Transcript

Welcome to the summary lecture about this course. The course which we were discussing is on design thinking for agricultural implements.

Weekly coverage:

Week 1

So in the first week we were going through the following topics: We were trying to understand what is design. Then what is design thinking. We were trying to talk about the five small vertical pillars which are there, so then we were talking about design thinking needs and outcomes. Then we were trying to introduce you to design for manufacturing.

Week 2

The second week we were trying to talk about functions of agricultural implements, operational characteristics, aesthetic characteristics, cost characteristics, ease for maintenance and developing successful products.

Week 3

In the third week we were trying to study about empathy, definition, ideation, prototyping and testing. These are the five vertical pillars which are there on design thinking.

Week 4

Then we were trying to look at week four we were trying to understand the customer. A product without a customer is of no use today. When we are talking about innovation, design thinking we should have a customer. Customers voice is very, very sensitive and very subtle. You are supposed to understand what he wants, what he does not want, what he can quantify, what he will not even quantify. But finally, by looking at your product, you have to bring the wow effect for the customer. So for that you have to understand the customer. Then voice customer, we saw, how do you record? How do you put on a piece of paper? What are his requirements? Then we translate the customer need into an engineering spec. Then we tried to do design and specification requirements for a product. So as I told you in the class itself, many at times the customer will say, I might need it. He might say, okay. Sometimes you might say, uh, I feel it should be heavier, but these are all not quantitative parameters. These are all qualitative parameters. But with this you can’t survive. So you have to convert all these parameters into quantity and then only you can start working on it. So that is what was a major emphasis, for our Week four.

Week 5

When we moved to week five, we were trying to think of how do we practice creativity? How do we motivate creativity within us? How do we do brainstorming? So these are all what? These are all you go back and link to your design thinking. Brainstorming session is very, very important. Today, when I was having a discussion with my son. I also felt that he should be given a proper chance and he was trying to express his views when we were trying to buy a microwave oven, so brainstorming session he had my son had certain points. So it is good that everybody in the team participates and everybody gives their opinion, everything is recorded and then you come out with solutions or possible solutions. Then we would like to talk about checklisting. Then we would talked about web webbing technique and at last SWOT analysis, strength, weakness, opportunity and threat for a product which we are going to develop or for a process which we are thinking.

Week 6

Week number six we saw low fidelity prototype, high fidelity prototype. Low fidelity prototype will work to the customer requirement but it will not be very precise. It might have repeatability, it might not. It might have reliability, it might not. So here you are going to check the form, the functionality and the integration of different subsystems. So that is low fidelity prototype from low fidelity prototype, we moved towards high fidelity prototype, which was almost like your final product which you are going to use. Then, we were discussing about usability testing in terms of efficiency, in terms of capacity, in terms of throughput and finally we were trying to discuss a few things about frugal innovation. Few examples also we saw.

Week 7

Week number seven we were trying to demonstrate the prototype on materials and tools. Then we were trying to discuss about green filling machine. Then plant seed sowing machine. Then simple agricultural implements. These are the different case studies which we walked through and all these case studies we developed it in our lab. We went through the design thinking approach with a set of students, we tried to develop this. So all these case studies I am sure would have enlighten you in a big way.

Week 8

Week number eight we saw Amla deseeding machine. We saw seed sewing machine, then motorized driven plouging machine. And finally we saw a summary of all these things in our course.

Outcomes of the course

What are the possible outcomes of this course? First one is what is design thinking, when to practice it? How design thinking helps to bring more innovative ideas, creativity, brainstorming, session, all those things. What are the functional and design parameters of your product? The understanding customer and translating their needs. Prototyping materials, tools and methods. Finally, usability testing to a developed equipments. These are the outcomes of this course. How to do all these we learned through this course. I am sure you would have enjoyed this course. This course would have at least put a small seed in your thought process. How to develop your product for a customer. The product here, we are primarily focused towards agricultural implement. You can also have your product as service. Agricultural service can be there. So with this, I would like to conclude my course and wish you all the best.

Thank you.