Making Intent Matter

ISSUE: 142

As a visual communication designer, Sreenihal Pouka is committed to empowering people with the power of creative thinking

Where, in your opinion, does the power of creative thinking lie?

SP: Anyone can get an amazing idea – it is not only designers who can think creatively to innovate, create or recreate something extraordinary. But since we are in the problem-solving business we do this on a serious note. When we look around us we see so many problems that are solved by non-designers, starting from the goods used in our daily life, to the reuse and repurposing of such products. In that way, everyone is a creative thinker or even a designer.

What were your key takeaways from the different design education systems you were part of?

BP: From my experience, the design education from the National Institute of Design led me to shine and build as a problem solver. The NID campus and lifestyle were enriched with multicultural students from all around the country and it offered us a perspective about the place we live in, our target audience, and who we are working for. At Scuola Politecnica di Design, Milan (where I pursued a Master’s in Graphic Design), it was not a very different story except that multiculturalism was expanded globally. During this time I was able to analyze and learn more from my batch mates from around the globe. The education at these two institutions was a key turning point for me to understand and work with different designers in various fields. For me, college education was not just about academics – it has many more multiple layers for a student and designer to learn from mistakes and improve.

Tell us about working on Uno playing cards for the visually impaired.

SP: I’m a card game lover. There are days I have played UNO with my friends for more than 18 hours continuously! UNO Touch for Visually Impaired is an idea that came to my mind while I was illustrating a playing cards set. I was in the process of making esthetically pleasing illustrative cards but when the idea of UNO Touch struck my head, I immediately trashed what I was doing before.

UNO Touch is a challenging project for me – I have invested two years of my design life in it. More than the visual appeal of the cards, I have concentrated on the challenge of making a smooth gameplay for the visually impaired.

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