One Part-A question that Changed Everything
a single puzzle, a fearless student, and a humbling classroom moment transformed my approach to problem-solving.
It was the winter of 2015, and like any other weekend of the last 2-3 years, I was at a coaching center teaching design entrance preparing students. The classroom was fully packed with 60+ students preparing for their Master's. Considering my rapport with the students and their feedback, I was supposed to teach 3 batches in a day, which made up to 9 hours of continuous teaching starting from 9 am. It was 4 PM when I was discussing a question from Part-A.
Humbling Realization
I had solved this puzzle several times in other classes and had solved it earlier that day, but somehow I could not come to the answer this time. A girl sitting in the mid-row, third from the front, just packed her stuff back into her bag, pulled out a novel, and started reading while I was still figuring out the answer to the question. The animated way she did all this action grabbed the attention of everyone in the room. I asked her why she was not trying. She said, "What’s the use of solving Part-A if the teacher himself can't do it? I would rather finish my novel. Please let me know when you are able to solve it." Everyone was taken aback, and I just stood there without anything to say. But wait, why am I sharing this humiliating story with you?
Lesson Learned
Because this small incident changed the way I look at Part-A visual puzzles today. It felt bad that day. It occurred to me, why am I even doing this work? But I decided to take this as a challenge and decided to prepare every Part-A question from every angle before going for the class. I remember I had to struggle with many questions day in and day out. I knew that on the weekend, I would have to face those students again. That public humiliation fueled in me a spark to dig into puzzles, ask questions about the question, dissect it, and mold it into a new question altogether. I did all this because I had no solutions to the questions and there was no one to help me with solutions of Part-A. I had to figure out everything myself.
Today, when I see students struggling with Part-A, I ask myself…
Why Part-A Feels Challenging?
Well, the answer is simple: you look for an easy solution because giving up on a question is an option for you, because you are expecting your teacher or mentor to do it for you. Do you think that girl in the third row cracked this exam? Do you think she had the right mindset to ace puzzles? Everything I share with you about Part-A on YouTube or in our Live Sessions are based on the foundation that puzzles are NOT a test of knowledge but a test of your approach to problems. And the moment you start embracing the puzzles, you will always find a solution. I have a name for this trait of puzzle-embracing individuals: ‘Brainstorming Ninjas’. While everybody in this world thinks, a designer knows how to think. For a designer, thinking is not an automatic process, they can stop, analyse, ask right questions and then think on a problem. Solving puzzles gives you this ability to reorient your thinking style. And that’s when you become a true problem-solver or in my words: “Brainstorming Ninjas”.
A True Problem-Solver
Problem-solving in design isn't just about finding answers; it's about identifying the right questions to ask. It's a process that involves understanding the problem from various angles and contexts. And we will stick to this philosophy of problem-solving while solving every single question of Part-A. Step-by-step, we will show you how to think while solving a puzzle. Remember, the answer to a great puzzle is in the question itself. This approach is perfectly encapsulated in the words of Charles Eames: "To define is to solve." In UCEED & CEED, you're not just solving a problem; you're learning to define it clearly in your mind.
In the Master's program, not clearing Part-A means your excellent performance in Part-B won’t be evaluated. You’ll have to clear a cut-off, generally 24-26% marks. For the Bachelors, Part-A forms a significant portion of the exam – 200 out of the total 300 marks! Clearly, mastering Part-A is not just important; it's crucial if you want to realize your IIT dream.
So, what can you do right now to excel in Part-A? How can you raise your game this year?
I have tried to jot down some practical exercises to help you think better when tackling visual puzzles asked in design exams.
Play with the questions: Even if you have solved some questions many times, challenge yourself to solve them in new ways. How? Tweak the question yourself and discover your own answers.
Help Others: If you are confident in your thought process and answers, offer to help your friends or students online with Part-A questions. Dedicate some time each week to join a Google Meet session and explain the questions.
Ask for Help: While you’re helping others, don’t hesitate to ask them to explain their perspectives on a particular question. Don’t judge; simply observe their methods of thinking and how they arrive at their answers.
Solve it, no matter what! Everything changed for me when I couldn’t solve a question I had solved twice before. Attempting puzzles when you are tired or feeling sleepy can really test your thinking skills.
If you are appearing for the design exams this year, don’t forget to check the free resource material we have created the Design Prep Repository To practice tests and watch free video lessons join OLP (Observe Learn & Perform) by Kaphal Studio.
And, if you like what we create at Kaphal Studio, be awesome and share it with someone you know. 😇
What is Kaphal Studio?
Kaphal Studio is a design school that helps you start and scale your design career. (Kaphal Studio is not a coaching institute)
We have 1000+ success stories in the design exam journey and have built a strong community of designers in NIDs, IITs, and NIFTs. Feel free to glance through our content to know more about design entrance exams.
Here are some quick guides and tips for you to get started in the design exam preparation.
🌐 Website