The future of design education lies in entrepreneurship
“Design is a strategic problemsolving process that drives innovation, builds business success, and leads to a better quality of life through innovative products, systems, services, and experiences.” - World Design Organization, 2017
Designing is not only about the sole aspect of ‘design’; it is so much more than that. It requires communication, learning, observing, sharing ideas, and, most importantly, dedication. The students’ enthusiasm about designing, put together with their driven heart and mind, can open the door of opportunities for them to explore the world of design and culture and nurture themselves for future lives. Here’s how:
Change in values
Design institutes are now changing their ways of educating. Design educators are evolving with the new age of technology and free-spirited society. An institute that used to teach with a stylistic approach is now innovating and using a more strategic approach towards learning. Institutions are focusing on dematerialization. Dematerializing a product illuminates the future designers and design entrepreneurs to create a product that serves its purpose by having a lesser negative impact on the environment. By adopting the approach of strategic designing, the, design educators want a student to make a product that is more functional and desirable. The new world’s contemporary design has acquired new values to design a product. The product may be clothing attire, a piece of jewelry, or even product packaging. These products launch into the market with the vision of fostering innovation
and promoting sustainable products. Keeping these values in mind, the new age design colleges have formulated a set of principles to encourage and inspire their students. Their idea of shaping a new generation of design entrepreneurs is to empower them to believe in themselves. A designing student should not be afraid; they should face challenges with an open mind. Students in design institutes have a chance to explore and create designs with a futuristic vision. The students of these institutes are learning the art of designing something by hand .
How design institutes are changing norms
Designers take on challenges and turn them into resourceful advantages. Coming into this world, a student goes through struggles of being accepted as a designer. Their choices get questioned by others as unavailing and insignificant. They are pushed to settle for something that is less than what they are
meant to do. But with the changing world and changing environment around us, people are becoming acceptable. Students are more than ready to become a part of this world and make a difference. And designing institutes have a major role to play here. Design educators and professionals are creating opportunities for these future designers to showcase their abilities. With the practical approach that they teach with, students are gaining more hands-on experience. The inspiration to innovate products for the needs of society and humans from all walks of life comes with the effort of both, students and teaching professionals. In today’s time, designers are being recognized for their inputs. They are being hired by other industry professionals to put in their work and create an excellent product. A designer and their ideas are now reaching all the corners of the world.
Design Thinking
Design institutes emerging in
this time and era are emphasizing the importance of design in opposite fields.
Fields of non-design professionals like businesspeople, industry workers, medical experts, IT sectors, etc are all the disciplines where a designer can set themselves in. The term ‘design thinking’ was described half a century ago. It gained more popularity in the early 2000s. Many experts have made an attempt to define what design thinking actually is. But there is no such proper definition.
Design thinking is what designers do and how they approach management problems in their own way. Meaning that designers work with the mind of a designer to tackle these problems. Modern design institutes are helping the students to collaborate with other disciplines in order to create a product that is the result of design thinking.
They are working with human-centered approaches. The institutes are inculcating in students to work with the mentality and mindset of an individual and as well as an organization. Design thinking allows a design student to learn about how a tailor works, how they pay attention to the stitches of a cloth. They understand why a business person is working with them to approach people in choosing a product.
The institutes are making their students understand the importance of solving a problem with abstract reasoning. Through this strategy, design students come to terms with the viewpoints of others. They visualize a solution for everyone that can be easily carried out.
Conclusion
A designer in the twenty-first century is more than a designer. They are curators and creators. Their artistry is based on their values to empower, evolve, and create. Working as a team with many people from many disciplines, they are shaping a future that is unique and beautiful.
Design enthusiasts and design entrepreneurs are dreaming big to achieve a vision that sets them apart from others, a vision to create and nurture a product, and an idea that helps humans in need. Through careful observations and empathetic communication, they are leading the way to change the world one day at a time. Design institutes have changed their core and fundamental values. Their teaching methods have come far from traditional practices. With the use of modern technology, design institutes are innovating ways to empower and guide students. Sustainable design and marketing are now gaining more traction amongst the teachers as well as the students.