Mine was a three-project dissertation. The three projects were: marketplaces to the mall, pathshala and vocational training. The first was about moving a new catchment from discovery to loyalty by creating comfort, welcome and familiarity from their marketplaces. The second was about educational aspirations of the urban poor living in the slums of Mumbai. The third was exploring the vocational training scenario in India to find opportunities for new business design.

All three projects were approached uniquely as per the requirement of the brief. The overall process followed was a four pronged one: thinking of the system around the topic of research to locate points of interaction and inquiry that would be explored in-depth; implementing the research with deep dives in to relevant areas to gather information; extracting relevant information—gaps and opportunity areas that would lead to strategic design interventions; and, designing a business model that would generate value to all stakeholders.

I had to cover a range of topics, give insights, locate areas of opportunity not ordinarily visible and deliver an innovative, sustainable, revenue generating and profit making model.

Innovation at the speed of thought is essential in the industry today, but the survival of any business lies in constantly changing and adapting itself to new environments. Creative budgeting and financing are essential to the profit-making process. And, human resources are the key to a successful service.