Jigna Umeria (née Chauhan)

Major Project: A Dictionary of Design Now


This dictionary is a print-on-demand platform primarily aimed at undergraduate design students but also at those who are interested in reading about contemporary design debates, themes and trends. Users can compile their own dictionary from entries on terms that relate closely to design practice today such as ‘Author’, ‘Micro Manufacturing’ and ‘Play’. A Dictionary of Design Now (DDN) explores playful writing formats and texts of different lengths to engage the reader. The platform also considers the terms being used in their contexts. As a book and website DDN exploits social media to generate a community around the dictionary.


This version of DDN maps the design of objects for the home with some crossovers to other design practices such as architecture, fashion and graphics. In the future, the concepts and approaches in DDN have the potential to be implemented fully across these areas to become an interdisciplinary design platform.


While studying at the Royal College of Art, my experience in 3D design/making and interests in interdisciplinary practice have led me to write about current design issues, consumer behaviour patterns and the brand identity of objects for the home.