CXOToday has engaged in an exclusive interview with Mr. Hemal Gathani, Co-founder, ZEUX Innovation
? Please share a brief about the journey of ZEUX Innovation so far
In 2016, ZEUX embarked on a mission to showcase the profound impact of exceptional user experience on businesses and how it can lead to quantifiable outcomes. In a remarkably brief period of time, ZEUX has managed to capture the attention of several renowned companies such as Tata Group, Fabindia, Dream11, Discovery, Hotstar, Godrej Properties, Reliance Retail, and many more, owing to our unique outcome-driven approach. We follow a truly user-centered design process and blend the art and science of design to craft unparalleled user experiences. Our expertise lies in delivering top-notch UX solutions for large-scale and complex systems. At the heart of our philosophy lies the belief that UX is a feeling. ZEUX’s exceptional work has been featured in various publications such as Silicon India, Economic Times, Business World, and more. Today, ZEUX boasts a diverse portfolio, and a formidable client base, and is ranked among the top three UX Design Agencies in India by Clutch.
What were the biggest challenges ZEUX faced with huge competition in the UX design industry?
As such, there is not much competition for true UX design companies. There are certainly a lot of design companies who claim to do UX but they lack a deep understanding of science in design, have little or no understanding of cognitive psychology & behavioural science, and do not follow a user-centered design approach that includes involving the users in the design process. So in a way, our challenge is to create awareness with our clients on what truly UX is and what it takes to enable best-in-class UX. Thankfully, many organizations have now matured and realized the value that true UX design companies like ours bring. Just recently we partnered with a large fintech company for the redesign of their loan application and servicing journeys on the app and website. By following a user-centered design approach and applying the science and art of UX design, the new design post-launch saw a massive increase in the number of transactions – 9X.
One other challenge is that often design companies do not invest enough in recruiting and retaining the right talent. They try to cut corners so that their bid to the clients is the cheapest. ZEUX stays away from such practices. We believe in working towards helping our clients achieve a real business outcome by ensuring the right people with the right talent and the right processes are followed.
What is the most important aspect of designing an inclusive experience for a diverse population?
The most important aspect of designing an inclusive experience is to design for the lowest common denominator. For e.g. if we are designing an interface for an ATM, we have to consider the fact that this can easily be used even by a semi-illiterate individual. Everyone should be able to withdraw cash easily.
Whatsapp’s popularity is also because of its adoption across socio-economic classes, age groups, ethnicity, etc. This was primarily achieved because they successfully were able to design for the lowest common denominator and kept “hyper simplicity” as the main objective.
Please share a brief of a variety of projects that have been designed by ZEUX so far.
ZEUX has successfully delivered large-scale UX design interventions across industries and domains. We not only offer design solutions but also conduct standalone activities such as UX Assessment, User Research, User Testing, Building a Design System, etc.
Here are some of the UX design projects delivered by ZEUX along with the ROI numbers.
6x increase in overall classes
8x revenue growth
23% increase in the lifetime value of students
Increase in offer redemptions
Increase in shares/referrals
Double-digit growth of TSSS contribution to participating TATA brand sales
What are some of the biggest trends in the UX Design industry right now?
We strongly advise against blindly chasing design trends as every business has a unique customer segment and business objectives. However, here’re some of the trends that are largely common and becoming popular in UX Design.
Simplicity over Featuritis: More and more the realization has dawned with the end clients that simplicity is inversely proportional to the number of features. There will be a huge focus now on creating interfaces that are clean and uncluttered, with a focus on usability and function.Inclusive design: Designers are paying more attention to creating experiences that are accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities, by focusing on factors such as readability, colour contrast, and navigation.
User research and testing: It will be a norm to include user research and user testing as a part of the design methodology moving forward. Designers and end clients have realized that not spending time and resources in doing research and testing is far costlier later.
Micro-interactions: Small animations and interactions can make a big impact on the user experience, and UX designers are incorporating more micro-interactions to add personality and delight to interfaces.
Briefly describe India’s UX design industry: Scope and Current Scenario
The UX design industry in India is growing fast, and there are many opportunities for UX design agencies. According to a report by NASSCOM, the Indian UX design industry is expected to reach $9 billion by 2025, with a growth rate of 20%. This growth is driven by the adoption of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and virtual reality. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the digital transformation process, leading to an increased focus on digital products and services.
Also, as customers become more demanding, businesses are scrambling to reinvent themselves. Simply creating a digital product or service and expecting users to flock to it is a thing of the past. Nowadays, companies are competing in the UX space. Smaller screen sizes have forced digital experiences to be clutter-free and laser-focused. UX leaders who have made UX a strategic imperative are consistently beating the market index, even during difficult economic times. India is currently leading the UX/UI narrative, with businesses providing digital presence across crucial platforms to convert users’ informational intentions into intentions to buy, transact, engage, or contribute.
UX/UI design industry in India has enormous potential, and there is a growing demand for UX design agencies that can craft an exceptional user experience keeping in mind the Indian market’s unique cultural, social, and economic contexts.
Please share ZEUX’s future expansion plans.
In a very short span of time, ZEUX has become India’s leading UX design company and expects to take the pole position within the next 2 years. ZEUX is now looking to expand into new geographies In the long term, our vision is to become a top player in the global UX industry, renowned for both our design expertise and strategic consulting services.
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