Exploring Opportunities in Design Sector – Q & A With Aakash Jethwani, Founder, Artha Creative Studio

 

Traditionally, design is thought to be something that only the creative team creates for branding elements like logos, digital ads or print advertisements, etc. But today, design has been recognized as an important part of every business that can align focus and efforts, increase productivity, mitigate risks as well as bring success to the overall solution.

 

With new ideas of design thinking disrupting the space, stoodnt.com got in touch with Aakash Jethwani, Founder, Artha Creative Studio, to know about this emerging sector.

 

 

 

A selected excerpt of the interaction –

 

What is the iterative approach of design?

 

Design is a work process undertaken from a user’s perspective for making things easy, intuitive and meaningful. “There are various methods and approaches of designing, however, every approach has a learning curve and goes through an evolution process by understanding the user and improving designs according to their needs.

 

This is one of the reasons why we notice regular design changes coming up with updates even in the best apps – be it Facebook, Gmail, YouTube, etc.

 

Therefore, one can conclude that design is an iterative process,and not a one-time solution. And there is no stable design or best design!

 

The basic process of an iterative approach majorly comprises of the following aspects in a non-linear way –

 

  • Empathizing
  • Researching
  • Learning
  • Wireframing/structuring
  • Crafting
  • Testing
  • Monitoring

 

How do you use Design Thinking as an approach to explore the most complex as well as the most trivial problems that can hold back a start-up from succeeding?

Design thinking is a methodology and a mindset.“Design Thinking” implies thinking of solutions using designs.

 

Design thinking is an approach that can be used by anyone other than designers because it transforms ideas into semi-reality solutions (visuals) which can help individuals open doors for trying alternative strategies.

 

We believe that every start-up is unique and by following a design-first approach as well as thinking from the customer’s standpoint, the start-up is more likely to succeed.

 

Looking closely a start-up needs to learn, test and iterate at a quick pace and design thinking approach can help them in achieving these with a better success rate and at a minimized risk.

 

Design Thinking is not only for start-ups even companies like Google, Apple, and AirBnB are using a design thinking approach to come up with innovative solutions and reducing the risks.

 

Design is said to be the answer to everything – How?

Every individual has a different way of imagining and understanding a conversation which makes it difficult for them to empathize the problems. Design helps overcome this hurdle by providing a platform where everyone can be on the same page. This ensures a healthy discussion where every individual’s views are challenged to bring out the best solution.

 

Using design makes it easy to implement and understand regardless of the knowledge, language or skills. All one needs to do is chart the problem and challenge various alternatives and iterate until one comes up with a feasible solution.

 

Designing gives you alternatives/options,in other words, design opens the gateway to solutions. Thus, Design is the answer to everything.

 

Test it yourself – Try implementing design thinking approach to your schedule. You can design your day’s schedule and observe if you can follow it, learn from your shortfalls, adopt changes for the same and see if you are becoming more efficient

 

What are the basic requirements to be a successful designer today?

 

Everyone can design and anyone can become a designer. There is no linear way of designing, an individual can have their own approach to designing. But to do this, it is imperative that one practice regularly.

 

However, to be a successful designer one must possess a few personality traits as under –

  • Empathetic
  • Curious
  • Passion and drive
  • Communication
  • Ability to take criticism
  • Patient

 

What are the career opportunities in design space in India now?

There is a tremendous growing scope of design as a career in India! Internationally, the 3rd most required profile in demand is that of a UX designer.

 

An individual can explore various career options such as industrial designing, experience designing, graphic designing, interior decoration, fashion designing, design engineering, product management and more.

 

There are various opportunities in the fine art industries that include jobs like those of illustrators, creative directors, and animators.

 

To sum it up,design will be in demand till the point there is innovation and there are users.

 

Will you advise millennials to take up a career in design? Why?

 

The need for designing by businesses is spreading across like a virus having a phenomenal scope and undefinable knowledge.

 

Since designing can be used in any and every field, there is a huge need gap which will provide infinite opportunities in the future! Additionally, unlike other fields design doesn’t bind one’s brain to books but rather gives them creative freedom to come up with the best possible solution.

 

Also, designing can be an added skill set to one’s existing skill.Having this added skill can make you empathize better, learn better and build better of anything!

 

Therefore, I would advise choosing designing as a career would be a great choice.

 

What are the best institutes in India to learn design?

 

One must choose institutes where they think they will find a better designer community in their area of interest. Below are a few institutes in no particular order, where one can learn better –

 

 

However, there is no debate that NID, IIT-B, IIT-G, etc.are the best design colleges in the country, but that does not automatically equate their students being the best design students in the country.

 

Your desire is the key to learning designs and there is an ocean out there to learn from!

 

What are your future plans?

We want to educate more people about the impact of design and solve the demand issue of a good designer!

 

Your last comment

There are innovations happening in every field, there are hardware innovations, technological innovations, product innovations and many more – but every innovation is built for the user directly or indirectly, making usability even more important to drive innovation!

 

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