Vision

Design for me is a vehicle for connecting people, disciplines and ideas and my focus is to bring about an ideal future where sustainability and diversity could be connected through design and serve as the two blocks of progress. I would like to make designs that respect and enhance the life of users and make the life easier to navigate, fun and accessible for all. For instance, design as an activity does not exist by itself, on the contrary, my assumption is that the best designs are born in the context of collaboration, with other designers, with other disciplines, with other people, focusing everyone’s and each other’s strengths and viewpoints.

Embracing diversity in all facets is the backbone of how I function as a designer. It starts from the active participation of users at all design stages. Therefore the solutions that follow resonate well with the users and incorporates their needs, dreams, and solves their problems. To bring this vision to life, the users are made active and engaged stakeholders when it comes to co-design of the products that shape their lives. The same is true when it comes to the inclusion of other designers, experts and academics in developing design solutions. Working together to generate ideas and expanding upon each other’s ideas ensures that product feel like real life solutions has gotten its fair share of challenges and critiques from different perspectives in a collaborative manner.

Another element I see as fundamental to my work, and one that continues to capture my interest is bringing together knowledge from diverse fields and domains, such as technology, psychology, social sciences, philosophy, ethnography etc. Thus facilitating interdisciplinary collaboration. Design does not happen in isolation but is multi-faceted with inputs from different fields. By cross-learning with other professionals, we can come up with comprehensive solutions for intricate interrelated problems. This kind of framework enables us to embrace a wealth of ideas, offering scoped up practical and future ready  designs.

Building every design on theory also sits at the heart of my practice. I believe that starting with a strong theoretical foundation helps gain the depth and clarity needed to untangle complex problems. Still, insight means little until its tested; thats why I carry those ideas into the field through co-design and watch how they hold up or what changes. As I loop back and forth between making and observing, the theory shapes the design, and the design feeds fresh questions back into theory a cycle of learning that tightens with each turn.

In my opinion, incorporating and being aware of sustainability is very important and should be considered in different ways, it ranges from ecological, economic, political to cultural. I do not subscribe to the idea that resources will always be available and therefore, , applying concepts such as the circular economy to mitigate waste and design for durability and ease of disassembly and upgradability. On the economic front, equity and accessibility should be promoted through designs so that solutions are accessible to all classes who need it and address the community and systems of that area. In the political dimension, a design is able to solve the deep-rooted challenges in the society and advocates for equity and inclusiveness. On the cultural aspect, there is good practice while formulating design solutions and that is respecting and engraining local traditions and values into the solution, this will make the solution relevant and effective.

For me, design encompasses building bridges, between individuals and concepts, between innovations and engineering, and between various domains of knowledge. This ensures that the products and solutions we offer are not just viable but are also meaningful and impactful. We really can develop awesome designs that truly matter, through collaboration with users, designers, and other professionals.

Coming from the perspective of a designer, I see designers as builders of collaboration networks that promote change for the better. If we advocate for universal access and inclusivity, and practice a sustainable model of interdisciplinary teamwork we can, build a world where design brings about empowerment and triggers change. I am motivated to explore the world of design further, because I want to ensure that my skills in co-design, sustainable practices, and interdisciplinary work will continue to promote those values and lead to a better future.