Better By Design

Better by Design brings carefully designed experiences that help children develop the confidence that they can mould and shape the world through their ideas and actions. Innovation doesn't come from a genius mind, it comes from a mindset. We wanted to make a nation of creators and builders, to forge a community of people who are curious and proactive, people who are passionate about creating things, people who are coming up with innovative ways of improving their own lives and the lives of those around them. As we looked deeper, we realized that the culture of innovation and the belief that one can transform this world needs to be inculcated from a young age. Reflecting on our own middle school and high school experiences, we realized that a conventional education approach teaches children to be followers rather than explorers. In today's rapidly changing world, technological innovation is transforming how people work, live and play, and it is no longer good enough to give children readymade directions. At its foundation, our goal is to imbibe skills such as creative confidence, logical thinking and human-centric thinking in children that will empower them to be disruptive leaders and innovators rather than passive followers. The design-thinking approach has been pioneered by Stanford's D-School. We combine it with training in fabrication as practised in MIT's FabLabs to create a two-for-one course on design thinking and fabrication. Through the course, students are taken through incredible activities that engage them to think and invent. As they work in teams, they develop an open mind towards accepting multiple perspectives and, very importantly, gets them to respect each other as equals by appreciating each one's unique strengths. While technology is an integral part, our focus is on letting children explore whichever direction they find interest in and ultimately be able to transform the world around them.