Designing at Sustainable Intention: My Final Year at the School of Textile and Design.

As I reflect on the past year, it’s almost surreal to grasp just how much this journey has shaped me, both personally and creatively. Wrapping up my final year in Communication Design at the School of Textiles and Design, Heriot-Watt University Dubai, has been an incredible experience marked by intensity, growth, and unforgettable milestones.

The Degree Show: A Celebration of the Process

Our degree show wasn’t just an exhibition; it was a celebration of everything that brought us here. A culmination of late nights, sketches, critiques, breakthroughs, and revisions. For me, it was the perfect stage to present a project that stemmed from one simple but powerful question:

“What if we could reshape how younger generations engage with the world through design?”

That question led to the creation of an interactive learning experience aimed at transforming how essential topics are introduced to schoolchildren. By blending storytelling, games, and visuals, the project offers a playful alternative to traditional learning, designed to spark curiosity rather than simply deliver information.

Creating Something That Resonates

Seeing my work on display, watching guests interact with it, and hearing their feedback in real-time was both thrilling and humbling. It gave me a rare opportunity to pause and reflect on the design process in a deeper way.

The most rewarding moment? Receiving the Spotlight Award at the Degree Show. It was unexpected and incredibly meaningful. More than a recognition of the design itself, it affirmed the emotional connection the project made with its audience. That validation reminded me why I started this journey: to craft thoughtful, engaging experiences that matter.

Behind the Scenes: The Process and Persistence

Of course, getting the project show-ready was no easy feat. I had to master new tools like Figma, tackle technical limitations, and manage the complex interplay between the app’s visual identity, content structure, and interactive elements. It took many rounds of iteration, problem-solving, and most importantly persistence.

Throughout the process, I leaned on invaluable feedback from peers, professors, and industry professionals. Every suggestion, critique, and insight played a crucial role in refining the final result. In the end, I’m truly proud of what I’ve accomplished.

Design with a Purpose

Above all, this project reinforced something I’ve come to believe deeply: design is about more than solving problems. It’s about fostering curiosity, building emotional connections, and delivering clarity in a complex world.

Looking forward, I’m especially drawn to the intersections of technology, education, and the environment, fields that I believe are ripe for transformation through thoughtful, human-centered design.

Sustainability as a Design Ethic
Sustainability has been a guiding principle throughout my final project. I have consciously chosen digital-first design solutions to minimize material waste and promote eco-friendly learning methods. The content also promotes environmental awareness among children, planting seeds of responsibility at a young age. As a designer, I believe our choices, both creative and ethical, must reflect the future we want to build. This project echoes our shared mission to design with purpose, empathy, and long-term impact for both people and the planet.

Above all, this project has shown me that design is about more than just problem-solving; it’s also about fostering curiosity, establishing emotional bonds, and bringing clarity. I want to continue working in that direction in the future. I’m particularly interested in design that resides at the intersection of technology, education, and the environment, because I believe that these fields can benefit greatly from careful, human-centered design.

What Comes Next

Participating in the degree show gave me more than just closure, it provided a sense of calm confidence for the next chapter of my creative journey. It also reignited my passion for exploring UI/UX design more deeply and reaffirmed why I chose design in the first place: to create experiences that are not only beautiful, but also lasting and meaningful.

I’m deeply grateful to my family, mentors, friends, and everyone who supported me along the way. And as I take this next step, I’m filled with excitement and hope for what’s to come.