It’s not a very happening sa trip. It’s just flights, autos, hotels, office and food. I am not used to this much exposure to air-conditioned environments. It’s a warm place, which is something i don’t like. I like cold winters; i miss them in Chennai. Autowallahs  are same as in Pune; they refuse to use meters to charge fare, add the fact that they don’t know Hindi and only way left to communicate is through hand gestures and some weird sort of English. Hand gestures are more effective.

The whole trip has a subtle feeling to it; the way Harper Lee has written To Kill a Mockingbird. I wish i have the wisdom and patience of Atticus when i have kids. The whole piece of writing reflects Scout’s innocence and maturity at the same time. Beautiful.

I have picked up another book now; The Dragons of Eden by Carl Sagan. More Chennai trips, more reading.

This is to the crazy ones [i know its old, but what the hell ]

trust your heart
fly away today you
walk away
till you find a place

then shine
till that passing darkness
eats the fruit of life.

The Fluid Nature of Design
The very nature of design, seems fluid. Reason being, the near-universal applicability of the ‘values’ design nurtures. What these values are, is another discussion altogether. It is these values that lets us apply design to problems of varied nature and still leaves us discussing so as to what design is. This is interesting so as to what it suggests “design exists in conjunction”. This property is one of the greatest factor for the apparent conflicts when people( not necessarily designers) exchange their views on design.

Personally, the definition of Design constantly keeps evolving for a designer. As he learns through experience, the designer tends to either simplify or complicate it, believing that one day he  can capture this world in one single sentence. For me it has evolved from

a problem solving process

to

an aimed synthesis, which pays heed to the nature of concept in question

Design process initiates whenever a question arises [call it a need or mere curiosity], followed by the understanding of how a designer can intervene. The latter part is what, we as designers need to know. Our intervention is limited to the mediums and tools we choose to employ. This is what makes design a field like many others.

So is design just solving a problem? or finding answer to a question? Is it only about finding 1+1=2?

It’s  not only about getting that “2″, but to see where and how it fits. A solution has to be transformed into a “design solution”. At times, a design solution is the presented solution; at times, it is supposed to fit in between a bigger structure and is not the final outcome itself.

Duality
The word “design” is used in the context of the process and the output both. Design is the output(noun), which is designed(verb - the process). To get design as an outcome, an understanding of design as a process is required; i.e., to get design as a solution, design as an act is a necessity.

To approach a Design, there can be numerous ways. To be able to design a solution in a multitude of non-overlapping domains, requires an arsenal of possible ways to approach the same. Generally, no one approach gives a complete picture of how the complete solution will come out to be. There has to be a mix and match in varying proportion, suiting the need of the hour.

This, primarily, is an archive of what i have experienced, learnt and explored about design, when i was at Department of Design (DoD), IIT Guwahati.

The key lies, not always in finding answers, but to ask the right question. Path ahead is a journey, seldom blight.

The first thing that design has taught me is to observe; how things/systems function, how they interact; my own version of that being stripping something down to its bare basic minimum form, purely as an act of better understanding.

2nd thing we learnt was to think; not just sitting and staring at the blank space but also to think by using our hands.

These two things tend to remain etched in watever we try to do.

Design is about an act of creation. The output we tend to produce falls in certain categories; these categories being the design discplines. Product design, interaction design, communication design, system design are some of the discplines you come in direct contact with.
The 4 year course consists of the first year being common with the whole batch. Sadly no course pertaining to design is directly taught. But some of the engg. courses do prove helpful in the long run.
Rest 3 years as we saw were three phases; the first being an introduction, followed by exploration and finally the last year is more inclined towards application of the same.

As from what we experienced, there were 2 approaches that were dominantly followed; one being the, culmination of a know how of multiple disciplines; which yields a better understanding of the “whole picture”; while the second approach sought sticking to one discpline and going deeper in it.

Softwares were mere tools, too overwhelming at times. They are means to achieve a design, and not the design itself. The end product of any process has to come from the designer and not the tool.

The greatest strength are peers and peers alone. Disussions always prove fruitful, even if they seem to go against you. Majority of our understanding comes from our sharing of thoughts and work. Feedback is certainly the most important part of design, atleast for the years spend in academia. Obviously this one thing demands keeping insecurities and egos aside, for good.

Lastly, for me it has been a prerequisite to enjoy what i am doing. This though proves to be a weakness at times, is the thing that keeps us attached to our work and peers.

The friends you make in first year, will always have a different place; whichever dept. they belong to. Stick to them.

Refrain from making stereotypes; the so called wanna-be could turn to be one of the person you may tend to respect the most.

Do not underestimate the productivity of bakar sessions. They are far more effective than the lectures we attend. Most of my learning comes from chai sessions at khokha in my 2nd year .

Never be afraid to try something at your whims. At-most, you will fail. There is nothing to lose.

A group’s strength derives not from the amount of similarities you have, rather from the fact that you know the differences clearly and come at terms to respect them.

Being a surd helps.

If you are feeling low, trying making someone else happy. you’ll see!!

If possible, fall in love, have a crush; atleast once, tell your best mate. The conversations are a  sure feast. Above all, tell the One.

Have something to work upon. Make sure you enjoy it. Discover your passion, discover yourself. Stop worrying about jobs and utilize this last chance to find your own path or atleast Try.

Take a random walk with friends, leave social networking aside for some time. Stare at that full moon, try to find a mug of coffee in it.

Play cricket in your lobby, sing old hindi songs on roads, be crazy. You have an option to be. Maybe the last.

Meet people, talk to them, converse, above all respect them. Become friends to your juniors; some of the best moments that you will have here will come from their side.

Hate something? Have guts to try and change it. Even if you failed, you did try.

Talk to professors, not all fit into the frustrated psychopath stereotype.

Be part of things, for you have a chance to do that. Being a silent viewer can wait maybe till you are 40.

Make your friend’s birthdays special. Give them a treat. You will give them what no one else did.

Have stage fear? Go on stage once. I promise it won’t be your last time in 4 years.

Lastly, let yourself free, do what you feel like. Listen to what people say, but don’t let them run your life. What most of the people say here, is seldom from their experience and even if it is, it’s your turn to try. Nothing is impossible.

Yes, a clumsy ninja we all are when we enter this place. I have chosen to leave as  the same clumsy ninja who came to this place.