Let's pretend play... with brands

Pretend play when you were 4 and 5 years old taught all of us a lot about real life. We watched our adults closely and spoke like them or acted like they do. Dressed liked them while making changes to our smaller self. We chose to pour the tea at the tea party with all the guests (dolls) sitting around with just the right elegance. Pretend play is a very important part of social and cognitive development in younger children. Through pretend play, children learn to negotiate, consider others’ perspectives, transfer knowledge from one situation to another, balance their own ideas with others, develop a plan and act on it, explore symbolism, express and listen to thoughts and ideas, assign tasks and roles, and synthesize different information and ideas.

In many ways, working on real clients in a learning environment of the classroom is so similar to pretend play. The brand research involves watching the brand live and breathe. Students develop their creative strategy statements in response to the real brand in the market. They do have to modify the skills or how they will dress their ideas based on their young selves or that of their peers. They work in a safe environment of the classroom where they aren’t bound by budgets. But they still work in teams sometimes with tighter timelines and stricter processes than in the “real” world. As an educator, I help student hone their observation skills so they understand and speak the language of the chosen brand. I make sure they follow processes and timelines that they will have to follow when in the real world. Sometimes these are stricter to create a strong work ethic. I make sure that all rituals of the tea party are followed to make the optimal experience. Industry professionals often gauge an educational setting based on whether or not it follows budget. While some projects give them an estimate of costs, most of the time, they are allowed to take creative liberties. At what point does a young creative advertising students transfer from pretend play to real work? How do we gauge their industry readiness? 

It’s been a pleasure working with one such group that has done a stellar job of watching the brands, emulating their voices and yet creating original ad campaigns that would suit the brand spot on. Proud of the work we do in the classroom @SCAD

My observations as an educator inside and out of the classroom

My journey in academics began early. Graphic design and communication design allowed me to carve a learning path for my students to have their “light bulb moments”. Systems design has always been exciting to practice and translated well into the classroom. A recent tally of my roster accounts about 26k teaching hours in a college classroom. And that does not include the countless hours of curriculum design, career fairs, portfolio nights, reviews, and extra help sessions; in person, on the phone, or by email. This journey of interacting with individuals from all walks of life and from all over the world has been fulfilling to say the least.

5 years ago, I launched my passion project, the Indian Culture Box. My team and I conduct workshops rooted in cultural traditions. This enterprise is a combination of my belief in the value of cross-cultural communication, love of design curation, and passion for education. Through this venture, I have taught 50+ workshops (200+ hours) across elementary and middle schools, libraries and internationally renowned museums. I have given demonstrations inside galleries, on the streets, in a courtyard, in the wild, on-stage, and in a parking lot. At one event, we had a fire department for support because it involved participants lighting their artwork on fire. The ability to shape a learning experience and a growing moment is all the jam.
As part of living the immigrant life, remote tech support for various senior family members is a given. This teaching career has spanned across 24 years, various technologies, and working remotely before remote work was a socially accepted concept. I can’t even begin to calculate all those hours.
Having raised two children with my husband, I’ve taught an average age range between 0-80. The material has varied from teaching what it means to be a good friend, to creating an award winning innovation product idea. Or from developing a social media strategy to teaching a 5 yo how to drape a 5-yard saree. Each experience special and challenging in its own way.

Here are some observations from inside and outside the classroom. You can call them the 15 qualities for effectively leading teams:

1. Empathy — People are people and they respond to empathy and patience. Being persistent with kindness until they understand the concept, helps.
2. Deep knowledge of your subject — Knowing what you say and a grasp on your material is important to gain trust.
3. Enthusiasm — When you are excited about teaching, it influences the quality and speed of learning.
4. Open-mind — Always connect with your audience. Understanding them and meeting them where they are coming from is a good starting point.
5. Good listening — Listening is where the magic lies. This allows you to understand the person you will be teaching so you can modify how you present the material.
6. Flexibility— Every person learns differently and no two people can be effectively taught the same way. Sometimes major and sometimes minor modifications are necessary.
7. Blue sky thinking — When you push the envelope and experiment with material, outcome and goals, your team often follows suit in the results they produce.
8. Dialog over monologue— Including your students in the conversation about the material from the get-go allows you to become a part of their journey. One way communication rarely works.
9. Activities help — Moving your team out of their routine, whether it is space, medium or format, moves the energy of the room which you can then direct the way you want. My class often goes outdoors to get the creativity flowing.
10. Honesty — Sharing where you come from and the journey you went through provides hope, trust and the confidence to make mistakes - some of the best work is created from honesty and vulnerability.
11. Curiosity — Acknowledging each persons lived experience and being curious about something they know that you don’t, creates confidence and lends a voice to self-doubting creative minds.
12. Healthy competition — Games in the environment amongst teams creates healthy competition and produces good work. It also produces positive and respectful creative individuals.
13. Inclusivity — Creating a structure which allows a diverse set of voices and mental models brings in fresh energy.
14. Stay current — Discussions of world affairs, local politics, favorite TV shows or the MET gala fashion highlights makes for an interactive team environment.
15. Being present — Enjoy being there in the moment with your team and they will too.

