Design Thinking

Khan Krishnan

The challenge that I will be undertaking is how to raise awareness about sustainability and its  importance to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It is very important for us to establish such  understanding and vital role of thinking about sustainability and the environment as a priority. It is  crucial for us to adapt such thinking early on, as the UAE is a fairly young country at age. Having such  understanding will allow the UAE to be in the map of development of not only skyscrapers and touristic  attractions but also to showcase the positive correlation between development and the environment.

Being a young country that hasn’t yet adapted a full policy of being environmentally friendly, there  needs to be a crucial and effective way to attract their attention on why such process needs to take  place. That is why, I have chosen the tool of visualization to prevail such message. Being a scientific  topic, I don’t want people to get bored and drift away from the importance of such topic because of  numbers that might be proposed. Therefore, I believe with visualization having graphs and infographics  will allow them to understand and comprehend the importance of such mission to be adapted as a  policy and lifestyle to the UAE. When describing the power of the visualization tool, Angela Myer, she  described the tool in design as “a way of unlocking a different part of the brain”. I believe information  portrayed visually, is easier to comprehend, because you are allowing people to see what you want  them to see and understand. As she also elaborates, sometimes when we don’t use visuals, different  people might be visualizing them internally differently. By using visuals, we can better understand the  idea and that results either in agreement or disagreement, and most importantly start a dialogue about  such topic because people see what the person is trying to advocate and portray.

First tactic when using visualization to promote sustainability, using well developed countries as  examples who have adapted it will allow the government to see the fruits of countries that are on board  and the benefits of such priority in development. An infographic of where the UAE, and specifically  Dubai, ranks in between all these well-developed city. For example, if we put the map of sustainable  cities based on the index generated by ARCADIS, Dubai ranks 52 on the list. Once the leaders and people  will take a look at the ranking, their eye will keep looking for Dubai’s position on the list. Once going past  the 10th rank that will be worrying and concerning, considering that the culture in the UAE is to be  always number 1. Therefore, such rank visualization will let initiate the thinking process and will allow  them to start thinking of “why?” and look at the cities and countries that are in the frontier. That  thinking process is what ignites change and it wouldn’t be the same if we just put the whole report  generated in front of their eyes. The moment we highlight the first city and country that was the  highest, and where Dubai is ranked, that is when they will truly start to ask themselves the right  questions of why are we in that position and how can be in the frontline of such index. Moreover, the  pillars of sustainability that measure the sustainable index are as follows: people (social), planet  (environmental) and profit (economical).

For the second tactic, I had to get personal between the people and the leaders of the UAE. The leaders  in the UAE care greatly about the health of the people and their wellbeing. However, the reason the UAE

and Dubai aren’t in the frontier of the index is because there is a high rate of obesity found. Therefore,  in order for us to get people thinking, we need to compare people that are living in Zurich and those  that are living in Dubai. That was made using a video that shows what the average citizen does in each  city from the moment he/she wakes up until they go to sleep. For the person that lives in Zurich, he/she  chooses to utilize public transportation, walk to and from near areas , eat healthy organic meals that are  enriched with nutrients, exercises lightly during the day, and reads in either between his/her breaks or  when going to bed. Whilst the citizen in Dubai, drives almost everywhere, eats highly processed meals  and rarely exercises. These portrayals will allow the leaders to understand why the UAE has twice  average of obesity and why it isn’t one of the highest ranked sustainable cities. Once they see such  numbers and visualization of the lives of the people residing in each city, later on they will understand  why these cities are pioneers in such development.

The insight gained from applying the tool of visualization allowed me to better understand and simplify  the complexity of my challenge, in order for other people that have little knowledge in the idea grasp  the goal of such mission. Visualization allowed me to think differently and look at the challenge from a  diverse viewpoint and see how different people think and the ways to attract them from their interest in  order to be able to convince them on the importance of achieving such goal.

Even though I believe that I have explained the process of implementing this mission using the  visualization tool, I believe various tools can achiever various results depending on the audience. For  example if we were to explain this mission to a younger generations I would use the storytelling tool or  mind mapping in order for me to be able to portray the whole message for them from start to finish.  Also, depending on what stage they are either in school or university, storytelling and mind mapping will  allow us to connect the idea with the foundation of education they are getting at the moment. The  depth that both these tools go to, will allow students to think about not only the present but also the  future and build on their past education.


