HCI VISTAS, VOLUME-I, 2005-2006
	Deficiency of Vitamin D (Design) in Indian Society    Dr. Dinesh S. Katre
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The readers might feel that what has this topic to do with Human Computer Interface (HCI). As I always have HCI as my regular standpoint. One has to consider the evolution of Indian society, while evaluating the design sensitivity of average Indian citizens. Of course the resultant analysis will benefit us in understanding their utilitarian concerns and psychology. It should be helpful in designing effective computer systems. Some portions of the anthropological study of this problem are presented here. Electricity came to India in 1886. Despite the 119 years of experience, why do the electric poles look so cluttered as shown in the picture below. The situation may not be as bad in metro cities. Such intricate craft of the Indian electricians can be found mostly in slum areas. How do they manage the repairing and addition of new electric connections in this clutter of wires? How do they dare to climb the pole for repairing work? Are they not afraid of touching the live electrical wires? It is the economic constraints, which force the people to run into such life risk. It is quite possible that the Electricity Board is unable to monitor the illegal electric connections. It is evident that one can't possibly measure the electrical usage through the clutter of connections and bill the customer. Could they have thought about a neater, cheaper and manageable solution? This situation shows that average Indians have not been able to adopt the electrical systems even today. They have been enjoying the benefits of electricity but without enough understanding of how to organize it properly. The people who live under such dangerous electricity poles have not realized that it will be safer if the connections are properly organized. The users and service providers both are ignorant about their own safety. Why is there complete absence of design and usability concerns? May be the design and usability are too exotic or elitist but neatness and simplicity are not high expectations.                    ;  ;  ;       ;  ;  ;  ;     Railways first came to India in 1850. In 1865 Col. Rookes Crompton introduced public transport wagons in India. This was followed by successful manufacturing of two/three and four wheelers and then heavy vehicles like trucks and tempos. So the automobiles, roads and traffic control systems are not new to India. They have been around for approx. 140 years. Even after so many years, one does not come across reasonably acceptable and usable traffic systems. The city roads are not constructed with additional space provision for bus stops, auto-rickshaw stands, hawkers, footpaths, footbridges, underground pathways, flyovers, hoardings etc. The sizes of roads, lanes, speedbreakers, turning curves, slopes; locations of traffic signals, road signs and their locations are not standardized. Furthermore, we also have huge cutouts of Polititians and banners hanging on trees, electric poles and all kinds places. The road construction planning should include the auxiliary plans for all these functions and activities.   We have only accepted the modern appliances from the west but the background knowledge of the specific domain is not internalized by us. Therefore, we have modern cars but the worst possible roads and traffic conditions. We have innovative electrical appliances but there is inadequate planning of electricity requirements and its supply. We have architects to design nice buildings and houses but city planning is not exhaustive enough. There can be innumerable examples and scenarios like these that clearly manifest the deficiency of vitamin D (Design) in the post independence Indian society.   However, one can not say that Indians never had the sense of design. The Harappan sites, ancient architectural monuments, sculptures; classical music and dance; miniature paintings, manuscripts, textile and embroideries; traditions and festivals are the proof of high quality sense of design and aesthetics of ancient India. What happened to it in the post independence era? Is it because of the British rule of 150 years or the Industrial revolution that was implanted or thrust upon India, which obstructed the natural cultural growth and evolution of design ideologies? The modern India has many good designers but the design sense of an average person or his/her ability to organize the things in proper order, needs significant improvement. That's what I call as the deficiency of vitamin D for design. In my personal opinion, this is a result of the following reasons.   1. Cultural Disconnect with Industrial Revolution Let me illustrate an example to highlight the cultural 'disconnect'. Nowadays, buffet meal is served in public functions, wherein people fill up their dishes from a counter and eat their meals while standing. This is a typical western style of eating the meal. In the traditional Indian style, one would have it while sitting down. Many problems are faced while eating Indian meal in standing position. First of all, it is difficult to accommodate fluid vegetables, daal, raita, rice, roti, pickle, chatani, sault and many other items in a small dish. Traditional Indian dishes are convex (bulging outward) in the middle, so as to keep the Roti away from fluid vegetables. Whereas, the western dishes are concave (curving inward) bowl shaped, which mixes all the recipes together. It is difficult to break pieces of roti while standing, as it requires much strength to be applied. Many are used to eating roti with both hands. Secondly, women wearing Saari have to manage the Pallu of Saari while holding the dish in hand, which is really difficult manage. This example reveals the cultural disconnection between the buffet style of serving (western) and Indian meal.   2. Slow Pace of Incremental Evolution We are confronting same problems almost everyday. We bounce on same speedbreakers and rush through the road crossings like a squeaky hen making its way from one side to the other (Sound effect- Pakak Pak Pak Pak....). No authority is able to comprehend the problems and provide a solution. We as citizens wonder about whom to approach even if the matter is to be reported. And it is continuing like this for decades with very little change.   