Decolonising Design

The purpose of design education, I believe must go beyond learning rules, good design practices, making effective work. Design is heavily influenced by but not limited to culture, literature, architecture, history and sociology. The scope of design education that I went through was modeled after the Swiss/International style. As a student, I was presented with text and visual references created based on Swiss style to understand and appreciate the style and design principles. I was also prescribed books that looked at Design History to learn about design movements and styles originated and practiced in the European countries at different time periods. It does bring a question as to why design movements or styles from different geographic locations beyond Europe was not considered for research or documentation? Did design of any form not exist in any form during those time periods?

As a design student, the knowledge gained and skills mastered merely helped in creating a portfolio of work and one which would help solicit more similar work. I was left with a knowledge of design history with respect to European history and varied art movements or political changes that influenced design. The ability to observe and research what was very intrinsic to India was solely my responsibility. Design institutions in India also relied upon design movements & styles European culture & history to a greater extent however it would be of much importance to look at what design in India or Indian design was and what it can be. The knowledge of design research and processes can benefit anyone and not just students for professional careers. To look beyond academic courses and what the institution thought, the student ought to learn and master, the design education I went through didn’t seem to widen the perspective of what design can be and who all it can benefit and what changes it can bring and how much it is relevant to the contexts. 

Budget and Expense Management

Project details are available at this page: Rupee-wise

I chose to explore the subject of budget and expense management for a design project because I was neither budgeting my monthly expenses and savings nor managing or tracking my expenses and found it hard to save money. I also thought it would be interesting to apply design research concepts to understand and learn new ways of inquiry and may be conceptualize a new idea for the design. I wanted to focus on design research for this project and apply insights, concepts to the design of an interactive app.  The design research process was a new learning for me - beginning with secondary research and to look at different methods of inquiry, to define target audience, screening and the sampling process and different modes of primary research and deriving concepts from the insights from the primary users’ research.

When I started writing the initial proposal, I wasn’t too sure as to whether redesign an existing app or conceptualize one or more ideas for the design. I found that redesigning an existing app would be too limiting creatively and I would not have opportunities to define a new concept and very likely end up looking at redesign of the existing visual elements and interactive aspects of the app. So, I choose to conceptualize a new idea for the app. However, I researched a few existing apps to understand their concepts and features. Most of the existing apps had one underlining and strong concept on which they were built upon - A goal oriented budget/save for a specific goal and expense management, concept of zero-sum budgeting – “account for every dollar”, use of a metaphor like an “envelope” to categorize allocations and location based tracking of expenditure. I learnt that it’s important to design with one concept in mind and I also wanted to explore what value(s) the new app can offer. Most of the existing apps presented visualizations as charts and use of percentages to show current expenses – questioning of why an expense was high or budget was overrun was left to the user of the app to reflect and act upon.

I always refer to best selling self-help books for some good advice on a topic and having read this book “Think and Grow Rich Book by Napolean Hill”, I was wondering if I could apply ideas or inspirations from this book for the app. The author talks about how individuals can learn and train themselves to become “money conscious” and has written about how mind, thoughts, desire, persistence, habits etc., can help an individual achieve their financial goals. One of the interesting learning from the book was the author talked about aspects that would help individuals to achieve their goals by developing a desire, purpose, gain continuous knowledge on the subject that is related to their purpose or calling, develop persistence, habits and act upon the goals and plans. Understanding habits and changing or forming new habits seemed like an interesting area to explore further. The aspect of understanding habits fit well to the topic of money. The concepts of goals, plans, action (habits) as put forward by the author was relevant and I decided to use this learning to define the concept for the app.

The secondary research process that I followed helped me learn to inquire about the subject from different perspectives. The existing apps that I studied during research helped me understand what are the concepts or areas of research that the designers and developers looked at when they were conceptualizing the app. Reading a book helped me understand what experts and researchers in the subject of money management suggest individuals to practice towards reaching their goals.

Having defined a concept for the app, I defined the target users for the app - individuals who are employed and receive a monthly cash flow. I wrote down a discussion guide and conducted an interview through questionnaire via phone calls and Google Forms. Most of the responses from the primary research were directed towards how it was hard & time-consuming to budget every time. I thought it would be interesting to explore visual ways of budgeting. I also learnt from primary research that individuals wish they were really financially savvy to learn to spend, invest and save wisely.

