Towards creating a sustainable design eco-system for MSMEs: A design clinic approach

Generating new employment opportunities by utilising the existing skills and local resources to improve the standard of people´s living will be one of the important aspects of sustainability in the Indian context. The micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) sector in India employs over 60 million people and contributes to nearly 40% in terms of total industrial output of the country. Spread over the country, these industries provide employment opportunities locally, thus reducing migration. Serving the local needs, these industries are also the source of indigenous innovations. Thus, reviving these MSMEs would be an important step towards promoting sustainable growth and developing the country´s economy. Design can play critical role in this process by improving their market competitiveness. The Design Clinic Approach, a unique and ambitious design intervention scheme for MSMEs, financially supported by the Government of India, combines design awareness programmes and project based design assistance. Through systematic design intervention and support, this approach is expected to create a sustainable design eco system for the Indian MSME sector. This paper discusses the issues related to the Indian MSMEs, the importance of customised design intervention efforts and the relevance of the design clinic approach in this context.