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WeaveDesign thinking meets circular economy
                                                                                              02
                                                                                       November
                                                                                      2020 Edition

DESIGN
Every great design begins with
an even better story.

BUSINESS
There’s no shortage of remarkable
ideas, what’s missing is the will to
execute them.

CIRCULAR
In nature nothing is
created and nothing is
destroyed but everything
is tranformed.

                                                                           SUSTAINABLE
                                                               Nature holds the key to our aesthetic,
                                                                    intellectual, cognitive and even
                                                                                spiritual satisfaction.

                                                                                ECONOMY
                                                                      Globalization, arguably, is the
                                                                    best thing to have happened to
                                                                                       modern-day.

CREATIVE CORPORATIONS
AND CONSCIOUS DESIGN

                                         AVANTIKA UNIVERSITY
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From the Editor
                                                  In a world of metamorphic             success story of QuickHeal, and
                                                  challenges, from depleting            Tal Catran bringing in a fresh
                                                  resources to new age consumer         perspective, from Tel Aviv, on
                                                  problems, it takes a designeer to     Designeering.
                                                  awaken and formulate conscious
                                                  solutions to power enterprises        Parallelly this publication also
                                                  that dare to be creative.             encompasses awe-inspiring
                                                                                        leaders expressing their thoughts
                                                  Design thinking companies today       on design, culture, innovation
                                                  have consistently outperformed.       and its impact on the Indian
                                                  Focusing on collaboration,            continent.
                                                  co-creation, empathy, design
                                                  thinking, and conscious               WEAVE also spotlights new talents
                                                  approach are a natural fit. At        and challenges the latest trends.
Ishan Nakate                                      the same time, companies are          Pranay Patwardhan’s personal
                                                  approaching the challenges of         account takes us into the mind
   @nustaesthetics                                the world with a new creative         of a young creative director at
                                                  direction.                            Animal, while the Co-founders of
Since the beginning of this universe, life                                              Xeno Co-lab, Swar Raisinghani,
systems have caused materials to flow             The students of Avantika              and Nikhita Ghugari, introduce
infinitely in a circle, the coverpage draws       University bring you the second       us to Circular Design and how to
inspiration from the same. Circular design is     issue of WEAVE showcasing the         implement it.
designing of a cycle in which resources are       best design, technology, business
continuously cycled in various forms, following   and most importantly a blended        I invite you to delve into
a reuse and recycle loop. These resources         approach of the three. We have        our second issue, Creative
therefore do not go to waste. Waste indeed is
                                                  an illustrious line-up of brilliant   Corporations and Conscious.
waste if you call it that – because one man’s
                                                  minds, including Kailash Katkar       Design.
trash is another man’s treasure.
                                                  talking about the incredible

Reach out to us on theweavemagazine@gmail.com
                                                                                                                    Miral Zafar
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27   How To : Tal Catran
Table Of                                                        (Accelerators Guru, International Keynote Speaker, Professional Moderator
                                                                and Startup Ecosystems Builder)
                                                                Go Hybrid Go Designeer

Contents                                                   31   Thought Leadership : Disha Kaushal
                                                                (Design Thinking Consultant and Educator)
                                                                Designer Mom Under House Arrest

 05   Thought Leadership : Ankur Sardana                   35   Inspiration : Anjan Biswas
      (Head of Design, OLX Group)
                                                                (India Innovation lead, Amdocs)
      The Curious Case of Business v/s User Goals
                                                                A Culture of Innovation

 09   Feature Article : Kailash Katkar                     39   Thought Leadership : Siddharth Ganguly
      (Founder and CEO Quickheal)
                                                                (Co-founder and Principal Creative at Uriel Design)
      Customer-oriented Innovation and Quickheal
                                                                Nurturing the Profession of Design in India

 13   How To : Swar Raisinghani and                        43   Infographic : Bridging the Gap
      Nikhita Ghugari                                           Bridging the Gap between Industry and Academia
      (Co-founders of Xeno Co-Lab)
      The Future is Circular                               45   Young Achiever : Soham Mohanty
                                                                (4th Year Industrial Design Student at Avantika University)
 17   Comic Strip : Tanvi Dev
      Things to do while Photoshop grills your laptop      47   Thought Leadership : Julian Thadathil
                                                                (Chief Operating Officer, JTBrandlabs)
 19   Case Study : Vishal Kapoor                                Democratizing Designeering
      (Chief Design Officer (Group), Future Group India)
      Design and Culture                                   51   Campus Talent
                                                                Celebrating budding designers
 23   Infocus: Pranay Patwardhan
      (Creative Director, Animal)                          53   Team Weave & Special Thanks
      Frames per Second, Changing Every Second                  The people who brought this issue to life

                                                                                                              Avantika University | November 2020
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@theweavemagazine

 Thought Leadership

                                                                                                  The Curious Case of
                                                                                                  Business v/s User Goals
                                                                                                  If a company identifies        1. Lead and Evangelize,       2. Support and Wait, where
                                                                                                  that the gap between           where user goals are          business goals are primary
                                                                                                  their business goals and       primary                       fuel for survival
                                                                                                  their users’ expectations is   “User-centered thinking       “We are a startup; we need
                                                                                                  always widening, it needs      is not just for the design    to show growth.”
                                                                                                  to rethink their business      team”
                                                                                                  strategy. Ideally, if the                                  Agreed, especially if the
                                                                                                  company provides an            This is the best place a    company is bootstrapped.
                                                                                                  experience that its users      designer can be. This       Investors are salivating
                                                                                                  need and appreciate, they      is an organization that     over proven models
                                                                                                  will pay for it, and that is   believes in forming long    and growth metrics like
                                                                                                  the best way to achieve        term relationships with     DAUs (Daily Active Users)
                                                                                                  business growth. Netflix is    their users rather than     and MAUs (Monthly Active
                                                                                                  an excellent example of        short term gains. Designers Users). This does restrain
                                                                                                  this. No one would have        should look at making the   the startups from focusing
                                                                                                  thought people would           new product deployment      only on user goals.
                                                                                                  pay for content, but Netflix   design by being inclusive.  Designers at this stage
                                                                                                  stuck to its commitment                                    need to be nimble and
                                                                                                  towards content. They          Looking at co-creation with still keep refocusing the
                                                                                                  never tried cutting corners    business, product and tech founders. Hopefully, when
                                                                                                  by introducing advertising     teams, designers should     the money finally comes
                                                                                                  or low-quality streaming.      show how (User-centred      in everyone is ready to
                                                                                                  And we are happy to pay        Design) UCD could be        change the focus more
Ankur Sardana                                                                                     them. No wonder their          part of the new product     towards users.
Head of Design, OLX Group                                                                         yearly revenue is $6.44        development process.
                                                                                                  billion. Not all companies
                                                                                                  have the DNA and deep
He is a design leader, startup mentor and improv coach.                                           pockets to sustain user                                       “If a company identifies
He has had an opportunity to work with some of the best                                           centric thinking at all                                         that the gap between
companies across the globe, including Honeywell, Philips,
Samsung, Zomato and Amazon.
                                                                                                  times Here, are a few                                        their business goals and
                                                                                                  different approaches we                                      their users’ expectations
                                                                                                  could take as designers
LinkedIn: Ankur Sardana
                                                                                                  in different situations (in
                                                                                                                                                                 is always widening, it
                                                                                                  software product/services                                      needs to rethink their
                                                                                                  organizations)                                                   business strategy.”

