We are excited to announce that our cofounder, Prarthana Majumdar, has successfully completed her PhD, titled "Design for Motivation to Facilitate the Adoption of Assisted Self-Production in Emerging Economies". This research has been a labor of love, focused on empowering rural and semi-urban communities through design, and we are immensely proud of the journey that brought us here.
At Dzukou, we have always believed in the power of design to connect people, inspire creativity, and drive meaningful change. Prarthana’s PhD work perfectly aligns with our mission, as it draws from years of experience working directly with artisans, observing the evolution of Making culture, and understanding the challenges faced in preserving traditional practices. The research explores how design influence by SDT can be a catalyst for behavior change and empowerment in these communities.
The key contributions from Prarthana’s research include defining Assisted Self-Production (ASP), creating the Catalyst Framework to encourage behavior change, and applying Product Semantics within community-based Product Service Systems (PSS). These frameworks and tools are vital to how we approach our work at Dzukou, particularly as we collaborate with artisans to foster sustainable practices and innovation. Moreover, Prarthana developed practical tools like guidelines for mapping motivation and the application of Mokken Scale Analysis to help designers better understand and address abstract mental concepts.
This achievement is deeply personal for us at Dzukou, as it is a direct reflection of our commitment to empowering artisans and ensuring their work continues to thrive in the modern market. We are incredibly grateful for the support of our team, the artisans, and all those who have been part of this journey. Their contributions have been invaluable in shaping this research and its outcomes.
We are excited to integrate these insights into Dzukou’s ongoing mission to sustain traditional craftsmanship while connecting it to global markets. This PhD is not just a milestone for Prarthana but also a significant step forward in advancing the work we do together at Dzukou. We look forward to using these findings to continue evolving our approach, creating lasting impact, and supporting artisans as they adapt to a rapidly changing world.
