptions. They also speak of using “psychological hooks” to capture customer’s attention. But it’s merely deceptive practices that trick people into actions they don’t really mean to do. Instead, as Hannah Shamji writes, we should diagnose existing behavior without any preconceived notions or affiliations. We shouldn’t really validate — we should research instead. The “validation” techniques can help us get there, but to me they are mostly UX testing methods, not “validation” methods. And: instead of using manipulative “hooks” to capture attention, we can build an honest, respectful, trustworthy relationship with our customers and allow them to build confidence and loyalty with our products. It takes time and patience. That’s a long play, and almost every single time it’s absolutely worth it. PS: I can also wholeheartedly recommend Design Patterns For Trust (https://lnkd.in/etZ7mm2Y), a fantastic (!) catalog of design patterns and strategies to help teams design trustworthy services and experiences, neatly put together by fine folks at Projects by IF. #ux #design

You are using a platform that approves access and triggers automated actions. Then something goes wrong and nobody can explain why. Trust-by-design starts there: people need visibility and control before damage spreads. The practical point is simple. A platform does not earn trust only because it works on a normal day. It earns trust when people can understand what happened and how to stop the same issue from spreading. Transparency is the first layer. Users and teams should be able to see which action was taken and which rule made it happen. Without that visibility, even a secure platform can feel like a black box. Accountability makes the system governable. When approvals and corrections have clear owners, problems do not disappear inside the workflow. They can be reviewed, fixed, and learned from. Security then has to protect daily use, not only the perimeter. Data flows and system connections are where real operational risk enters, especially when automated actions depend on them. Human control is what turns trust into practice. People need a real way to pause, question, or correct a decision before the platform scales an error. #TrustByDesign #DigitalTrust

When I was head of growth, our team reached 40% activation rates, and onboarded hundreds of thousands of new users. Without knowing it, we discovered a framework. Here are the 6 steps we followed. 1. Define value: Successful onboarding is typically judged by new user activation rates. But what is activation? The moment users receive value. Reaching it should lead to higher retention & conversion to paid plans. First define it. Then get new users there. 2. Deliver value, quickly Revisit your flow and make sure it gets users to the activation moment fast. Remove unnecessary steps, complexity, and distractions along the way. Not sure how to start? Try reducing time (or steps) to activate by 50%. 3. Motivate users to action: Don't settle for simple. Look for sticking points in the user experience you can solve with microcopy, empty states, tours, email flows, etc. Then remind users what to do next with on-demand checklists, progress bars, & milestone celebrations. 4. Customize the experience: Ditch the one-size fits all approach. Learn about your different use cases. Then, create different product "recipes" to help users achieve their specific goals. 5. Start in the middle: Solve for the biggest user pain points stopping users from starting. Lean on customizable templates and pre-made playbooks to help people go 0-1 faster. 6. Build momentum pre-signup: Create ways for website visitors to start interacting with the product - and building momentum, before they fill out any forms. This means that you'll deliver value sooner, and to more people. Keep it simple. Learn what's valuable to users. Then deliver value on their terms.

Crafting Trustworthy and Exceptional Experiences with Generative AI    Artificial intelligence (AI) stands at the forefront of technological innovation. But what distinguishes good AI from truly great AI isn't just sophisticated algorithms; it's the creation of trustworthy and exceptional experiences for users. The most successful AI solutions seamlessly blend reliability, ethical responsibility, and user-centric design, transforming our interaction with technology from mere transactions to meaningful connections.     Trust, especially in the context of AI, is multifaceted. It's not just about data security, although that's certainly a crucial component. It's also about transparency — understanding how decisions are made by the AI, what data the AI is using, and whether the AI's responses align with ethical and societal norms. The "black box" nature of many AI systems has been a stumbling block, but there's a growing emphasis in the AI community on explainable AI — systems that don't just provide a result, but offer an explanation that users can understand. This transparency builds user trust, which in turn increases adoption and long-term engagement.     Moreover, AI should embody fairness and inclusivity, ensuring that systems are designed from the ground up to be unbiased and representative of diverse populations. This means being vigilant about the data used to train AI, actively seeking diverse datasets, and continually testing AI systems for bias. When users see that an AI system reflects and respects their values and diversity, they're more likely to regard it as a trustworthy and integral part of their digital experience.     Beyond trust, the hallmark of a successful AI system is an exceptional user experience. Great AI solutions are intuitive, they're responsive, and they anticipate user needs without being intrusive. They save users time, reduce friction, and sometimes even delight with personalized touches. This requires a deep understanding of human behavior and needs, and a design approach that puts the user experience at the forefront.     Imagine an AI-powered healthcare app that not only remembers a patient’s health history but also provides personalized health recommendations, schedules appointments, and even offers comforting words of support. Or a voice assistant that can detect frustration in a user's voice and responds with increased empathy and support. These are the types of AI interactions that resonate on a human level, fostering a deeper connection between the user and the technology.     The future of AI isn’t only about smarter algorithms or more data; it's about crafting experiences that earn user trust and enrich lives. As we continue to innovate, we must prioritize these principles, because successful AI solutions aren't measured by their complexity, but by the simplicity and excellence of the experience they offer. Let’s create!    #IBM #IBMiX #AI #GenerativeAI #GenAI

