Celebrating International Literacy Day !
As we celebrated International Literacy Day on September 8 â it is a time to reflect what literacy means in todayâs world. Possibly what semantic language was to literacy two decades ago is now design language. This is especially significant in a multilingual and multicultural country like India. The essence of design as a literacy force in todayâs world is rooted in its power to drive cross-cultural communication, creativity, and problem-solving. Design transforms how we engage with information, navigate technology, and connect with each other across diverse cultures and languages. Understanding Design Literacy: Design literacy refers to the ability to understand, interpret, and apply design principles effectively. Itâs not just about aesthetics, but also about how design shapes user experience, communication, and problem-solving. Why It Matters for Businesses: Design literacy empowers businesses to create user-centered solutions, communicate more effectively, and foster innovation. It leads to better decision-making and stronger alignment between business goals and user needs. 1. Business Value of Design Literacy Improved Customer Experience: Design-literate businesses prioritize user experience (UX) and customer journey mapping, leading to higher customer satisfaction, loyalty, and retention. Quicker Problem-Solving: Teams that understand design principles are better equipped to address challenges creatively and efficiently, resulting in faster product iterations and market adaptations. Competitive Advantage: Businesses with strong design literacy can differentiate themselves from competitors by building brands and products that resonate with consumers on a deeper level. Increased ROI: Studies show that design-driven companies outperform others in terms of revenue and shareholder returns. For example, design thinking has proven to drive financial success by identifying user pain points early and solving them before products hit the market.  2. Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration Better Collaboration Across Teams: When teams from different departments understand a common language of design, they collaborate more effectively. This leads to more innovative ideas and a cohesive product strategy. Breaking Down Silos: Design literacy helps bridge the gaps between marketing, product development, and customer service, fostering a unified approach to business challenges. 3. Design Literacy as an Investment Training and Upskilling: Investing in design literacy training programs for employees can yield long-term benefits, from improving product design to increasing operational efficiency. Design Thinking Culture: Embedding a design-thinking culture in the workplace encourages experimentation and places a premium on creativity, enabling companies to adapt to a rapidly changing business landscape. 4. Impact on Brand Perception Building Trust Through Design: Consumers are more likely to trust and engage with brands that have a strong design language. A company with poor design might be perceived as being outdated or unreliable. Consistency in Visual Communication: Design literacy ensures that every touchpointâwhether digital or physicalâis consistent, reinforcing brand identity and clarity in messaging. 5. Building Businesses for the Future Promoting design literacy not only benefits businesses but also equips future generations to approach problems with creativity and critical thinking, shaping innovative and future-ready industries.
The HUDE Experience: Interning with us
Among the many things we like to do at HUDE, mentoring budding professionals is a big one. We believe that the knowledge we have collectively gained through our journey is meant to be shared and passed on to upcoming âhumanâ designers, the next generation of talent. And undeniably, it is an amazingly enriching experience! We all learn in the most enjoyable way, while evolving efficient ways of working and adding value to brands and businesses. Some words from two bright and energetic interns, who were with us recently: âMy time at Hude Studio was a transformative experience, offering me more than just a job. It became a guiding force, shaping my mindset and fostering a fresh approach to thinking. The journey was marked by continuous learning, making it a crucial chapter in my personal and professional development. Engaging in tasks like creating logos, social media posts, and actively contributing to a live client project provided valuable exposure. Along with the logo I also worked on creating emailers. Additionally, I took on the creative challenge of translating a blog post about the companyâs services into a comic, enhancing understanding and communication through visual storytelling.â âMy internship at HUDE Studio as a User Experience and Interface Designer was a remarkable experience. Having learnt the theories and laws during my masterâs program, I was eager to apply them in real-world projects. HUDE not only provided me with the opportunity to do so but also exposed me to industry-standard designs. The communication within the team was seamless, and I was quickly integrated into the team and company. This valuable experience has significantly propelled my design career, and I am grateful for the opportunities and insights gained during my time at HUDE Studio.â Early-career designers, graduate students who wish to intern with us â go on, call us. A conversation is the first step to a fruitful engagement, and more journeys.
How our mother tongue shapes our emotional expression
Languages and cultures have long fascinated me. The ways different languages employ different phrasing to convey same human feelings has always stoked my imagination. It is a reflection of human diversity. It also outlines the ability of the human mind to bring a range of perspectives to the same emotional moment. I have long believed that humans should achieve emotionally critical command over at least one language, especially to the point where they can communicate their emotions with ease. I have observed that the inability of a person to express and communicate his true feelings creates imbalance in the emotional framework of the person. This is something I have continued to observe across cultures and ages. Those who have evolved a good command over one or more languages and are able to communicate his mind, come across as more self-assured and emotionally grounded. Lake of Emotions Learning oneâs mother or father tongue is the simplest and most natural path to build command over expressing feelings early on in life. Learning the parentsâ language plugs a child into the spectrum of emotions, expressions and engagements â a spectrum richly colored by journeys, experiences and feelings across generations. This lake of emotions is a pool of feelings that has flowered and withered in different stages of their parentsâ lives. It is a whole universe of connectedness, belonging and emotional bonding. The emotional universe of a motherâs language is possibly the most natural way for a growing human to give linguistic shape to his mind and body sensations, enabling the person to give it roots by borrowing from the richness of the shared culture. More often than not, however, when these young people embark on their quest to acquire a language that is globally competitive (a language other than their mother tongue), they do not have access to the lake of emotional expressions, the immersive milieu or social setup in which micro-interactions and micro-expressions take place. Read the complete article at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-native-language-shape-emotional-framework-humans-nazim-iqbal-1c6ic%3FtrackingId=oebWGkkgTxqH2bI5DlMWQQ%253D%253D/?trackingId=oebWGkkgTxqH2bI5DlMWQQ%3D%3D
