Riya, a student preparing for competitive exams, often found herself switching between books, digital devices, and note pads. Her tiny desk barely supported her study materials. Observing her struggles, her cousin Aditya, an industrial design student, began thinking of a modular desk design tailored to students like her. He started by taking measurements of her space, watching how she used her materials throughout the day, and asking her what she wished her desk could do.
Based on this scenario, explain how empathy and user research played a vital role in developing a product like a modular study desk.