VCD Research & Development

Visualisation Worship

Course Title: 222.453 Research & Development

Assignment Title: The Brief (Formative Assessment)
Assessors: Tanya Marriot and Karen Curley

Brief:
“As designers, we are now challenged to help companies (organizations) explore and visualize directions for
their future oerings – the right things to design” (Suri, 2004).

By targeting ones values, is a designer able to create an affective design solution specifically to influence connection,
learning and change?

Introduction:
BHAKTIYOGA (loving devotion), is the name of the most
recommended form of devotion to God in Hinduism. The most
signicant practice within Bhakti is Rupadhyana, MENTAL
VISUALISATION of the divine names, forms, attributes, pastimes
and associates of the Supreme Lord leading to the deepest states
of meditation. To the right is a diagram of the 9 forms of Bhaktiyoga
devotion stated in the Bhagavat Purana (Hindu scriptures). They
are ordered in an ascending level of practice. Through a survey
conducted within the Hindu communities of Wellington it was found
that devotees had most diculty in connecting and visualizing God,
and reaching the 7th, 8th and 9th forms of devotion. These are
internal forms as opposed to sensory, therefore problematic to
initiate. The main reason for this is the lack of practice of
Rupadhyana (Mental Visualization) that assists all these levels of
devotion.

Aim:
To facilitate devotees with a visual communication design solution
that will help them practice Mental Visualisation so that they can
strengthen their loving relationship with God and attain the higher
levels of devotional practices. It should also teach the other four
key characteristics of Bhaktiyoga, displayed in the 2nd diagram to
the right, so that devotees can achieve their ultimate aim of life -
attaining eternal Divine Bliss - God.

Key words: Values, Emotive Connection, Experience Generation.

Method and Processes:

1. Design according to the information derived form the
Wellington Hindu Communities survey.
2. Include ideas gained by research on Values, Identity,
Emotive Connection & Experience Generation.

Intended outcome:
The design solution should be engaging, attractive & evoke loving emotiona to increase the emotive connection felt by
the Hindu devotees when experiencing the design solution, and also initiate and aid the practice of mental visualisa-
tion of the Hindu Gods. Through the experience the devotee should also be able to learn the main characteristics of
Bhaktiyoga.