Anisha Kanabar
In 2016, I saw that a bindi (red dot worn on the forehead of Indian women) coated in Iodine had been designed to help pregnant Indian women from developing Iodine deficiencies. It had been noticed that medication in some rural parts of India was taboo, but women and their unborn children were suffering as a result. To create a solution which is non-invasive, functional, respectful and sensitive to the needs of the user is what human centred design looks like. This ethos has stayed with me and informs how I view my work.
I studied MA/MSc Innovation Design Engineering at the Royal College of Art and Imperial College London. Since then I have worked as a design researcher in academica, freelance and now at a consultancy. My work spans across healthcare, financial services, charities, defence and environmental sectors where my analytical research background and creative design training come together.
Design researchers have a unique opportunity to have a positive influence on the world through the lens of user-centric thinking and technical knowledge, an opportunity which I am aiming to embrace.