1. ConfederationofIndianIndustry (CII) has beenplaying anactive role inestablishing‘Design’asacorebusiness
componentforIndustry to enhanceitscompetitiveness.
Designactivitiesin CII focusesonareas likepolicyadvocacy, knowledge development,stakeholderengagement,
capacitybuilding,establishingnewtrendsandpractices,andrecognizingexcellence,whichbenefitsallits
stakeholdersandcontributestowardscreationofa healthyand vibrant designecosystem in India.
Thegovernment’snationaldevelopmentagendaofMakeinIndiaand reformsundertakeninareaslike infrastructure
andindigenousmanufacturingarerootedinthe understandingandacceptanceofthe key necessitiesofthe
economy.In this periodof transitionour manufacturingandserviceIndustryneedto climbaboardthedesign
bandwagon.Designismorethanbeautification;itis the understandingofthe market requirementsanddelivering
those requirementsinaway that willensurecommercialsuccess.
CII Designrealizes, that, to obtaingrowththroughoutvarious sectors, be that private or government,a strong
productdevelopmentperformancebythe manufacturingsectorisnecessary. In the recentpastwe have takenup
several initiatives that convergesconcerted effortsspreadlooselyacrossIndianDesignSector to create consistent
initiatives that forge sustainablepartnershipsforleveragingdesignandachievingbusinessexcellence foralasting
developmentof Indianmanufacturing.
CII Design’sprojects’ coverevery facetof Designrangingfrom capacitybuildinginitiatives (workshops)to
knowledgedevelopmentto stakeholderengagementprogramsthat bringsrenewed impetustothe sector.
CapacityBuilding Programs –Workshopsand Seminars
CII conductsregularworkshopsandseminars onProductdevelopmentinpartnershipwithpremieracademic
institutionlike IndianInstitutes of Technology,IndianInstitute of Scienceand National InstituteofDesign,
emphasizingonthe necessityof research &designintervention inmanufacturing.
TheConclaveon NewProductDevelopment organizedinpartnershipwithDepartmentof Scientific &Industrial
Research,GoIandIndustrial DesignCentre,IIT Bombay,in 2015in Mumbai;aimedtodisseminateactionable
knowledgethatMSMEscanuseand applyimmediatelyintheir workplaceforconceivingnewproductsand
improvingexistingproducts.
Thisyear we arebrandingallor our capacitybuildinginitiativesas DCODE,whichwillincludeworkshops,seminars,
trainingmodules,etc.focusing deeplyon advancingIndianmanufacturingstrengthbydesignintervention.
Thefirst DCODEworkshopsarebeingorganizedin partnershipwithCentre for ProductDesignandManufacturing
(CPDM),IISc BangaloreandWorld Intellectual PropertyOrganization(WIPO), Geneva. Theworkshopsfocuson
smallandmedium industryandare intendedto illustrateandshowcasehowresearch-intensiveinnovationcan
transform new productdevelopment.
Launchofthe first workshopin this seriesof workshops willbe in IISc Bangalore on27th July2016 andthen will
travel to Kolkata, Hyderabad, Chennai,DelhiandPune.
Recognizing Excellence – CII Design Excellence Awards
Forlast15 years, CII has been an active advocate for the strategic value of design in India. As its ongoing pursuit to
establishdesignasatoolfornationalcompetitiveness,CIIinitiated the “CII Design Excellence Awards” from the year of
2011.
Theawardsareatrueacknowledgementofthedesignexcellence, innovation and originality of Indian Design
TheCIIDesignExcellenceAwardsdiscoverthenewparadigmsofdesigninIndia,whichanswersthecallofmakingIndian
industryandmanufacturingmore competitiveandinnovative.Theawardsshowcasetheemerging face of design in India
and its newer manifestations. The India Design Council endorses CII Design Excellence Awards.
InthetrueCIIfashiontheseawardsfollowarigorousandobjectiveassessmentprocess.Theawardsaregiveninfourmain
categoriesofVisualCommunication,IndustrialDesign,InteractionDesign and Mobility Design and their 28 sub-

2. categories.TheawardsarejudgedbyaneminentpanelofdistinguishedexpertsfromIndiaandabroad. Judging is based
onclearcriteria of design excellence including Form and Function, Innovation, and design success besides other
parameters.
Flagship Event – CII NID Design Summit
TheCIINIDDesignSummitisIndia’smostconsistentandprestigiousdesigneventhappeningforthelast15years. Itisnot
justaconference–it’sa3600 Experienceforall - covering exhibitions, discussions, deliberations, networking, events,
activities, summits, talks, lectures, seminars, contests and much more.
TheSummithasbeenbringingononeplatform thebest of the IndianandInternationaldesignthinkers, design
policymakers,designers,designeducatorsanddesignusersfor sharingandlearningfrom eachother. TheSummit
initiatesnew conversationsacrossthedomainpractitionersandexperts,through interactive sessionsand
workshops,which helparticulateandcombinedefinitiveideasandmethodstodefinesolutionsfor today and
tomorrow'sorganizationalneeds.
Thetheme for15th CIINIDDesignSummit2015was‘MakeinIndia:MakingitHappen byDesign’haveemphasised on
roleofdesigninnewmarketcreation, go-to-market mechanisms for new ideas, and creation of product-service eco-
systems.At TheSummit,a venerableline-upofglobalexpertsdelvedintocrucialquestionofhowbusiness organizations
canevolvetobecomemoredesign-centric.Theysharedhowstrategicusesofdesigncan not onlychange the customer
facing offerings of a company, but also have abilityto influence internal functions of an organization.
Thethemeforthe16th CIINIDDesignSummit2016is‘Design:TheNewNow!' whichisaboutthe‘New’thatisunfolding
now,the‘New’ thatistrailblazing.Thesummit will delve in to the wayone designs as well as the wayone thinks about
design.Thesummitwillexplorehowdesignisbeingharnessedtocreatesustainable businesses as well as sustainable
futures.Itwillprojectnewframeworksandstrategies that are being used bydesigners to help shape new futures. The
summitwillunfurlstrategies,models,practices,transformationsandtheevolving relationship of design with businesses,
policymaking, planning and communities. It would articulate keyarguments within the Indian and global context to
encapsulate the transformations in how we live, create and communicate.
Shreya Basu
Executive
Confederation of Indian Industry