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What kind of opportunity does Singapore’s Budget 2017 bring for social entrepreneurs? What can and should we consider as we design for good in Singapore this year? The unique genetic make-up for social enterprises draw attention to the political will injected into both the profit and nonprofit sector. This year, the emphasis seems to proportionately land on both, and this opens up a good, cross-sectional window for local social enterprises to venture, adapt and improve their capacity along the waves of Budget 2017. 1. Nonprofit: The Social of Social Enterprise According to the Budget 2017, the Government has been gearing towards a comprehensive approach to bridge domestic gaps. In a bid to empower the disabled community, more have been invested in enhancing the employability of the disabled community. A larger group of beneficiaries are now eligible to sign up for training programmes and courses for the relevant skills to embark on their own future careers. Furthermore, the eco-system thought of the unsung warriors as well. A disability caregiver support centre will be set up so as to foster an inclusive network of assistance and community support. More attention will also be given to mental health services as they are said to be available at polyclinics. This heightens the accessibility of professional care and reduces the age-old stigma that mental illnesses carry. In addition, there is more awareness and sensitivity towards the creation of environments for our aging population since last year. More dementia-friendly communities are said to be set up, with the National Council for Social Services (NCSS) spearheading projects to integrate those with mental health issues back into the workplace and society. 2. Profit: The Enterprise of Social Enterprise Social businesses aim for sustainability. Profit-making is important to them for they need to be financially independent to create lasting social impact. Every year, they need to develop (or at least maintain) capacity to enhance quality goods and/or services so that they can hold their ground in the common marketplace. According to the Budget 2017, there are three keys that most enterprises require – the ability to use digital technology, embrace innovation, and scale up. Catering to specific technological needs of individual SMEs, this budgeting decision is designed to meet enterprises where they are. For example, the more digitally advanced firms can get specialist advice from the SME Technology Hub. This comes across as a opportune moment for social enterprises to equip themselves with the relevant digital technology so as to increase efficiency and streamline processes. The next point is scalability. The ability for local enterprises to scale up globally is vital in maximising the capacity of the economy, and this is especially true in our Singaporean context of trade-oriented growth. Needless to say, social enterprises can amplify their impact to a larger audience of beneficiaries in other countries when they scale up. The local landscape of social entrepreneurship needs to go further in order to heighten its sustainability, for only then can Singapore step up to become an impact investment hub across the region. Social enterprises with the right set of skills and capacity to scale up should harness the platform fostered by the Government’s development of a smart financing ecosystem, as up to $600 million in Government capital has been set for a new International Partnership Fund. Furthermore, IE Singapore’s Internationalisation Finance Scheme will also be enhanced to further support growth in this sector. This seeks to support more enterprises to embark on projects beyond the nation. With both sides of the coin turning to our favour, how can we compass our direction as we seek to design and redesign ideas, spaces, relationships, lives and communities for good? References Lam, L. (2017, February 20). Singapore budget 2017: 7 things about budget plans for disabled, mental health issues. The Straits Times. Retrieved from http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/singapore-budget-2017-7-things-about-budget-plans-for-disabled-mental-health-issues Singapore Budget 2017. (2017, February 20). Retrieved February 27, 2017, from http://www.singaporebudget.gov.sg/data/budget_2017/download/FY2017_Budget_Statement.pdf

