The IIT Madras BS Design Thinking for Data-Driven App Development (Design Thinking) Quiz 2 paper sat on 23 Nov 2025, in the September 2025 term: 25 questions for 30 marks in 120 minutes. Every question is below with its answer. Take it as a timed mock test to be marked, or read it through first.
In Karmic Design Thinking (KDT), the Empathize phase primarily seeks to:
Validate the most feasible idea with quick customer interviews
Reveal customers' latent needs through interviews and observations
Generate list of problems and convert them into KPIs and OKRs
Prepare empathy maps, persona to help generate list of ideas to implement
Correct answer
Reveal customers' latent needs through interviews and observations
A persona is most useful when it:
Lists every demographic detail for legal compliance
Profiles average customers with generic traits
Links behaviors and motivations to design implications
Predicts exact buying probability of customers
Correct answer
Links behaviors and motivations to design implications
Don Norman’s idea of signifiers best aligns with:
Hidden functions that reward expert target customers
Perceptible cues indicating where actions should take place
Constraints that block incorrect actions
Aesthetic elements that delight without function
Correct answer
Perceptible cues indicating where actions should take place
Which of the following correctly lists the key stages of a project management process in order?
Initiating → Planning → Executing → Monitoring and Controlling → Closing
Planning → Executing → Monitoring → Closing
Planning → Initiating → Closing → Controlling
Planning → Initiating → Monitoring → Executing and Controlling → Closing
Correct answer
Initiating → Planning → Executing → Monitoring and Controlling → Closing
A common pitfall with Multi-Why analysis is:
Asking not more than five whys
Stopping at symptoms and not reaching root causes
Ideating during analysis
Involving target customer in the process
Correct answer
Stopping at symptoms and not reaching root causes
Which statements describe strong “How Might We” (HMW) prompts?
1. They are grounded in target customer insights rather than solutions.
2. They prescribe a particular feature to implement.
3. They express a desired outcome or experience.
4. They are scoped enough to be actionable.
Select the correct option using the codes given below:
1 and 2 only
1, 3 and 4 only
2, 3 and 4 only
1, 2, 3 and 4
Correct answer
1, 2, 3 and 4
How do Agile and Design Thinking complement each other in product development? 1. Design Thinking focuses on understanding target customers deeply, while Agile manages sprint cycles efficiently.
2. Design Thinking delivers features incrementally, and Agile generates features for customer research.
3. Design Thinking defines the right problem and solution direction; Agile ensures rapid, iterative implementation.
4. Both are sequential frameworks that must be completed before testing.
Select the correct option using the codes given below:
1 and 3 only
1, 3 and 4 only
2, 3 and 4 only
1, 2, 3 and 4
Correct answer
1 and 3 only
Which of the following best distinguishes Design Research from Market Research?
Design research primarily studies how target customers interact with products to improve usability, whereas market research focuses on how many potential customers exist and whether a product is commercially viable.
Design research seeks to uncover deep target customer needs, motivations and pain points often through observation and qualitative inquiry, while market research focuses on market size, demand, pricing, often using surveys and statistical analysis.
Design research is conducted only after the product is fully developed to evaluate target customer experience, while market research is conducted only before development to decide whether the product should be made.
Both research types are identical and can replace each other without changes in method.
Correct answer
Design research seeks to uncover deep target customer needs, motivations and pain points often through observation and qualitative inquiry, while market research focuses on market size, demand, pricing, often using surveys and statistical analysis.
State whether the following statement is TRUE or FALSE:
‘People who cannot temporarily let go of their role or status or set aside their own expertise or opinion will fail to empathize with others who have conflicting thoughts, experiences, or mental models.’
TRUE
FALSE
Correct answer
TRUE
What is the purpose of the “Desired Result” in the conflict of interest model?
To indicate the root cause of the conflict
To define the final solution/result
To represent the best possible outcome
To list all possible values of a variable
Correct answer
To represent the best possible outcome
Which of the following is the best definition of customer acquisition?
The processes used to keep current customers
The processes used to acquire new customers
The processes used to acquire customer satisfaction information
The processes used to acquire potential customer details
Correct answer
The processes used to acquire new customers
In the Element-Name-Value (ENV) model, a well-formed contradiction reads:
IF we fix A, THEN B improves, AND C improves
IF we increase X, THEN goal Y improves, BUT side-effect Z worsens
IF target customers change behavior, THEN we maintain status quo, BUT Z is constant
IF constraints exist, THEN we remove all constraints, BUT improve usability
Correct answer
IF we increase X, THEN goal Y improves, BUT side-effect Z worsens
Which of the following best describes the role of iteration in Design Thinking?
Iteration is used only if the first solution fails and to arrive at better solutions.
Iteration means repeating the exact same steps until the design looks perfect.
Iteration is the process of continuously refining ideas and prototypes based on customer feedback to arrive at better solutions.
Iteration ensures every team member contributes an idea, even if they are not implemented.
Correct answer
Iteration is the process of continuously refining ideas and prototypes based on customer feedback to arrive at better solutions.