                                                            Avantika University | November 2020                                                                                        06
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3. Negotiate and Push,         4. Pushback and Correct,
where Business and User        where Business is blind
Goals conflict                 sighted with growth focus
“We cannot always look at      “Sometimes it is fine to hide
user’s convenience.”           what’s not needed; users
                               won’t get to know.”
This is where most
designers might find           There is a fine line between
themselves. Data and           an experience which
user testing are the best      nudges the users to try
ways to move forward in        new options provided
this scenario. Designers       by the business, and when
must use data through A/B      the patterns become dark.
testing to prove their point
or push for user testing       We have seen UX where                                          “Ideally, if the company
through prototyping where      CTAs (Call to Actions) are
testing is not possible
and then speak about
                               provided to confuse and
                               get more clicks or when
                                                                                              provides an experience
how users have voted for/
against something till your
                               extra money is added to
                               the bill at checkout. Here is
                                                                                               that its users need and
voice is heard.                when we need to put our
                               foot on the ground and                                        appreciate, they will pay
Furthermore, when you          keep up to the ethics of
cannot stop something
irritating for the user, try
                               UCD. At Amazon, whenever
                               there is a conflict between
                                                                                             for it, and that is the best
softening the blow. Fake
Door testing is something
                               UX and PM / Business
                               folks / Tech, the tenet of
                                                                                              way to achieve business
like that. It is done usually  ‘Customer Obsession’ is
to see if the users want this invoked. It is not surprising                                            growth.”
feature (without building      that the evaluation of
that feature). Say, the user Amazon recently hit
clicks on a link - ‘Press here $1.6 trillion.
to download the PDF of this
form’, and nothing really
happens, maybe a pop-up
‘We don’t have it available,                                     “Design can definitely
will let you know soon’. Why                                     play an important role
not change the text to -                                        to maintain balance, but
‘Download a PDF when it’s                                           when it comes to
available’? Always better                                      a face-off, we are with the
to be transparent.
                                                                 users and so should be
                                                                           you.”

07                                                                                                               Avantika University | November 2020
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   Feature Article                                                                             1. Starting from scratch     2. What has been an           of shareholders in the
                                                                                               in a competitive industry    inspiration for you to grow   business was a whole
                                                                                               segment, the challenges      the company having it         new experience with
                                                                                               you faced must have          still transforming with       more accountability and
                                                                                               been paramount. How did      the industry’s times and      convincing.
                                                                                               you find the strength to     demands?
                                                                                               persist on the journey of                                  3. Where does design
                                                                                               Quickheal?                    My main objective is to      thinking principles
                                                                                                                             keep my customers happy, (problem-solution based
                                                                                               QuickHeal truly sprouted      this way I draw inspiration  approach) come in?
                                                                                               from a pure passion           from them, and the
                                                                                               for solving consumer          technical problems they      Problems are imperative,
                                                                                               problems. Unaware of the      face, itself. Always finding they bring challenges and
                                  Kailash Katkar
                                                                                               terminologies or the details ways to help society with     ultimately give you life.
                                  Founder and CEO Quickheal                                    of running a business at      my skills and if it demands, Let me tell you how
                                                                                               the beginning, my brother     learn some new ones too.     scaling up has worked
                                                                                               and I collaborated in an                                   QuickHeal, we think from 10
                                                                                               attempt to fill this gap in   Parallelly, there is a       consumers how to enable
                                                                                               the established software/     constant analysis into       100 then 1000 and more to
                                                                                               virus protection softwares. where the market and the now tending to consumer
                                                                                               In 1994-95 my brother         digital world is moving,     demands from around the

Customer-oriented                                                                              Sanjay developed the first
                                                                                               antivirus tool which was
                                                                                                                             to  anticipate  future
                                                                                                                             challenges concerning
                                                                                                                                                          world.

                                                                                               received very well by our     cybercrime with trial and    Customer satisfaction is
Innovation and QuickHeal                                                                       consumers. Still, we never
                                                                                               intended on achieving
                                                                                                                             error.                       where the focus should be,
                                                                                                                                                          success and ROI comes
                                                                                               any major monetary gains Everyone is unique and            automatically.
Humble beginnings, with simply a thirst for knowledge                                          from it.I have experienced    there is always something
and a drive to solve consumer problems, is the genesis                                         failure too, and the trick is to learn from everyone. It   Nevertheless, this has
of the QuickHeal empire. In conversation with the                                              making the right decision     is key to do so because      become particularly
founder, Mr. Kailash Katkar, he starts by admitting, “I am                                     at the right time. One        people from their            difficult because, now
not from a business background.”                                                               must not get stuck and        experience     can educate   there is a new generation
Kailash Katkar started by repairing calculators, and as                                        be bogged down by an          you on dealing with new      of consumers sprouting
the consumer demands changed with the emergence                                                unsuccessful venture.         challenges as the business every 3 years itself,
of computers, he identified that is where the need would                                       Being able to let go and      grows.                       challenging previous
be and taught himself to repair computers. His focus                                           move on is essential to                                    generations’ beliefs and
has always been, even now, entirely customer-oriented.                                         enable innovation.            We wanted to make sure       systems.
                                                                                                                             QuickHeal was not driven
“Problems are imperative, they bring challenges and                                                                          by family, and instead, be   It is essential to keep
ultimately give you life.”                                                                                                   an institutional business.   changing, moving, and
                                                                                                                                                          sensing areas that may
LinkedIn: Kailash Katkar                                                                                                     Therefore it was public      need QuickHeal solutions,
Website: QuickHeal                                                                                                           listed so that it could      to keep ourselves on top of
                                                                                                                             run somewhat on              things.
                                                                                                                             autopilot. The inclusion

                                                         Avantika University | November 2020                                                                                        10
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We encourage investing in    promptly.
                             relationships and genuine
    “We aim to provide       emotional connection         We also have a
   zero-day attack, with     with our partners and        behavioral-based
                             customers. Moreover,         protection approach.
   the incorporation of      we always think Win-Win      Here if QuickHeal finds
 machine learning and AI     where both parties, the      suspicious activity in your
 the process is super fast   partner and us should be     device, it immediately
          now.”              able to generate revenue.    quarantines and sends a
                                                          message to our security
                             5. How do you keep the       research labs to decipher.
                             innovation culture going,    This lab comes under
                             especially creating          our R&D department
4. Could you share the       solutions to the ever-
                             evolving cybersecurity
                                                          that also houses our
                                                          solution function, product
                                                                                        “Machines especially those
‘QuickHeal Culture’ and
how you implement it in
your workforce?
                             threat?                      development, cloud, and
                                                          networking teams all          not functioning always get
                                                                                         me inquisitive, and I find
                              Innovation runs the         collaborating to keep the
                              business, we cannot         innovation alive.
Culture comes from
                              expect yesterday’s
values and integrity, with
                              products to solve today’s   - Written by Miral Zafar
a large workforce, this can
be set by putting proper
                              problems. It takes
                              continuous creativity and
                                                                                        unlearning as a process of
processes and policies in
place. We have two key
aspects of our culture here.
                              problem solving to combat
                              new viruses with solutions
                                                                                         re-learning, so naturally,
                              to new systems and data
Firstly we, as an
                              privacy. Our work does not
                              stop at just the solution,
                                                                                         I have a tendency to keep
organization, believe that
quality speaks for itself and
customer satisfaction.
                              we have teams that are
                              responsible for digging                                           upskilling.”
                              deeper into the source and
Thereby there is no need
                              cause of the attack such
to mislead or initiate
                              that it can be eradicated
comparison with the
                              at detection itself.
competition to attract
consumers, always best to
                              We aim to provide zero
be transparent and frank
                              day attack, with the
for true consumer loyalty.
                              incorporation of machine
                              learning and AI the process
The second aspect is that
                              is super fast now. Once
we stay grounded to our
                              a solution is formulated,
roots and true selves. My
                              it can efficiently be
team will always reflect
                              tested over a multitude
an aura of simplicity and
                              of operating systems
humility.
                              and reach consumers