“One of the most profound trends in the social sector today is the emergence of a new class of entrepreneur: the creative social entrepreneur. Creative social entrepreneurs generate market demand for their goods and services while also contributing to the dynamic shift in cultural sustainability, social justice, and economic development around the world.” – GIA Reader, Vol 26, No 2 (Summer 2015) http://www.giarts.org/reader-26-2 A creative does many things. The palpable industry is arguably one of the most flexible and dynamic ones in the world today. From basic interactions and to bridging ideas, communication and self-expression are essential things that we seek, no matter who we are and what we are doing. Here are some ways in which a creative can benefit should he or she decide to join the social sector: 1. The Capsule Wardrobe Effect I’d like to address this industry as the “socio-creative” landscape. The venn-diagram of the social sector and the creative industry produces a unique cross-section. For the creative, he or she has to enter into a different ball game and play by new rules. This seeming act of conformity can actually work for your good. Similar to the idea of capsule wardrobes, where the emphasis is on streamlining your wardrobe pieces, the act of working with more “rules” can help you to refresh existing perspectives. Cutting down on pieces that are repetitive or redundant, now you have just a select few pieces to expand and stretch out into, say, 30 outfits or more. It challenges your comfort zone and ironically heightens your creativity in the process. In the social sector, non-profit organisations often have to deal with multiple bottom lines. In many ways, this makes their strategic budgeting more challenging than the profit sector. Hence, you probably would need to amplify impact and seek engagement with the smallest funding possible. Additionally, the social sector also houses other considerations that the profit sector does not. For example, accountability and transparency towards donors, stakeholders, volunteers and so forth. Playing by these rules, it will surely be a stimulating experience that will stretch you further in your creative pursuit. 2. Witness Purpose in Action Needless to say, many volunteers and full-time practitioners can testify to the rewarding sense of satisfaction that this sector brings to them. When you get to be part of their project and become a gap-filler, you receive your own special portion as well. You could have helped to connect a beneficiary with the non-profit organisation that he/she really needs, you could have helped to touch hearts and encourage youths to volunteer on weekends. All these can be done by you as you engage in the line of work that you so enjoy. Take a moment to think about it. How awesome can it get? It has been said again and again that happiness is not just about tangible gains. And deep down perhaps we all know it to be true. Not only does contributing add value and meaning to to your work, you get to witness the social impact that you get to make. You could have ignited a movement, you could have changed stifling stereotypes that stagnated communities for ages. You have so much to offer. 3. Spider-Web Yourself In As you take the plunge to enter a new playing field, you get to know new friends as well. One of the noteworthy byproducts is probably the networking. By exposing yourself to the social sector, you are opening up new rivers and new roads. You will never know when your paths will cross again and given the nature of work in the social sector, impact-making is definitely a good memory to recall down the road. Who knows, maybe you will get to discover a cause or vision that speaks straight into your heart along the way. You are likely to meet and share with other like-minded individuals who care and feel for it as much as you do.

I can't say this for everyone, but when i look or think of the individuals less fortunate than me, i see how they look, what they do. What they cannot do. I think about how it feels, to be in their shoes. I think about what it feels like to be them. But i rarely thought of the support circle behind this one person. I hardly glance at the person pushing the wheelchair. Have you ever thought of the caregiver? What do you think being a caregiver feels like? What caregivers do, what caregivers cannot do. How do they look. What does it feel like, to be the main supply meeting demands that come, one after another? How the caregiver feel, when she accidentally snaps after a long day at work? How does the caregiver feel, when he repeats the same instruction over and over again only to see the same mess at home everyday? Maybe the caregiver has to be stronger than the care given. Maybe the caregiver has to look further than the care given, and maybe the caregiver has to be cared first before the care given. In DesignForGood (DFG) 2017, we are calling out the whole community behind disability. The beneficiaries, the caregivers, the government sector, the social enterprise. The whole ecosystem. https://www.designforgood.sg/dfg-talk

It says a lot, when a creative veteran like Robert Gaxiola throws you the classic line of “less is more” for you to survive the advertising world of fast surpluses today. This rhetoric doesn't seem like it makes any sense. It makes us restless and we can never quite settle. How can you feel secure when your simple pitch competes against fancier counterparts? No one wants to end up on the other side of the bell curve. How can you afford to not include all of the techniques and skills learnt? You paid the school fees. Less is more, even in the creative field. The world today screams overchoice. A layer of filter stacks another, stacks another. With years of experience in the industry, Robert and his team beg to differ. It is okay to think very simply. Actually, simple wins because it makes it easy to communicate. The heart of advertising is real communication. It is a marriage counsellor bringing the client and consumer together, with a blessed hope that this union will last. The gold is found in decluttering. The cleaning of excess bombastic words. The rewinding of explosive colours into tones more familiar to our eyes. There is something charming about you when you are raw. For instance, his team project on Greenfields milk focused on trust. They got the idea after exploring the milking process and Greenfield factories. With that settled, their art direction headed straight for “honest milk”. Every design that they do revolved around this one glass of milk. Another example comes from Bobson Jeans. Bringing the emphasis back to the brand’s japanese origins, the team reformed advertising strategies to add value for the consumer. Being simple definitely does not equate to insincerity. It neither compromises on time nor research. Quite the contrary, it shows confidence and quality at its best. Nothing to hide, nothing to google for.

