Anthony Lopez of Lopez Design presented the two Forum initiatives - What Design Can Do and Design First Policy
The need for design-led policies in India was established through Anthony Lopez’s presentation, which began with citing the huge scope of intervention: “29 States, 1.37 bn people, 3 trillion India nominal GDP, Purchasing Power Parity, 10 trillion economy, 5% GDP, 800 million mobile phones, 3.29M sq.area of land and 256 languages”.
The presentation aimed to bust the conventional myths of what design means and bring out its expansive nature - how it can be a valuable tool to create efficient systems and services, as well as functional products. The emphasis on process goes beyond product. Lopez spoke about how design needs to be integrated at all levels in organizations and Government departments, to transform working in silos to cross-functional approaches. Design needed to be continuously applied, and boldly instead of incrementally to make a bigger impact at the receiving end.
Lopez’s presentation made reference to the increased value generated by the UK economy through design, generating 85.2 billion (~78.4 lakh crores) pounds in gross value added (GVA) in 2016.* In Denmark a firm national design policy means 58% Danish companies use design, ensuring 74% see a positive result and 68% see increased customer satisfaction.** With data from the 2018 McKinsey global report on the ‘Business Value of Design’, one could see the measurable impact of design-led initiatives in other nations. The need for design-led policies in India was established through Anthony Lopez’s presentation, which began with citing the huge scope of intervention: “29 States, 1.37 bn people, 3 trillion India nominal GDP, Purchasing Power Parity, 10 trillion economy, 5% GDP, 800 million mobile phones, 3.29M sq.area of land and 256 languages”.
32% more revenue and 56% higher total returns
Design for India
In India, we have no similar data. Neither is the Indian business community and government aware of the benefits of employing the design process. The impact of design can best be seen if it is measurable. As design is linked to all our activities, Lopez Design’s presentation suggested mapping and identifying how design has made a difference so that its effect can be appreciated. A comparative analysis of Indian policy versus UK/EUROPE/US policy needs to be done. This is the path towards enabling all sectors - industry, healthcare and education, as well as governance - to be integrated with a national design-led policy.
The aim of this exercise would be to usher in national competitiveness helping to create long-term sustainable growth and development. We had already seen how it is easier to be convinced about the power of design to create transformation when we can measure its benefits. Lopez took up the case study of Aravind Eye Care, where innovation and human-centred design is used to create an empathetic, sustainable and efficient eye care system. An Aravind eye surgeon performs 2000 operations compared to the average of 500 per year. The system has also reduced the incidence of infection to as low as 4 per 10,000 versus 6 per 10,000.
Design intervention happens at every level - research, market, systems, spaces, product, organisational, service and value management. The assurance of design to increase the quality of life, turn around the economy, make public sector initiatives more efficient and bring value across the board is unquestionable. To a community gathered together, representing many different angles of design, Anthony Lopez emphasised the priority for design to get prime importance. He noted that this could be done by bringing together a steering committee, with representatives from every sector to take a national policy forward. Integrating design in everything we do, would lead to the empowering of India through design and innovation,
“Don’t let the urgent overshadow the important focus on scale.” – Mr. Amitabh Kant, Incredible India 2.0
* Source: Design Council UK- Design Economy 2018
** Source: Design Delivers : Denmark design center
Further reads:
Cover letter: Let’s Make History
On Saturday, the 8th of February, we had our first forum of 2020 on the special theme of DesignFirst in our Gurgaon studio . . . Read more
Dialogues over DesignFirst
The opening session brought together four panelists who represent different sectors - Social, Technology, Policy and Education - Archana Shah of Bandhej, Jatin Bhatt of Ambedkar University, Sunil Malhotra of Ideafarms and Abhimanyu Nohwar of BCG to discuss DesignFirst . . . Read more
Finding India, Making India
Mr. Amitabh Kant spoke about the need to go back to our roots and bring out design as a differentiator for India . . . Read more
Forum Post Mortem
A critique by 4 Forum participants on the Forum with an eye on how the future of India can be shaped through design, the relevance of Design First, and first steps towards its implementation . . . Read more
2020 Steps Forward
Design means different things to different practitioners. Although we all aim to look at a better quality of life and bring value, accelerate development and foster nation-building, the actual implementation in education, business, crafts or management require us to address diverse agenda . . . Read more
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