11                                                                                                        Avantika University | November 2020
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  How To

                                                                                               The Future is Circular
                                                                                               There is a growing             unlocks profitable business      share some actionable
                                                                                               urgency to combat the          channels. Predictions            steps to help companies
                                                                                               highly flawed current          show that economic               build a regenerative model
                                                                                               economic linear model          opportunities related to         through design —
                                                                                               of take
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Design for Extended             Human-Centered Circular         Leveraging Technology for
Lifecycle                       Design                          Circular Practices
Principle of modularity         Design circular design
to reuse, replace and           solutions that are relevant     Advancement in
refurbish to increase the       to the user’s needs             technology has
product/service lifecycle                                       led to paramount
                                Consumers today do              opportunities, it should
Modularity can be               pay more for sustainable        be used intentionally and
reflected through               products, but if the            purposefully. Instead of
hardware and software.          solution does not fit           digital transformation
Extending product               into their lifestyle and        being the end-goal, think
lifecycles needs to be          is not as convenient as         of why and how you
systematically designed         its alternative, then that      may use it in the process
& implemented. It is the        switch to circular choices      to serve real needs, to         “Designers need to work with
companies that need             is very difficult. Tom Szaky,   accelerate the transition to
to build the necessary
infrastructure and means
                                the CEO and founder of
                                TerraCycle, tackles the
                                                                a circular economy.             the early adopters of circular
to facilitate desirable
actions from users and
                                challenges of consumer
                                behavior change by
                                                                As it will take time
                                                                for all companies to
                                                                                                design solutions to help them
implement them across           addressing the question         truly understand and
value chains. Ultimately        ‘Why did disposability          begin to operate in a            shift, reducing the negative
the responsibility and          win?’ — why do consumers        circular model, it is the
ownership of the product
lifecycle lie with the
                                choose it over other
                                environmental-friendly
                                                                designers who need
                                                                to lead this transition.
                                                                                               outcomes of a linear model, and
companies and not the
user.
                                alternatives? How can we
                                create a model that is as
                                                                Service designers do
                                                                have the power and the
                                                                                               demonstrate the impact for the
                                convenient and cheap?           tools to design circular
Conscious Choices                                               solutions and create an                   followers. ”
Making mindful and              We need to design a             ecosystem for a company
intentional choices of          model that is aligned with      by solving organizational
materials and resources         consumers’ lifestyles and       challenges and facilitating
across the supply chain         motivations. By building        collaboration across silos
                                an understanding of this        to design truly innovative
It is important to reflect on   through research, we            solutions that have
the choice of material or       create an experience            a positive impact on
resources required during       that adds value over their      humanity, the environment,
the design process itself,      current experience and is       and the economy.
not any later. Smarter and      easier for users to adopt.
creative decisions need                                         To dive deeper here is a
to be made across the                                           link to the full article:
supply chain to ensure                                          ‘The Future is Circular’
that it is more efficient
and reduces negative
impact compared to the
conventional value chain.

15                                                                                                                 Avantika University | November 2020
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COMIC STRIP
“Things to do while Photoshop grills your laptop”

                                                While Photoshop is a God-blessed tool, we all have
                                                  experienced it 'overheating' our devices, here's an
                                         exaggertion of things we can all do while it turns the device
                                                   into a heated pan. May all devices rest in peace.

                                                                                      - Tanvi Dev

                                                                            Website: Tanvi Dev

                                                                                                         Avantika University | November 2020
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 Case Study

                                                                                                                               Design and Culture
                                                                                                                               Culture — a derivation         word culture, both in the
                                                                                                                               of the Latin word              organizations’ performing
                                                                                                                               ‘colere’ signifies growth      markets and within internal
                                                                                                                               and change. It is an           systems, would need to be
                                                                                                                               amalgamation of wisdom,        aligned seamlessly. This
                                                                                                                               knowledge, art, and beliefs.   alignment of context is my
                                                                                                                               These rituals eventually       notion of Culture Design.
                                                                                                                               become our way of life,        Ultimately design designs
                                                                                                                               making us a part of a          culture.
                                                                                                                               larger group we call
                                                                                                                               communities. Each of           Design coming full circle
                                                                                                                               these rituals has a certain
                                                                                                                               way of thought, planning,      Design generates a
                                                                                                                               and execution with a           repetitive reaction that
                                                                                                                               purpose.                       can be coded as behavior.
                                                                                                                                                              These behaviors then
                                                                                                                               Likewise, an organization      shape our collective
                                                                                                                               is a social unit of people     experiences through
                                                                                                                               designed and managed           culture. We all agree that
                                                                                                                               to meet a need or pursue       design is omnipresent: in
                                                                                                                               collective goals. This         the products we consume,
                                                                                                                               group of people coming         the space we live in,
                                                                                                                               together for a common          our mobility. Everything
                                                                                                                               goal from different            is designed such that
                                                                                                                               backgrounds would need         outcomes influence
                                                                                                                               to be integrated towards       our habits, which in turn
Vishal Kapoor                                                                                                                  a common notion. This          influence our behavior, our
Chief Design Officer (Group),                                                                                                  harmonious gravitation         behavior becomes our
Future Group India                                                                                  “ The design attitude is   towards growth is what         way of life and becomes
                                                                                                    more attuned to striking   I would call Designed          our cultural showcase.
                                                                                                                               Systems.                       Thus design comes a full
                                                                                                      an emotional chord
He has been associated with retail design space for over two                                                                                                  circle.
decades of experience with Future Group & Shoppers Stop,                                            with its outcome while     Organizations can differ
leading retail business companies, India. He is a firm believer                                     being collaborative and    in terms of some being
in the role of integrating creative and analytical thinking for                                     visual in the process of   chaotic, while most striving
sustainable organizational growth.                                                                     transformation.”        for military-like precision.
                                                                                                                               Each of them is better
LinkedIn: Vishal Kapoor                                                                                                        suited to its context. In
                                                                                                                               this context is where the
                                                              Avantika University | November 2020                                                                                      20
Design in everyday life &                                     a specific problem or
cultural outcome viz;                                         exploring possible future
                                “ Everything is designed      problems. A designer’s
As an example of design            such that outcomes         capability to think with
coming a full circle,             influence our habits,       hands brings in a sense of
the advent of push-                                           action while thinking, and
button mobile phones
                                which in turn influence
                                                              thereby a lot of honesty
to today’s smartphones              our behavior, our         and transparency in the
has tethered us to a new         behavior becomes our         process. Design thinking
kind of obsession; literally    way of life and ultimately    is a value-add while
stimulating our physical         our cultural showcase.       approaching with a with
and psychological               Thus design comes a full      a solution-driven mindset,
sensibilities, creating a new                                 by envisioning new ‘what if’
                                          circle.”
way of our reaction to the                                    scenarios.
environment around us.
This is the power of design                                   Finally, the ‘design mind’
created culture, which                                        naturally works towards
will mutate into a new          What is with Design           resolution with empathy,
design need! Separate           Attitude?                     rather than increased
lanes for mobile users on
pathways in China or an         The role of designers
                                                              environmental tension.
                                                              I believe the design
                                                                                               “Ultimately design
integrated traffic signal on    lies majorly in the skill     attitude is more holistically
the footpath on a street        periphery of organizational   receptive to ‘pro-sumers,’        designs culture.”
crossing in Netherlands         needs that evolve into        in our ever growing
to avoid accidents of           the thinking and strategic    collaborative economy
immersed mobile users           platforms. Here design        where consumers
are extended design             can become very potent,       now directly influence
examples.                       naturally getting fluidity    producers.
                                and comfort with chaos,
In today’s markets, the         not compromising on           With the economy
speed of this cyclic            user-centricity.              changing from industrial,
movement of creation,                                         to the service-driven
operation, and destruction      The design attitude is        experience economy,
has been most rapid. With       more attuned to striking      where a product is
the advent of technology        an emotional chord            hygiene, design attitude
and empowered                   with its outcome while        would be looked upon as a
consumers, the power            being collaborative and       key trait. This will be in the
equation has shifted            visual in the process         form of creative leadership
towards the consumer.           of transformation. This       that balances the left and
The traditional models          works psychologically,        right brain as necessary
of organization design,         in a fragmented yet           for growth.
processes, and behavior         interconnected formation,
are all getting refreshed       and links various dots
to stay contextual to the       of diverse constituent
changing consumer.              disciplines while solving