Following global shifts, the proliferation of social media platforms and a (much) faster exchange of ideas have brought about a heightened awareness for social causes across borders. Singapore’s social sector has been riding along these waves of change and witnessed considerable growth for herself. Observing the coupling increase in new educational alternatives in local polytechnics and universities, career opportunities have also been much more promising than before. To the optimistic advocate, these incremental changes reflect the vast progression that the local social sector has undertaken to set up a bigger, better and brighter stage for years to come. Having said that, this heightened growth would undeniably demand for better equipped skills and facilities to enhance the capacity of the social sector in Singapore. From the ground up, many not-for-profits, social enterprises and VWOs regretfully sell themselves short in marketing and branding strategies. This undervalues their impact made in society today, and lamentably shortchanges them in ways more than one. Here are the 3 main benefits and ways in which good marketing is essential to the social sector: 1. It starts from the inside Contrary to popular belief, good marketing yields comprehensive influences on both the internal and external operations of the social organisation. Internally, good marketing seeks to unite differences and realign perspectives. This is essential for the social sector prides itself with a strong sense of purpose and value in their cause. After a long haul, these values might be dusted and brushed aside through the daily grind. Thus, it takes a consistent effort to review these internal values and organisational culture for the team to maintain a fresh and spirited perspective. Not only does good marketing help to gel and keep the existing team together, a clearer expression and stronger identification will also be able to attract more like-minded individuals such as volunteers and full-time professionals to join and grow the family as well. 2. First Impressions Count Needless to say, good marketing brings about numerous benefits on the external side. Similar yet different to the corporate world, the social sector has an innate need to reach out engage audiences for advocacy and awareness-building. However, this can prove to be a challenging task as these social organisations usually have their niche areas in cause-specific areas such as caregiving or experiential learning instead of marketing skills. It is indeed a pity for a social organisation carrying a myriad of experiences on the ground to be overshadowed and flustered in the landscape of rapid information-sharing. Even as the mindset of humility is understandable and admirable, many unsung heroes miss out on the chance to sow seeds across the field. Not every seed is set for harvest- but the attempt is always welcomed for empathy-building is more of a life journey than a one-stop service. Therefore, recognition is still a key factor that affects the sustainability and impact of the social organisation. Sometimes all it takes is just a heightened awareness towards the words used and a straightforward structure that is pleasing to the eyes. That might just touch and change someone’s life for good. 3. Begin with the End in Mind With multiple bottom lines to make ends meet, good marketing can help the social organisation to be prudent in its expenses as well. Strategic and purposeful, good marketing allows for the building of the brand in the most efficient way possible. For example, digital marketing is arguably the most affordable way to engage with the public and retain interest. Long-term planning and a goal of sustainability will necessitate consistent good marketing. Not only is it a tool for fundraising, it value-adds to the core beliefs and keeps the heart of the organisation going. Going future to include diverse, strategic roles, marketing serves to capacity, cohesion and ultimately, trust. Trust is the lifeblood of the social sector, and this underlines the importance of good marketing once again. In conclusion, marketing draws out the gold in the social sector with a loudspeaker. Good marketing will ensure that the messages are aired at the right place, right time, to the right people. It is also evident that marketing is more than a visual identity, for it incorporates both the small and the big to create an organisational culture that is genuinely attractive from the inside out. For interested social service organisations, drop our team a note at info@makethechange.sg and we are happy to meet up for a free consultation :)