When a student from 12 years ago who lives half way across the world calls me to catch up and wants to share photos of her babies and tell me all about her business, it is very touching.
While the work of an educator can be all consuming and often unrecognized, it comes with a large amount of value addition to your personal life. It allows you to experience the world through younger eyes and gives you the opportunity to create a legacy. I would highly recommend working professionals to enter the classroom. It allows you to gauge your expertise and bring your rich experience to the younger generation.

For me, teaching has primarily meant long lasting relationships, refining management skills, a lot of personal growth and a sense of connectedness and community. For this I am grateful.

Wellness innovation in the classroom — Gauri Misra-Deshpande

Wellness refers to the natural state of being that each of us is meant to be in. A state of ease. And not a state of disease. With changes in societal structures, economies and technological advances the shift in the idea of wellness and its technique seem to be the constant. There is a projected growth of $4.2 trillion in this industry which goes across the spectrum from skincare, aging, travel, food, supplements, cannibus, exercise, sleep and so many more facets. Growing up with Ayurveda and food being health, the idea of doing anything special for wellness seemed unnatural to me at first. But being exposed to the Global Wellness Summit gave me an opportunity to meet some unbelievable people with their hearts and business minds in balance. 

For two years in a row, my students have won the Shark Tank for Wellness competition at the Global Wellness Summit. I realized that I had arrived at Wellness innovation in the classroom as a natural progression. If I could teach them how to sell a watch, why couldn’t I help them think of something that would help them spend their day mindfully? Wellness innovation design applies the same thought and design process. 

• Consider the end user
• Identify their pain points
• Create something to make a difference in their life and the world
• Design a prototype to visualize the idea
• Tell the story to support your innovation

Applying lessons of empathy often begin with yourself. I have seen a shift in generations. The youngest of them do care about the environment. But often that sense of duty gets mixed up a savior complex . Instead of simply buying another product that donates to a charity, it might be gratifying to create a solution that aims at the problem itself.

VIEW SOME PAST WINNERS

Here are some conversations for wellness innovation we have in the classroom:

• What is going on around us?
• Have you been touched by an issue?
• What already exists and can it be improved?
• How would your innovation make a difference in someone’s life?
• Would you be able to scale it?
• What story would you tell about the innovation? And to who specifically?

What is going on around us?

I make my students read the news — they have to know what’s going on the world, not just in their local environment. They are also to watch talks by leaders in different industries. It is easy to access information with YouTube and Ted talks and so many other wonderful resources. Could you look at staggering numbers and statistics? And is it in an area you are interested in? 

Have you been touched by an issue?

The savior complex exists in all of us in varying amounts. We are social creatures that are inherently intelligent and capable of helping each other out. Sometimes we just need a nudge. When students are asked in class to list out what area of wellness they would like to focus on, these are some responses I get. “My younger sister is so conscious of how she looks because of her skin” or “ I don’t want to waste food but often I throw spoilt produce from my fridge because I get busy or forget it’s there”. These conversations grow into user surveys, questionnaires, persona studies and eventually insight translation with consumer journeys, use case scenarios etc. 

What already exists and can it be improved?

Do not begin with wanting to reinvent the wheel. Begin by wanting to solve a small problem really well. Look around, diligent market research shows you what already exists. And see if there is a gaping hole in a certain  market or consumer segment that has not been explored yet. Study innovations in the market many of those that have changed your own life. Being aware that our everyday has been modified by someone who came up with that idea is a very defining moment in the thought process. 

How would your innovation make a difference in someone’s life?