3. High Tolerance to Imperfection and Chaos 4. Poor Design Literacy   Feedback at Contribute Articles To
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Perspectives
It is really provoking. It also clearly brings out the callousness in implementing the designs. I feel that, some thing happens between what is decided and what is being implemented. In general Indians are very good in abstract thinking. You ask them for a solution, they would throw a dozen of them. But, none of them would be interested in implementing any one of them because none would have really understood the problem. May be by nature we stress too much on positive thinking and in the process set aside negative points which are very important for balanced understanding and better designs.   Anohter aspect is in taking stock of a situation and making mid-course corrections. In this also, I feel that, Indians are different from say, Britishers. Best example is, take the Education system which was originally designed by Britishers when they were here (with main motivation to create more clerks). The amount of improvement that has taken place in English system and our system in the last fifty years would tell us.   Vitamin D is definitely lacking in our local surroundings. Another example I would like to add is the design of a three wheeler. The driver is unable to make out what is happening behind him. So, he takes the risk of turning first and then look. This is enough to create nightmares in the traffic. Dr. V. Sundararajan (Scientist, C-DAC)
A civil engineer from Public Works Department (PWD) of Maharashtra state gave me his own hypothesis, which is the funniest of all. He told me the following. Why do some Indians vandalize or steal the public property? It is because they still believe at subconscious level that British government or some outside ruler builds all public property. This is how the freedom fighters used to react during the British rule. It is high time for them to realize that now they are independent, and all the public property is their own property built by their own elected government ! Nandkumar Kanade (Civil Engineer, PWD)
My immediate reaction is to agree with the PWD Engineer gentleman. Firstly, we all know that there is a HUGE disconnect between the Administration and the people. It is my studied opinion that this disconnect is an absolute left-over of the days of the Loot-raj of the British. The British administration siphoned off all the money they collected, out of the country. Every Indian knew that, and no-one had qualms, at that time, about cheating the administration out of anything.   Corruption as a Patriotic Practice. In fact, at that time it would be patriotic to be corrupt, since corruption during the British adminstration ensured that Indian money stayed in India. Take the simple action of a traffic cop taking a bribe of x rupees to let off a traffic offender without a heavy fine. If this happenrd in the British adminstration, it would help Indian economy by preventing the official fine money flowing from India to Britain, and instead makng sure that the money would stay in India, thus eventually bolstering local economy (instead of the British economy). Unfortunately, this tendency (to cheat the Administration out of anything), once it takes root, is a very very difficult thing to eradicate and let go. Systems of subverting money form - people discover where exactly margins may be generated, and methodologies crystallize. Hence, I make a statement that may be verified - every nation that has been ruled by a foreign power will be riddled with corruption and that this corruption is a remnant of the foreign rule. Now, how does this pertain to design? Simple- design, art, planning, etc are all activities that can happen only on a full stomach. When the poor are trying to survive, and the rich are busy trying to make more and more money (due to the mentality formed during the days of the Brit administration to grab money as soon as one sees a chance, whether there is a need for it or not), there is no space or room from a luxury like design. Like the Maharashtrians say - "Aadhi potoba, mag vithoba." (first satisfy your hunger, then indulge in God). Unfortunately, since India has passed through highly insecure times during the british loot-raj, there is no real understanding left now of what is real hunger and what is the tendency to shove food down one's throat, due to a knee-jerk reaction. We must not underestimate the severity of this behavioural pattern of our society.   Just like a person develops personality quirks due to trauma, so does a society. We have to see where exactly our traumas come from, and why we are unable to shed them so easily. Pankaj Sapkal (Industrial Designer, Remote 3D)