Be it a flick of a pen tool or a right click on the camera, creatives carry immense potential to touch lives and reach hearts. It is an exciting space where design took on a whole new meaning for the undergraduates and graduates of Make The Change’s (MTC) Essential Communication Design course for persons with disabilities (PwDs). No worries, beginners are more than welcome. Here, craft puts on an additional coat of purpose and weight as the students of this program pioneered a culture of resilience in persevering through tedious processes, practicing and starting designs from scratch. Seeing the ability in dis-ability, we believe that PwDs just need a better chisel to create equally amazing, if not greater, designs as fellow creatives. Shared from MTC’s Industrial Orientation Programme (IOP), M.A.D School’s Academic Director Mr Kenji Choo touched on 3 things any budding creative would need to have before marching into the industry. 1. A Sturdy Portfolio A detailed showcase of students’ artworks from M.A.D school was shown to pinpoint the importance of having a robust portfolio. Tapping across the creative spectrum, the showcased projects displayed numerous platforms such as animation and visual design. It encouraged and spurred the group to strive for higher achievements as the individually-based works were produced by other students. By arming oneself with a thick portfolio of project and past endeavors, it reflects on the graduate’s versatility, style and approach to design. Needless to say, this makes it much easier for them to be differentiated and set apart. Every creative should constantly keep a keen eye on every opportunity, big and small, to value-add to his/her portfolio. You will never know when a seemingly insignificant project is going to catch the eye of future clients in the marketplace. Exploration and accepting different challenges would also help to foster confidence as well. It is best to be consistent and see small projects as little jigsaw pieces that would eventually lead up to the big picture. For MTC programmes, students are given opportunities to explore and try out projects, internships and even job positions after graduating. Of course, assignments completed in class can be added into their portfolio as well. 2. Fluency in Visual Literacy When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Fluency in a language helps to bridge relations and facilitate communication between the expressor and the expressee. It reflects professionalism and to an arguable extent, the “upbringing” of a rookie creative. Having a strong foundation in visual literacy will enable the creative to understand the demands of clients, while being sensitive to ongoing trends and details at the same time. Overtime, this builds up repute- a quality that many, if not all, seek today. More often than not, a great concept alone is not enough to produce a good piece of work. In order to craft out great designs, creatives must be adept in visual literacy to execute them to their full potential. For example, it would be optimal for the creative to be familiar and comfortable with the following design principles: Contrast, Balance, White Space, Hierarchy, Scale/ Proportion, Alignment, Unity/ Harmony and Rhythm/ Movement. 3. Feet that Wears Many Shoes Apart from speaking the same language, budding creatives should also put on a pair of tough combat boots to tread on waters and discover the uncharted regions of design and creation. Besides having the boldness to challenge existing parameters, creatives should also be willing to take off their own shoes and try on others. Great designs often come with a great perspective. The ability to think and consider the clients’ stand is paramount for works that speak straight to them and their target audience. Naturally, students from our creative programmes are able to join our creative team for a few in-house or external projects to try thinking strategically. In summary, Mr Kenji brought up the analogy of baking a yummy cake – the baker often had to first decide on the mould to provide a structure for creation. Hence, design principles such as white space is paramount, for they help to frame up the composition of the creative work. How would you know if the mould is right and good to go? There is no other way to a solid, good foundation except for practice, practice and more practice.

Widely recognised as the crème de la crème of Singapore’s creative industry, Edward Matthew Loh is the recipient of over 50 international awards for commercial photography and digital retouching. Not only has he been named as one of the Top 200 Photographers in Archive International magazine from 2003 to 2007, Edward’s portfolio also contains a diverse range of projects from companies such as BMW, Cathay Pacific Airlines, DHL, HSBC and Singtel. Here are 7 insights from the talk he shared with the students and graduates from Make The Change’s Essential Communication Design for persons with disabilities (PwDs). 1. Changing Nature of the Creative Industry Having started his career in 1993, he took the plunge to study and learn animation at a time where digital design still had an unpredictable future. For the next 24 years, he witnessed the transformation of demands and supplies in advertising, design and marketing. Nowadays, the proliferation of networks and technology has enabled companies to source for ideas, skills and tools individually. Rather than having the engaged agency source for elements other than the idea itself, the client now sources for their own photographer and let the parties work together for the execution. Hence, the photographer today has to have better coordination skills to adapt and understand what the agency and client are looking for. 2. Ride Along the Waves and Make it Work for You Observing the trend above, Edward Matthew adapted quickly to the changing creative landscape. Likewise for him, he made good use of communicative platforms to source for elements in his own projects. For example, it was a prudent move for him to go through profiles of photographers available online and engage him/her to shoot the background for him overseas. Even if he needed a shot of an alley in New York, He did not have to make a trip down personally. By listing down his exact preferences (lighting, angles etc) to a local photographer in New York, he is able to get the photos within a shorter and more efficient time frame. 3. Show, Not Tell The group present at his sharing had the privilege to watch a few videos of his process of retouching, filming and creating. Accompanied with a light-hearted and humourous tone, he brought the audience through the editing process and showed how small details come together to form the finalised product. One of the projects he shared on was the HSBC Lion Campaign Shoot, and a few noteworthy insights acutely captured the essence of a conceptual photographer/retoucher/film storyteller in problem-solving, risk-taking and perseverance. 4. Expressing Yourself through Your Work Other than corporate clients and commercial projects, the seasoned creative tapped on his artsy mediums to express his own thoughts and beliefs as well. Out of his many creations, two were shared during the talk. The first was a pair of spectacles remoulded into headphones, symbolising his belief that hearing - the receiving of ideas and thoughts, carries more importance than superficial, temporal first glances. The other was a tribute to the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew. It was a formal blazer patched together by skins of different races, underlining Singapore’s unique gift of multi-racism and racial harmony. 5. Practical Retouching 101 Mr Edward went on to touch on several useful tips for beginners. All in all, he emphasised on the age-old saying that practice makes perfect, for a heightened familiarity with your tools breeds skillfulness and sharpens crafts. Additionally, he demonstrated how a retoucher should be aware and sensitive towards light and shadows. Pointing out that the retouching details in clothing (especially jeans) are of high importance, he also elaborated on varying heights and angles to achieve desired results. One special tip that he gave for retouching cars was to use the pen tool instead of others. 6. Beyond the Technicalities The dynamic nature of a creative demands for skills outside design technicalities as well. The people factor is also paramount. In creating his desired shots, he often has to work with his team, engaged actors/models and other affected parties. This interpersonal skill fostered over time as he met and collaborated with new people and ideas along his career and journey as a creative. A creative needs to have the grit in order to succeed. Mr Edward shared on his toughest times and how his faith in God has helped him to have hope, regain strength and accept difficult, seemingly impossible challenges. His faith and support from his family have propelled him to venture and persist in his vision of solving problems and creating stories, one project at a time. Believing in restful increases, he also advised on taking frequent breaks and spreading out projects overtime to enhance quality and productivity. 7. “You guys are stronger than me.” When asked if persons with disabilities can achieve and excel in the same line of work as him, he replied in a genuine and humbled manner, saying that he could not answer the question for them as he had not gone through the same journey. He also told the students that they were all stronger than him, and encouraged the students and graduates of the Essential Communication Design program to keep on fighting the good fight . He beautifully ended his sharing with one of his core beliefs: “ You must enjoy what you do. You are your own client. Set your own standards.”

