Strategic Design & Management:
Design Strategy & Innovation
Design Strategy & Innovation
Developing innovators at the intersection of design and business.
Strategic Design & Management:
Design Strategy & Innovation
Design Strategy & Innovation
Developing innovators at the intersection of design and business.
Strategic Design & Management:
Design Strategy & Innovation
Design Strategy & Innovation
Developing innovators at the intersection of design and business.
Duration
4 Year Degree - B.Des
Eligibility Criteria
50% in Class XII
(Any Stream) or equivalent IB / A-Levels
Next Intake
July 2026
Session begins from 15th July 2026
This program equips students to become leaders who integrate design thinking with strategic business insights, technology, and emerging tools. Students explore design strategy, innovation management, service design, research, and AI-supported analytics while working on live projects and industry collaborations. The curriculum fosters problem-solving, sustainable thinking, and business acumen, preparing graduates for careers as service and experience designers, design strategists, innovation consultants, AI-enabled analysts, and brand experience leaders. Graduates emerge as future-ready innovators capable of shaping impactful solutions across industries.
Service & Experience Designer
Design Strategy & Innovation Analyst
Business & Brand Marketing Strategist
Innovation & Business Consultant
Design Research & Insights Specialist
Brand & Experience Strategist
AI & Data-Driven Strategist
Sustainable Design &Innovation Consultant
Ritika
Karnani
Karnani
Nishly
VB
VB
Ananya
Patil
Patil
Akhil
Sain
Sain
Ashutosh Deshmukh
Gourav
Keswani
Keswani
Divya
Bindra
Bindra
Prushottam S
Mohit
Bhardwaj
Bhardwaj
Mohit
Bhardwaj
Bhardwaj
Dr Shoaib
Kanchi
Malhotra
Malhotra
Sumon
Ganatait
Ganatait
Sania
Shaikh
Shaikh
Prem
Colaco
Colaco
Riddhesh Adarkar
Gavin
Remidos
Remidos
Surya
Teja
Teja
Ishi
Srivastava
Srivastava
Virat
Bapat
Bapat
Jai
Ranjit
Ranjit
Naresh
Kaushik
Kaushik
Sneha Srinivastava
Our Globally Benchmarked Curriculum
Semester 1
Laying the foundation for creative thinking and design. Students explore core principles, visual language, and problem-solving skills that prepare them for future learning.
Design Research 1
Use design thinking and visual methods to explore, research, observe patterns, reflect on insights, and craft compelling stories that communicate ideas, inspire action, and create meaningful impact.
Design Studio 1
Design Studio 1 introduces creative exploration through design thinking, observation, research, and storytelling. Students develop problem-solving, visual communication, and reflective practice skills to address real-world challenges.
Drawing Fundamentals 1
Drawing Fundamentals 1 builds core visual skills through observation, sketching, composition, form and technical drawing. Students explore line, shape, proportion, and perspective to strengthen creative expression and design communication.
Imaging 1
Imaging 1 introduces digital and analog imaging techniques, exploring composition, light, and narrative. Students learn visual storytelling, image editing, and creative expression for design and communication.
Space and Materiality
Space and Materiality explores relationships between form, material, and environment. Students experiment with textures, structures, and spatial design to understand sensory impact, function, and creative possibilities.
History in Context to Objects
History in Context to Objects examines cultural, social, and historical influences on objects. Students analyze artifacts to understand design evolution, material significance, and contextual storytelling.
Skill-Up Elective
Skill-Up Elective offers specialized learning opportunities beyond the core curriculum, enabling students to explore emerging tools, creative practices, and interdisciplinary skills that enhance professional growth.
ATLAS Elective
Semester 2
Building confidence in experimentation and observation, students engage in hands-on projects that develop analytical thinking and creativity. The semester deepens design practice, emphasizing research, advanced techniques, sustainability, and user experience, fostering innovation, collaboration, and readiness for real-world challenges.
Design Research 2
Design Research 2 advances research skills, emphasizing observation, data analysis, and user insights. Students apply research backed by design thinking to identify problems, generate solutions, and inform creative strategies.
Design Studio 2
Design Studio 2 builds on creative practice, guiding students to apply research, experimentation, and design thinking in real-world projects, developing problem-solving, collaboration, and visual storytelling skills.
Drawing Fundamentals 2
Drawing Fundamentals 2 deepens observational and visual storytelling skills. Students refine visual communication and expressive techniques for creative design solutions.
