Secure a future in the design ecosystem

Jitin Chadha

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“There are three responses to a piece of design — yes, no, and WOW!

Wow is the one to aim for” — Milton Glaser

The mushrooming of SMEs (small and medium scale enterprises) brought on by an increasing trend towards entrepreneurship, has led to a greater demand for graphic and communication designers to design their web pages and develop out-of-the-box communication design strategies for their promotional content on social media.

All these fields of work come within the purview of design education. There are a range of subjects that students can study — be it Communication Design, Interior Architecture Design, Fashion Design, Product Design, Industrial Design, Accessory Design, Fashion Business, etc to name a few.

World over there are prestigious colleges that have been at the forefront of design education and India has followed in their footsteps. The prestigious National Institute of Design and National Institute of Fashion Technology were set up to this end in 1961 and 1986 respectively. Some IITs, too, have BDes and MDes programmes. Besides these government institutes, the private sector has also forayed into this sphere of education and have established design institutes across the country.

A growing demand for designers

There is a growing demand for designers in almost all major disciplines of design — spatial design, architecture, communication design, graphic designing and fashion designing. Having a flair for design is an essential attribute, but it needs to be backed by a sound technical education in that particular discipline. You need to have a conceptual understanding of the dictums of that pedagogy, along with a study of what has worked in the past, what has not, and knowledge of evolving global and local trends. A qualification from an institute of repute is not just an option but has become mandatory to enable one to penetrate the design community. Immersing oneself for a few years through the rigours of a design college, delivering outcomes under the pressure of project deadlines and working in teams, imparts the requisite skill-set and training for entering the design ecosystem.

During the tenure of your studies, you will get several opportunities to volunteer and participate in seminars, lectures, workshops, events and master classes. Never forfeit these opportunities to network with industry professionals. You can leverage them to your advantage by making contacts with professionals to procure projects and find mentorship.

Freelance projects

After you have understood the fundamentals of design in the first year and assessed your own designing sensibilities, you will be able to take on freelancing projects by the time you enter second year. These will help build your portfolio and be a point of connect with the design industry before you get absorbed finally.

Internships

An opportunity to intern with a good design studio can lay the brickwork for a rewarding career. Ensure that you add significantly to your design portfolio during your internship. Displaying your talents and dedication to your internship project can result in the much coveted offer from the company, after you graduate.

Academia

All those passionate about teaching, can enter the world of academia by gaining an in-depth industry exposure of 6 to 10 years as a professional or as an entrepreneur. After having worked for a decade or so, you will come to understand the nuts and bolts of the industry and its workings.

Getting the required exposure

There are many design exhibitions and art fairs held in the various metropolises of India, each year. India Art Fair (IAF) is conducted in Delhi each year; it features both veterans and upcoming artists. Amazon India Fashion Week (AIFW) is another exhibition where upcoming fashion designers and established players participate each year. India Interior Retailing Conference is another exciting event, that is usually held in October in Delhi. UXINDIA was held at Hyderabad in 2019 and was a great platform where graphic and communication designers of India and the world had converged to discuss new ideas and trends.

Try to optimise the opportunities that present themselves to you and attend as many events as possible. Such kind of exposure will stretch your imagination beyond the confines of the college walls and enable you to come up with ingenious yet commercially viable ideas.

Remember the key to an enriching career in the world of design starts with the foundation of a well-rounded education. There is a plethora of career options to choose from – fashion merchandiser, fashion journalist, spatial designer, interior designer, film-maker, documentary maker, UX/UI designer. Get the right education and skill-set and the world is your oyster.

— The writer is Director of Indian Institute of Art and Design

How to look for an appropriate design institute

1. An institute with an international collaboration will add value as it ensures academic inputs and exposure benchmarked against the best globally.

2. Location is very important. Top tier cities like Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai etc offer students ample opportunities to visit exhibitions, fairs, museums, sourcing centres etc. which is important for learning beyond the classroom.

3. The faculty should comprise renowned practitioners from the industry. They should be actively involved in professional practice, consultancy and/or research.

4. The infrastructure must emulate the best practices of design colleges around the world.

5. An open-ended, multidisciplinary, learner-centric environment will help students become a critical thinker and self-reflexive design practitioners.

6. Industry interactions, live projects, internships should form an integral part of the pedagogy to ensure that students are “industry ready”.