The Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT Kanpur) recently hosted a SERB Karyashaala workshop under the Accelerate Vigyaan scheme, focused on the theme of "Human-Centred Design for Engineers." The seven-day event, held from March 15 to March 21, 2024, aimed to inculcate an understanding and practice of human-centric design among engineering professionals and students.

The event leveraged the existing strengths of IIT Kanpur's faculty and associated research labs, with Dr. Vivek Kant, Associate Professor in the Department of Design, as the organizer and coordinator. The workshop featured a mix of activities, including lectures, demonstrations, and hands-on prototyping sessions.

Eminent faculty members from IIT Kanpur, including Professor J. Ramkumar, Department of Mechanical Engineering & Design, IIT Kanpur, Professor Satyaki Roy, Department of Design; Professor Ritwij Bhowmik, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences & Design Programme; Professor Sruti S. Ragavan, Department of CSE; Professor Amar Behera, Department Of Design; and Professor Bishakh Bhattacharya, Department of Mechanical Engineering; conducted insightful sessions on topics ranging from product design and MedTech to design thinking, communication design, interfaces, evaluation, IoT prototyping, and the role of humans in robotics.

Commenting on the workshop's significance, Prof. S. Ganesh, Director of IIT Kanpur, said, “At IIT Kanpur, we recognize the importance of human-centred design in engineering, ensuring that our innovations not only meet technical specifications but also account for the lived experiences and contexts of the end-users. This workshop has provided a valuable platform for engineers to gain insights into design principles that prioritize human factors, ultimately contributing to the development of more user-friendly and impactful solutions.”

The workshop attracted a diverse group of participants, including masters and PhD students from various engineering colleges across the country. With funding from the SERB Karyashaala, the participants' travel, boarding, and lodging expenses were fully covered, enabling individuals from different parts of India to attend the event successfully.

Dr. Vivek Kant, Associate Professor in the Department of Design and the workshop coordinator, expressed his gratitude, stating, “We are grateful to SERB for their support in organizing this Karyashaala workshop. The overwhelming participation and engagement from students and professionals across the country have been truly encouraging. We hope that the knowledge and experiences gained during this workshop will inspire participants to integrate human-centred design principles into their future endeavours, ultimately contributing to the development of user-friendly and inclusive technologies.”

The workshop concluded on a high note, reiterating IIT Kanpur's commitment to nurturing a human-centric approach and integrating design thinking principles into engineering education and practice.