Exploring technology for improving livelihood of craftsmen

Exploring technology for improving livelihood of Craftsmen - by Dhyan Suman

Under guidance of Prof. Anirudha Joshi

Exploring technology for improving livelihood of

Craftsmen

Introduction

This project is an attempt to help the craftsman to create a niche for himself that would help him in sustaining himself and his family and to generate employment through his traditional knowledge and craftsmanship.

Exploring technology for improving livelihood of

Craftsmen

articles on crafts books on crafts of India projects helping the poor

Literaturereview

Exploring technology for improving livelihood of Craftsmen

Artisans generally lack knowledge of and access to means of increasing quality and productivity.

Craftsmen generally suffer from weak marketing, lack of negotiation power and lack of funds.

A major disadvantage of this unorganized sector is the total lack of civic, professional and social service infrastructure.

The craft producer has little means of protecting individual creative innovations or traditional community knowledge.

The exact ratio between the amount a crafts producer is paid for an item at source and the final selling price of that item is huge, little of the profit reaches the hand of the creator.

When they do have the opportunity to interact directly with a buyer, the problems multiply.

Literaturereview


To increase the income of crafts producers, the requirements are adaptation of skills and products to meet new market requirements and improvement in market access and supply.

To sustain the traditional skill base and to protect the artisans’ traditional knowledge resources, the priority is development and implementation of appropriate IPR legislation.

Adapting traditional skills to new products for changing markets. This adaptation can be accomplished in many areas in India, including fashion, home furnishings and tourism.

Repositioning skills and products for upscale markets that appreciate and are willing to pay premiums for handcrafted quality and character.

Literaturereview


language

178 crafts

proximity

commercialization/ exposure/ alarming stage

?

Primary study

User group


hand block printing with natural dyes

Bagru, traditionally famous for its block printing

‘chhipa’ the hand printer community is said to came

to bagru 350 yrs ago

around 130-140 families does hand block printing

but only 3 families are practicing ‘Pharad’

Primary study

The Craft


Washing

Harda treatment

Block printing (outline)

Washing

Alizarin treatment

Washing & drying

Resist block printing (Dabu)

Nasphal dye bath

Indigo dye bath

Alum treatment

Washing & drying

Primary study

Process


“Only old and learned people can do Pharad. The new generation kids do not have the skills do it. That’s why it has become less.”

“kaam karana hai to ghar aana hai”.

“fir konsa form export ka, kya hai uska knowledge nahi hai”.

“Direct karna chaho to karlo, woh to contact hona chahiye na apna.”“Ab export ki knowledge to kya, sab ke bas ki baat nahi hai”

“Jaise kisi ne pooch liya kahan laga hai…. Kahin nahi.. to mere yahan aaja.”

“The exhibitions system has lottery system to allot space for craftsmen, due to high demand of craftsmen trying to display.”

Primary study

User Study


Craftsman CustomerHAAT

Craftsman Customer

Middleman

Primary study

Business models in the past


Craftsman Customer

Business man

Washer

Printer

Resist

Local merchant

ExhibitionsGovt./private

body

Showroom

Export

Designer

Primary study

Existing system


washing dyeing

blockprinting

18

4

32

5

67

-VE +VE

• too much washing

•no machines used in washing

•washer man is from printers’ community

• printers need not worry about washing

•happens early in the morning, so they get whole day free

SHOP/HOME

-VE

•bad presentation

•Don’t know how to sell story. Weak marketing

+VE

•platform to contact customers directly

DEALERS

-VE

•eat up lot of profit of the product

•mentality of producing more-low skills and bad quality products

+VE

•marketing no hassle for craftsmen

•do not need to reply on final consumer for money

•gets bigger orders

•He is the link to global marketing

•adds value to product by nice presentation

Govt./NGOs exhibition

-VE

•lottery system

•Govt. offices give less money

•bribing people to get schemes sanctioned

+VE

•direct contact with customers

•exposure to new market

•workshops and schemes for craftsmen

CONSUMER

Primary study

People involved in the process


Raw material sourcing

Lengthy manufacturing process

Deteriorating skills

Season dependent

Limited buyers

Information gap

Exposure to market

Primary study

Problems


Necessity of middleman

Self esteem

A way of marketing their skills

Importance of networking

Awareness towards their rights

Trading methods

Inheritor of the tradition

Influential people

Primary study

Insights


Payment:Cash on delivery for the first orderLeast expensive thing through card paymentSecure word in the address bar