21                                                                                                           Avantika University | November 2020
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Infocus Article

                                                                                                                       Frames per Second,
                                                                                                                       Changing Every Second
                                                                                                                       The music swells up as two   worldview, and with all the
                                                                                                                       Shikara boats drift apart,   things we watch and how
                                                                                                                       slowly floating away from    we perceive them. SWAT
                                                                                                                       the camera towards the       Kats episodes over
                                                                                                                       sunset. An ornate THE END    childhood summers.
                                                                                                                       slate appears, much to my    The ridiculously catchy

            “What we create as                                                                                         confusion. I am at the
                                                                                                                       ripe old age of seven,
                                                                                                                                                    opening melody of Take
                                                                                                                                                    on Me. Political debates at
                                                                                                                       peeking in to see the        dinner tables. Sore thumbs
           artists is a perpetual                                                                                      end sequence of a 1960s
                                                                                                                       classic my parents are
                                                                                                                                                    from an all-time Tetris high
                                                                                                                                                    score. Witnessing a Sachin
                                                                                                                       watching on our bulky TV.    cover drive for the first
            evolution, shifting                                                                                        I gaze in complete denial
                                                                                                                       that the movie has ended.
                                                                                                                                                    time.

            with our changing                                                                                          What was all this
                                                                                                                                                    Everything that we see and
                                                                                                                                                    interact with, consciously
                                                                                                                       despair? The longing, the    or subconsciously, shapes
                worldview.”                                                                                            heartbreak? Where was
                                                                                                                       the perfect ending with
                                                                                                                                                    our curiosity, broadens
                                                                                                                                                    our horizons, and makes
                                                                                                                       the two protagonists         us truly unique observers.
                                                                                                                       embracing and dancing to That’s the whole reason
                                                                                                                       peppy music? A long time     nostalgia exists. We emote
         By Pranay Patwardhan                                                                                          before I had heard of film   differently to the same
         Creative Director, Animal                                                                                     noir or the hero’s journey,  things at different times
                                                                                                                       or felt melancholy; my       in our lives. The more we
                                                                                                 “Everything that      perception of the            see and feel, the more we
         He is an acclaimed Illustrator and Animation Filmmaker. He
         is also the Director on the Alumni Advisory Board for NFFTY. In
                                                                                               we see and interact     film—and the world by        fall in love with the poetry
         the past, he has worked with Tata Elxsi, Green forest animation                       with, consciously or    extension—was absolute.      around us.
                                                                                                                       Black and white. The
         & founded his startup in direction and animation for music                          subconsciously, shapes
                                                                                                                       nuance, the intricacies, the I’d like to take you through
         videos & visualization.                                                             our curiosity, broadens   faults, the appreciation, it some of my most beloved
                                                                                                our horizons, and      all came eventually.         animation memories.
         LinkedIn: Pranay Patwardhan
         Website: PataPanda
                                                                                              makes us truly unique                                 Long-form, short films,
         Instagram: OinkOink                                                                       observers.”         What we create as artists    commercials, indie
                                                                                                                       is a perpetual evolution,    projects, and everything in
                                                                                                                       shifting with our changing   between. Be warned, we

                                                       Avantika University | November 2020                                                                                    24
On a lighter note, who can    Yet another ode to the        influences into one fluid
                                                                                            forget the quirky Simpu       painstaking tenacity and      form of storytelling. Not
                                                                                            on Channel V, or even the     dedication of the craft is    just reserved for children’s
                                                                                            catchy ‘Amaron Lasts Long,    stop-motion animation. A      cartoons, this medium
                                                                                            Really Long’ jingle with the  subgenre in itself with its   captivates, inspires, and
                                                                                            retelling of the rabbit and   countless iterations, from    surprises even the most
                                                                                            tortoise fable?               the DIY ‘Lego shorts’ all     jaded of us. From discrete
                                                                                                                          over YouTube, all the way     phone notifications to
                                                                                            Moving into the bizarre       to long-form epics like       flashy sci-fi visual effects, it
                                                                                            realm, these next few         Wes Anderson’s Isle of        surrounds us all.
                                                                                            aren’t for the faint-hearted. Dogs (2018) and Laika’s
                                                                                            The shock of first coming     ParaNorman (2012).
                                                                                            across Don Hertzfeldt’s
                                                                                            crude yet influential gory    Finally, a special shoutout
                                                                                                                                                         “To get briefly profound
                                                                                            stick figures. The suspense to a modern-day classic         for a moment, animation
                                                                                            of Bambi Meets Godzilla       in Spider-Man: Into the          is your brain making
                                                                                            (1969). The trippy wizardry   Spider-Verse (2018).            up an imaginary visual
                                                                                            of Cyraik and his ever-       Dazzling in its beauty,       between two consequent
                                                                                            looping worlds (that even     stirring in its soul.         static images to complete
                                                                                            McDonald’s plagiarized
                                                                                                                                                         the story, and that must
                                                                                            in a commercial). These       Animation and film-making
                                                                                            were all rebellious game      is a way for me to merge       have a larger meaning.”
                                                                                            changers.                     my myriad passions and
are only scratching the       Inevitably, Hayao Miyazaki   Closer to home, India’s
surface here, but I do hope   is next. The master          animation boom began
that it is the beginning of   storyteller brings alive     in the early 2000s, and
your personal journey into    enchanting worlds            mythological sagas
this mesmerizing rabbit       almost too beautiful to      proved a popular theme
hole.                         imagine. Even in these       with the industry. But one
                              mystic realms, his stories   of the most strikingly
Let’s begin with the obvious never shy away from           well-made renditions of
ones. Chances are these       intense themes like          a mythological story had
are the ones you’re already environmentalism and           come and gone more than
thinking of—the dazzling,     war examined through         a decade prior. This was
free-flowing, hand-drawn      the very real lens of        the Japanese-produced
Disney classics. The magic human emotion. Coupled          Ramayana: The Legend
of the carpet ride in         with unique pacing and       of Prince Rama (1992), a
Aladdin (1992); the horror of dynamic characters,          sublime blend of anime
the stampede in The Lion      this is a radically unique   and the Indian aesthetic.
King (1994); the musically    approach to the medium.      Years later, Nina Paley’s Sita
genius adventures of The      Recommended watching:        Sings the Blues (2008) was
Jungle Book (1967). These     Spirited Away (2001), My     a more contemporary and
spectacles transcend          Neighbor Totoro (1988),      comedic approach.
generations.                  Howl’s Moving Castle
                              (2004).