Imaging 2
Imaging 2 advances digital and analog imaging techniques, focusing on composition, storytelling, and post-processing. Students create visually compelling narratives and enhance design communication through images.
Sustainable System
Sustainable System explores eco-friendly design principles, material choices, and systemic thinking. Students analyze environmental impact, interdependence of various systems using, and integrate responsible practices into design processes.
Time
Time examines its role as a design element, influencing memory, narrative, information flow, and user experience. Students explore temporal dynamics to create meaningful, engaging designs.
Skill-Up Elective
Skill-Up Elective offers specialized learning opportunities beyond the core curriculum, enabling students to explore emerging tools, creative practices, and interdisciplinary skills that enhance professional growth.
ATLAS Elective
Why our Year 1 outpaces every
other design school?
other design school?
ISDI School of Design
Multidisciplinary Exposure
Offers a Major–Minor Pathway where students combine core specialization with a secondary focus called a minor.
Integrated Design Thinking
Combines design thinking, observation, and research fostering strategic and creative problem-solving.
Holistic, Future-Ready Learning
Includes forward-looking courses like Sustainable System and Time, focusing on environmental impact.
Other Design Schools
Holistic, Future-Ready Learning
Other design schools follow single-track, restricting students to one specialisation throughout the program.
Theory–Practice Gap
Often separates theory and practice, introducing research much later as an
after-thought.
after-thought.
Aesthetic-Centric Focus
Primarily emphasizes form and aesthetics, with limited focus on sustainability or systems thinking.
Semester 3
Semester 3 develops strategic design skills through visual storytelling, marketing, trend forecasting, and innovation mapping, enabling students to create market-driven, user-centered, and forward-thinking design solutions.
Creative Visualisation
Translates business strategies into compelling visual narratives by applying design principles, typography, composition, and storytelling techniques to effectively communicate brand messages and creative concepts.
Marketing Strategies
Develops comprehensive marketing strategies using branding insights, consumer behavior analysis, and practical case studies, enabling students to create effective, market-driven communication and design solutions.
Trends and Forecasting
Applies user-centered design and prototyping methods to identify emerging trends, anticipate consumer needs, and drive innovation in products, services, and design experiences.
Innovation Roadmap
Builds strategic design capabilities by mapping trends, market dynamics, and creative opportunities, equipping students to drive innovation and make informed, forward-thinking design decisions.
Minor Track
The minor track you choose will continue across all the remaining years of your program.
Semester 4
Semester 4 strengthens strategic design through UX, emerging technologies, data-driven insights, folklore-inspired strategies, and ethical management, fostering innovative, culturally aware, and user-centered business and design solutions.
Fundamentals of Strategic Management
Teaches strategic thinking, business model analysis, and ethical decision-making, equipping students to lead responsibly, create competitive advantage, and drive sustainable organizational success.
UX Design
Builds user experience and human-computer interaction skills, emphasizing research-driven design, usability testing, and intuitive interfaces to create engaging, user-centered digital experiences.
Emerging Technology Tools
Applies emerging technologies such as AR/VR, IoT, and interactive platforms to foster innovation, enhance products, and develop cutting-edge design solutions for business and user experiences.
Folklores driven Strategies
Leverages cultural folklore and narratives to inform design and strategy, creating culturally resonant solutions that connect deeply with users and communities.
Data - Led Design
Uses data insights, analytics, and technological trends to inform design decisions, enabling evidence-based innovation and enhancing product, service, and experience outcomes.
Minor Track
The minor track you choose will continue across all the remaining years of your program.
Why our Year 2 outpaces every
other design
school?
other design
school?
ISDI School of Design
Integrated Strategy
Combines design thinking with business strategy.
Tech & Data-Driven
Labs blend making, testing, and real-world application.
Global + Cultural
Merges local insights with global trends.
Other Design Schools
Separated Focus
Design and business taught independently.
Traditional Methods
Limited exposure to new technologies.
Narrow Context
Minimal cultural or global perspective.
Semester 5
Semester 5 develops user-centered design skills through service and UI design, financial management, and consumer psychology, fostering impactful, intuitive, and strategically informed design solutions.
Service Design
Equips students to design impactful, user-centered service experiences through research, systems thinking, and practical tools that address real-world needs.
UI Strategy for Digital Products
Builds skills in user interface design, focusing on intuitive layouts, interaction principles, and visual hierarchy to create seamless, user-focused digital experiences across platforms.
