Design Positive Vibes

Context

India’s century-old education system is highly commercialized, and is not conducive to learning and creativity by design. Project DEFY (design education for yourself) is helping communities create their own schools, using makerspaces, computers and internet, and showing people how to teach themselves. They believe that education must be brought back into the hands of the people, and therefore we envision an a self-designed education for all, which is accessible, equitable and localized.

Challenge

The scope was mainly to explore further into the work of Project DEFY and to get a deeper understanding of the problems of education they face today through human centered design approach.

Another main focus was to create "a true sense of community" in the nooks and to create an acceleration program for learners, create a program to take the learners to the next phase, setting also goals and objectives.

The scope was mainly to explore further into the work of Project DEFY and to get a deeper understanding of the problems of education they face today through human centered design approach.

Another main focus was to create "a true sense of community" in the nooks and to create an acceleration program for learners, create a program to take the learners to the next phase, setting also goals and objectives.

The scope was mainly to explore further into the work of Project DEFY and to get a deeper understanding of the problems of education they face today through human centered design approach.

Another main focus was to create "a true sense of community" in the nooks and to create an acceleration program for learners, create a program to take the learners to the next phase, setting also goals and objectives.

The scope was mainly to explore further into the work of Project DEFY and to get a deeper understanding of the problems of education they face today through human centered design approach.

Another main focus was to create "a true sense of community" in the nooks and to create an acceleration program for learners, create a program to take the learners to the next phase, setting also goals and objectives.

Design Process & Tools

Design Research

I used ethnographic and design research methods to uncover the community's perspective. Individual interviews and focus group with leaders, young men and women, children, teachers, village chiefs and other stakeholders allowed me to observe and better understand the education, social and economic context that influence attidudes and decision making of the community. Observing and speaking with a variety of community groups allowed me, not only to dig deeper into each person's needs, but also to get a sense of how they can influence each other.

Co-creation workshops helped me unearth insights that were harder to observe or talk about in conversation. This is extremely important for taboo topics, as it minimizes the need for sustained eye contact and the feeling of shame. For instance, we asked children to show us their perceptions and the difference between the school and the nook, and we had deep conversation with the women when discussing delicate delicate topics such as arranged marriage, freedom, muslim culture, and the role of woman in the family.

I used ethnographic and design research methods to uncover the community's perspective. Individual interviews and focus group with leaders, young men and women, children, teachers, village chiefs and other stakeholders allowed me to observe and better understand the education, social and economic context that influence attidudes and decision making of the community. Observing and speaking with a variety of community groups allowed me, not only to dig deeper into each person's needs, but also to get a sense of how they can influence each other.

Co-creation workshops helped me unearth insights that were harder to observe or talk about in conversation. This is extremely important for taboo topics, as it minimizes the need for sustained eye contact and the feeling of shame. For instance, we asked children to show us their perceptions and the difference between the school and the nook, and we had deep conversation with the women when discussing delicate delicate topics such as arranged marriage, freedom, muslim culture, and the role of woman in the family.

I used ethnographic and design research methods to uncover the community's perspective. Individual interviews and focus group with leaders, young men and women, children, teachers, village chiefs and other stakeholders allowed me to observe and better understand the education, social and economic context that influence attidudes and decision making of the community. Observing and speaking with a variety of community groups allowed me, not only to dig deeper into each person's needs, but also to get a sense of how they can influence each other.

Co-creation workshops helped me unearth insights that were harder to observe or talk about in conversation. This is extremely important for taboo topics, as it minimizes the need for sustained eye contact and the feeling of shame. For instance, we asked children to show us their perceptions and the difference between the school and the nook, and we had deep conversation with the women when discussing delicate delicate topics such as arranged marriage, freedom, muslim culture, and the role of woman in the family.

Prototype & Test

Before I began building prototypes, I facilitated them in identifyng underlying assumptions behind each solution concept in order to put into place the appropriate conditions to tesst each assumption. Driven by testing feedback we collected, we refined and improves our solution concepts in preparation for live prototyping, during which we would test our final prototypes in a context as close to the real one as possible.

Annual Report

Prototype & Test

Shivaji Nagar Nook

Design Strategist - Human Centred Designer

Role

Design Strategist - Human Centred Designer

Location

India - Bangalore

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