1:30pm - 1:52pmEXPANSIVE LEARNING AS A SYSTEM DESIGN METHOD TO LEARN HUMAN-CENTRED DESIGN IN A MULTI-DISCIPLINARY INDUSTRIAL DESIGN AND BUILT ENVIRONMENT SUBJECT
Mauricio Novoa Munoz, Aaleen Parulekar Prasad Hari
Western Sydney University, Australia
Human-centered design (HCD) implies that its experts disentangle complexity and the unknown through inquiry, participation, experience, and continuous prototyping to achieve better scenarios and solutions. This paper narrates design education experiments in a subject called Human Centred Design Research Methods that test the delivery of design curriculum as a pre-thought finished product with a systemic product service approach where end-users, in this case, students, join in a practice-based model of learning co-creation. Our large cohort is formed mainly by first-year first-semester undergraduate students from three courses in architecture, industrial design, and design and technology. The subject also attracts undergraduates from engineering, construction management, and master’s level, and undergraduates from other faculties like business, humanities, and science. The project for the semester is a post-occupational review of the same building where we run our classes; a new state-of-the-art vertical campus named the Engineering Innovation Hub (EIH). It is said the building is the most technologically advanced in the west of our city. Once a project is finished and launched to the public, it is normal to measure to what level architectural, design, and engineering outcomes meet occupants’ expectations. Yet, no end-users were consulted before or after the design and construction of the building. The semester is divided into three assessments that align with Dreyfus's model of skill acquisition.
1:52pm - 2:14pmEDUCATION IN COLLABORATIVE SYSTEMS ENGINEERING FOR PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS
Kristine Klaeger, Thomas Eickhoff, Karl-Gerhardt Faißt, Jens C. Göbel
Rheinland-Pfälzische Technische Universität Kaiserslautern-Landau, Germany
The increasing complexity of intelligent mechatronic products and their digital interconnectivity lead to new challenges in product development processes. In addition, considering social and ecological aspects in product development is becoming increasingly important to achieve global sustainability goals. This requires increased interdisciplinary cooperation. The theoretical teaching of these technological and methodological processes and interrelationships is often currently still very abstract in engineering education. It requires a high degree of imagination, which can only be assumed to a limited extent, particularly for young first-year students. To better convey this basic understanding, a multi-day teaching format was developed for use at the school/university interface, in which prospective students learn how interdisciplinary, collaborative engineering can be implemented in practice using the example of concrete development of a simple mechatronic and data communicating product. The assignment covers all key phases of product development, from requirements analysis, system design and implementation to verification and validation. This teaching offer aims to sensitise prospective students to the current topics of the product development process of intelligent mechatronic systems and the associated social and ecological sustainability issues and to familiarise them with the future challenges of systems engineering at an early stage. By highlighting practical and socially relevant fields of application, the aim is to sustainably promote interest in studying engineering by demonstrating how engineering themes relate to students' lives or the real world.
2:14pm - 2:36pmThe D+ framework. An educational model proposal to address contemporary challenges in strategic design courses
David Sánchez Ruano1, Valentina De Matteo2
1Tec de Monterrey, Mexico; 2Universitá di Bologna, Italia
Strategic design education faces significant challenges in adapting to the complexities of an increasingly dynamic world. Key among these is the integration of systems thinking, entrepreneurial skills, and innovative practices to prepare students for diverse career paths and enable them to engage with real-world projects introduced by enterprises. This aligns with educational trends emphasizing a "problem-finding" mindset and project-based learning models that empower students to navigate uncertainty, address global challenges, and co-create solutions with diverse stakeholders. By bridging creative, scientific, and humanistic disciplines, design education can train a new generation of designers to become "transformational partners" for organizations and social systems working in a “fourth order design” environment
This paper examines the “D+” Strategic Design undergraduate course at (*institution name*) as an educational experiment. The course was based on the “Design Plus” (D+) framework, where strategic design was paired with four key concepts: Value, Innovation, Foresight, and Humanity. Students explored models, theories, and practical tools at the intersection of design, management, systems thinking, and humanistic culture. A key component involved a real-world challenge presented by a multinational manufacturing enterprise. This task emphasized intangible assets, such as organizational culture and brand equity, steering students from product-oriented solutions to systemic approaches to value creation. This circular exploration—from value to humanity and back—encouraged students to adopt transformative perspectives, equipping them to work within and strategically on organizations, addressing contemporary challenges with innovative contributions.
2:36pm - 2:58pmDEVELOPING STUDENT SUSTAINABILITY KNOWLEDGE, COMPETENCIES AND SKILLS THROUGH PRODUCT & SYSTEM DESIGN
Francesco Luke Siena1, Gamze Yakar-Pritchard2, Ana Rita Domingues3, Richard Bull4
1Product Design Department, School of Architecture Design & The Built Environment, Nottingham Trent University; 2School of Geography, University of Nottingham; 3Sustainability Research Institute, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds; 4School of Architecture Design & The Built Environment, Nottingham Trent University
As the world continues to take more responsibility and confront a diverse range of sustainability challenges, including zero waste, dematerialization, resource efficiency, zero emissions, and social equity, designers and engineers are being called to action. As such educators need to adapt and integrate sustainable values/processes into the curriculum. With the worlds finite resources strained by population growth and lifestyle changes, minimizing impact is crucial, therefore this has driven designers to focus on designing sustainable products and consider the entire product life cycle. This paper builds on a previous case study where first-year BSc Product Design students at [Anonymised University] acted as design consultants during a “Sustainability Week” (SW), engaging with local communities/businesses. Initially, the focus was on integrating sustainability teaching within the product design curriculum for specific outcomes, however our latest case study focuses on students working as design consultants for larger organisations/public sector institutions. Design decisions often exacerbate social inequalities, environmental degradation, and economic disparities; therefore, student groups were challenged to identify problems related to sustainable design problems on [Anonymised University] city campus. Students addressed issues related to the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s), defining their design challenges and proposing solutions to enhance [Anonymised University] sustainability/carbon footprint. The ongoing integration of SW has improved student knowledge in sustainable product development and systems design. Taught content focused on sustainability themes, promoting knowledge acquisition, skills development, and positive attitudes towards global issues. A pre/post-Sustainability Week survey showed significant improvements in students’ sustainability knowledge, competencies, and skills.
|