Opportunity Mapping

Pragya Goenka
6 min readAug 26, 2020

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We often come across the term “problem solving design”, design solving problems. But to cure a disease , we need to diagnose it first similarly to solve a problem we need to find it . Yes , it is part of of the our job description to find the smallest flaw that causes any discomfort to any user or stakeholder. It very important to understand and define the problem properly to the fine details by diving under the surface, identifying the true cause and factors.

So on 10.08.2020 , we started mapping our own homes under the guidance of MR. Kuntal De. We were suppose to map out all the conflict points in our home.

Let’s just honestly admit, that 90% causes of fights in a family during the day seem silly , when looked back. Conflicts does not necessarily mean fights or argument , it can simply be the small wait we might have ,to access any resource.

Next , assignment was to map out the usage of a resource in the house throughout the year. For this assignment , I chose a luxury or a rare resource to have access to these days , private open areas. Specially in these times of COVID-19 , having access to open areas to have a walk in open air fearlessly is a luxury.

Next , we mapped out different problems faced by our families in the house.

VENTILATION

MONKEY PROBLEM

Northern Indian states

OVER HEATING OF THE TOP FLOOR

  1. All the tall building(top floor)

MISMANAGEMENT OF SPACE

Tiny apartments

ACCESSIBILITY PROBLEM

Later , I realized that this problem arises due to monkey problem as the second path would increase the possibility of monkey entering that’s why the first path is used more frequently.

HERE IS THE PROBLEM SCENARIO

First I researched for monkey problem in Jaipur .

But then I realized that Himachal Pradesh has a monkey problem which directly costs the country a huge amount of money every year.

There is a number of factors affecting these hotspots.

MY REALIZATION

When I tried to find data on the problem , not only there was a lack of research on monkeys in urban areas , but also the impact of human invasion on them for example I couldn’t find anything on how many monkeys have been killed in India by humans except a few regional news article reporting few deaths. This made me realize how self obsessed we are as species .

This human centric approach towards nature , results in ignorance of many important factors .

BUILDING THE SCENARIO

The most disastrous attack is when there is no where to hide for the victim. Similar situation is faced by people being attacked by these violent monkeys in a crowded market where , there is no where to run to and hide. Moreover , the crowd adds to the danger , as there is an increased chance of getting hurt in the mini stampede, created.

So, I decided to devise a solution for the monkey attacks in the walled city of Jaipur. To give you a clear idea of the situation , here are a few photos from different parts of the market.

The aim is to devise a short term solution which can be implemented immediately (like scaring them away ), and a long term solution where the needs of monkeys as well as humans can be met , reducing the number of conflicts.

References:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/be/Himachal_Pradesh_population_density_map_en.PNG

https://investuttarakhand.com/themes/backend/uploads/IP-UK-Horticulture%20Sector%20Profile-2018-09-10.pdf

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