Authenticity & trust:Websites suggested by friendsNumber of likes by your friendsFollowing the website quite some time before buying

Like to work with recommended artisansAssures the quality, pricing, reliability of deliverables.

Primary study

Consumer’s views


Design Directions

1) Improved and streamlined production process:

2) System for marketing and selling craft:

Design goal


Design Goal

Designing a system that

Bridges gap between craftsmen and consumer.Provide exposure to the online world of selling online.Empower craftsmen to required information.

Design goal


Industree crafts:A hybrid social enterprize started in 1994Industree crafts Pvt. LtdIndustree crafts foundationSupporting livelihood of rural producers and agricultural workers

Rural Mart: A collaboration of NABARD and HWA.Facilitate artisan and buyer by taking out the middleman

Parallel study

Craft Council of India: estb in 1964Non-profit organization working for welfare of craftsmenWorkshops for craftsmen on new tools, techniques and designsScholarship programs for artisan’s children

Kala Raksha: Estb. In 1993 A society and trust working for development in handicrafts, preserving traditional art and generating income.Health care and basic education program

Other organizations


Grameen bank

Estb. In 1983 by Muhammad Yunus

Grameen bank is a social business, a

cause driven rather than profit driven; self

sustaining, self propelling and self

expanding

Center(comprising of 8-

10 groups)Branch Office

Area OfficeCentral Branch

Zonal Office

Parallel study

Business models


Amul

Founded in 1946 under leadership of

Tribhuvandas Patel

Amul is a cooperative system which is

owned by 2.6 million milk producers in

Gujarat

Milk Producers

Village Dairy Cooperative Society

District Milk Unions

State Milk Federations

Market

Milk

Milk

Milk & milk products

Sales revenue

Cattle feed

Vet. & AH services

Rural health schemes

BonusAddl. Price diff.

Dividends onshares

Money

Money

Parallel study


Ebay

It helps buyer and seller come together and takes fee for successful transactions

Advantage of online platform:

No space limitations

No limitation with location

Geographical locations

Lists the items at

Ebay

Highest bidder wins

Buyer pays for the item plus shipping charges

and handling fees through ebay.

A fee is paid by seller to ebay for the sold item

Buyer ships the item to seller

Parallel study


Handicraft portal (HANDMADE IN INDIA)

Craft story that links finally to products

CRAFTSMAN

The cyber guy help them to - make account,-upload images.

-A tiny table top kiosk with computer attached with cameras.-This kiosk program is always connected to the portal.

BUYER

Initial Ideas

Concept 1


Telemarketing Service, help them make - online account (voice recognition system)-fill in details,-later services related to account

Uploads on various websites, multiplying the possibility and effort of craftsman.

An app with videos with tutorials

An sms prompt service. When the craftsmen reply ‘yes’, the service provider call back

CRAFTSMAN

The image is sent to service provider

SMS alerts are sent on sell, transactions, changes

Initial Ideas

Concept 1.2


Ramlal has heard about people selling on internet, but doesn’t know how to operate computer. He has knowledge of basic phone. He has different prices for different type of customers.

Designers: quality work, good price and new interesting work

Dealers: competitive price, bulk order and traditional work

End users: good price, high margin, 1-2 pcs sold at time

?CRAFTSMAN

How to have different look for

different customers

Initial Ideas

Concept 2


Designer

Dealers

Customer

description

price

description

price

description

price

Design portals, Gaatha, Craft council of India

India mart, Alibaba

Ebay, Etsy

CRAFTSMAN

Initial Ideas

Concept 2


HAAT

CRAFTSMAN

Around 20-25 yrs ago, craftsmen from Bagru used to go Haat Bazaar to sell there crafts directly to consumer.

