Design Project 2
Some Reflections on Design projects
Project Objectives
Engaging with Maharashtra.
Understanding what is design through a contact with some realities of a few districts in Maharashtra.
Describing these realities through listening, interacting, writing, drawing, photography and video.
Guidelines for the Project
Students begin by making a day long or an overnight field trip.
An engagement with individuals and organizations with an experience of working
in Maharashtra suggests possible areas that could be explored by students.
Students undertake longer field trips and engage with people and places.
About five students are mapped to a mentor who is encouraged to join the students on a field trip.
Students interact with people, observe their environments, participate when possible.
They reflect on their experience, write, draw, and document their stay.
Individual and group presentations are held to share experiences and get a feedback.
Students are encouraged to envisage creative responses based on their experiences.
The responses are also shared with people with whom they interacted.
Suggestions from Mentors
Travel in small groups, but learn to be on your own and engage with people.
Make friends and do not photograph your friends till they are comfortable.
Drawing is an excellent way to make friends!
Spend half-an-hour at the end of the day reflecting on your interactions and write using a language you are comfortable with.
Use words carefully and write descriptions that capture your experiences well.
Since we look at the world through our own conditioning, it is useful to be aware of this.
We want to understand issues - education, health, energy, caste, gender, environment, but...
we want to understand these by making friends first.
We want to understand these through watching and listening carefully.
It is little things that can tell us a lot.
Useful Links
Monsters in the Village Classroom, Wighavali
Bharatiya Agro Industries Foundation(BAIF)
Prayas, Pune
Wildlife Research and Conservation Society
Story of Stuff