How does your user live and what aspirations do they have? Are they dealing with something  that has not gotten attention? Can you identify this micro-instance in their daily life? Defining what you can create to make that instance of pain disappear is the moment of creativity. 

Would you be able to scale it? How?

Even Michelangelo had a family supporting his masterpiece ceiling murals. If you are creating something that is meaningful to the user, you have to make sure you develop it with the intent of it reaching all that can benefit from it. Something that improves the specific life and then the general condition of life in society. For this, knowing your market and identifying an industry supporter to scale your innovation is very important. Aligning with existing tools may be a very viable option too. One of my student groups developed the idea of a meditation pod and they chose to partner with an existing meditation app — the alliance seems natural as they coexist in the same space and can benefit from each other. 

What story would you tell about the innovation? And to who specifically?

What are the supporting facts to your innovation? Identify and amplify why this idea makes sense and holds the potential to resolve that micro instance of pain. Would someone want to buy this idea? In regards to  content, tone and visual style of story telling — I often draw on this analogy in my classroom. How would you narrate a life experience to your room mate versus your mother? What details would you embellish? Once you define that, you have an authentic story meant for a specific audience. 

Teaching young minds to sell a product is easier because they are surrounded by those messages every 30 seconds from the time they wake up to the time they sleep. They engage as consumers as long as they are being entertained. Sometimes knowingly and sometimes not. But making them take a moment to look around and be observant of that one micro instance in someone else’s life, that could make a difference. And then design for it— that is wellness innovation. 

The value of an international student...besides the tuition they bring

What does it mean to be an international student in the US? It is like being an African American — you don't know what it's like unless you are one or have been one. The struggles, the freedoms, the metamorphosis you experience are all your own and very impactful. There are various factors that influence the years following your educational journey. Some of these have repercussions on the trajectory of your life. These are some of those initial decisions:

What area of study you entered the country for — If you came in for an MS in Computer Science in the 80s or 90s you are pretty well set with a strong career. If you came for a Masters in Art, you better find some viable career move where you can apply for a work visa. Changes in government, policy and international relations might change and affect what you thought before you came to study and post-graduation.

What region of the country you chose to go to school in — If you chose to study in an urban university, chances of internships and jobs there on seem to be better. If you studied in a small town of a largely agricultural state, the job options locally are pretty limited and very reliant on your field of study and the industry there.

The degree you are pursuing — Depends on the market boom. Where are the jobs being created and if you have the skills to match them, be it technology, finance or law. The world economy is fluid and various factors affect or change the market when you enter the workforce.

How you plan to pay for your education — Did you come here self-funded? If so, you a small minority that can make decisions without being weighted with the eternal question of "how will I pay back my student loans?" You are lucky. For those who take on the "international student loan" it is a long journey ahead. The weight of a student loan often makes you decide to take on some job rather than "the job of your dreams" which may not be as stable or pay as much. But it brings stability into your life and gives you some control over where you want to go next.

The other learning
Adjusting with language (even if you are a native English speaker), way of teaching, classroom culture and peer dynamics (would you fit into the study group?) is a whole other kind of learning besides the actual degree you pursue. All through your time in this country, you are learning. A new way of life which includes how the hiring process works, how you need to shine in any and everything you do. Post-graduation, an international student has a limited amount to find a job that would hire them and vouch for them as the ideal candidate for whom they would apply for a work visa. So you better be a super-duper star and win those awards. The stakes are too high for you to be average. Work harder, be more present, be less absent, create faster, show your uniqueness, don't always display your roots.... the list of these untold pressures is as extensive as the experience of each international student.

What international students bring to the classroom
In the long years of teaching, I have seen one thing to be true. And that is the fact that international students enrich the classroom. They bring a unique perspective to a situation. They veer the conversation to accommodate their own realities. They question and often expand the viewpoint of their peers. They learn so much from their local peers who may be from different parts of the country themselves. Critiques become interesting as local students have to explain something so commonplace for them and international students have to understand why the market accepts or rejects certain products/ ideas. Especially in a creative classroom which is never held back by geographic boundaries. The international students begin to understand what languages are universal and what part of the communication needs to become local. My lectures and projects have to accommodate these varied learning styles and students too.