Part of the Chua Thian Poh Annual Distinguished Speaker Series 2017, the esteemed Nobel Laureate graced by Singapore to share on “Redesigning Economics to Redesign the World” at Nanyang Technological University this month. When it comes to the landscape of social enterprises in Asia, few literature can provide a comprehensive study without the famed Grameen Bank and its visionary founder, Professor Muhammad Yunus. As Bangladesh massive social business on microcredit and finance, it empowers the impoverished with small, collateral-free loans, becoming “an institution that would lend to those that had nothing.” Here are 5 things that you don't want to miss from this epic changemaker. 1. Dream Big, Start Small At the talk, Professor Yunus shared that he started small with the notion of “making (him)self useful for at least one human being, even for a day.” This thought and belief enabled him to see poverty-stricken villages as good ground for opportunity to arise. Going forth to make use of his economic knowledge, he went on to liaise with banks to facilitate money-lending to the poor. His solution initially started as a simple concept - loaning money in place of loansharks and their ridiculous interest rates that propelled poverty cycle to run in deeper. This simple yet bold move birthed forth a revolutionary social enterprise. With a similar belief to focus deeper and deep dive into positive change, Make The Change started its very own initiative, Design For Good in 2017. By working with a small community of 19 individuals, our first collaboration seeks to really understand their skill-sets, dreams and goals so that we can meet the right needs at the right time. 2. Don’t Let Age-Old Problems Scare You Loansharking comes off as a seemingly hopeless, age-old problem. As it has been a society ill since the beginning of civilisation, it is indeed strange to even think that man will come up with a solution today. However, what started out as a humble, novel plan eventually became the antidote. This antidote has been such a new concept that the world had to come up with a new name: micro credit. By peeling off capes of entrenchment that history layered on, man has the power to redesign and create new possibilities. More often than not, a changemaker is wired to challenge the status quo to ask: "Why not?". Knowing that we are not the only ones with this mindset, we are further motivated to continue trying new solutions for old problems. 3. Profit Is AN Incentive, But It Is Not THE Incentive. The conventional business model stems from a profit-maximising foundation. However, it should not the sole determinant in decision-making. Other rewarding factors make it worth to run the race, for the assumption that human beings are driven only by self-interest envelopes many flaws. On the other side of the spectrum, charity models face limitations as well. The financial dependence on donations and grants are often inconsistent and unpredictable, making it difficult to execute sustainable projects. Professor Yunus mentioned that ironically some charities spend more time in raising funds than creating social impact, an observation that underlines the need for stronger financial independence. By installing a business engine behind social objectives, social businesses embrace both industries and marries the yin with the yang to create sustainable social impact. This is one of our most important points to share with our participants whenever we run our social entrepreneurship courses. 4. Remember, Difficulties are Opportunities in Work Clothes Professor Yunus participated in various social projects,and most of them come from the seemingly ordinary. It takes a second look and a prolonged gaze to see the unseen in our everyday lives. A mass production of affordable, nutritious yogurt help to improve the diet of the poor at the bottom of the pyramid. This also spurs on numerous positive externalities, such as a healthier workforce. Another example comes from ugly vegetables in France. Good, edible potatoes that come in weird shapes are undesirable for factories, grocery stores and restaurants, for they require certain dimensions to manufacture products like french fries. This spun an opportunity for these rejected potatoes. Instead of throwing them away, a potato soup recipe was crafted with them as the main ingredient. It gradually became a popular dish to feed many others. 5. Not a job seeker but a job creator One of the most memorable points that Professor Yunus raised was his conviction towards the myth of unemployment. Contrary to what the world thinks today, he acutely points and challenges the seemingly “unemployed”, quoting the example of an illiterate mother taking $30 to start a business. That hardly leaves any young, able undergraduate any excuse or reason to be idle couch potatoes. Way before the system of job-seeking, resumes and employment took precedence, we were go-getters, problem solvers and we didn’t work for anybody else. When we walk out to face problems as a solver, we open new doors as a job creator. On the same note, our MTC programmes for persons with disabilities are always crafted with the end in mind. In order for our graduates to be industry-ready, we discuss and seek to find a suitable curriculum that would take them to greater heights.