Basics of Financial Management for Design
Equips students with essential financial management skills, including budgeting, cost analysis, and resource planning, enabling effective management of design projects and strategic decision-making.
Consumer Psychology
Analyzes consumer behavior, motivations, and decision-making processes to inform marketing strategies, design solutions, and user-centered experiences that resonate with target audiences.
Minor Track
The minor track you choose will continue across all the remaining years of your program.
Semester 6
Semester 6 develops design leadership through business blueprinting, digital transformation, innovation management, future-focused strategies, and dynamic portfolio creation, preparing students for impactful, industry-ready careers.
Business Design Blueprinting
Enables students to solve real-world business challenges through design thinking, client-based case studies, and strategic problem-solving, fostering practical, innovative, and user-centered solutions.
Change Management in Creative organizations
Explores how creative teams adapt to evolving market, technology, and cultural shifts through structured change strategies. Focuses on managing resistance, fostering innovation culture, and aligning creative vision with organizational transformation.
Managing Innovation teams
Builds leadership skills to manage and inspire creative teams, facilitating collaboration with industry partners to co-develop innovative, impactful, and market-relevant design solutions.
Design Futures
Explores future trends, emerging technologies, and societal shifts, equipping students to anticipate change and create forward-thinking, innovative design solutions that address evolving user needs.
Portfolio Design - SDM
Guides students in creating professional portfolios using dynamic media, typography, and data-driven storytelling to showcase creative skills, design thinking, and industry readiness.
Minor Track
The minor track you choose will continue across all the remaining years of your program.
Why our Year 3 outpaces every
other design
school?
other design
school?
ISDI School of Design
User-Centered Design
Focus on services, UX, and UI strategy.
Business & Leadership
Financial management, innovation, and team leadership.
Future & Professional Ready
Trends, emerging tech, portfolios, and minor specialization.
Other Design Schools
Basic Design Skills
Limited UX or service integration.
Minimal Business Focus
Few leadership or strategic skills.
Traditional Approach
Limited future trends or portfolio guidance.
Semester 7
This semester develops strategic and entrepreneurial skills through systems thinking, ESG frameworks, change management, and practical toolkits, preparing students to lead impactful, sustainable, and innovative organizational solutions.
Systems Thinking
Applies systems thinking principles to analyze complex challenges, understand interdependencies, and develop holistic, innovative solutions that address organizational, social, and design-related problems effectively.
The Startup Canvas: Designing Entrepreneurial Success
Develops entrepreneurial strategies and business models, enabling students to ideate, validate, and implement new ventures while balancing market opportunities, innovation, and sustainable growth.
ESG Impact and Redesign
Combines sustainability, digital transformation, and brand leadership to apply ESG frameworks that drive responsible innovation and create lasting social and environmental impact.
Workshops and Toolkits
Provides practical workshops and toolkits for applying strategic design methods in real-world contexts, equipping students with actionable skills, frameworks, and collaborative problem-solving techniques.
Minor Track
The minor track you choose will continue across all the remaining years of your program.
Semester 8
The capstone semester guides students through project exploration, execution, research, thesis writing, and public display, culminating in innovative, polished, and professionally presented design solutions.
Capstone Project Exploration
Guides students to identify, research, and define a meaningful design challenge, exploring opportunities, user needs, and conceptual directions while receiving mentorship for innovative project development.
Capstone Project Execution
Supports the development and realization of the capstone project through structured design processes, iterative prototyping, technical refinement, and mentor guidance to produce polished, functional outcomes.
Research Writing and Thesis book
Develops skills in critical research, reflective writing, and documentation, enabling students to articulate insights, methodology, and design decisions in a comprehensive, professional thesis.
Minor Track
The minor track you choose will continue across all the remaining years of your program.
Why our Year 4 outpaces every
other design
school?
other design
school?
ISDI School of Design
Strategic & Systems Thinking
Analyze complex challenges and create holistic, innovative solutions.
Entrepreneurship & ESG
Develop startups, sustainable strategies, and responsible innovation frameworks.
Capstone & Research Excellence
Mentored capstone projects, practical workshops, and professional research writing.
Other Design Schools
Narrow Problem Solving
Focuses on isolated design issues without systemic perspective.
Limited Real-World Impact
Few opportunities for entrepreneurial or ESG-focused projects.
Minimal Project Guidance
Less structured mentorship, workshops, or thesis support.
