CONNECT…CREATE… INNOVATE…KEEN EYE…OPEN MIND…REAL DEPTH…COHESIVENESS…SUCCESS…A THING OF BEAUTY…ECONOMIC VALUE…USABILITY…

What is the underlying connect between these words and concepts? Yes, it is DESIGN.

Design is everywhere. It’s what drew you to the last piece of furniture you bought and it’s what made online banking possible.

Prompted by a specific need, speculation, desire or fancy, a vision arises: a creative impulse appears in the mind as an intuitive flash of knowing or a vague sort of imagery; translating into the world as a tangible expression of distinct reality; directly meant for human use- This is the broad scope of design.

The word ‘Design’ needs to be seen in the most holistic way possible to understand the vast range of thought processes and activities it encompasses. All of these are aimed at achieving definite goals – the solving of ‘problems’ – be it the design of a job, a machine, a process, a system, a structure, a space, a product, a communication, a way of living, a trend….

A designer by qualification, therefore, should be a widely aware, creative and sensitive individual capable of drawing on experience, knowledge and specialized inputs from diverse fields, consolidating and applying them in the most relevant, effective and coordinated manner for the generation of outcomes appropriate as feasible solutions to the problems at hand. In this era of rapid and radical change, various complex and overwhelming issues face the world. It is evident that the role of these creative individuals, the designers, is more important than ever.

This, the designer’s way of thinking, will play an important role in influencing the attitudes of leaders, policy makers and opinion makers not just in design related fields but in all walks of life. Putting an emphasis on design brings creativity into an organization and increases the chance of producing market-leading, mould-breaking products (see more on www.archedu.org). As the sophistication of the consumer and global competition increases, this becomes more and more valuable. Businesses are finding that they can no longer compete just by slashing prices or upping the marketing budget. Innovation in the form of design is the key to success.

Just remember – A harmoniously and lucidly internalized design process or ‘approach’, equips anybody with the requisite think skill sets to solve any problem and the sub problems within. Never underestimate the power of design!

- MAMTA MANTRI

mamta@archedu.org