I didn’t win my first users with features. I won them with trust. Here’s how I built it. ✅ I don’t start with a pitch. I ask questions. “What’s your biggest struggle with content right now?” “What have you tried that didn’t work?” This helps me understand their world—before I even mention my product. ✅ I treat early users as collaborators, not just customers. Their feedback is gold. They tell me what’s confusing, what’s useful, and what’s missing. They help shape the product roadmap more than any spec sheet. ✅ I follow up personally. After someone uses the tool, I check in. “Was it smooth? Where did you get stuck? What would make it 10x easier?” These small touchpoints go a long way in building long-term trust. ✅ I’m transparent about what’s ready and what’s coming. I never overpromise. Instead, I say: “That feature isn’t ready yet, but we’re working on it—and I’d love your input.” In a world of automation, early-stage trust is still built one human at a time. If you’re building something new, don’t wait for perfection. Start conversations. You’ll build something better, and more importantly, you’ll build belief.

UI Principles Mini-Series, 1 of 5: The Aesthetic–Usability Effect Why even bother making things look good? Isn’t solid usability enough?
 Back in 1995, the Hitachi Design Cente studied this question. Their finding: when people see a visually pleasing interface, they assume it is more usable. In milliseconds, we decide that if it looks better, it works better.
 This is both a joy and a curse.
A joy, because good aesthetics create trust and make users more willing to try a product (and forgive small bumps). A curse, because this bias can distort usability testing; what feels “easy” in a polished UI may not actually be easy to use. 💡 Takeaways
 • Start with UX foundations: wireframes, flows, and information architecture
 • Then refine with UI: polish for your target audience in a way that looks and feels right
 • Always test and validate. Aesthetics are a means to an end, not the end goal In short: looks matter, but they only work when they build on strong UX. Next up in the series: another favourite principle to sharpen your design eye. Make sure to follow. 📚 → Full UI Principles course: https://lnkd.in/dyAHJdU3 📚 → All my courses: moonlearning.io/store ✉️ → Newsletter (free): moonlearning.io/newsletter



People don’t trust your words. They trust your patterns. You can promise change. You can talk about doing good. But if your past actions show the opposite, people will remember that first. That’s the reality in life. And it’s the same in design. A product doesn’t earn trust with a shiny new update. It earns trust through consistent experiences over time. Think about it: If an app keeps crashing, will one bug fix rebuild confidence? If a brand keeps overpromising, will one new feature restore loyalty? No. Trust isn’t built overnight. It’s built in patterns, not promises. This is a principle I emphasize when I speak with students and professionals: Consistency is the real credibility. Because in careers, in design, in leadership — people don’t remember what you said. They remember what you repeatedly did.

Pretty Faces, Empty Souls: The UX Trap In today's digital world, it's easy to mistake flashy interfaces for good UX. Just look at Zara. Amazing brand and retail shopping experience but the website while offering a visual feast, can make shopping on it feel like navigating a maze. 🕵♂️ Hidden Navigation: The hamburger menu hides essential categories, forcing users to hunt for what they need. 🤷♂️ Missing CTAs: The lack of clear calls to action leaves visitors confused and unsure of their next step. 😕 Confusing Mobile Experience: The mobile site's unconventional navigation makes finding your way around and back again challenging. Zara proves that a dazzling facade on its own doesn't guarantee a great experience. While visual design plays an important role great UX goes beyond aesthetics, crafting intuitive solutions that solve real problems and leave users feeling understood. #UX #UserExperience #DesignThinking #ProductDesign #Neverbland