We’re used to seeing two co-founders when we talk about companies and start-ups however Fractal Ink is a bit different. They have 4 co-founders. We got to experience the married couple portion of the founders, Tanay and Priyanka.
Tanay and Priyanka wanted to introduce a new method of storytelling through user experiences but wait, we’re getting a little ahead of ourselves. First, a little peek into who they are.
The History
Priyanka and Tanay met in BIT, Mesra while pursuing architecture. They said that passing out of college endows someone with a sense of the wanting to change the world. They knew they had to come to Mumbai to make a big change and so they did. They saw the buildings of Bombay and they thought that the quality of architecture on those buildings back then was quite substandard. They said to themselves, “We’ll create great architecture.”
They approached some of the biggest names in the architecture industry. They carried around huge sheets which would then be their portfolio. Unfortunately, they ended up being rejected a lot. However, they were finally accepted as the first employees of a man who had a small office in Navi Mumbai called SNA Architects. They didn’t just work in this office, they also did all the office boy duties like getting chai, wiping the desks and cleaning the toilets. Times were hard for them then but Tanay always dreamed of making it bigger and working in a bright and airy office.
A big office of his own was a dream for a while.
Priyanka got a great project which paid well and with that, they quit their jobs. Tanay got through CEED and wanted to pursue a Masters In Design from IIT, Bombay. Priyanka paid his fees and he completed his Masters. Priyanka got another job and once Tanay was done, they worked together in their own company called Ambiaance Designs. However, after working there for 3 years, they sold their company and moved to the UK.
Priyanka tells us what an experience really means.
They were quite happy there. They lived in London and loved the planning and the architecture in that city. Priyanka got a job and acquired a Masters In Graphic Design from Middlesex University. Tanay too got a job and both were working and living well. However, they admitted to getting bored easily and while their last itch to move took them 3 years, this one took them 5 years before they decided to return to India.
Once back, they met with Hemant Suthar and Geeta Suthar. Together, they would become the 4 co-founders of what would be India’s biggest UI and UX company called Fractal Ink. Tanay finally made the bright shiny office now that he always dreamed about. And their fame brought them (eventually) to this MasterClass. After Tanay told this story, Priyanka began the next section of the session with a quote from Benjamin Franklin:
Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.
Priyanka always wanted to get people involved. When one thinks of all the forms of engagement, the one thing that stands out is that they are all stories. In fact, there are stories are all around us just waiting to be discovered. She explained this concept through a picture of a crowd.
Each person in this picture has their own story going on.
In this crowd of people, each person is driven by a different form of motivation. A driver is thinking about parking. A vendor is thinking about who is the next customer. A mother is thinking about where to get the best deal. A tourist wants to get pictures. Everybody has a story.
This is the core of Fractal Ink’s design. It has the intention of telling a story. This builds on the fact that the most effective stories are the ones that engage you and Fractal Ink is all about engaging with people.
Tanay was extremely engaging with everyone.
But what makes a good story?
There are a few elements that one can use to tell a story and the most recognisable structure uses four elements: A hero, an ambition, a conflict and a resolution. Now when that gets mapped to a product, let’s take Uber.
Who’s the hero of the story? An everywhere private driver.
What’s the ambition? To be where a private driver is needed.
What’s the conflict? The conflict is not having a connection to a private driver who wants to take you where you need to be.
What’s the resolution? Uber because they have a private driver who will come to you.
Activity Time
They feel like jargon is used to confuse clients. When they used jargon in their early years, it alienated their clients. When they started Fractal Ink, they wanted to speak to the clients in a way that was easy to understand.
You may have heard of the term ‘prototyping digital experience’. Or you may not have because it’s jargon. But what about prototyping a human experience?
A human experience curated for the attendees of this MasterClass.
To see how this works, they decided to get the audience involved. The audience was divided into 7 groups. Each had to pick a persona and reenact what it would be like to walk a mile as that person. The choices ranged from blind person to a backpacker, from a handicapped child struggling to navigate to a thief trying to escape the police.
The chairs marked how far along a person was on the mile.
The idea of the activity was to showcase how you can display the journey a person takes as a way of explaining your proposition. It’s a technique that Fractal Ink uses to explain their ideas and methods to clients.
Priyanka was diligently taking notes.
While this was taking place, Priyanka made an idea board for each group. The board mentioned all the ideas that could be incorporated into real products or services.
Ideas from the activity organised on the board.
The Wacom Experience
Wacom had their fantastic products on display as well for attendees to experience. Anyone who loves to design loves using Wacom products. Everyone was reminded that the Brushstroke Battles contest is still on and submissions are still taking place. You can use this link to register.
A great reason to attend a MasterClass is to experience a Wacom product for yourself.
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