With the insights from both primary and secondary research, I decided to focus on Goals, Plans and Action (Habits). While trying to understand habits, I thought of a concept where the users can really understand ‘why they bought what they bought’ or ‘why they spent’ which lead me to understand consumer behaviour and understanding Hedonistic (experiential) and Utilitarian (rational, task-oriented and need based) consumer behaviour. I researched further in that subject and found it really interesting as how consumer behaviour affects brands and purchasing choices and decisions. So, I wanted to use this concept of understanding behaviour in the conceptualization of my app. I wondered what if the knowledge of consumer behaviour and behavioural attitudes behind purchasing decisions used by marketers and market researchers can be brought back to the consumer itself to help them understand their habits better. When a user spends - makes a purchase or spends on experience, the app can question in a very friendly way about their purchasing decision(s) immediately after the purchase. The user of the app may choose to answer or skip. When the user chooses to record their purchase decision, they can reflect upon all their tagged purchases based on their purchase decisions to understand or correct their habits.

For the visual design of the screens, I wanted to define and use a minimalistic, less daunting visual style and choose to refer and use Google material design style guide, which is simplistic yet very usable and easily learnable to the users of the app. I made choices and decisions regarding layout, color and typography. The insights or concepts/ideas were wider in scope but I choose to design a few screens based on two concepts - Goals, Plans, Actions (Habits) and Understanding behavioural attitudes behind user purchase decisions. 

Vintage and Obsolete

Innovation and Obsolescence

The trackpad of my laptop, a 15 inch 2010 model, was not responding.
But that was not the problem.

It has been decided by the company that made the laptop that I now own a laptop which is deemed Vintage and Obsolete. And its 7 years old. Just seven.

I don’t know if I should be proud that it has now become a vintage piece or severely disappointed that a laptop which has been working really fine is no longer usable.

Products and Innovation — Going obsolete

When I purchased a second 13” laptop of the same brand more than a year back, I was hoping to give my 15” laptop to my husband. Over the years, he had made peace with his simple refurbished laptop, which is more than 7 years old. It seems to serve him well.

Back to the troublesome trackpad. One evening of this past week, I noticed that the trackpad had popped out. The bottom frame of the laptop had popped out as well with a very visible bulge. From “Replace Soon” to “Replace Now”, I had been ignoring warnings about the impending battery problem. The battery finally gave up and died and started bloating inside the machine.

I promptly went to the service center, a walkable distance from my home. 
I waited for my token number to be called out. While everyone who were present there came to sort out troubles with their mobile phones, I was the only one with a bulky laptop that day. It was a small space where you will have to find your way to a seating space. Next to me, was a book shelf with a few electronics and computer magazines, a coffee table with that day’s newspapers in English and Kannada, and a standee advertisement to encourage recycling of mobile phones.

I was called in. As I sat down, I told the service technician that my laptop was a 2010 model. Back came the prompt response, “The spares and hardware services for this model are discontinued, Madam!” I had nothing to say to him. The whole conversation was over in 10 seconds. He offered to remove the swelled-up battery. He also hinted about some shops where I can get 3rd party batteries.

“Oh! Thats great!”, I said, already thinking of other questions to ask him before I prepared to leave. Although he was not willing to share details of these shops, I requested him — “Give me some leads! Any! This is my number, call me or text me”.

I came home to look up on the internet about this whole topic of retiring support, services and older models of laptop. The year and model of my
15” laptop made it to the list of vintage and obsolete products. I was not
living under the rock but still, I couldn’t seem to accept this had happened
to my laptop.

As a consumer, I cannot seem to accept that the services and support (the least I can expect from the brand) has been discontinued for the product, which is exceptional in its performance. Yes, operating systems are not supported after a period of time. But a laptop battery not being available is quite absurd.

By stopping support for services for a product that will very likely perform well for some more years, the brand has failed and made their own product useless; totally useless.

What if I wish to repair and use the product?
What if I chose to not upgrade or recycle?
What if I prefer to buy and use authorized spares and accessories only?

What are my options? 
Throw/Discard/Recycle Or
To keep up with the market trends - Upgrade and Buy Newer Models?

Research and innovation continue to happen. Technological advancement is fascinating and inevitable. The passion for research and innovation and the intent to make everything better than the earlier version — sleeker, faster, fascinating, more meaningful by form, function and experience, brands may fail to make products last longer. And deliberately so! But isn’t that a given in the technology product research and innovation space where products continue to iterate and transform, while eventually turning obsolete in the process and over time?