Exhausted the cafe-hopping list? Here's an alternative activity to consider. As Helen Keller puts it, the best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched, for they must be felt with the heart. Experiential learning pulls us in to understand this a little better. Imagine the sound of sunshine. Try imagining the sound of sunlight. What does sunlight sound like? What does sunlight feel like? What does sunlight taste like? To some, sunlight sounds like the crisp chirping of sparrows. Sunlight feels like newly-washed bedsheets and taste like maple syrup on fresh pancakes. There is so much more beauty to the things around us that we give credit for. An interesting approach, experiential learning enables us to enter into the world of another in ways more than one. It allows us to step into the frame of another’s life and see things from a particular point of view, for us to see the true ability in dis-ability. By going into the world of another, we are taking our first step to discovering meaning and perhaps, a milestone as a changemaker. In a bid to introduce different worlds, a handful of social enterprises focus on experiential learning in Singapore today. We had the honour to work with one of them for one of our social media marketing workshops in 2016. Dialogue In The Dark (DIID) is a special space that uses experiential learning to re-introduce sight. Their tour guides invite guests to drive on the road less taken and embark on journeys in complete darkness. Looking for something new to do on weekends? Try having your dominant senses flipped over.

Artwork by Make The Change So, what is Design Thinking? Wiki answers it this way: Design thinking refers to creative strategies designers utilize during the process of designing. Design thinking is also an approach that can be used to consider issues and resolve problems more broadly than within professional design practice, and has been applied in business and to social issues. Perhaps design thinking is another word for empathetic innovation. Perhaps it simply urges for a higher sensitivity towards man and his interaction with the environment to design for others. Perhaps it invites the thinker to fully immerse himself in the end product, to connect intangible relationships, spot unseen gaps and re-imagine possibilities beyond parameters. Perhaps it is the needful perspective that thinkers adopt to break out of the silos. Not only as a design thought process, but also as a way of life.

Disability is more common than we think. The proliferation of technology enabled man to go beyond human limitations in day-to-day life, where the common man’s lack of ability has been drastically compensated by tools and machines. The oversight of overestimating our capabilities and underestimating that of others unwittingly get to us as we forget that we, too, have our own areas of disability as well. A pair of glasses make up for our shortsightedness. A mouse enables us to navigate freely on a computer screen. Cars, chairs, forks, earphones, watches. These things help us to complete tasks which we were previously incapable of. They fill the void of our lack of ability. Likewise. What would it be like if we can supply the right tools for those who require equipment that are a little different? By constant innovation, we can empower and create friendlier environments for everyone to thrive. It has to be a myth - the thought that “disabled” people are unable to carve out their own careers. They just need a better chisel.

Hello 2017! A fresh new year begets a fresh new adventure and excitement to design, to create, to express. That is not to say that history books should be shelved out; context is king in design and in life. The suitability of a product relies heavily on the needs of the users while cultural factors hold weight as well. More often than not, there is still a need for us to look back, not taking the past as burdens on our shoulders but as a suitable template in order to design the future with creations that touch hearts and change lives.