Studying in ِDesign Innovation Management program at the Loughborough University provides me with an opportunity to fulfil myself in the field I have been pursuing for years …
During my Junior year in Industrial Design course (it is better to name that product conceptualisation course), reading Alvin Toffler’s book series arose a massive question in my mind. There was a gap between my academic design knowledge and our fast pace of life. I knew the principle of design, I had the creativity to produce concepts (top prize in CanDo design competition), but something was wrong! The way of thinking that we ware learning at University as designers were not the problem-solving way to answer this question: Can this product design knowledge respond to our future individual and social needs in the 3rd wave of industries1? Unfortunately, none of my tutors at that time led me to a proper answer and I graduated as Industrial designers. (If you are interested, see my portfolio Here)
For me, as an Iranian design graduate, websites like Dexigner and Core77 were the only sources to get the up to date knowledge of design and you couldn’t find anyone in University that knows anything about Service design. Service was sort of industry that was introduced in management schools. So I got guided to the MBA to find my answer. I got admitted to one of the best management schools in Iran in the EMBA course with the hope to know what is so wrong with our design courses! Unaware of the fact that I will learn the basics of management with sources as old as my age!
So, With despair and a feeling of ignorance, I finished my Master course, which has resulted in a paper and gaining very vague knowledge of everything related to management. At the same time, I had my design studio that was well-known for interior, product and web design.
I must point out that the revolution in developing countries is like a myth! We always have a dream of revolution but never know what do we want after the revolution! In 2015 the startup revolution began in Iran that was mostly full of good copies of successful international service startups. (Since we are always under sanctions no international organisation can work in Iran; As a result, Iranian founders consistently following this rule: Copy global, Act local!)2. We started surfing opposite the wave of this movement and I became design and marketing consultant of many well-known startups in Iran such as Oxinchannel, TakeIELTS, and Fidibo. Simultaneously, upon receiving an invitation from the Isfahan University of Art, I started teaching Industrial Design modules. This combination of lecturing and consulting to services aroused my interest again to actively follow my desire to find the answer to an old question!
Service Design, a new experience or a lifetime opportunity?
I started communicating with Lboro previous and current professors before my official admission. Since we can not buy anything from Amazon in Iran. I read Dr Telalbasic book review of service design, I received the Design Management book from Kathryn Best and I was following their activity in design eco-system in Linkedin. After Starting Design Innovation Management in Lboro London with all ups and downs now I can say that it was an excellent commence. It always has a good feeling to come back to University as a student! Now after a semester that was partially a good review of the previous studies, and fabulous meeting with my personal academic tutor and Proffesor Koria about my future studies and career; I’ve finished my first session of the Service design and Social Innovation module with great vision to designing the Invisible3 and the future that is way visible than ever. Now I know Service design for social Innovation was the missing piece of my knowledge puzzle that I’m going to work on for at least the next two decades of my life.
