Keeping in touch with ground realities, working with existing business modules or creating new and practical solutions are some of the things I go back with. The course did not introduce me to any new concepts or ideologies as I had expected. Instead, we came at close counters with the small scale commerce that surrounds us everyday. In a way, it was revealing and satisfying.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Course critic
The entire 10 week course had its moments- exciting ones and frustrating ones. Dealing with them and moving on was part of the learning experience, that stood close beside the exuberating experience of accomplishing something concrete.
Final Products
Research & experimentation:
We explored the various possibilities that could be taken into consideration when working with the skills of Krishnaveni aunty. We looked into various subjects where her stitching and painting skills could be put to use. We also looked at other simple things that she could do alongside that could broaden her range of work.
1) paper cutting
2) stitching buttons
3) braiding, weaving, knotting
4) mirror work, embroidery
Product/ prototype making:
We made small samples and prototypes of the objects we hoped to build on. Since some of them were big products that required a lot of time and resources, we cut it down to a small sample to see if it was worth taking forward.
1) lamp- led cloth, techniques swatch
2) led book
3) binder
4) pencil box/pouch - tetra-pack version, newspaper stripes
5) reusable book cover
Newer products:
To broaden our range, we introduced several different ideas that were simple and could be sold relatively cheaper.
1) cards
2) gift wrapping paper
Brand identity:
We realized the need for creating a brand identity for the products. They were already a little different from the usual products, and by showing that there existed an entire range of such products, it would help in advertising to the customers. It would also help bring all the products under a common name such that although the customers may have to buy the products from the stores, it helps retains their own identity.
We talked to Krishnaveni about our idea and asked for her input. We made sure to do that so that we keep her in the loop and part of the process. Since, in the end, the business venture is to be hers, its important for her to approve our ideas.
Krishnaveni wished to call the business 'Shreya' after her granddaughter. Working on that, we worked on creating an entire brand identity.
We thought about creating either labels or tags that would carry the brand on each product.
Packaging:
Most shops in Yelahanka (which is our primary market at the moment) sell products in plastic bags. That would mean that only a few of our products that cannot do without it would require packaging.
Our initial idea, however, had to do with selling the products in the city too. It would be available to a larger and more cosmopolitan audience who would be willing to shell out more money for the products.
By creating a good brand identity and packaging, we could turn it into an exclusive brand, and in turn increase the price rates.
Packaging is very important in that case.
Marketing, publicity:
Focusing on Yelahanka as our market for the moment, we thought about various ways of publicizing and marketing the products.
1) One of the major factor is location. The location of the advertising, and the location of where the products are kept for sale. We, thus, began looking at the various shops around Yelahanka and their clientele.
2) Publicity also requires some consideration into the location. We thought of publicizing not only at the stores where they are being sold, but also on the packaging bags.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
A step forward
We finally got down to it.
What could we create using a lady's skills and resources that would be practical and profitable as a business venture? We looked into her services. She was willing to offer her painting and embroidery skills to anyone who wanted to make use of them. Putting that out to the people and publicizing her interests were only a part of the solution. We needed to think of something more innovative that would take it a step further. A lot of women have painting and stitching skills. What would make her stand out?
An idea. An innovative, unusual and novel idea.
We examined our daily lives, every moment of it, to see if a product or service needed to exist where it did not. It was extremely difficult to pinpoint such a thing. We didn't know in which direction to look. Do we look into the needs and create a product surrounding that, or are we to create a product building from the materials and skills? It was a question I grabbled with a lot in the time we spent ideating. In the end the product has to cater to the customers. It would make more sense to look into their needs and their desires while designing a product. On the other hand, the products focussed on the woman's skills would make proper use and application of them. The other products seemed to stray from the lady's abilities and resources. The other approach tried was that of the materials involved. The idea was to take the materials that she could possibly work on, list its properties & characteristics and try to build a product out of that information. This too had its problems and 'creativity-blocks' were common upon our minds.
We had initially thought about simply expanding her services to other objects than just the sari. We waded through thoughts of selling design patterns, teaching art to interested people and even simple products like unusual greeting cards, poster designs and painting on any products commissioned by customers. The USP of this system would be that she would remain open to a lot of different options for the people and would display an unusual mix of art and textiles. Being a very basic and simple strategy, we feared it would not be strong enough to achieve the desired results.
It was then that we were asked to look into technology as another option. After researching into the field of interactive textiles, we began to consider it a strong option. We came up with a couple of ideas that used LEDs, sounds, and other possible electrical interventions for art and crafts. Taking a few ideas ahead, we created sketches and iterations. Taking help from Victor, we began to realize the immense possibilities that lay before us within each idea. We recognized the most practical and decided to take it forward.
