M Nagarajan was speaking at the launch of a book ‘Design Thinking: Steps and Methodologies for Innovators/Startups’. To bridge the industry-academia gap, Gujarat Student Startup and Innovation Hub (i-Hub) has urged state universities to introduce courses on design thinking techniques and tools.
“We have exhorted all universities to introduce design thinking courses so that it gives a basic exposure and knowledge to students in Gujarat,” M Nagarajan, the director higher education and honorary executive director of i-Hub, said at the launch of a book ‘Design Thinking: Steps and Methodologies for Innovators/Startups’.
The book was launched by i-Hub in collaboration with National Institute of Design (NID) and Student Startup and Innovation Policy (SSIP). It aims to help young entrepreneurs on ways to approach design and students from non-design background on steps they need to take during product development. The book has been designed, conceptualised and compiled by NID alumni Bharat, Nancy Roy and Surya Teja Bachu.
“You don’t teach design thinking you inculcate it,” Anju Sharma, principal secretary education and chairperson i-Hub, said at its virtual launch Saturday.
NID director Praveen Nahar, who is also a board member of i-Hub, said, “Design thinking or rather designer way of thinking can really accelerate and improve the success rate of startups. Design thinking could bring an iterative approach that could help innovators at an early stage.”
SSIP is a dedicated policy for supporting student innovation and startups and is spearheaded by the education department. To institutionalise student startups and innovation movement further, the state government has established the i-Hub.
