Forum No.34

30th Sep 2024

COLLABORATION | NOW

Forum-34-2

UX PIONEER | PROFESSOR | AUTHOR

Don Norman

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INDIA’S G20 SHERPA

Amitabh Kant

UX PIONEER | PROFESSOR | AUTHOR

Don Norman

Professor Don Norman is 88. He tours the globe, addressing students, serving on boards, helping shape design curriculums; it’s humbling. With his characteristic thoughtfulness, Norman took the audience through the real essence of design: problem-solving. Pretty products are art, he said, while design is a way of thinking. He urged the assembled crowd not to get distracted by mere aesthetics. Design, he said, should diagnose the root causes of problems. Craft bespoke solutions that address root causes, not symptoms.

Norman highlighted two distinct areas where design operates: products for the masses and solutions for societal challenges. The former involves standardization, requiring adjustments to local cultures and regulations—he used automobiles as an example, noting how driving customs affect the design of cars in different countries. The latter, though, is a much more nuanced process. When designing for societal needs, one must first understand people’s problems and needs intimately, and only then create solutions that truly fit.

In his final remarks, Norman delivered what might be the most critical point of the evening: Design is care. It’s about empathy for human beings and the environment. If we truly care about the future, sustainability must be at the heart of every design decision.

Written by Gerleo Nimalan

INDIA’S G20 SHERPA

Amitabh Kant

Amitabh Kant’s contribution provided a practical grounding to Norman’s intellectual framework. He presented facts that painted a stark picture of India’s future: 500 million more people will become urbanized in the next 50 years, and India aims for a GDP of $30 trillion by 2047. Urbanization at this scale cannot be left to chance. India must avoid the mistakes of other rapidly urbanizing nations and adopt citizen-centric design—cities for people, not cars. Walkability, cycling, public transport, and sustainable urban infrastructure should be the cornerstone of future city planning.

Kant moved seamlessly into one of the hottest topics of our time: sustainability. With 2023 marked as the hottest year on record, the urgency for sustainable design was evident. Cities, he emphasized, should prioritize long-term solutions for solid waste, sewage disposal, and eco-friendly habitats.

But Kant didn’t stop at urban infrastructure. He took the opportunity to celebrate India’s strides in digital public infrastructure, such as Aadhaar, which has enabled 550 million bank accounts, and innovations in sectors like insurance and stock brokerage—Zerodha being a notable example. Design, he argued, has already played a role in these successes, but the next frontier is education and healthcare. Kant stressed the importance of designing for India’s young population—the average age is 29—and cited NITI Aayog’s Atal Tinkering Labs as a step in the right direction, with 10,000 labs set up to teach children through hands-on learning with AI and 3D printing. 

Kant offered several examples of how India has successfully scaled up design solutions, from reducing the cost of LED bulbs by 85% to expanding electric buses across seven cities. For him, the takeaway was clear: set the right standards, and mass production will follow.

Written by Gerleo Nimalan

 

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