The lamp with a soft touch sensor and LEDs on its surface instead of the usual bulb inside, was the basic idea. Siting with Victor, we learnt that there was a lot more we could do with it. There were so many different sensor techniques that seemed exciting and unusual to us. We would first have to work on the LEDs. We got an extremely short and quick course on LEDs and circuits, to get us started. We worked on the circuits, getting the feel of it. We unsoldered and soldered bits together to form a circuit of LEDs and resistors. Seeing it work, we proceeded to work on the designing of the product. We went through quite a few textile books and patterns before drawing out a few patterns. We also made note along the way of techniques we thought of that might help enhance the lamp. Mirrors and sequins, for example, we hoped would reflect some of the LED light creating more brightness, while button holes would allow light to pass through the cloth itself. We made swatches of them to get a better idea of how possible and practical these techniques would be. We also created a prototype of the lamp on a small patch of cloth, hoping to see the effect of the LEDs through the fabric alongside embroidery. Apart from that, we worked on the logistics of it. We calculated the cost of the electronics, met an electrician who has the resources to do the entire soldering work, and looked into availability of materials close by. We also kept an eye on shops in the city that sell such products, for later when we would require an ally for the sale of the final product.
The other products which also incorporated technology in them were also considered and discussed. A book with an inbuilt bookmark cum reading light was one of the ideas we thought was interesting and possible enough. We worked on the basic prototype but did not go into the circuitry just yet. Knowing that it was possible to make and work was enough at that point. We also thought of other ideas based on need. We wondered about a purse and the difficulty of finding items inside in the dark. The presence of an LED inside would greatly help the situation. Yet, we had to think about how it would require the skills of Krishnavenai aunty. The closest idea possible seemed to be a cloth drawstring purse. Yet, the mechanics of it are difficult and are still in the process of being worked upon.
We also realized, keeping our client in mind, that Krishnaiveni aunty would also like products in line that did not require any technology at all. We thought about various products and again wandered down the path of wondering which path to take to arrive at an idea. Do we work keeping the material in mind, the skills in mind or needs of the final customers in mind? Although all three need to be kept in mind, it was the question of where to start from. Jumping from one process to the other hoping to see them converge somewhere seemed to get us nowhere. Despite that, we did manage to get a few products into the list. The 'binder' was one that we took forward. Creating a long band of cloth with buttons and a loop on the other end was a simple enough product, but with en-numerous uses. It can be used to keep papers intact, clothes into a bundle or to hold multiple things together. It is aesthetically beautiful, simple to make, cheap, a novel idea and uses the skills of the lady while keeping it open for her to work on it the way she prefers later.
With drawings, samples and few prototypes in place, it is easier to move forward knowing little most definitely the direction in which to head.
Brainstorming & Ideas...
Working on my new project brief, I came across the idea of working with people with time to spare. The guards, the people working in shops, and all the others who spent a part of their time idle.
Looking around me I noticed a lot of people that fit into my category. I decided to look into the warden of PPG- Krishnaveni aunty. She is confined to the building all day long. With her movements being restricted to within the PG, she had much time on her hand during the late afternoon. I began to wonder where I could take this. Addressing the need for an activity to occupy her time alongside providing her a second source of income was an interesting place to begin.
Speaking to her, we realized that her interests and talents include painting and embroidery. Often she would paint on her saris and on paper as a hobby. We tried to think how she could turn this into a business proposition. It was easy to think that we could facilitate her current activities by promoting her work, creating a wider base of demand and a wider range of products/services. Breaking out of it and looking into what else can be achieved is what we had to work on.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Thoughts behind my brief
I had an idea in mind about what I wanted to do: taking an already existing business and optimizing its system. The systems of a business or its service is sometimes neglected, I feel. Certain businesses follow a system either because of years of doing it a specific way, or by copying business models from ones around them. Not much time is spent looking into the newer ways of thing being done. This interested me. I have always believed in the fact that a designer is not one who comes up with 'pretty' looking designs, but is one who finds solutions to problems that may spread across more than one disciplines. I felt that this was an opportunity for me to work on exactly that.
Although I do not deny the fact that everyone has a designer inside them. Every businessman will look into the problems his business has and comes up with a creative solution to it. They are not designer, most are not even literate. Yet, being human, we all try to solve problems, bring order and method into everyday life. As businessmen, we all try to save more and spend less.
Despite knowing this, I felt a desire to look into the systems of a business. I wished to act as an insider and peer into what really goes on. Yet as an outsider see if I could find a solution that they as insiders could not.
There was danger in going ahead with my brief. I could have just as easily reached a dead end. I could have landed up banging my head against a wall begging for a problem that wasn't there. Four weeks could have passed by with me still running from pillar to pole wishing to design something, to do absolutely anything. Yet, my interest prevented me from letting go of the idea and moving on to something more substantial.
Then came the day of the feedback.
It threw up a lot of questions, and I am glad it did. It gave me a basis to work on. The guidelines were mentioned and what was expected was a lot more clearer. I asked myself a couple of questions as I took another look into my project.
What are the logistics..? who am I keeping in mind-- who am I designing for?
Who will carry on after I leave?
Where does innovation come in?
What is so special about what I am planning to do that makes me a 'designer'?
What other understanding or knowledge do I have that other people don't have?
What am I contributing?
Is it something that has already be done before?
Keeping these in mind I set out again, to create another brief and work on something new that would work better within the space provided by the course.
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