02
Creative Aptitude Test
03
Portfolio Review + Interview
04
Final Selection & Offer Letter
Eligibility
Indian Boards (ISC / CBSE / State Boards)
- Minimum 50% overall in Class XII
A-Levels (UK)
- Minimum grades A, B, or C in any 2 subjects
- Total of 3 subjects required
International Baccalaureate (IB)
A minimum of 24 points, including:
- 3 Higher Level (HL) subjects
- 3 Standard Level (SL) subjects
Application Fee: ₹3,500
Once you receive the offer letter, pay an enrollment fee of INR 50,000 and block your seat
Why Strategic Design & Management:
Design Strategy & Innovation at ISDI x Parsons
Design Strategy & Innovation at ISDI x Parsons
Design for Real Life,
Not Just Portfolios
Not Just Portfolios
Our classrooms are live labs. You’ll ideate, iterate, fail, restart, and refine in spaces designed for doing, not just thinking.
Design With A
Global Perspective
Global Perspective
Curriculum shaped by Parsons,
New York — reimagined for today’s
Indian context.
New York — reimagined for today’s
Indian context.
Your Mentors Are
Also Makers
Also Makers
Learn from practicing designers, strategists, and studio founders —
the people who design the world
you interact with.
the people who design the world
you interact with.
Everything is a
Studio Experience
Studio Experience
Our classrooms are live labs. You’ll ideate, iterate, fail, restart, and refine in spaces designed for doing, not just thinking.
The Future is Cross-
Disciplinary
Disciplinary
Work alongside fashion designers, product innovators, entrepreneurs, coders, and media artists — because good ideas don’t exist in silos.
Where concepts meet execution,
in and beyond the classroom.
At ISDI, every project becomes part of a career-ready portfolio. From hands-on labs and design sprints to brand collaborations, internships, hackathons, and industry showcases, you graduate with real-world experience and work that speaks for itself.
Google Office Hyderabad - 2024 - Full day workshop ith the design, strategy and UX team
Atlas Skilltech University students collaborated with IGNCA ABCD for a workshop with Sharanpur carving artisans at IGNCA L1 Barrack, Red Fort. The session showcased the intricate designs and hands-on processes used by the craftsmen.
IITIC hyderabad - Half a day visit to the incubation center
The session covered startup basics, incubation support, deeptech, and funding at ITIC. We explored 3D printing, drone tech, and innovative projects, emphasizing research, sustainability, and learning from failures.
Dr. Reddy's - Hyderabad
Students visited the Dr. Reddy's campus to understand how design thinking is applied to real world challenges.
Kyndryl - Banglore
Students visited Kyndryl and understood the ecosystem focusing on Fintech and UX, They were given a design brief which then continued for 3 months with online reviews, teaching with the Kyndryl team.
PARAM Innovation
We explored product innovation, co-creation, and science as a playful, experimental process. Creative installations showed nature-inspired mechanisms, the 9 rasas, and engaging models of planetary motion.
ConSERV’25
ConSERV’25, an exclusive service design conference by SDM exploring innovative solutions in healthcare and Climate change.
Colgate live project
Students worked with the colgate innovation department to do a research project understanding the definition of "BEAUTY" from the GenZ perspective - Colgate also conducted a Hackathon where the Winners of the Hackathon - 1 team SDM students given an internship
Icord
Students convert their class projects to research papers and apply to national conferences - Icord 25' had 2 research papaers from SDM students and a runner up entry for the Design competition on social Impact
Menstrubin - A servide design project for residential buildings
Atlas Skilltech University students collaborated with IGNCA ABCD for a workshop with Sharanpur carving artisans at IGNCA L1 Barrack, Red Fort. The session showcased the intricate designs and hands-on processes used by the craftsmen.
SmashSYnc - A athlete management system for Badminton players - UX/UI project
A badminton athlete management system that tracks and analyzes players’ health and performance through technical, tactical, physical, and physiological data over time.
Rescue OPS - An arcade game design changing the behaviour for fire safety demonstrations
A gamified fire safety model a 5-minute rescue game placed on each floor where students can play during breaks, earn points, and learn fire safety through engaging, hands-on experience.
Taruvar - Business growth for organic offline store n
A live project with Chennai-based organic store Taruvar, where students developed a unified branding and marketing strategy to boost awareness, engagement, and customer retention in a competitive e-commerce landscape.
