Today, information is easily available at our fingertips and voice commands. Online content is so accessible to everyone that any question you may have will be answered in minutes, if not seconds, and mostly for free. How do I wear a shirt in 10 different ways? How do I build a bridge? How do I lose weight in a week? How to tie a tie? But is this information equal to education? The answer is no.
Why study at a design institute when everything is available online? This is an extremely valid question, and the answer is quite simple: to learn to think. Learning a skill online is possible; for instance, stitching or illustrating. However, learning to design a product or a garment is a completely different exercise. Most videos and tutorials teach us how to make or create things that already exist. True design, on the other hand, is process-driven innovation. It factors in multiple facets of product development and innovation after understanding the culture, history and other multi-disciplinary topics and processes. A tutorial may be able to tell us how to do it but the implementation needs hands-on learning, collaboration and experimentation.
Design institutes not only give access to people with experience, exposure to and expertise of industry professions, and theoretical knowledge but also offer the space and knowledge to experiment, innovate and create, the tools required to experiment, such as access to design and photography labs, 3D printers, design software, and the materials needed to truly represent one’s ideas.
In this age of technology, Artificial Intelligence is changing the way we see the world, as well as how companies, industries, and life function. As a result, most companies are looking beyond regular skill-based categories. Some of the qualities that are considered as assets will be purpose, an understanding of culture, adaptability, collaboration,decision making and critical and creative thinking.
Online tutorials and classes may be able to tell you what critical thinking is or what qualities one can imbibe to be more adaptive, but they cannot teach how to truly understand and implement these attributes. For this, students needs the right mentors and to be a part of a community where they can collaborate and learn from each other. We need to solve problems in real time, understand the human narrative, and be inspired by and express human emotions.
Design institutes give the opportunity and platform to create and innovate products, which enhance human experience and life. A product without emotions or innovative thinking is just that: a product. Marcel Wanders, a well-known designer, said, “The very best design, I feel, is that which resonates so deeply that people can’t help but discover something within themselves when they see it.” If we want to design objects and experiences that celebrate life and art, enhance lives and be truly successful, then great education, inspiring mentors, hands-on experience, and most of all, innovative thinking are required.
The writer is Associate Professor from School of Fashion, Pearl Academy Mumbai.
