Sunday, July 29, 2007

idea|syncrasy

"My vision is to bring design to the people. I believe that design is a reflection of the users’ soul. Design is not only a medium used to express ones character but also a medium which creates experiences that defines ones character."

This thought came to me at a point when I was trying to figure out what I wanted out of my life. And more came to me when I started writing my SOP for Art Center. I thought I'd copy them here to start this blog so that everyone knew how I think and what I want to achieve in the next few years.


"In an emerging economy like
India I would like to contribute to the development of the country through design thinking. I believe that design can help public services become more efficient. Whether it is schools, communities or hospitals, design can help mobilize people and change lives. Most people who use public transport, health facilities and other public services have a fair idea how they could be improved but no forum to put forward their ideas. By seeking input from the users of the products and services we are designing, designers can improve lives as well as strengthen the economy. One can already see the shift in design’s influence on business organizations. From mere branding and marketing, designers are now working closely with employees to come up with strategies to transform the environment within the organization. The challenge now is to acknowledge design’s potential role in transforming public services and to use design and creativity to change the direction of government organizations."

"The challenge would be to improve the existing environment not architecturally, but by designing new products and interactions for the same space; to create a dynamic experience that would be unique to each user."

Monday, July 9, 2007

Education in India

Over the last one year, CKS has taken me to numerous villages around the country. Whether it was the outskirts or Bangalore or a remote Bhuj village or something closer to the capital, certain environments remained constant. And the one thing which made an impression on me the most was the state of primary schools in rural India.

According to the Government of India, by the end of 2000, 94% of India's rural population had primary schools within one km and 84% had upper primary schools within 3 km. But are there enough teachers? How about infrastructure?



This is one of the best classrooms in this school I visited recently -- no desks and chairs, no electricity, not enough place to fit in almost a 100 students!

Is this the future of our future? How can design be used to improve the education system in India?