Superkicks - An ESG strategy case study to build a greener brand
Students worked on a live project with superkicks to analyse the current operations of the brand using the GRI framework - They then did a risk analysis of the brand and build strategies for them to improve their ESG rating
Swirl - A healthy icecream alternative for Amul
Amul as a brand is struggling to make its mark in the healthy space - Swirl is the sreation of a new vertical with a strategic plan to launch a new vertical to compete with other healthy brands of ice-cream in the market.
Student Projects in Motion
Where creativity meets momentum
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Praksha Jethwa
Amey Bardapurkar
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Mabel Jain
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Bipasha Kapadia
Radhika Kolhatkar
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Ria Nerurkar
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Tanisha Raje
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Rishi Agarwal
Student Voices: Real Voices from the Program
Hear from our students
I like studio day because of how collaborative it is. We get to see the work of different specializations.
Sana Satpute
Class of 2025
I get very inspired looking at the work of my peers. We designed a game with the basis of consumer psychology
Palak Agarwal
Class of 2025
Studio Day taught me how to pitch a product and it gave me the confidence to do it in a large group of people
Aditi Padmakar Jagtap
Class of 2025
More questions?
Let our AI Assistant answer your queries
Questions? We can read your mind
Strategic Design Management is a design-led discipline that combines design thinking, business strategy and innovation to solve complex problems.
At ATLAS ISDI School of Design & Innovation, this specialisation is designed to help students:
- Understand market trends and user needs
- Apply design thinking to business and organisational challenges
- Develop innovation-led and strategic problem-solving skills
The program is supported by curriculum inputs from Parsons School of Design, helping align it with global design education practices.
The Strategic Design and Management taught at ISDI spans four years. Each year has two semesters, which focus on different topics. Our curriculum has been designed in collaboration with Parsons School of Design. ISDI covers several topics during the 4 years. We cover:
- Design fundamentals: Drawing, visual thinking, colour theory and design principles
- Strategic and innovation-focused learning: Design thinking, leadership and problem-solving
- Business and management concepts: Entrepreneurship, strategy and organisational understanding
- Project-based learning: Studio projects, collaborative assignments and real-world problem-solving
- Internships: Internships and industry exposure may form part of the learning experience.
Yes, there are many prospects students can pursue upon pursuing the Strategic Design and Management program from ISDI. The collaboration of the curriculum with Parsons School of Design increases job opportunities with its globally aligned curriculum. Some of the prospective graduates who can consider pursuing the Strategic Design and Management program are:
- Graphic Designer
- UI Designer
- Service Designer
- Strategist
- Design Thinking Specialist
- UX Lead
- UI Lead
- Design Consultant
Studying Strategic Design and Management at ISDI can highly benefit the students. The benefits are:
- Build multidisciplinary skills across design and business
- Develop a strong portfolio through project-based learning
- Gain exposure to real-world challenges through practical assignments
- Understand innovation, strategy and user-centric design approaches
- Benefit from global perspectives through curriculum inputs from Parsons School of Design
The criteria for applying to study Strategic Design and Management at ISDI are extremely simple. The eligibility criteria are:
- Students should have completed their 12th grade in the Science, Commerce or Arts field.
- Students need to fill out the application form available on the ISDI website.
- Students who hail from a Design background need to submit their design portfolio.
- Those students who do not have a portfolio can appear for the Design Aptitude Test and work on the portfolio themes as a part of the test.
- Upon completing the test and portfolio, an online private interview is conducted wherein students are asked questions about design and their perspective on it.
Yes, ISDI's Strategic Design and Management curriculum has been designed in collaboration with Parsons School of Design. This collaboration offers many benefits to the students. The curriculum helps students by:
- Making it a globally benchmarked collaboration.
- It ensures interdisciplinary learning for students to foster soft skills.
- The curriculum gives equal weightage to technical and theoretical knowledge.
- Internships and live projects help the students navigate challenges.
- Soft communication and creative thinking are encouraged during the course.
Yes, ISDI helps its students with internships and job placement for its students. The admission committee helps the students with:
- Industry exposure and project-based learning
- Portfolio development and mentorship
- Guidance in exploring internship and career opportunities
Still have Questions?
We’re here to help!
[email protected]
We’re here to help!
Find us
ISDI School of Design and Innovation
ISDI - ATLAS SkillTech University
Building 2, BKC 51
Next to Equinox Business Park
Bandra Kurla Complex Junction
Mumbai – 400051
Building 2, BKC 51
Next to Equinox Business Park
Bandra Kurla Complex Junction
Mumbai – 400051
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