25                                                                                                                                                                                   26
@theweavemagazine

  How To

                                                                                                                                Go Hybrid Go Designeer
                                                                                                                                COVID-19 The greatest          Galilei, Leonardo da Vinci,
                                                                                                                                equalizer mankind has          and Thomas Edison.
                                                                                                                                encountered! The rules of      Demonstrating that a
                                                                                                                                the game have changed,         confluence of engineering
                                                                                                                                rich or poor, central or       and design skills, with a
                                                                                                                                remote, it is clear that the   touch of genius, a strong
                                                                                                                                ‘New Normal’ is here.          drive for success, and
                                                                                                                                                               some crazy can make us
                                                                                                                                All inperson services,         fit and be disruptive,
                                                                                                                                including medical,             to create an impact.
                                                                                                                                educational, financial, food, Remember that, like
                                                                                                                                and shopping, have gone        today’s startups, they all
                                                                                                                                digital almost overnight       had to first identify a need,
                                                                                                                                by computerized, and           develop a creative solution
                                                                                                                                automated technologies.        (engineering design), and
                                                                                                                                The need to evolve, be         finally figure out funding.
                                                                                                                                versatile, responsive,
                                                                                                                                flexible, and adaptable is     A startup is a high risk
                                                                                                                                the key to sustaining our      commercial enterprise,
                                                                                                                                jobs and as a result our       especially for the first
                                                                                                                                families.                      timers. Understand that a
                                                                                                                                                               startup is first people, and
                                                                                                                                It is easy to sink into        then technology. You are
                                                                                                                                despair and laziness. Wake not born an entrepreneur,
                                                                                                                                up at noon, overweight,        nor do you have to be
                                                                                                                                because we cannot              one. Those who try, fail to
                                                                                                   “It is the era of ‘Hybrid’
By Tal Catran                                                                                                                   leave home, and blame          deliver the technology or
Accelerators Guru, International Keynote Speaker,                                                 with physical and digital,    everyone else for our          product for which they
Professional Moderator and Startup Ecosystems Builder                                             on-premises and remote,       miserable state. Yet, there    signed up on this journey.
                                                                                                   combining professions;       are plenty who take,           Rather enjoy the ride, while
                                                                                                          Designeers.”          almost invent, a different     working hard. 96 percent
He is a prominent figure in the global innovation ecosystem                                                                     approach, they refuse to       of entrepreneurs do not
& has founded 14 startups accelerators since 2012. He is a                                                                      succumb to ‘it is what it is.’ survive their first year of
business partner with Haier Israel Innovation Center, Hubspot                                                                   They are the Hybrids.          operation, for various
for startups, Microsoft for startups & more.                                                                                                                   reasons, but in most
                                                                                                                                Unsurprisingly, they share     cases, the reason is
Website: Tal Catran                                                                                                             the same gene as our           liquidity or “running out of
                                                                                                                                brilliant entrepreneurs        fuel.” Inability to raise the
                                                                                                                                and inventors, Galileo         required capital. The initial

                                                            Avantika University | November 2020                                                                                          28
investment will, in most      the availability of scientists
                               cases, come from the          and engineers, the number
                               founders themselves, but a    of start-ups per capita,
                               major chunk is raised from    and per capita investment
                               private investors called      in venture capital.
                               angels. Ask yourself, when
                               did you last see an angel?
                               Most likely would be from    It is clear that education
                               venture capital funds, or    stands at the foundation
                               companies interested in      of Israel’s success, as
                               a product. Angels are a      well as the realization
                               capable yet lean team        since establishment in
                               of founders, versatile,      1948, we can rely mainly
                               technological, and ready     on ourselves and have
                               to do what it takes, in a    to meet our needs
                               world of Supermen!           independently. Israeli
                                                            startups generate billions
                               Israel is considered a world of dollars annually through
                               leader in the field of start existence while improving
                               ups. Overall, there are over the lives of millions of
                                                                                              “Do not wait for fortune to
                               8,000 start ups in Israel,
                               and about 1,000 new start
                                                            people around the world.
                                                            All in all, do not wait for       fall on your lap, go out and
                               ups are launched each        fortune to fall into your
                               year. The number of Israeli lap, go out and grab it! It is
                               companies trading on         better to be well equipped
                                                                                                        grab it. ”
                               NASDAQ is larger than        with sufficient education,
                               the total number of          professional hunger, and
                               companies from Europe        loads of motivation to
                               combined. OECD published succeed lucratively too.
                               a list of the most educated The more versatile, agile,
                               countries in the world,      and sharp you are, the
                               based on the number of       greater are your chances
                               adults between the ages      of reach your targets, and
                               of 25 and 64 who received potentially standout.
                               tertiary education: A two-   Don’t Hesitate, Accelerate!
                               year or four-year degree,
                               or education through
                               a vocational program.
                               Based on this information,
                               Israel ranks 3rd with 50.92
     “ The digital world has
                               percent of adults meeting
      leaped forward light-    OECD criteria, Japan
             years.”           (2nd) at 51.44 percent,
                               and Canada (1st) at 56.71
                               percent. Israel ranks 1st in

29                                                                                                               Avantika University | November 2020
@theweavemagazine

