Conference Agenda

The focus for this paper is on physical sketch modelling, and in particular 3D mock-ups, as tangible and experiential representations of product form and function. Although physical sketch modelling is not a new practice, there is a danger that it may become marginalized as digital modelling tools become ever more ubiquitous and favoured in student design processes. The paper puts forward a timely reappraisal of the relevance and value of physical sketch modelling in the digital design era. Definitions of product form and function are provided and then linked to general principles of modelling and sketching in design. Cognitive modelling and externalized modelling in media are introduced as a theoretical grounding for physical sketch modelmaking, followed by a review of the materials and resources typically required. Tensions between digital and physical form creation approaches are discussed. The main comprises a design studio project, where undergraduate industrial design students (n=85) worked in teams to design sustainable take-away food packing and serving solutions. Students were required to develop and communicate product form and function ideas via 3D mock-ups. An analysis of the outcomes established five key areas where 3D mock-ups have advantages over computer aided design (CAD): human factors, form definition and styling, usage scenarios, materialization, and design communication. The paper highlights the importance of retaining physical sketch modelling as a complementary approach, emphasizing its benefits in developing product forms, improving spatial reasoning, and enhancing early-stage design development.

Emerging technologies have become the engine that accelerates student learning in higher education, combined with educational innovations based on gamification and an attractive story behind the learning of concepts that are difficult to explain and usually tedious for students. Students are achieving excellent results in the teaching-learning process, which is reflected in the development of skills by the students. This work continues research presented at E&PDE 24 based on AR and VR lessons for engineering students' learning. Below, we present the deployment in different training units at the Tecnológico de Monterrey, the University of Seville, and the Mälardalen University.

In this research, we present a systemic vision of the deployment of a global classroom in the classroom, which is the interaction at a certain moment in class with students and teachers from other universities to develop common competencies through the solution of an academic challenge.

The design of experiments and design thinking is applied to prepare the deployment of the activity in class and measure the effect on students through three variables: engagement, development of competencies, and learning.

Design Jams are intensive, collaborative workshops where students tackle real-world challenges within a limited timeframe. These events foster rapid ideation, teamwork, and hands-on problem-solving, often with a focus on practical solutions and diverse perspectives. By viewing universities as incubators of innovation and creativity rather than merely centres for knowledge (re-)production, we explore innovative methods to enhance student creativity in higher education. This paper elaborates on the use of Design Jams as one example of such innovative educational methods. In our Design Jam, we employed creative tools to collaboratively address future challenges, focusing on creating scenarios for the planned neighbourhood Nyhavna, with young residents at the centre. The event served as a platform for discussion, perspective-sharing, and co-creating diverse visions of the future through expert presentations, hands-on activities, and group presentations, drawing approximately 90 participants including students, professionals from Trondheim Municipality, and representatives from local neighbourhoods and associations. We share experiences and lessons learned from running the Design Jam both as both an integral part of two design courses and as a standalone event with its own value. This work aims to inspire others involved in collaborative design education practices that foster creativity through multi-perspective processes and innovative teaching methods.

Child drowning is a major issue in Bangladesh, with over 14,000 children dying annually, primarily in rural areas with numerous bodies of water. Seasonal flooding exacerbates the risk, especially for children under five who often lack close adult supervision. The Sonamoni project, funded by the UK National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), aims to develop culturally sensitive, sustainable solutions to prevent child drowning. This multidisciplinary initiative is led by Bournemouth University (BU) and the Centre for Injury Prevention and Research, Bangladesh (CIPRB), in collaboration with the University of the West of England, Bristol (UWE), the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), the University of Southampton (UoS), and Design Without Borders, Uganda (DWB).

The project included an ideation workshop inspired by the design process curriculum for Level 4 engineering students at the University of Southampton. This workshop engaged drowning prevention practitioners, researchers and designers to generate and evaluate intervention concepts using tools like the “Crazy 8” ideation technique and lean principles. Challenges such as cultural and language barriers and non-formal educational backgrounds were addressed through flexible facilitation methods and iterative testing.

Several promising intervention prototypes emerged from the workshop and are being piloted in northern and southern Bangladesh. The project highlights the potential of educational ideation frameworks to tackle real-world public health crises and suggests broader applications for similar global health challenges. Future efforts will focus on refining workshop materials and scaling successful interventions.

Each year, the Graduation Projects of our fourth-year industrial design students address a wide range of design challenges, demonstrating the significant value of industrial design in creating innovative products, services, and systems. These projects, with commercial relevance to current or future markets, are supported by external advisors from diverse sectors, such as electronics, healthcare, transportation, and defense. This collaborative approach reflects the multi- and trans-disciplinary nature of complex design challenges. For three consecutive years, we introduced a semester theme to unify the projects and encourage creative thinking across sectors. One such theme, “Connection-Connectivity-Connectedness,” focused on designing products, systems, and services that foster emotional, psychological, social, cognitive, physical, and environmental bonds. This approach allowed students to engage with a broad range of perspectives while exploring innovative solutions. Although the design studio instructors, having since moved on to another course, are no longer involved in the Graduation Projects studio, the practice of setting a theme has been maintained. This paper explores the studio activities that supported the theme development in students’ projects, culminating in an analysis of how the theme manifested in the final outcomes. It also reflects on the benefits of using a unifying theme to guide student design work and foster interdisciplinary collaboration. The paper concludes with the insight that themes, when applied to projects involving diverse sectors, can encourage fresh insights and innovative approaches, prompting companies to look at a design brief from new angles and reach innovative solutions.