Thirteenth International Conference on Design Principles & Practices

Abstract

A recent project undertaken within the department of Industrial Design at the University of Johannesburg allowed for third year students to undertake a community engagement project together with a non profit organisation which empowers women in rural communities through beadwork and sewing. For this project students were tasked with identifying appropriate interventions which could benefit the foundation in various ways. Students either developed appropriate products intended for manufacture by the beaders; marketing material for the organisation; or environmental implementations able to better the immediate circumstances within the organisation. Throughout the project students were able to visit 2 of the 8 community beading operations which were situated several hours from the university. Students were then able to take what was learnt in the community and apply it into the design practices taught within the department. This involved following the sequential steps within the Design Process being problem identification, brainstorming, followed by the developing of a rough idea through to appropriate manufacturable outcome. The goal with the product development was to yield a handover document together with marketing images which could be given to the organisation. It would then be at the discretion of the organisation to begin readying some of the designs for manufacture. The many benefits to the students, organisation and community are evident at the end of the project, indicating that there is immense value in practical projects being undertaken in partnership with organisations operating in a near vicinity to the university.