 Thought Leadership

                                                                                                                             Designer Mom Under
                                                                                                                             House-Arrest
                                                                                                                             The pandemic has done           Most successful teachers
                                                                                                                             enough damage to our            do not only love to speak
                                                                                                                             lives. But what we don’t        and educate, but also
                                                                                                                             realize is the goodness it      understand that teaching
                                                                                                                             has brought out in us. Most     is not “one-size-fits-
                                                                                                                             of us have taken it upon        all domain”. Thereby,
                                                                                                                             ourselves to do at least        depending upon the
                                                                                                                             one small act of kindness       aptitude of their student,
                                                                                                                             during these tough times,       one has to keep in mind
                                                                                                                             for reasons as varied as,       that he/she is more
                                                                                                                             making us feel good about       responsive towards the
                                                                                                                             ourselves to making sure        one need to change their
                                                                                                                             those who help us can           approach and outlook.
                                                                                                                             continue to be in our lives,    From personal experience
                                                                                                                             once the worst is behind        let me share that I was
                                                                                                                             us. For me, it was a year of    trying to teach my
                                                                                                                             many realizations.              daughter, one who has
                                                                                                                                                             not been to any regular
                                                                                                                              I have a newfound respect      school, how to hold a
                                                                                                                              for nursery teachers; this     piece of chalk. She felt
                                                                                                                              year a learned what a          too much pressure on the
                                                                                                                              major leap it is for a child   fingers and moved away.
                                                                                                                              to hold a crayon to write      So a couple of days later
Disha Kaushal                                                                                                                 something that makes           as I was painting an old
Design Thinking Consultant and Educator                                                             “Design is the ability    sense. With the schools        container, my daughter
                                                                                                                              shut, my 3 years old           joins in and asks if she
                                                                                                   to get to the crux of a    decided she would not          could paint too. Turns
Disha is a postgraduate in Strategic Design                                                      problem and bring about study on a device. Kids             out she enjoys using the
Management from NID, with special interest in visual                                                a solution that solves    are too smart these days       brush. Now she loves using
narratives, human behavior and cultural studies. She                                              it, and simultaneously,     to be told what to do with     the brush a lot and writes
has worked as a design strategist for IOS apps, graphic                                            creates an experience      a device, so I took it upon    letters, draws using pens,
designer and as a copywriter for Grazia India & more                                                  that’s beyond the       myself to teach her at         crayons, and paints in just
projects.
                                                                                                fundamental brief. Design home. It has been a much           a matter of a few weeks.
                                                                                                                              bigger struggle on my part,
LinkedIn: Disha Kaushal                                                                          is the art of storytelling!” that any homeschooling
                                                                                                                              parent will tell you.
                                                                                                                                                                                      32
                                                          Avantika University | November 2020
Another incident that          Thus, I got myself into      and needs of people,
I often mention, in my         curriculum redesign for the  so when my daughter
design thinking classes,       pre-K segment. Focusing      started asking questions
is when my daughter            more on practical skills,    like, “Mumma why do we
figured out that I would not   which would stay with the    need to bury the batteries
hand over our precious         child lifelong, I wish I had in mud and not throw
glass bangles to her. She      been told this when I was    them in the trash?” It got
then got a rubber band         that age.                    me thinking that for far too
and cello tape rolls to                                     long we as a community
use as a bangle instead.       I wanted to make it          have focused on ‘Human
Understand, the biggest        accessible to children from Centered Design”, maybe
challenges in teacher          all backgrounds, thereby     now is a time to go beyond
readiness are to gauge         making it technology-        that and ask ourselves
when to step in, and when      dependent and more           some tough questions.
to back off and let the        teacher-focused. Consider What am I making? How
student solve the problem
herself. It can be almost
                               the knowledge that your      and where will it end up at
                               grandparents would share the end of its life cycle? Will     “I think now is the time
impossible to curb this        with you, in the form of     it make the world a better
urge as a parent, but over
these months I see that I
                               stories or small chores
                               around the house. Since I
                                                            place? Yes. For that, I think
                                                            the pandemic has made
                                                                                            for ‘Humanity Centered
have more to learn from
her than vice versa.
                               come from a background
                               in design, I tend to be more
                                                            us ready.
                                                                                             Design’, one where we
                               receptive to the behavior
I feel that our education
system focuses only on
                                                                                             think beyond just our
literacy and numeracy in
the early years when there
is so much else to learn. As
                                                                                                     users”
a member of the Global
Shapers Community, I took
it upon myself to help my
child pick up on a more
sustainable lifestyle right
from this age. We have
together been sorting and
segregating our waste
for the past 2 years. Every
evening I would take her
with me to feed the wet
waste to the cows in a
neighboring park, serving
the purpose and also
teaching her to care for
the species.

33                                                                                                          Avantika University | November 2020
@theweavemagazine

 Inspiration

                                                                                               A Culture of Innovation
                                                                                               The Need for a dedicated      Need for Focus                 As I like to call it, being
                                                                                               team to create a Culture                                     unstructured within a
                                                                                               of Innovation?                Prioritizing and working       structured framework,
                                                                                                                             on important and urgent        to create that optimal
                                                                                               In the current times, which   tasks, will take you closer to experience. Mihaly
                                                                                               we usually refer to as        achieving your vision.         Csikszentmihalyi talks
                                                                                               VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain,    Ensure to say a ‘NO’ to        about this in his book FLOW.
                                                                                               Complex, Ambiguous),          short-term attractive
                                                                                               I keep reflecting on a        opportunities (Business/       Beyond Obvious
                                                                                               statement by Steve jobs       Personal) in favor of the
                                                                                               “…focus wasn’t about          one thing needed for           My observations made
                                                                                               willpower. It was about       achieving the VISION or        me realize the power of
                                                                                               the courage to abandon        the DREAM.                     ‘imperfections.’ For Robots
                                                                                               1,000 great ideas to meet     When it was on me to           to have relations, they
                                                                                               one big goal — even if that   choose between adhering need to be programmed
                                                                                               made people mad in the        to the best practices of       with certain imperfections
                                                                                               process.”                     innovation to achieve          and allowed to learn from
                                                                                                                             supreme perfection,            each other. Similarly, the
                                                                                               What Steve Jobs had           versus, putting in the time    vulnerability of an expert
                                                                                               brought to this world is      to understand each             allows us to reach the
                                                                                               now a repository of true      element deeper, to tweak       actual needs of the user.
                                                                                               inspiration. Beyond great     or replace it; the choice
                                                                                               products, he showed us        had always been to focus       For the success of the
                                                                                               how to believe, evolve, and   on experimentation. Trying Design Thinking Process,
                                                                                               constantly innovate!          out the unconventional;        we must really connect
                                                                                                                             taking those small             back to our humanness
By Anjan Biswas                                                                                                              calculated risks and           as imperfections and
India Innovation lead, Amdocs                                                                                                learning from them.            vulnerabilities enable us to
                                                                                                                                                            approach solutions closer
With over 15 years of experience, Anjan is Responsible                                            “ Imperfections are        Exposing the teams to          to real user needs.
                                                                                                actually more beautiful      parts of a concept or
for building and nurturing a Culture of Innovation at
                                                                                                                             methodology (like the          For this to happen, a
Amdocs India.                                                                                  than perfect. It allows us
                                                                                                                             Design Thinking                dedicated and focused
                                                                                                to be humane, opening        Process) and allowing          team is needed. It has to
LinkedIn: Anjan Biswas                                                                         possibilities to appreciate   them to experiment,            be a team that not only
                                                                                                and value connections.”      becomes more important understands the imperfect
                                                                                                                             compared to following a        ways of humanity but also
                                                                                                                             structured process to do       appreciates the joy in
                                                                                                                             what is conventional.          those imperfections.