I often require students to play games like "charades" in the classroom. Teams mixed up with local and international students are a pleasure to experience. The exercise displays varying mental models at play. All the students involved face frustrations but they also understand that we live in a global economy. And not everyone thinks the same way about how to act out "running water". We have to learn to speak to each other. Not just with the written or spoken language. Teamwork that follows this initial speedbump improves exponentially.

I cannot imagine teaching a class which is lacking varying perspectives, life experiences and points of view. It is the diversity that makes teaching fulfilling. How else would I have ever learned that monkey brains are a delicacy, what the best way to make Taiwanese tea eggs is or the trick to layering a true authentic Baklava?

"Sunshine assignment" for extra credit

Happy in the sunshine students...Sunshine = Healthy+ Happy+ Creative

During Winter 2019, I was teaching multiple large group classes. Twenty students in each class. They were working on complex projects that required extensive team collaboration and skills management. From entire ad campaigns based on diversity to videos showcasing 10 weeks of research and innovative ideas. Coming upon them was the crucial "last week". The weekend which would be filled with polishing mockups in Photoshop or adding sound or editing in Premier Pro.

The past three weeks of cold weather (32-45* F) with mostly rains and thunderstorms had not helped student morale. I usually begin each class with a quick catchup on what they have been up to and what is going on in the market and in the world. The past week had seen low group enthusiasm. The news of the Coronavirus situation had been coming in too.

While I always recommend ample sleep, warm water, ginger, lemon honey and turmeric to all of them, I decided to go differently this week. The weather was going to be sunny over the coming weekend.  To the students' surprise, I told them about the "Sunshine assignment". It was optional but highly recommended. For 5 points extra credit, they were to send me a photo or a video of themselves out in the sunlight over the weekend. They had to spend some time in the sun.

On Monday morning, my mailbox was filled with these happy faces. Students being recognized as young adults who just want to be happy.

They brought in wonderful work in the coming week. Hopefully, they realise that their physical and mental well-being results in good class morale, strong participation and a healthier environment for all of us. I had one student send me his selfie in front of a sunny beach image on his desktop. He got the extra points for creativity and I hope he makes it to the real sunshine now that classes have concluded.

"The reflection of you" — Self promotion chocolate leave-behind that showcases the authentic "YOU".

Designer: Maria Tamayo, Colombia

  I have developed countless projects across many levels of classes and across disciplines through my academic career. Project development is exciting for me because I labor over it until the construct is just right. A strong project offers a student in a given timeframe the opportunity to develop a deliverable that not only aligns with the class objectives and curriculum but also gives them a sense of achievement and purpose.Over time I have realized that giving students projects that either intrigue them, expose them to a new environment or technology or allow them to introspect themselves or their belief systems or mental models almost always brings about a high level of learning. 

Designer: Ava Kassel, Mexico

Designer: Meiqi Yuan, China

Like a good fusion dish, a good project maintains loyalty to the original premise while providing flexibility for students to add themselves to it. With the right guidance and true passionate talent, this may also result in globally accepted award winning work. 

Such has been the case of my chocolate packaging leave behind project. I asked students to develop a leave behind in the form of chocolates for prospective employers. And evidence of their skill and passions, their life experiences and their motivations.

Designer: Makumbi Muleba, Zambia

The results have been overwhelming and as varied as the students I have taught. Graduate and undergraduate students have developed chocolate packaging as evidence of their knowledge in 3D packaging, concepts of printing, color modes, software knowledge for creation and understanding of die lines and foil stamping. The other more complex layer of their project has been the cultural representation by various students across, languages, music, colors, textiles, geographies and popular trends.  The chocolate flavors have also been a deliberate choice in reflecting their personality. This project has been a success in more ways than one. 

Designer: Zaynah Smith, United States

Benefits of a Social impact project

Social impact projects have been a part of my curriculum for a long time now. I have had students work with non-profit organizations and help with various social issues over the years. The true proof of creative power is evidenced by students when the playing field is real and the issues are affecting folks like all of us. They get a glimpse of what they writing, strategy and art direction skills can ALSO be put to use for. The access to so many free media outlets has made it a lot easier for students to develop and put their ideas to test.

I first made a graduate Graphic Design class create a curriculum to teach senior citizens how to navigate the web, in the early 2000's. Students ended up learning about user interfaces and accessibility issues first hand as they tested this on the Senior Citizens Inc. in Chatham County, GA. This experience made the class truly become conscious designers.
The projects when they affect real lives, automatically get the level of passion and student involvement beyond make-believe scenarios. When you are creating an awareness campaign for Opioid overdose, you end up researching symptoms and causes and try to find an answer beyond a creative execution. With this particular project, students recognized family members that may be affected. Or friends who might need help. It was a heartening project.

