Abstract
Sun Tzu’s The Art of War (traditionally dated to the 5th century BCE) provides timeless strategic frameworks that resonate powerfully with today’s evolving design landscape. As design education transforms through interdisciplinary collaboration and digital innovation, these ancient principles offer fresh perspectives on creative problem-solving and user-centered design practices. In this context, faculty from IDC School of Design (IIT Bombay) and Indiana University Southeast developed an experimental workshop titled “All Design is Based on Deception,” exploring how Sun Tzu’s strategic concepts could inform modern design methodologies. Fourteen participants from six Indian institutions engaged in activities that applied military strategy to visual storytelling, using binary oppositional values as creative constraints. The workshop’s innovative approach combined: i) reflective worksheet surveys to enhance self-awareness; ii) collaborative exercises applying Sun Tzu’s “know your enemy” principle to design challenges; and iii) poster designs synthesizing strategic thinking with contemporary aesthetics This interdisciplinary initiative demonstrated how historical wisdom can complement cutting-edge design education. Participants developed enhanced strategic agility while working across diverse perspectives - skills critical for addressing complex, real-world problems. The outcomes highlight design education’s transformative potential when bridging traditional knowledge with modern practices. By successfully integrating ancient strategic frameworks with current design methodologies, this project exemplifies the conference’s focus on innovative pedagogy, cross- disciplinary collaboration, and design’s role in driving meaningful change. It offers a model for enriching design education through unexpected historical connections while preparing students for the field’s evolving challenges.
Presenters
Mandar RaneProfessor, IDC School of Design, IIT Bombay, Maharashtra, India Kok Cheow Yeoh
Area Head, Fine Arts, Indiana University Southeast, Indiana, United States Purba Joshi
Professor, IDC School of Design, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Maharashtra, India
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Design principles, Sun Tzu, Art of war, Problem-solving strategies