From floppy discs getting stuck while trying to read a file to a scratched CD/DVD rendering itself unusable; we have now moved to cloud storage and effortless file transfers. No one in 2017 is going to complain, “Hey, I can’t put my floppy disc in my laptop, where is the slot?” We are living with technology and adapting to the changes as and when they present themselves to us.

I have a large bin of “obsolete” products in my stash — decade-old “vintage” mp3 players, low-fi first-gen digital cameras and the like that can by no means be passed on to anybody and must end up in the e-waste pile or in the cupboard for nostalgic associations.

For sure, technological products like laptops and mobile phones will never make it to the list of artifacts that we can pass on to future generations (for further and continued use and not as a vintage still life object!).

I am now off to search for a battery from a third party supplier which is a huge risk, to revive my very fine and fast laptop! The brand has failed; But hey, they are innovating! What about users who believe in repair and use; durability and sustainability and value for money? Plastics in the oceans aside; I can’t even begin to imagine the world of growing e-waste that we continue to generate and contribute.

CHANGING SPACES - ENVIRONMENT AS A CANVAS

From stencilled “Stick no bills” messages to huge electronic bill boards, the cityscape has lent itself to be a canvas. Empty walls and roadside trees are treated as nothing more than a mere advertisement board with stapled notices, repetitive posters containing the same message and movie posters pasted on to the same wall over and over again. 

In the light of the recent solid waste management issues prevalent in the city, the negligence of individuals in not segregating dry from wet waste is a major problem. When individuals take responsibility, it brings a huge difference collectively. The state of the roads and the spaces have a lot to say about how we treat our environment and paints a clear picture of the city to visitors and tourists. 

Besides imposing regulations to prevent misuse of public spaces, it is important that individuals are aware of the space they inhabit and the possibilities of change that might benefit the community as a whole. It is crucial for individuals to understand that they are an integral part of the whole and any action they take or do not take will in turn come around to affect them and the community. Bringing about a change in an individual’s outlook and behaviour is a gradual process and one that is better done by persuasion rather than by the use of force or by enforcing rules.

Art that was once viewed and appreciated only in closed galleries has now begun to appear in public spaces. Thought-provoking sculptures and interactive installations in the environment convey a message or evoke an awareness in a much stronger and effective sense. To present an idea or a thought in an artistic manner to the layman and to let individuals react or respond it, has a profound impact on the minds to bring about a change. 

A space that is accessed by all provides endless opportunities to entertain, educate and amuse. The urban landscape including parks can set the stage for performances in music, dance and theatre to send out a message.

With artists and activists embracing this canvas in a novel way, it will be no surprise that the public spaces will be a delight to access and live. 

Using the spaces creatively to raise awareness and change the outlook of the community can possibly bring many problems that were previously unresolved to a closure.

HAND CARTS

SHOPPING FOR FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

It is a pity that we buy clothes, gadgets and several other goods from well-lit, clean and enclosed spaces but buy vegetables and fruits from hand-carts by the roadside. On the contrary, more and more stores claiming to sell fresh produce have been entering the market. I entered one such store and as the cold air-conditioned air blasted in my face, I went straight to the vegetables and fruits aisle. An array of not-so-fresh local and exotic vegetables greeted me. One can never imagine bargaining in such a store whereas bargaining with hand-cart vendors is a common practice. Although its a welcome change to see new entrants in the produce and consumables industry, its worth one’s time to take a look at the hand-cart vendors where a majority of the population shops for produce.

Hand-cart vendors are at the lower end of the business owner spectrum making a day-to-day living out of selling fresh produce from farmlands located a little away from the city. Mid-size tempo trucks selling produce and four-wheeled wooden hand-carts selling fruits, vegetables and leafy greens of all shades are a common sight if one gets to look at the buzzing streets from the comfort of an auto-rickshaw ride.

The hand-carts typically have no names or brands associated with them and the sellers seldom give out printed receipts or bills. The most elaborate investment for infrastructure apart from the hand-cart itself does not go beyond a set of plastic carry bags, a tin container to hold the revenue of the day, a well-worn tarpaulin sheet for rainy days and an inexpensive LED lamp to make full use of the business hours. 

Today, books are being written to remind us to eat whole grains, nuts, local and easily available fruits and vegetables. It is unfortunate that food which is the basis for nourishment and good health does not receive the same level of attention as imported goods and consumables. The hand-carts have been around for decades and yet there hasn’t been any change in the way produce is handled and sold. 

In a country where fast foods and international brands are making their presence felt at a faster pace, there is a need to create awareness about local food benefits and the welfare of the farmers and vegetablesvendors and sellers.