                                                         Avantika University | November 2020                                                                                         36
“Remember that this value
                                                                                        curve has periodic crests,
                           Simply leaving the task to     and creating essential
                           mother nature to handle, is
                           not enough. Teams can
                                                          value. Remember that this
                                                          value curve has periodic
                                                                                         troughs, and sections of
                           easily return to old habits,
                           back to a structured mode
                                                          crests, troughs, and
                                                          sections of plateaus. We       plateaus. We need to tide
                           of thinking, if there is no    need to tide over them
                           mechanism to maintain          with patience to witness      over them with patience to
                           focus on the ‘beyond           the bloom.
                           obvious’ installed.
                                                          Culture also needs periodic
                                                                                            witness the bloom.”
                            Constraints Help              maintenance and top up.
                                                          As leaders, sensing the
                           At the start of a journey,     opportune time to identify
                           we fear constraints and        constraints and leverage
                           find help to combat them.      them, helps to enthuse the
                           It is when we look beyond      team, keep them focused,
                           these constraints and          and trigger innovation.
   “A form of curiosity    embrace them with open         Thereby building
  to know more, active     arms, and realize that the     antifragility in the larger
participation in everyday  solution is simple. Here the   ecosystem.
     moments of life,      innovation happens.
 observing nature with
                          Every iteration in the
 a solid focus, must be   innovation journey, built on
       encouraged.”       the strengths of a diverse
                           and focused team, helps
                           in embracing constraints
37                                                                                                        Avantika University | November 2020
@theweavemagazine

 Thought Leadership

                                                                                                     Nurturing the Profession of
                                                                                                     Design in India
                                                                                                     A decade ago an ex-             media, apparel, or               approach we use to solve
                                                                                                     colleague in advertising        entertainment, people fail       a problem, but about
                                                                                                     asked me, “What is in           to realize that “Design” is a    creating an experience
                                                                                                     design, that you plan to        broader picture and is at        that is ownable and has a
                                                                                                     quit advertising? All just      the core of everything.          tale to carry.
                                                                                                     pretty brochures and
                                                                                                     invites!” I just smiled. Now,   So what is Design? In my         Design thinking is not only
                                                                                                     ten years later, as I write     opinion, it is the ability       applicable to design but
                                                                                                     this article, it gives me a     to get to the crux of a          to any field, because it
                                                                                                     sense of achievement            problem and bring about a        isn’t a just methodology,
                                                                                                     being a designer. It didn’t     solution that solves it, and     but a tool. A tool to look
                                                                                                     take me long to discover        simultaneously, creates          at things differently,
                                                                                                     the power of design.            an experience that’s             systematically, and bring
                                                                                                                                     beyond the fundamental           about innovation.
                                                                                                     I would not say that the        brief. Design is the art of
                                                                                                     concept of design in India      storytelling!
                                                                                                     is at a nascent stage. The
                                                                                                     difference is that design       Design for me is looking
                                                                                                     takes the lead in the west      at a problem as if it were
                                                                                                     and unlocks its strength        a human. It requires
                                                                                                     in every aspect and             empathy to look deeply
                                                                                                     considered as an integral       into the backstory and
                                                                                                     part of every business          gain insight. Thereafter
By Siddharth Ganguly                                                                                 plan. They acknowledge          have meaningful
Co-founder and Principal creative at Uriel Design                                                    mavericks like Milton           conversations to come                “Design is the ability
                                                                                                     Glaser, Saul Bass, Paul         up with a solution and
                                                                                                     Rand, and Paula Scher; all      finally, bring that idea to
                                                                                                                                                                         to get to the crux of a
With over 17 years experience in the design field, Siddharth                                         of who have changed the         life through meticulous           problem and bring about
is an independent design consultant, industry mentor and                                             way design is perceived in      execution.                           a solution that solves
design coach.                                                                                        the contemporary world.                                            it, and simultaneously,
                                                                                                     In contrast, try looking for    Over the years, many                creates an experience
LinkedIn: Siddharth Ganguly                                                                          such names in the Indian        methodologies have                     that’s beyond the
                                                                                                     design industry. Since          been referred to provide
                                                                                                                                                                      fundamental brief. Design
                                                                                                     design has always been          solutions to problems,
                                                                                                     overshadowed in India           today it is ‘Design Thinking.’    is the art of storytelling!”
                                                                                                     by terms like advertising,      I feel it is not about the

                                                               Avantika University | November 2020                                                                                              40
Super-companies that          complex and beautiful
                           truly respect design, like    world?
  “Dimensional Thinking    Apple, have stood the
     is rapidly gaining    test of time. They have       We need to prove that
   importance, but it is   understood the customer       we are not mere service
                           psyche and built an           providers and make
 imperative to know how    experience around it.         people realize that our
         to apply it.”     That is the power of          lives are intertwined, in
                           design thinking and that’s    innumerable myriad ways
                           precisely why I coined        with design. We need to
                           a fitting term for it-        embrace design in order to
                           Dimensional ThinkingTM.       emulate and consecutively
                                                         compete with the world.
                           So I ask myself, how can      As designers we need to
                           I bring about a change        reinforce the significance
                           in the way design is
                           perceived in India? How
                                                         of design, through
                                                         path-breaking work,
                                                                                        “We need to embrace
                           do I bring awareness          clutter-crushing innovative
                           amongst students, about
                           how significant a role they
                                                         ideas, and one very
                                                         important thing; treating
                                                                                          design in order
                           would be playing once
                           they graduate? How
                                                         a problem or idea as if it
                                                         were human, by nurturing         to emulate, and
                           do I educate educators,       it.
                           that design is a far more                                   consecutively compete
                                                                                          with the world.”

41                                                                                                    Avantika University | November 2020
@theweavemagazine

  Young Achiever                                                                                                                                                     Young Designers Circle.
                                                                                                                                                                     I have always loved
                                                                                                                                                                     working on user-centered
                                                                                                                                                                     problems to address
                                                                                                                                                                     design dilemmas. However,
                                                                                                                                                                     competing and winning
                                                                                                                                                                     the awards brought me
                                                                                                                                                                     immense exposure to the
                                                                                                                                                                     exciting world of design.
                                                                                                                                                                     I simultaneously gained
                                                                                                                                                                     confidence in my abilities,
                                                                                                                                                                     sure that I am heading in
                                     Soham Mohanty                                                                                                                   the positive direction as
                                     4th year Industrial Design student                                                                                              a learner. I understand
                                                                                                                                                                     that design is indeed a
                                     at Avantika University                                            I hold a patent on my           sold every year in India,     huge industry, and that
                                                                                                       product Accufill. With India,   giving Accufill a massive     being creative needs a
                                                                                                       one of the world’s largest      market potential. My          great deal of research
                                                                                                       two-wheeler markets,            innovation won the award      and experience, in order to
                                                                                                       Accufill is as relevant as it   in the Student category       develop a sense of design
                                                                                                       gets.                           and will be one of the two    philosophy.
                                                                                                                                       designs, presented at
                                                                                                       It is a sensor-based            the Lexus Design Event at
Having had a sculpting hand      award the finest works of                                             innovation, capable of          Milan Design Week, 2021.
since my childhood, I love       indigenous industrial design.                                         detecting adulteration          The design award brought
engendering things. It helped    The award seeks to identify                                           along with the quantity         me a wealth of exposure
                                                                                                                                                                        “Design cannot really
me discover my passion           and honor members in the                                              of fuel being loaded at         and I was extended a             change the world, but
and pursue an education in       Indian design community                                               petrol stations. The device     mentorship by Lexus               a change of attitude
it. I am Soham Mohanty, a        who anticipate potential                                              is installed in the fuel        at Desmania designs,           towards solving worldly
22-year-old undergraduate        challenges and innovate
design student at Avantika       to tackle those obstacles.
                                                                                                       filling cap of the fuel tank.   (awarded as India’s finest    problems while thinking
University, born and raised in   Thereby captivating the
                                                                                                       It comprises ultrasonic         Product Design Studio)          for a sustainable world
                                                                                                       sensors, designed to            under Anuj Prasad to
Bhubaneswar, Odisha.             hearts and minds of Indian                                                                                                          can have a large impact.“
                                 consumers.                                                            inform the consumer             advance my project.
2019 - 2020 has been a                                                                                 about fuel purity, ensuring
remarkable year for me,                                                                                greater clarity between         In addition, I completed
winning both, the YUJ                                                                                  the vehicle owner and the       my summer internship
UXplorer 2019 award and                                                                                service station. This device    at Big Basket. Here I
Lexus design award, India                                                                              is vastly pertinent in the      was responsible for
2020. Lexus Design Award                                                                               Indian industry, considering    developing the design
India, aims to recognize and                                                                           its long time struggle          system, and design library,
                                                                                                       with adulterated fuel.          for the company’s daily
LinkedIn: Soham Mohanty                                                                                According to the Society        application. Currently,
                                                                                                       of Indian Automobile            I am nominated as an
                                                                                                       Manufacturers, about 20         ambassador for World
                                                                                                       million two-wheelers are        Design Organization™,