Some of the student work can be viewed here.

The opioid awareness campaign in my mind as an educator achieved its purpose when students began and concluded the research. The eventual deliverables they developed based on their strategy and understanding of the market was icing on top of the cake.
Based on this and many such projects before, listed below are some of my observations as an educator and designer.

Social impact project benefits for students:

• It makes them aware of a need beyond their space.
• Students become aware, conscious and responsible world citizens.
• Their ability to look at any problem objectively, increases.
• The level of passion and student involvement is extremely high.
• It humanizes the process of creative development: design, writing, strategy, art direction etc. 
• Students play roles beyond their expertise. 
• Research and information gathering become very important skills.
• Innovation takes place as funds are often limited or non-existent.
• Often a discussion of financial stability to support ideals comes to the table.
• Awareness of social issues increases and leads many students to the path of volunteering.
• Class discussions and team work often result in life-long friends when their ideals match.

Social impact projects don't have to be done for a particular organization. They could just direct creative minds in the direction of an existing need.

Clean slates

Clean slates. White canvasses. New friendships. These can be tough or intimidating. But they can also be easy. You can direct them and form them into what your fancy is at the moment.

As a parent, I am in-charge of my children. Their physical and emotional well-being. My husband and me define the direction of their moral rudder. Everything from using less water while brushing their teeth to picking up after themselves when a job is done, is a push in a particular direction. Be it lego blocks or a class project. All these little moments and tiny decisions come from a routine that is set by a parent or from emulating an adult that is around a child in their formative years. I imagine bringing up older children who may already have set ideas would be a lot more challenging. 

As a creative who has worked in various industries from afashion magazine to design houses to e-commerce businesses, I have found it to be more exciting to get to develop something completely new and fresh. I got to create a template that was used for over 300 offices worldwide for an international consulting firm. I got to create a new feature as a newbie at Elle India. This opportunity allowed me to create, design, art direct and share packaging ideas and see it from concept to completion. I have created countless logos/ brands for products or services that didn’t exist before. It is challenging but so gratifying. Going into a physical or digital space and seeing the poster or packaging you created in its full glory is definitely a high. 

Working with a new brand is always exciting. As a creative, I can give it a direction that I think works best. Historically I just have other brands to compare and then look as competitors. But I am free to chart new creative territory. To work with older brands (which I have in plenty as well), I need to follow brand guidelines. I have to generate ideas that best further the original thought. I can share ideas but only those that align with the existing brand will see the light of day. I come into an existing setup and play my part in furthering the story. It is often challenging and makes you question your creative freedom. Especially when you are a young creative. But it is also the best way to train yourself into understanding the brand fully. It is always a creative challenge to take on an older brand that has too much baggage, use its existing equity and present it successfully so it conveys the same message in a new way.

As an educator, I enjoy working with students and learning from them. I have taught entry level courses to graduate level thesis classes. I have taught some to turn on the computer and some to safely use an x-acto blade for presentation boards. It is definitely easier working with those that haven't formed any bad habits or work ethics — be it "idea exploration lethargy" or "fall in love with your ideas" syndrome. My job is more effective when the student comes ready to work hard, is passionate and open to learn and push boundaries. A student that has no preconceived notions of creative concepts is much more fun to mould into an “idea machine”. You get to enjoy those light bulb moments as they take place in front of you. The satisfaction of teaching courses that have unexplored concepts give that joy. In the rigorous quarter system that I have always taught in, getting through to some is a challenge. Especially when they are set in their thought processes, work ethics and communication rhythm.

Much of what we see around in the workforce and the people we deal with in life aren't new or fresh or white as a blank canvas. We can be successful at communication, at our jobs and at friendships only when we take the time to work around a personality type or a work ethic that someone already has in place. We tap into their intelligence and resourcefulness despite their quirks. We are able to learn from what exists and build upon that. But acceptance is key. If we accept and respect differences, it becomes easier to function, communicate and be a successful team player.

This is no easy task.