Initial Ideas

Concept 3


VIRTUAL HAAT

ON WEDNESDAY

payment

CRAFTSMAN CONSUMER

Virtual Haat app is downloaded on the phone

Uploaded any day of week by him

The products opens for buyer on a specific day of the week, say Wednesday

Login on website

Login on website

Voice based Login for himSIM can work as user ID

Bargains on a product

Bargains on a product

He get sms of each customer bargain.

Either he can accept or decline the bargain

Once accepted deals closes

Money paid through Virtual Haat

The product is shipped within the

given date

Initial Ideas

Concept 3


“Yeh export to apne bas ki baat nahi. Konsa form kya bharna kuch pata nahi”

“I wish I could get more information on creating more shades in natural dyes.”

Initial Ideas

Concept 4


DCH / EPCH

Information portal

1. Ask question

2. If you know the question no. dial now

3. Listen to other question

1. Select category

2. Ask after beep

3. Thank you. Your question no. 123

Please Select category

1. marketing

2. Printing

3. ……

•Download the answer

•Other services- color trends, exhibition information

•Can have video question-answer forum too.

A tollfree number service

An SMS is sent to him when the question is answered, with link to listen

Initial Ideas

Concept 4


Craft Tour operator (printer community)

TRAVEL BLOGS

Advertisement of craft tour on travel blogs, and local travel agencies

TOURISTS

CRAFTSMAN

Printer community shop

Sharing experience, photos, videos. Likes at FB, Twitter and travel blog

Initial Ideas

Concept 5


Order and supply chain management

Raw material

Dye-available-order

Fabric-available-order

Product

Order-remaining pcs-done pcs-dispatch

Stock-no. of pcs-design/pattern

Availability-no. of tables-no of craftsmen

Payment

Client-status-history

Craftsmen-quality-no. of pcs-status-history

Employee-status-history

Event

Exhibition-reminders-details

-products-salesperson

Camps for craftsmen

Scheme

-Health-Education-Finance

CLOUD

•SMS for new order•Confirm with no. of pcs and no. of tables•Admin confirms with order•He can look at his history of orders and transaction history

Initial Ideas

Concept 6


Final concept


Ramlal has heard about people selling on internet, but doesn’t know how to operate computer. He has knowledge of basic phone. He wants to get more opportunity

Kishan, a postman of that area tells Ramlal about the new system through which he can upload his products online

The smart phone is given to Kishan by the organization.The handset has facility of connection to internet, thumb print reader and special app for desi haat.

Scenario 1

Final concept


Kishan helps Ramlal to open his Desi Haat account through the smart phone

Final concept

Scenario 1


As soon as the account is registered on Desi haat, a SMS is sent to Ramlal’s phone of account confirmation

Final concept

Scenario 1


Once the account is registered, Ramlal can put his products online with help of Kishan

Final concept

Scenario 1


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Scenario 2


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Scenario 3


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Scenario 4


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Explorations


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Final concept

Explorations


Prototyping

Mobile app & website


0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Benefit Browsing Rely Look & feel Good product Icons, text,symbols

Postman

Retail buyers

Designers

Merchants

Feedback

Quantitative


“It would be beneficial for me, I would be getting market and trend information”

“It will be more helpful if I can get artisans contact details. Giving order according to the display pic is unreliable.”

“I would like to browse other craft process.”

“Its good, I can expand my network.”

“This website will be like a library of artisans.”

“The concept is nice but a lot depends upon cordination with the artisan.Quality control can be a big area of concern”

“Direct contact to Artisan would be better.”

“nice! This will help the craftsmen and get the right value of their product.”

“Efficiency of the Indian postal service is questionable.It will be more helpful if I can get artisans contact details.”

“The idea is good and looks promising.”

“Contact number field should be added in the form”

Feedback

Qualitative


Thank you