                                                                 Avantika University | November 2020                                                                                         46
@theweavemagazine

 Thought Leadership

                                                                                            Democratizing Designeering
                                                                                            On a rainy evening on            circle. Our first opportunity
                                                                                            June 2020, I received a          in design came in the form
                                                                                            message, “Sir can I have         of redesigning the brand
                                                                                            your number? I am                manual for the newly
                                                                                            Neelesh from Sydney,             formed Birla AT&T
                                                                                            Australia. Need to get in        Communications Ltd
                                                                                            touch with you.” I hesitantly    in 1996. Though not a
                                                                                            shared my number. He             complete corporate
                                                                                            called almost immediately        identity programme, we
                                                                                            “Sir, I was a trainee at         gained valuable
                                                                                            Artistree-Pune in 1997           experience in the process.
                                                                                            (Ogilvy’s design vertical in
                                                                                            the ’90s), I still remember      Today, design is a vital
                                                                                            the indoor cricket we            component of everything
                                                                                            played. I am writing a book      around us, in products and
                                                                                            about my life experiences.       services that we utilize.
                                                                                            One thing you said then,         An interesting fact; one
                                                                                            had a profound impact; I         of our best designers did
                                                                                            was not good in English,         not cut his teeth in art
                                                                                            and you said it was more         school, but by making
                                                                                            important to get the job         Ganpati idols and self-
                                                                                            done right than to be            learning technology. So
                                                                                            fluent in English.” Neelesh      in a way, technology also
                                                                                            heads a leading telecom          democratizes design. I
                                                                                            group in Australia. If it were   have even heard of this
                                                                                            not for design, engineering,     musician who uses AI to
By Julian Thadathil                                                                         technology, creativity, and      perfect his songs so he
Chief Operating Officer, JTBrandlabs                                                        a community spirit that          has better chances of
                                                                                            Facebook provides, I             delivering hits!
                                                                                            would not have stood a           Communication too is now
He is known as a brand doctor, business growth                                              chance at connecting with        Designeered. Moving from
consultant, digital-social strategist and creative                                          Neelesh or many others.          one-to-many to one-to-     “The challenge today is, in
facilitator. He comes with an extensive work experience                                                                      one, it has exploded into
in advertising and branding domain with companies like                                      From those days in 1995,         new forms and avatars.
                                                                                                                                                         a world where attention
Ogilvy, DDB and running his startups.                                                       where clients turned us          Social media has a design spans are hardly seconds,
                                                                                            down saying we do not            component, a technology      how do we inspire and
LinkedIn: Julian Thadathil                                                                  need Corporate Identity,         factor, and a reach           engage with people?”
                                                                                            the importance of design         dispensation. One needs to
                                                                                            and identity has come full       perfect all these elements

                                                      Avantika University | November 2020                                                                                       48
to stay on top. We              when the pandemic struck.
     often forget about              Extremely low profile, we
     prospect fatigue and            let our work speak for itself.
     brand aversion in our           We have no employees,
     social euphoria.                only off-site affiliates who
                                     are domain experts.
     At JTBrandlabs, we
     have had success with           There is only one cardinal
     companies, large and            rule we have for our
     small. Technology plays a       affiliates; do not work on
     vital role in levelling the     our projects when fatigued.
     competitive landscape           This comes from my
     for us. Some of our clients     personal practice of being
     have come to us after           an early riser who prefers
     failing to get the right        to sleep off very early, even
     results in international
     hotspots of Designeering.
                                     if I have deadlines looming.
                                     Your best work comes                      “In the
     At JTBrandlabs, we have         when your mind is rested,
     been doing what the world
     is doing now, for the past 3
                                     calm, clear, and when work
                                     is not really ‘work.’ A bit
                                                                      end, all your prospects
     years- interacting digitally.
     That is why we were ready
                                     unconventional, but that is
                                     me and us!                       are human first whose
     and running from day one
     without any disruption
                                                                      brains can only take on
                                                                             so much.”

49                                                                                    Avantika University | November 2020
@theweavemagazine

 Campus Talent

                                                                                                         Shivam Singh Rathore
Aman Soni

                                                                                                         Avantika HSM
Jrogues are traditional
                                                                                                         (Housekeeping and
brogue shoes, made from
                                                                                                         Security Management
upcycled leather and
                                                                                                         System) is a mobile
naturally obtained jute, with
                                                                                                         application developed to
a twist of prevalent Indian
                                                                                                         provide a consolidated
craftsmanship known as
                                                                                                         digital connectivity solution
Tarkashi. Jrogues are made
                                                                                                         for all the housekeeping
and strung entirely by hand
                                                                                                         departments, security
and are rather eco-friendly.
                                                                                                         teams, and campus hostel
                                                                                                         residents, at Avantika
LinkedIn: Aman Soni
                                                                                                         University.

                                                                                                         Website: Shivam Singh

                                  Anaghaa Chakrapani                  Hetvi, Vibhuty, Mrunal, Avantika

                                  This project aims to help           Almost all cuss words
                                  Taco Bell expand its                we use, offend a gender.
                                  operations in India by              Fuss About Cuss is an
                                  driving sales through the           art movement which
                                  digital application created         addresses the issue of the
                                  specifically for an Indian          underlying sexism in the
                                  audience.Through design,            cuss words used today.
                                  psychology, and business            For people to realise the
                                  strategies, the launch of a         same, abstract visuals of
                                  digital app can help boost          the literal meanings of the
                                  their revenue, and acquire          cuss words were depicted.
                                  repeat customers through            Cussing cannot stop.
                                  exclusive discounts.                Hence, we also introduced
                                                                      a new set of gender
                                  Behance: Anaghaa C                  neutral cuss words.

                                                                      Behance: Fuss about Cuss

                                Avantika University | November 2020                                                                 52
Team Weave
                      Editor
                     Miral Zafar

  Marketing Team                    Design Team              Special Thanks

      Sriram Ajith                   Aayush Bidkar           Dipanshu Singhall
    Anush Nadkarni                    Yashi Pareek             Niharika Gupta
Shubhankar Nandapurkar             Devashish Boralkar         Rutal Deshmukh
     Ananya Dey                      Ishan Nakate               Rishabh Kiran
                                    Saumya Kharkar               Esha Mehta
                                                          Sarthak Shambhatnavar
                                                             Simmran Khanna
Writer Research Team               Content Team         Madhumitha Balasubramanian

     Surabhi Bajaj                      Zeel Modi
     Riya Katariya                  Priyanshi Katiyar

                    Guided By
                Saurabh Dhankhar

                                                                              Avantika University | November 2020
02

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