Which makes me wonder if this instinct needs to be nurtured a lot more. Our sometimes excessive need to have the next new version of gadgets, devices or relationships could be a sign of a generation that is always to ready to move on. One that isn't giving importance to the knowledge base gathered from experience.  

In a city like Atlanta, acres of land are cleared out to build the next shopping complex and townhome units. Hundreds of years old trees have been wiped out and in place of those, new ones are planted. The ones that look oh-so-perfect on that architectural rendering of the new space. Ones that go with the design of the building structure. Developing a design that might include them is not easy and most times not cost effective. Hence, it is ignored and never accounted for. Land cleared out, animal life lost, fertile soil trucked away to a new location. This gives you a new easier beginning for sure. But you don’t get the compounded benefit of the past — ecologically, historically or culturally. 

Buying the next new Halloween outfit rather than recycling what you have to make it close to what you want is not an attitude that comes naturally to many of us. It needs nurturing. It needs to be given importance. A lot of issues of overconsumption require a shift in attitude. We all have an uncle, younger cousin or childhood friend that has a specific trait or quirk that we would rather avoid. Our grown-up life does not have the mental space to navigate it. It is too much of a bother. So we spend more time with new friends instead. They fit our current life and we enjoy that for the moment. It won’t be long before they become old news too. Do we just continue to re-configure our social settings all through life? Or do we work with what we have, look on the brighter side, take in the positives and keep investing into those people/ things whose history is closely tied with ours?

As is the case with old brands, older relationships or an existing site for a new development — being able to transition it and create a new chapter in its existence is the true test of a creative mind. New friends are wonderful but polishing those old friendships can result in so much joy. Creating a solution that is original and workable despite quirks, history, personality or an awkwardly placed 200 year old oak tree is the kind of thinking that is the only thing that can extend the existence of our planet. As a mother, an educator and a designer, I sincerely hope each of us can instill that in ourselves.

Elevator pitch...IN AN ELEVATOR

Brand Innovation class, Spring 2018

At the risk of self-shaming, I write this incident. My son had just begun to hold onto the table and stand by the large flat screen TV in our home. His first instinct was to swipe it with his fingers as he had watched his older sibling do that with the iPad which also made sound and showed pictures. How we learn from watching is fascinating. These skills aren't always hereditary. Sometimes, we aren't able to talk with a stranger as easily as our parents can. Even if it is about something as inane at the weather. Sometimes we aren't able to grow physical conversations or interactions with as much ease as we do though hashtags and acronyms on Twitter, Snapchat or Instagram.

How do we hope to have classroom discussions, arguments and visual self-defense if we aren't equipped with that skill? How can we then have students transition to the work force and present their ideas and convince a room.

I have found it extremely useful to play games in the classroom as mentioned in my previous blogpost. The weekly readings and research are a constant in my classrooms. But not all students choose to participate and discuss their findings. Personality, upbringing, cultural norms or political beliefs often block them from having their voices heard. I taught a class in "Creative concepting". We looked at examples of ad campaigns and discussed the idea of a single thought holding various elements together. The "idea with legs". We discussed the core idea of a book or film too. I shared with them the concept of the "sutradhaar" in Indian theater. (Puppeteer who holds the strings).

We discussed presenting these ideas when in a classroom or a boardroom. And came upon the Elevator pitch. Students were comfortable with a Keynote or Powerpoint presentation and presenting their concepts verbally. However, the time restraint threw many of them off. Once their elevator pitches were ready and practiced, they were ready to present it to their class.

"Surprise! — let's do the elevator pitch in the elevator. Pretend that I am the "golden swan"/ decision maker and we happen to take the same elevator. This is an unexpected meeting that you must make the most of. Begin on Floor 1 and be done by the time we reach Floor 5. As soon as the doors open and my next meeting calls, you have lost the opportunity. If you know your project in and out and all the way around, this should be easy. Right?"

Wrong.

We began the elevator pitches. They began presenting their ideas on Level 1 and as we reached the 5th floor, I stepped out of the elevator. If unable to convey the concept, they had missed their chance to make an impression on the pretend "golden swan".

There was a large group of students that had met every deadline through the concept and creative development process. Those that had done all their due diligence, crossed every 't' and dotted every i''. Surprisingly, they were not the ones that managed the opportunity well. The time constraint and the pressure to perform in the small space impromptu made them lose their bearings. They either got nervous, kept focussing on the 5th floor number to light up or took too long in pleasantries. The time for the pitch was lost.
And then there was the other group who was just very personable. They could handle the pressure, make eye contact and be quick and persuasive to get the gist of the idea into the conversation leading to a phone call or a meeting.

