Handcrafted wooden artisan pieces
Case Study · CraftTech · 2020

Every Craft Tells a Story. Not Every Story Survives.

CraftWitty reconnects artisans with people, opportunities, and culture through a digital ecosystem — connecting hands, hearts, and heritage.

Explore the Story
Role · UI/UX Designer
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01 · My Story

Why I started this project.

During a Design Project at NID turned into a five-year question: why are the hands that built our culture disappearing — and what would it take to bring them back into view?

Me visiting Idar, Gujarat
Walking through artisan streets — crafts of Idar
Empty craft houses
Artisan portrait
Traditional wooden toys

The Journey to CraftWitty

  1. Step 01

    NID

  2. Step 02

    Craft Doc..

  3. Step 03

    Meeting Artisans

  4. Step 04

    Observation

  5. Step 05

    CraftWitty Idea

02 · The Problem

An economy of hands at the edge of forgetting.

India has one of the largest artisan populations in the world — yet most of them are invisible in the digital economy that now shapes demand, price, and culture.

India craft cluster map
Infographic — dependence & scarcity
Statistics visualisation
0
Artisans across India (64.66 lakh)
0%
Depend on middlemen for income
0
Documented craft clusters
0%
Face raw material scarcity (78–91%)
The last three artisan families still practising the craftThe last three artisan families still practising the craftThe last three artisan families still practising the craft

In the village I documented, only three artisan families were still practising the craft. A generation later, there may be none.

03 · Field Research

Listening in workshops, not conference rooms.

Ten weeks of contextual inquiry, interviews, observation, and shadowing across three craft clusters in Gujarat and Rajasthan.

Research photo grid
Contextual inquiry collage
04 · User Personas

Three lives, one ecosystem.

Ramesh, 58 — photo

Ramesh, 58

Master Artisan

Goals
  • Preserve and pass on traditional craftsmanship to the next generation.
  • Receive fair prices for handcrafted products.
  • Reach customers beyond local markets.
  • Get consistent orders throughout the year.
  • Build recognition for his work and craft.
Pain Points
  • Heavy dependence on middlemen, reducing earnings.
  • Seasonal and inconsistent demand for products.
  • Limited knowledge of digital platforms and online selling.
  • Difficulty showcasing the story and value behind handmade products.
  • Younger generations are losing interest in learning the craft.
Needs
  • A simple platform to showcase and sell products directly.
  • Fair pricing and transparent payments.
  • Easy access to training for digital tools and online business.
  • Reliable logistics and shipping support.
  • Opportunities to connect with designers, brands, and customers.
Behaviors
  • Prefers face-to-face communication and trusted relationships.
  • Creates products using traditional techniques passed down through generations.
  • Relies on local exhibitions, fairs, and word-of-mouth for sales.
  • Uses WhatsApp primarily for communication with customers and buyers.
  • Focuses more on craftsmanship than marketing or technology.
Quote
“Every piece I create carries my family’s legacy. I only wish more people could see its true value and appreciate the story behind it.”
Priya, 29 — photo

Priya, 29

Design Student

Goals
  • Learn traditional Indian craft techniques and integrate them into modern product design.
  • Collaborate directly with artisans to understand their processes and cultural knowledge.
  • Create sustainable, culturally relevant products that preserve traditional craftsmanship.
  • Explore indigenous materials and handmade techniques as alternatives to mass manufacturing.
  • Build a portfolio that reflects innovation rooted in Indian craft heritage.
Pain Points
  • Limited access to authentic artisans and craft clusters for hands-on learning.
  • Most craft knowledge is undocumented and difficult to find in one place.
  • Short workshops don’t provide enough depth to understand the complete making process.
  • Struggles to discover the right crafts, materials, and experts for academic projects.
  • Finds it difficult to bridge traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design requirements.
Needs
  • A platform to discover different Indian crafts, artisans, and regional techniques.
  • Step-by-step documentation of craft processes, tools, materials, and cultural stories.
  • Opportunities to visit workshops, apprentice with artisans, and collaborate on live projects.
  • Access to material libraries, case studies, and design inspiration rooted in Indian crafts.
  • A community where students, educators, and artisans can exchange ideas and co-create.
Behaviors
  • Regularly researches crafts for studio projects and thesis work.
  • Visits craft exhibitions, museums, and local artisan markets for inspiration.
  • Experiments with combining traditional techniques and modern technologies like CAD, CNC, and digital fabrication.
  • Documents observations through sketches, photographs, videos, and prototypes.
  • Values sustainability, authenticity, and human-centered design over mass production.
Quote
“Craft is more than a technique—it’s a living knowledge system. I want to learn directly from artisans and transform that heritage into meaningful designs for the future.”
Anand, 42 — photo

