Design Thinking and Innovation; An Introduction

Dr Sumer Singh introducing design thinking and innovation.

Dr. Sumer Singh, an assistant professor from the design department at IIT-Delhi, elucidated design thinking, a trendy term in modern times that is just a problem-solving toolset. He introduced himself with a Venn diagram, displaying the charisma of a design thinker, showing how his identity was at the intersection of four important sets: innovator, teacher, mentor, and finally design thinker.

His presentation demonstrated his real interest in innovation as he himself had been involved in a variety of product development projects, either through supervising students or innovating products himself. He then began quizzing the crowd, asking them things like, "What is design?" The students were intrigued by the question because they all understood what design was, but they were astounded by Dr. Sumer Singh's explanation of "design" as only the initial stage of creating something. He continued by describing the various sorts of design, such as that of a website, a product, or an object.

Motivating Students to think differently

Conclusion of the event with a group photography

An espresso coffee machine that used a pressure cooker was one of the many inventive inventions that the distinguished speaker of this session had scounted, it's significant to note that the innovator was a man coming from a small town of Bihar. The pupils found it motivating to have that kind of vision and zeal to think unconventionally. A discussion of design thinking, its use in innovation, and how a multidisciplinary approach may solve challenges and offer creative insights marked the session's conclusion.