In the Solve phase, which facilitation move is most appropriate?
Prioritize feasibility first; conduct voting, then choose final ideas
Diverge widely, then converge using criteria grounded in research insights
Converge first, then diverge based on the research insights
Freeze decisions early to maintain speed
Correct answer
Diverge widely, then converge using criteria grounded in research insights
Which tool is specifically used to transform problem statements into exploratory problem questions during the design thinking process?
Silent Brainstorming
Customer Journey Map (CJM)
How Might We (HMW)
Element Name Value (ENV)
Correct answer
How Might We (HMW)
State whether the following statement is TRUE or FALSE:
“Design Thinking is a linear process where each phase is completed only once before moving to the next.”
FALSE
TRUE
Correct answer
FALSE
Low-fidelity prototypes are preferred early because they:
Eliminate the need for target customer during Test phase
Allow teams to explore multiple ideas quickly at high cost
Enable rapid iteration and flow with minimal rework
Are visually indistinguishable from final User Inteface
Correct answer
Enable rapid iteration and flow with minimal rework
In Design Thinking, what best describes a Modified Customer Journey Map (CJM) created after multiple iterations?
The process of a target customer downloading and testing the product or service developed by your team.
How the customer’s experience changes or is affected by the product, service, or app developed for them.
The set of iteration suggestions made by the target customer based on the initial CJM.
The act of reorganizing and modifying the original CJM on a digital whiteboard tool (e.g., MURAL) for better visualization of customer problems.
Correct answer
How the customer’s experience changes or is affected by the product, service, or app developed for them.
When conducting testing for a prototype, which practices are considered effective?
1. Recruiting audience who represent the intended target customers.
2. Evaluating the prototype in a realistic context of use where possible.
3. Allowing paired participants at times to encourage natural conversation and reveal deeper insights.
How many of the above are correct?
Only 1
Only 2
All 3
None
Correct answer
All 3
Which of the following statements are valid in the context of the Test stage of Karmic Design Thinking?
1. Prototypes may be created or refined for testing in this stage.
2. The Customer Journey Map can be updated based on feedback gathered during testing. 3. It is recommended to shift focus to a completely new target customer group during testing. 4. Practical implications and usability of the proposed solution are evaluated in this stage. Select the correct option using the codes given below:
1, 3, and 4 only
2, 3, and 4 only
1, 2, and 4 only
2 and 3 only
Correct answer
1, 2, and 4 only
EduMate: An ed-tech startup observes that students drop off during the onboarding process even though instructions are provided. Usability observation reveals that students skip tooltips and become confused at a mandatory course-selection step.
[EduMate] Based on Don Norman’s principles, the most likely design issue is:
Answer the question based on the scenario given:
Poor discoverability of the system status
Low attention span of students
Weak signifiers on action controls
Constraints preventing target customers flow progression
Correct answer
Weak signifiers on action controls
HealthLink: A health-monitoring app allows target customers to log meals, steps, and sleep. The customers appreciate the visual design but report that the app “doesn’t understand what matters most.” Insights from the Empathize phase show that nutrition alerts (meaningful to customers) are buried deep in the menu.
[HealthLink] The most appropriate step in the Analyze phase is to:
Answer the question based on the scenario given:
Conduct a Multi-Why analysis to figure out why the designer placed the nutrition screens buried deep in the menu.
Use Conflict of Interest modeling to compare designer emphasis vs. business priorities
Create HMW questions around simplifying interface elements to improve usability
Cluster insights toward a Desire Result statement using ENV model.
Correct answer
Cluster insights toward a Desire Result statement using ENV model.
RuralPay: A fintech app for rural merchants introduces QR-based payments. Field tests reveal merchants often hand their phone to customers because of unclear flow ownership.
[RuralPay] The KDT phase that should be strengthened in the next iteration is:
Answer the question based on the scenario given:
Empathize – observe merchants’ current payment context
Solve – generate new monetization ideas
Test – run another usability benchmark
Analyze – document personas only
Correct answer
Empathize – observe merchants’ current payment context
TravelEase: A travel app team debates two final yet distinct ideas: (A) personalized trip planning with AI, (B) social trip-sharing among groups. Research shows both resonate with different segments of target customers.
[TravelEase] A sensible next step consistent with KDT would be to:
Answer the question based on the scenario given:
Pick A because AI is trending
Pick B because it has viral potential
Prototype both concepts at appropriate fidelity and test with customers
Combine both ideas immediately into a single release
Correct answer
Prototype both concepts at appropriate fidelity and test with customers
FoodFleet: A food-delivery startup’s customer journey map (CJM) shows “emotional valleys” around order delays and unclear driver updates.
[FoodFleet] The next logical step in the KDT process is to:
Answer the question based on the scenario given:
Conduct silent brainstorming to interpret emotional valleys
Cluster the identified valleys into problem themes
Simplify the CJM to avoid focusing on valley moments
Directly move to define desired results (ENV model)
Correct answer
Cluster the identified valleys into problem themes
