Interview with Apala Lahiri Chavan on Innovation for Emerging Markets

HFI Connect’s Guy Harvey had a chance to catch up with Apala Lahira Chavan, Chief Oracle and Innovator at HFI and ask her about her work.

HFI Connect: Hello Apala. Thank you for taking time to talk with HFI Connect. For our members that don't know you can you tell us a little about yourself and the unique work you do.

Apala Lahiri Chavan: I have a bright and shiny new role in HFI right now, that of Chief Oracle and Innovator and no, that has nothing to do with the software company Oracle and everything to do with the Oracles of Delphi and also the Oracle in The Matrix movies!

My role, by its very definition, requires me to look at the future and spot trends as well as act on those trends proactively, by innovating.

This involves understanding various ecosystems around the world, such as the ecosystems of mature markets, of emerging markets etc. This understanding helps me connect the dots, as appropriate, between these ecosystems of today and the future. That in turn leads to breakthrough concepts for products and services.

HFI Connect: This is a fascinating field you are working in Apala. Could you explain what an ecosystem means in this context?

Apala Lahiri Chavan: An ecosystem is the environment in which people we are designing/innovating for, live. Hence it consists of the physical environment, the other actors (people) who they interact with and who influence them, the institutions that play an important role in their lives, and finally, the complex web of interactions between all of these elements.

HFI Connect:  An important part of your work is spotting trends. If you were to name one trend that everyone should take notice of, which one would it be?

Apala Lahiri Chavan: The term 'agitprop' is derived from the words agitation and propaganda and was popularly used in Russia during the revolution.

I am calling the contemporary trend of using technology (mobile phones, social networking sites) for very swift and geographically widespread mobilization of people and opinions for or against a cause, 'agitprop technology'. The current avatar of this trend has caused (and is still causing) some major upheavals around the world. However, I believe this is just the beginning and we will see huge social, political, and economic changes with the creation of a dedicated field of technology that will be termed  'agitprop technology'.

To understand, anticipate, and help design the technology that will be used for this trend is critical in order to ensure that it is used for causes that help rather than hinder the evolution of the human race.

HFI Connect: Thank you Apala. Your answers are illuminating and generate a lot of food for thought. How can our members keep up with your work or get in touch with you?

Apala Lahiri Chavan: Thank you. It was a pleasure to have the chance to speak with HFI Connect. A good place to start is the Designing for Emerging Markets website. There you can get information on my workshops and download a free chapter from my book Innovative Solutions: What Designers Need to Know For Today's Emerging Markets. Also my HFI Connect profile has links to articles, blogs, and videos. My twitter account and email links are below.

Website: http://www.humanfactors.com/emerging_markets/index.html

HFI Connect: http://connect.humanfactors.com/profile/apala

Twitter: @FuturistApala http://www.twitter.com/FuturistApala

Email: apala@humanfactors.com 

HFI Connect: That’s great Apala. I am going to leave our readers with your animated scribe video Designing for Emerging Markets. It’s a great introduction to your work.

The interview was conducted by Guy Harvey - Social Media Strategist for Human Factors International and community host at HFI Connect http://connect.humanfactors.com