Tag: DesignThinking

Human Interest

Empowering Digital Governance: Goa Hosts State-Level UX Design Workshop

Tanisha Cardozo

Written by Tanisha Cardozo || Team Allycaral

A two-day State-level Awareness and Sensitisation Workshop on User Experience and Design System took place on November 6–7, 2025, at the Commercial Tax Department, Altinho, Panaji. The event aimed to foster best practices, exchange ideas, and address challenges in implementing effective UX/UI for public-facing e-services.

Organised by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology through the National e-Governance Division (NeGD), in collaboration with the National Informatics Centre (NIC) and the Department of Information Technology, Electronics and Communications, Government of Goa, the workshop brought together officials from various government departments for an engaging learning experience on user-centred design.

The inaugural session was graced by Shri Kabir Shirgaonkar, Director of the Department of Information Technology, Electronics & Communications (DITE&C), and Shri Sameer Datar, State Informatics Officer, NIC Goa. In his address, Shri Shirgaonkar highlighted the importance of understanding user interface and experience in government applications and encouraged participants to apply these insights within their respective departments to improve digital service delivery.

The first day featured five sessions covering topics such as design thinking, accessible design, UX4G demonstrations, and the integration of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, with user-centric design principles to enhance trust and compliance. Experts leading the sessions included Mr. Ajeet Kumar, Deputy General Manager, NeGD, Mrs. Neeta Tandon, Consultant, NIC, Ms. Aparajita Singh, Principal Lead, Changeinkk, Ms. Stuti Sharma and Ms. Prapti Bhardwaj, UI/UX Designers, and Mr. Priyanshu Yadav, Domain Expert on DPDP.

The second day focused on hands-on training under the UX4G initiative, equipping participants with the skills to design and develop intuitive, user-friendly digital platforms that elevate the citizen experience. The workshop concluded with a collective vision to strengthen Goa’s e-governance landscape through design innovation and empathy-driven digital transformation.

TechPulse

Young Innovators Bring Goa’s Creative Capital Vision to Life at Maker’s Asylum

allycaralgoa

Panaji, July 12, 2025: Goa is emerging as a creative hub where technology meets imagination, grounded in community, collaboration and purpose-driven innovation. This evolving identity aligns with the vision of the Startup and IT Promotion Cell, Department of Information Technology, Electronics & Communications (DITE&C), under the leadership of Hon’ble Minister Shri Rohan A. Khaunte, whose efforts are driving Goa’s transformation into an innovation-led state.

Reflecting this vision at the grassroots, Maker’s Asylum has been welcoming young people from across the world to Goa for its immersive & hands-on learning experiences & programs since 2021. 753 young people, from 15 countries, 150 schools and 50 cities across India have had the taste of the maker culture and immersed themselves in creativity and innovation through their space in Goa. This summer Maker’s Asylum hosted five dynamic immersions of its flagship program, Innovation School, at its campus in Moira. The program has welcomed 77 young makers (aged 13–18), representing 5 countries, 30+ schools and 15 cities across India and beyond. Over the course of the last two months, these students grouped into 24 teams, engaged in design thinking and rapid prototyping to address real-world challenges. From drones for emergency healthcare delivery to AI-powered wearables and assistive tech devices for the differently-abled, the teams built 24 working prototypes, demonstrating both technical skills and interdisciplinary learning.

Participants over the years have received mentorship from the likes of experts such as Ramesh Raskar, Associate Director MIT Media Lab, Jaideep Prabhu – Vice Dean Judge School of Business Cambridge, Niti Parikh – Director Learning Spaces & Makerlabs at Cornell Tech and many other from IIT Bombay, NID Ahmedabad, and leading startups, supported by Maker’s Asylum’s in-house curriculum and technical team.

“When we moved to Goa in 2020, we discovered that beyond its natural beauty, Goa is emerging as a vibrant hub for creativity, hands-on learning, and technological innovation. Known for attracting artists, makers, and changemakers, Goa has become the perfect home for Maker’s Asylum. Through our space in Moira, we’ve welcomed young minds from across India to dive into experiential learning — from carpentry, 3D printing, electronics, and AI, to robotics, drones, and laser cutting. It’s about empowering the next generation to build, create, and innovate in an environment that fuels both imagination and impact.” — Vaibhav Chhabra, Founder, Maker’s Asylum

Maker’s Asylum reflects Goa’s growing identity as a Creative Capital for meaningful tech and hands-on education. Its ethos resonates with the state’s upcoming Centre of Excellence for 3D Printing, which will bring together startups, healthcare professionals, students, government departments, and industries to collaborate and co-create.
By nurturing a maker mindset and providing access to tools like 3D printers, laser cutters, and robotics, programs like this are laying the foundation for a future-ready innovation ecosystem in Goa.

To celebrate the students’ achievements and invite broader community participation, Maker’s Asylum will host two open events at its Moira campus. The first, a Repair Café on July 12 from 6:00 PM onwards, is being held in collaboration with the Repair Café Foundation (Bangalore). It is a hands-on sustainability initiative where attendees can bring broken household items and learn repair skills alongside mentors and student makers. The second, a Final Open House on July 13 from 2:00 to 3:00 PM, will showcase the breakthrough projects developed during the program and offer a firsthand look at what young minds can accomplish when given the right tools and creative freedom. Both events are open to the public.

Applications are also now open for the Spring & Summer 2026 cohorts of Innovation School by Maker’s Asylum.

This initiative reflects the Department’s long-term vision of shaping Goa into India’s Creative Capital and Innovation Hub — a place where experiential learning and technological creativity go hand in hand.