Design Thinking Khan Krishnan The challenge that I will be undertaking is how to raise awareness about sustainability and its importance to the United Arab Emirates ( UAE ) . It is very important for us to establish such understanding and vital role of thinking about sustainability and the environment as a priority . It is crucial for us to adapt such thinking early on , as the UAE is a fairly young country at age . Having such understanding will allow the UAE to be in the map of development of not only skyscrapers and touristic attractions but also to showcase the positive correlation between development and the environment . Being a young country that has n’t yet adapted a full policy of being environmentally friendly , there needs to be a crucial and effective way to attract their attention on why such process needs to take place . That is why , I have chosen the tool of visualization to prevail such message . Being a scientific topic , I do n’t want people to get bored and drift away from the importance of such topic because of numbers that might be proposed . Therefore , I believe with visualization having graphs and infographics will allow them to understand and comprehend the importance of such mission to be adapted as a policy and lifestyle to the UAE . When describing the power of the visualization tool , Angela Myer , she described the tool in design as “ a way of unlocking a different part of the brain ” . I believe information portrayed visually , is easier to comprehend , because you are allowing people to see what you want them to see and understand . As she also elaborates , sometimes when we do n’t use visuals , different people might be visualizing them internally differently . By using visuals , we can better understand the idea and that results either in agreement or disagreement , and most importantly start a dialogue about such topic because people see what the person is trying to advocate and portray . First tactic when using visualization to promote sustainability , using well developed countries as examples who have adapted it will allow the government to see the fruits of countries that are on board and the benefits of such priority in development . An infographic of where the UAE , and specifically Dubai , ranks in between all these well - developed city . For example , if we put the map of sustainable cities based on the index generated by ARCADIS , Dubai ranks 52 on the list . Once the leaders and people will take a look at the ranking , their eye will keep looking for Dubai ’s position on the list . Once going past the 10th rank that will be worrying and concerning , considering that the culture in the UAE is to be always number 1 . Therefore , such rank visualization will let initiate the thinking process and will allow them to start thinking of “ why ? ” and look at the cities and countries that are in the frontier . That thinking process is what ignites change and it would n’t be the same if we just put the whole report generated in front of their eyes . The moment we highlight the first city and country that was the highest , and where Dubai is ranked , that is when they will truly start to ask themselves the right questions of why are we in that position and how can be in the frontline of such index . Moreover , the pillars of sustainability that measure the sustainable index are as follows : people ( social ) , planet ( environmental ) and profit ( economical ) . For the second tactic , I had to get personal between the people and the leaders of the UAE . The leaders in the UAE care greatly about the health of the people and their wellbeing . However , the reason the UAE and Dubai are n’t in the frontier of the index is because there is a high rate of obesity found . Therefore , in order for us to get people thinking , we need to compare people that are living in Zurich and those that are living in Dubai . That was made using a video that shows what the average citizen does in each city from the moment he / she wakes up until they go to sleep . For the person that lives in Zurich , he / she chooses to utilize public transportation , walk to and from near areas , eat healthy organic meals that are enriched with nutrients , exercises lightly during the day , and reads in either between his / her breaks or when going to bed . Whilst the citizen in Dubai , drives almost everywhere , eats highly processed meals and rarely exercises . These portrayals will allow the leaders to understand why the UAE has twice average of obesity and why it is n’t one of the highest ranked sustainable cities . Once they see such numbers and visualization of the lives of the people residing in each city , later on they will understand why these cities are pioneers in such development . The insight gained from applying the tool of visualization allowed me to better understand and simplify the complexity of my challenge , in order for other people that have little knowledge in the idea grasp the goal of such mission . Visualization allowed me to think differently and look at the challenge from a diverse viewpoint and see how different people think and the ways to attract them from their interest in order to be able to convince them on the importance of achieving such goal . Even though I believe that I have explained the process of implementing this mission using the visualization tool , I believe various tools can achiever various results depending on the audience . For example if we were to explain this mission to a younger generations I would use the storytelling tool or mind mapping in order for me to be able to portray the whole message for them from start to finish . Also , depending on what stage they are either in school or university , storytelling and mind mapping will allow us to connect the idea with the foundation of education they are getting at the moment . The depth that both these tools go to , will allow students to think about not only the present but also the future and build on their past education .