Set up in October 2009, TGD emerged out of a need, a need to address the gap in supply and demand in the global design industry. “We have been providing design services to our internal clients and saw the scope of extending our services to the rest of the world, which would create an opportunity to leverage our design skills beyond watches,” says Revathi Kant, head, Titan Design Studio.

Beyond the familiar
Coming from Titan Industries, TGD draws upon a strong knowledge base in the watch, eyewear and accessories segment. Undoubtedly TGD will build upon this foundation. Ms Kant adds, “With this venture, we are also looking to spread our footprint in non-competing categories such as consumer goods, corporate gifts, lifestyle products, trophies and graphics and visual merchandising both in India and abroad.” 

Products that stand out for their cutting-edge design in multiple sectors is not the only thing on offer from TGD. The studio will also offer clients end-to-end design solutions – starting with research, conceptualisation and ideation, technical design and prototyping, and handing over detailed technical inputs to clients.

Making it work
The Indian design industry is still in a nascent stage and that is why design studios continue to encounter teething problems. One problem is the concentration of design firms in four-five cities, which makes it difficult for companies to interact with the designers on a regular basis during the design process. Another issue is the lack of transparency of costs, which makes it difficult for companies to assess the “cost of design”. A third obstacle is the lack of professionalism especially in terms of timeline commitments. 

Most designers are more focused on the aesthetics of the product rather than innovating new ones with a problem-solving approach. Indian designers are yet to embrace the in-depth understanding of consumer insights, which is a critical aspect of the design process and one that global design firms take very seriously. But with TGD, Titan is hoping to promote talent that understands the nuances of design as well as respects consumer needs, and bring in a fresh approach in processes, thus helping the company stay innovative.

The response since the launch has been very encouraging. At present, TGD has clients from industries as diverse as consumer products, financial institutions, event organisers, advertising and event government bodies. A lot of the credit for this goes to the trust and reputation that Titan and Tata group have earned over the years.

People power
So how does the studio encourage innovation and ensure that the workspace is creatively charged? “We make sure that designers work on diverse project categories and sufficient time is allocated for background research and conceptualisation,” says Ms Kant.

The designers are also exposed to the latest trends in design by attending various national and international fairs, summits, conferences and design workshops.

Another tool TGD uses is to rate every project on an IQ metric, where the innovation quotient of the project is measured on a scale of 1-10. Titan’s 3I process ensures immersion, ideation and implementation. 

At TGD, consumer understanding plays a key role in the design process. While formal training and workshops are conducted to sharpen the skills of the designers, working on different product categories increases their knowledge about the segments as well as builds greater awareness about the consumer requirements. “Extensive market research and consumer understanding is an integral part of any design project we undertake,” notes Ms Kant.

A design is more than just the aesthetics. It is providing the right design solution, which is both cost-effective and technologically sound. And that is the goal that the team at TGD has set for itself as it aims to be among the leading global design studios such as Design Works USA, Porsche Design studio, Philips Design, Alessi, Sony Design.