The Indovators – Part 1 | Lina Srivastava

by Shagun Singh

Lina Srivastava is the Principal of Lina Srivastava Consulting, LLC, which focuses on employing strategy, innovation, engagement and the use of cultural assets to create and demonstrate social change. For our new feature ‘The Indovators’, Lina talks about opportunities for indian designers in the fields of service design, information design, systems design, climate change and more.  She elaborates on how designers can use their inherent skills to create cross sector relationships and communication channels.  She also emphasizes the importance of fostering a climate of creation and risk taking in a conservative risk averse culture.  Overall, the first feature of our new series tells us why designing for the developing nations is a challenging yet gratifying and why innovation matters.

3 Responses to “The Indovators – Part 1 | Lina Srivastava”

  1. Saul Kaplan says:
    February 26, 2010 at 4:13 am

    Great work Lina. Your passion for design thinking and process to solve real world problems for the poorest of the poor in India is infectious. You are so right about the importance of storytelling to create an emotional connection with a purposeful network of innovators prepared to roll up their sleeves and work on the big social challenges of our day. Keep up the good fight. Saul

  2. manisha basu says:
    March 2, 2010 at 9:12 pm

    give me your e-mail id and I have to write to you in person.
    I am an architect- from Ahmedabad

  3. Sanchari says:
    April 25, 2011 at 5:14 am

    Dear Designwala,

    I am really glad to come across such enriching discussions on how Design can play a huge role in bringing out change for the betterment.
    Am an independent designer and work with craftspeople and non craftspeople in training them to think creatively.
    Handicrafts and Handloom for long have been the second largest source of income generation for millions of people in India. And for encouraging these activities, the Government has many plans for improving the kind of products these clusters are into making. However, I have yet not come across any plans which are to encourage the creativity in our artisans/craftsmen.
    I strongly believe that these development plans need to happen parallel and not in segments. I completely agree with Lina’s statements that Designers have a humongous role to play as agents of change. But the present policies need to be re-looked for giving designers the right platform.
    At present the responsibility of a designer (in Handicraft and Handloom sector) is limited to introducing new colour trends and diversification of product line to increase the saleability of the products and hence hoping to increase the economy of the place.
    I feel this approach is incomplete and can only give momentary benefits if at all, as it doesn’t touch upon the very important factor of touching the minds of the artisans/craftspeople thus reducing them to the level of Xerox machines that can replicate and make multiple copies of the designs but not multiply the design thinking. This system cannot bring in the desired change has it has not till date ever since it was introduced(perhaps in the 1969 and 70’s).
    Overall development of a place can only happen if the development happens in co-ordination and proper co-operation of the policy makers, the executors and the facilitators but not in segments. The focus shouldnot be product centric but people centric.
    I hope to come by more such interesting interviews such as Lina’s as it acts as an encouragement for all the designers who are linked in such activities. I feel we (both the Government and the Designer community) has a responsibility to work towards betterment in ethical ways.

    Thank you for giving the space to talk about such issues.
    Regards
    Sanchari Mahapatra

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