This experiment was sprung upon the students unexpectedly. Just before their final presentation. It gave them a reality check of how well they really knew their project. Or how prepared they were to be able to articulate at any given time under any circumstance. It also had them realize the difference between being equipped with knowledge vs. being able to read the situation and improvise. Adapting to your environment and conducting yourself successfully is a skill we all have to master.

Teaching with such techniques/ experiments gets the point across like no lecture could.

Exposure Therapy

My family deals with some allergy issues every now and then. Through years of reading and research and trial and error, we have figured out what works and what doesn't. What are some of the triggers are and what the calming forces are. I have been encouraged to consider immunotherapy which involves exposing people to larger and larger amounts of the allergen in an attempt to change the immune system's response.

I realized that I have been practicing this exact same phenomenon in my class for more than a decade. In fact, all parents do, knowingly or unknowingly.

In the classroom, I have the attention of my students. In any given quarter I may teach anything from Digital Production to Creative Strategies but I have their attention. While they learn the software, techniques and their applications. Or when they understand the objective and subjective material of that class, as an instructor I have the opportunity to inculcate so much more. Much of what the environment presents itself. What improves their understand of the field and beyond. Small doses of something meaningful given consistently definitely brings forth results. Whether it is an eye for detail, a ear for music, an empathy for the environment or an understanding of cultural nuances and differences.

Last quarter I taught a class in Web Advertising. We did weekly reviews of what was happening around media. We looked at different campaigns and examined their premise and what they did for their specific audiences. We met online with Mr. Chris Mendoza previously from Mass Mutual Insurance in Boston. He shared an online video campaign he was involved with from start to finish. We looked at the Family commercial that was shot for a niche audience. Consumers who identified with being first generation Americans. Students watched every detail of the commercial and were able to talk with Chris about decisions made by the client, production team, make-up and costume details, language for sub titles, music choice, props etc. It was an eye opening Skype session because this was being discussed as a business solution that heavily involved sensitivity to cultural identity. When it came time to develop their own digital campaigns for various subscription services, students were very sensitive to the audience they were creating content for.

This is one example of exposure therapy.

Consistent doses of sensitivity to cultural differences and similarity might spark a light bulb in someone who may be responsible for making big decisions in the future.

Environment Vs. Bottomline

A ban on plastic bags
I shop for fresh produce at the Dekalb International Farmer’s market or at a renowned national chain of Indian grocery stores. They usually carry specific vegetables/ groceries that I do not find elsewhere. I make it a point to carry my own bags there and often get a chuckle from the staff that’s doing the bagging.
When I shop for fruits or veggies in most markets in Mumbai, I don’t get a plastic bag unless I pay for it. Or then I get the produce in my own bag or wrapped up in newspaper. There is a ban on plastic bags there. This has often confused me. In Mumbai, I have to pay for a bag which reminds me that I am being wasteful. Conversely, in Decatur, I am made fun of when I carry my own bags or give back the plastic bags.


I decided to see if my designer self can affect a change. I wanted to reach out to the store manager and inquire why they won’t stop giving away plastic bags? I offered my services to help them run a campaign to encourage people to bring their own bags.
After been lead from assistant manager to manager to the national chain owner, I knew I had hit the jackpot. If there was someone who could make a difference, this guy in Chicago would be it. I explained to him at the beginning of the conversation about how bad the bags were for the environment. How a leading store like theirs could set an example for the rest of the Indian businesses to follow. I even tried to appeal to the businessman saying that the demographic in a progressive place like Decatur would be attracted to a store that uses paper bags or then charges for plastic ones. Especially when he was soon to compete with Sprouts or Whole Foods. His answer was simple. He said, “We attempted at giving cloth bags but people leave them home or use them for gifting and then come back for plastic. Some even argue and ask for extra bags so they can use them as trash bags at home. Squabbles with customers affects my hourly flow at the register and I cannot let that happen. My stores in California don’t give out plastic bags, legislation requires them not to. Until GA does that, I cannot help it. Some customers also take the grocery in boxes which we happily provide. But until I cannot use legislation as a response to customers, I will have to give out plastic bags. I’m sorry.”


