Pedagogically Speaking
Improving Information Flow in the Product Development Process by Using the Divergence and Convergence: A Classroom Practice
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Renato Vizioli, Paulo Kaminski
The relation between design and human beings is always remarkable in terms of products and services development, but, the necessity of exploring the protagonism of the human being, became clearer since studies related more complex problems resolution – the wicked or ill defined problems (BUCHANAN, 1992; RITTEL & WEBBER, 1973; CROSS, 2008) – and was explored in methodological propositions of user centered design (KRIPPENDORFF, 2001), design thinking (BROWN, 2010), and user experience design (UX) among many others, in which, the essence is to perceive empathy factors besides usual requirements. In this study, the utilization of specific tools is described, as for instance the marketing research, the mind map, the value engineering and value analysis, the brainstorm and the persona, configuring a typical sequence of the mechanism of divergence and convergence (CROSS, 2008): a metaphor that alludes the way the human brain processes information, analyzes and creates or discovers solutions (STERNBERG, 2000). This practical application was performed by students on a MBA program, with the purpose of developing a product and eventually services tied to it. The students, divided in groups composed with diverse profiles, have participated in multiple phases with expositive classes and several dynamics, as well as research phases. By the end of the course, the results were presented, after each group passed through all the phases, including prototyping and tests. The process was analyzed, and, the interfaces between all the phases were identified, allowing proposing a better performance of the informational flow along the process.
A Discipline and a City: Transformation in Graphic Design Practice and in the City of Detroit
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Lilian Crum
Several sessions of American Institute of Graphic Arts's (AIGA) 2017 annual conference focused on “AIGA Designer 2025,” which examined the ways in which design educators can more effectively prepare students for a shifting professional landscape. Prompted by similar questions about the future of design and preparing students for the professional world, I initiated an applied research project, Woodward & Willis (W & W), in early 2017. W&W is a student-run, faculty-directed design firm that operates as a real-world studio outside of the classroom. Located in a city that is undergoing its own period of dramatic transformation, the studio provides socially-conscious businesses and organizations in the Detroit region with professional design services. This interdisciplinary team of students provides support for non-profits and local businesses in their infancy, presenting coalesced business and designed collateral. Building on Lawrence Technological University’s motto of “Theory and Practice,” students develop deeper conceptual understanding of providing real-world professional services while operating the studio and practicing their design skills. Questions of mentorship, human-centered design, team dynamics, entrepreneurship, technology, ethics, and social, cultural and economic impact underlie our project work. Ultimately, W&W generates a feedback loop about such competencies between the classroom and the professional world. Discussion includes findings, challenges, and inquiry about how such initiatives might continue to develop.
The Marketization of Universities : Trends in Campus Design Investments and Assessments
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Mohammed Gabr, Claudia Trillo, Hisham Elkadi
University campuses are often a vital part of the city and an essential place for community activities. The best use of resources is obtained when university campuses interact directly with and enhance social and learning experiences of students. As such, this study reflects on the demand and supply of student needs and experiences balanced through price mechanism. To achieve satisfactory design based on cost, universities rely on master planning studies to guide campus development decisions through assessing and prizing the tangible and intangible factors. This paper shows different design trends and configurations of Campus Outdoor Spaces (COS) and potential impacts and costs. To achieve more graduates who are more aware and engaged citizens who increases the university reputation/ranking and satisfaction levels, The study (1) Adopts standards in COS design obtained by desk research as a measure of outcome indicators for benchmarking. (2) Assesses to what level/s the standard design qualities are equivalent to university market through a multi-criterion cost-benefit analysis tool; and, 3) Tests and validates the tool in selected, typical case studies among California State via an application of in-depth Interview method - ten representatives of California State universities and top private colleges. Findings from the testing phase allow revising and improving the assessment tool, leading to finalize it as a useful instrument used to depict common design features in multiple development scenarios (interactive, communal, instructive, or energetic COS).
