Design Running the Modern World (Part 1)

In Episode 3, Design Running the Modern World by Design Studio UI UX cohosts Ishika and Naushina deliberate over how design is quietly running the modern world without being noticeable.

From booking a ticket to making a payment, everything runs on effortless UI/UX design. Our hosts discuss how a seamless experience is hiding complex systems underneath and becoming a deciding factor. They also explore how simplicity, emotional clarity, and inclusivity helped design move beyond screens and into daily life.

There are so many insightful nuggets in this conversation; you will be amazed to see how far it goes. That’s why we have broken it into parts for your better understanding. 

Transcript

Ishika:
Hello everyone and welcome to Design Story, where we break down design, in its simplest form. In part 1 of our third episode, we have something different for you listeners. First, we will examine design from a user’s perspective, and then dive deep into it, layer by layer. But first, let’s hear from Naushina, my co-host and the co-captain of this ship. How are you?

Naushina:
Thank you Ishika, I am fine and it’s good to be back. I think it’s a great approach, because honestly, we always overlook design when we interact with digital systems, while ordering food, making a payment, or simply scrolling. I mean if I was not from the field, I would not give this much thought.

Ishika:
Honestly, same here, and the interesting thing is: none of it feels complicated.
Even though we know what goes on behind the scenes, and how these systems are incredibly    complex.

Naushina:
It’s like design is not only about aesthetics, it’s about functionality in the modern world. So, Ishika, what’s the biggest change you see in UI/UX?

Ishika:
There was a time when UI/UX was treated as a finishing step. I mean the team would work on the features first, and then UX designers would “make it usable”. Frankly, it just made the entire process unnecessarily complex. But now, it’s a different story, wouldn’t you agree, Naushina?

Naushina:
Totally. Today, the order has reversed.
If people can’t understand a system, they won’t adopt it, no ifs and buts.
Which means UI/UX is no longer supporting technology.
It’s deciding whether technology even enters everyday life and starts shaping how we as a  society operate.

Ishika:
I think UPI is the perfect example of how design evolves across everyday life. Once everyone was unsure, but now, it is a primary payment mode in India.
I mean it’s fast, simple, and does not feel like solving calculus.

Naushina:
UPI didn’t expect people to understand how banking works. It just focused on what they wanted to do: send, receive, confirm.

Ishika:
You know the best part of UPI is its all-inclusive design, for people from different walks of life.

Naushina:
That’s why nearly 1.4 billion people adopted it, not because of marketing campaigns, but because it offered simplicity.

Ishika:
I think UPI didn’t just change India’s payment habits, it altered how the world looks at digital financial infrastructure. But designer to designer, what do you think worked in its favor?

Naushina:
I think, for a long time, digital payment systems didn’t really feel welcoming.
They treated the problem like a technical challenge—
focusing on things like connectivity and security.
But they missed something important: how people feel while using these systems.
The fear of making a mistake.
The hesitation to trust something new.
That psychological barrier mattered just as much.

Ishika:
That’s true.
People avoid systems that make them feel slow… or confused… or scared of getting it wrong.
I know I wouldn’t open an app that feels heavy just to finish a five-minute task.
It’s not worth the stress.

Naushina:
Exactly.
And that’s what changed with UPI.
It didn’t ask people to learn finance.
It just made them feel capable from the first tap.

Ishika:
There was no sense of, “This isn’t for you.”
You didn’t feel watched.
You didn’t feel tested.

Naushina:
That’s right.
First-time users felt welcome, not evaluated.
And once that fear disappeared, people just started using it.

Ishika:
And this is where things start to get really interesting.
Because when design removes fear, confusion, and hesitation,.It doesn’t just help people take action—it makes them feel welcome to take part.

Naushina:
Exactly. And once people start participating, design begins to operate at a much deeper level—shaping behaviour, confidence, and belonging in ways we often don’t notice.

Ishika:
In the next part, we’ll take this conversation further and uncover how design quietly shapes decisions, builds participation, and influences the way people interact with both digital systems and the real world—often without them even realizing it.

Naushina:
We’ll see how design quietly shapes the moments we live with every day. Till then, stay cool,stay curious, and stay thoughtful.