Anand, 42

Craft Enthusiast Buyer

Goals
  • Discover authentic handmade crafts from different regions of India.
  • Support local artisans by purchasing directly from them.
  • Learn the story, heritage, and making process behind every craft.
  • Build a meaningful collection of handcrafted products for home and gifting.
  • Preserve and promote India’s traditional craftsmanship through conscious buying.
Pain Points
  • Difficulty verifying whether products are genuinely handmade or machine-made.
  • Limited information about the artisan, materials, and cultural significance.
  • Finds it hard to discover unique crafts beyond popular marketplaces.
  • Inconsistent product quality and lack of authenticity certificates.
  • Limited opportunities to interact directly with artisans or visit craft workshops.
Needs
  • A trusted platform with verified artisans and authentic handmade products.
  • Detailed stories about the craft, artisan, region, and production process.
  • Transparency in pricing, materials, and impact of each purchase.
  • Personalized recommendations based on craft preferences and interests.
  • Opportunities to attend craft workshops, exhibitions, and artisan meetups.
Behaviors
  • Researches products before making a purchase.
  • Prefers buying directly from artisans, craft fairs, and ethical marketplaces.
  • Shares craft stories and purchases on social media to promote artisans.
  • Enjoys visiting museums, handicraft exhibitions, and cultural festivals.
  • Values quality, authenticity, sustainability, and cultural significance over low prices.
Quote
“I don’t just buy handmade products—I invest in the people, traditions, and stories that keep India’s craft heritage alive.”
05 · Ecosystem

A living network, not a marketplace.

CraftWitty is a seven-actor ecosystem where value, knowledge, and stories flow both ways.

Large ecosystem diagram
  1. Node 01

    Artisan

  2. Node 02

    Vendor

  3. Node 03

    Business

  4. Node 04

    Student

  5. Node 05

    Institution

  6. Node 06

    Exhibitor

  7. Node 07

    Craft Enthusiast

06 · User Journey

From invisible labour to visible livelihood.

Current Journey Map
Future Journey Map
07 · Information Architecture

A structure that respects context.

Information Architecture diagram
Site map
08 · User Flows

Five flows for seven kinds of people.

Onboarding Flow

Onboarding Flow

Create Profile Flow

Create Profile Flow

Marketplace Flow

Marketplace Flow

Workshop Flow

Workshop Flow

Networking Flow

Networking Flow
09 · Low-Fidelity Wireframes

Thinking with paper, then pixels.

Low-fidelity wireframes
10 · Design System

A system rooted in craft.

CraftWitty design system — colour palette, typography and components
11 · High-Fidelity UI

The product, in full colour.

CraftWitty high-fidelity UI screens
12 · Impact

Numbers that meant something.

0
Artisans onboarded during pilot
0%
Increase in direct-to-buyer income
0
Workshops discovered by students
0
Craft clusters mapped digitally
Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani with Idar artisans
Vijay Rupani greeting artisans presenting Idar wooden toys

The photos shows former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani greeting artisans who are presenting him with a showcase of Idar’s famous traditional wooden toys ("ઇડરના રમકડાં" - Idar na Ramakda).

The Indian Express article — Woodturners of Sabarkantha stare at oblivion
13 · Reflection

What this project taught me.

Lessons Learned

Design the system, not just the product, Start with people, not assumptions.

This project changed my definition of design—from creating things for people to creating conditions that empower people.

Challenges

Understanding the real problem, Building trust & Creating sustainable impact

If one craft community is facing this problem, how many other artisan communities across India are experiencing the same challenge?

Future Improvements

Voice-based interactions, Enable transparent pricing and direct payments.

The next major improvement is going to Build accessibility into the platform from the beginning, following WCAG principles.

Next Roadmap

To build an Ecosystem to Connect artisans with businesses, educational institutions, exhibitions, designers, government initiatives, and global markets.

To create connection between people, opportunities, and a future they thought they had lost.

Artisan hands shaping craft on a wooden lathe
The future of craft isn't built by preserving the past. It's built by connecting people.
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