Avantika University’s new semester started a couple of weeks back. And the first iConnect of this new semester was conducted on 2^nd Aug 2019. And what better way to hit it off than inviting someone who had changed our views and mindset dynamically about the experience economy in the past as well? Also, this time, there was a surprise for the students. Two speakers had joined us instead of one! We had Amber Krishan, VP of PayU, India and Hitesh Agrawal, Chief Business Officer at Human Factors International.

The session was titled ‘Times of Design.’ The primary motive of this session was to create familiarity about the world’s changing pace and how it has started to look at design as a primary requisite instead of secondary. The session started with Amber taking over and asking the views of all the students on design. Or rather what it meant for them. Everyone came up with different ideologies on what and how design is playing a significant role in the economy. For some, it was a getaway to solving problems. For some, it was an art and technology combined to produce results for various issues. He explained to us that design is not an easy path if that’s what it seems at first. There’s a tremendous amount of conviction that needs to be bucketed before you start calling yourself a successful designer.

We talked about what role talent plays in defining our character. For talent determines what you do, not what you are. So, we have to be in the constant pursuit of analyzing the future and learning skills which would be required by the industry after five years. Thus, the past cannot be your future. We also touched the controversial subject of - "Are we at the right school?" The answer he gave was pretty astounding. For him, all the schools were the right schools. It all comes down to us in the end and how much we contribute for ourselves. How much dedicated can we stay to ourselves? The main challenge here is learning how to learn.

To make it simpler, Hitesh asked everyone to stand up. Now, we had to turn around and ask the person behind us his/ her name. We did. Some of us were introduced. Now he asked what did we do? We “learned.” In this case, it was the name. The same principal applies to the real world. We learn when we ask questions. Learning is all about asking, taking notes from the real world, and discipline.

To make it simpler, Hitesh asked everyone to stand up. Now, we had to turn around and ask the person behind us his/ her name. We did. Some of us were introduced. Now he asked what did we do? We “learned.” In this case, it was the name. The same principal applies to the real world. We learn when we ask questions. Learning is all about asking, taking notes from the real world, and discipline.

Amber then talked about the significance of communication in designing. He said, “if you can’t communicate your ideas to the person in front of you, then you can never pitch your ideas.”

We talked about project and time management and how to simplify the process. The essential thing is to break down the task into little chunks of methods and doing them correctly. It all starts with primarily knowing what to do. It is also known as scoping and planning.

Lastly, we discussed what all types of designers are there and what all the things they do. So, design is categorized into three main sections- Strategy and innovation, art and philosophy and execution.

It’s a great time to be an experience designer because of the way the experience economy is growing day by day and how changing jobs or sticking to it could be or could not be beneficial.

All in all, it was a fantastic first industry connect session with the first year’s getting some amazing insights into the industry and what all steps they need to take to keep up with it.