Ban on styrofoam containers
Why is it that when I leave with a fragrant to-go parcel on a tired Friday evening at one of my favorite Indian joints, I leave with a little guilt packed along with the fluffy naans and the spicy Hyderabadi lentil curry? The food is all packed in styrofoam boxes and containers. I have offered to bring in my own utensils which is not admissible either.


I have asked various Indian restaurants but they refuse to move away from styrofoam. Again, quoting the lack of legislation. Why is it that I have to choose between being environmentally friendly, culturally Indian or financially savvy when I live in a progressive country?

How weekly exercises help the process of learning.

Never in a million years did I imagine myself get into educator mode. Much of it all culminated when I was in graduate school making teaching tools and loving it. As a freelancer, I had in the past researched and written for a children's video game. The idea of creating options along the path of the user came from there. I perfected my skills when I worked as lead designer for a global web redesign project in my past life.

Learning is cumulative. We all learn on the basis of something. As infants, we hear our parents speak and pick up from there. Mannerisms, habits and so are formed the same way. We base it on something. I find analogies to be a very useful tool in the classroom during lectures for the same reason.

A new concept can be communicated effectively if it is based on the reality of that particular student group. The reality of each batch of students changes because the environment they consume changes constantly. I needed to find a constant that can be changed yet maintained across classes, course levels and expertise. Being relevant is ever so important.

Weekly exercises first appeared in my classes when I wrote a graduate web design course for SCAD's Elearning program. I needed students to check in each week with peripheral concepts besides the main content being discussed. The success of these weekly exercises confirmed my belief — "a spoon full of sugar helps the medicine go down". Small doses of kind-of-relevant exploration brought students closer to their creative solutions.

In many of my classes, students are given a task each week. The tasks vary from watching a particular video and writing a summary of 500 words to going to a restaurant pretending to be your target audience and placing an order and writing about the experience. The weekly exercises change based on the project the class is working on or the concepts they need to have clarified before the end of the quarter. They then come into the classroom and share their weekly exercise with their peers.

Besides the learning that takes place while researching the exercise, there are other benefits. The journey they take together brings them closer in the classroom.Team dynamics improve. Ability to read a variety of sources increases. Open mindedness might occur in some. Sometimes, if the weekly isn't particularly exciting, the collective dissatisfaction of the exercise does wonders too. The teacher as a common enemy is a wondrous unifying force.

All in all, weekly exercises work. Most times, students don't realize it, but the light bulbs turn on during one of those moments when you think you cannot take on any more homework. And some of those light bulbs shine all the way through many successful careers.

Games in the classroom

The game was "Dumb charades" or at least that's what I grew up knowing it as since you weren't allowed to speak. Just act out your clues.

This was in the Creative Concepting class for juniors in the Advertising major program (BFA)

Objective:

1. Team building
2. Awareness of different cognition and learning styles amongst possible teammates
3. Definition of leadership qualities
4. Definition of boundary pushers
5. Figuring out the pop culture knowledge of the class. And hence the age/generation of the students
6. Agile thinking capability of various students.

Process: The class was "Creative Concepting". The premise of the class was exposing students to various (mostly visual) means of arriving at a concept for a given problem. The tactics across the course include storyboards, image only, text only, combinational campaign. The class also taught methods for research, content gathering, editing and filtering. It touched briefly on demographic study as well. Good habits need to be formed early on in the program.

The students were given the rules on how to play. Movies they could select. There needed to be a consensus of staying with national or international movies. The outspoken ones spoke and were heard. Teams were split with a random note picking exercise.

They forgot their inhibitions and began discussion, agreeing and disagreeing on movies they would give their opponents. They figured out the weak links in the opposite teams and changed movies based on who would act out next. They were frustrated when their team members were unaware of certain movies which according to them were cult movies. Their enthusiastically shared this and more knowledge. Some of the students picked movies that were very difficult to act out. Some students who were fantastic in their production of work were completely stumped at the “impromptu take it by the horns attitude” that the game requires you to have. If someone doesn’t get your clues, switching to quite an opposite technique to make it work doesn’t come very easily to all. And yet, these are all things that they needed to be fluid in to make the most of the creative concepting class.

This proved to be a successful game in many ways. The class functioned much more positively from then on. Presentations were a lot more interactive. Constructive criticism was very constructive. Who knew that playing a game in class would lead to gold!