Care and Creativity
Asynchronous Session
An Embodied Approach to Beginning Design Education: Using Phenomenologic Hermeneutics to Foster Design Thinking View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Stephen Temple
This paper describes a beginning design studio pedagogy that was structured by a phenomenological approach focused on embodied interaction within initial design learning experiences. Students enter beginning design education with little experience with the material realization of creative activities or how those creative activities are transformed by more abstract investigations. Following hermeneutic phenomenological methods of empirical exploration and reflective analysis, a beginning design studio pedagogy was formed to build sensitivities for the processes and qualities of material experience as a context of abstract thinking. This paper explicates the philosophical and developmental theories that inform the pedagogical structure and sequence of material engagement projects. Drawing upon the learning structure inherent to hermeneutic phenomenological methods, the beginning design curriculum was constructed to engage in direct material explorations, then reflectively conceptualize ideational structures from this experience in discourse with others as a means of transforming earlier iterations. Multiple iterations form cyclical processes that enable development of creative decision-making processes as design students begin to recognize some modes within the cycle as more valid for their own design activites. Focusing on embodiment in the manner of this design studio developed relationships between experience and thought as an initial step toward self-direction of design thinking. In doing so, students achieved an increased awareness of possibilities for embodied engagement and self-initiation of criteria for decision-making by raising questions for themselves, enabling students to initiate their own self-development as designers.
Caring, Confident or Scientific?: Identifying Brand Personality Through Product Design View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Shoubhik Dutta Roy, Wricha Mishra
Competing brands of consumer products are known to have distinct personalities manifested in their respective design languages. This helps them to communicate their brand values and differentiate from competitors. However, do consumers perceive the same brand personality that the brand intended to communicate? What factors does this perception depend on? Is there a standard way that product designers can use to decode personalities of competing brands? This study was taken up to seek answers to these questions, thereby analyzing brand personality from a design perspective. Shampoo bottles from leading brands were selected as stimuli. We found perceived brand personality to be in sync with core values, and interestingly, not much influenced by gender, age, familiarity or consumer type. We propose a quick and novel method to identify brand personality, that covers the loopholes of the conventionally-used semantic differential method. Mapping category-specific attributes to selected products, this method provides clear insights, enabling product designers to gauge the competitive landscape of any consumer product category.
The Value of Flexibility and Adaptability: Personalizing the Innovation Process to Boost the Creative Performance View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Jeff Feng, Min Kang
Studying design cognition has been considered one of the greatest challenges in the design creativity research community. The cognitive mental process has been the core of creativity studies with abundant research outcomes. However, the effective teaching methodologies for creativity in design education remain dispersive and inconclusive. This paper describes and examines a framework of the creative process that has been systematically tested with clear evidence of effectiveness and success. The framework has been applied to a design project in an undergraduate industrial design studio for six consecutive years. More than a hundred students provided feedback through surveys and discussions about this framework reflecting their creative experience. The assessment of the creative process focuses on measuring the quality and the quantity of idea generation concerning students’ creative performance. With attention to the low performers and the analysis of varied and common causes, some shortcomings in the process were identified which hindered students’ engagement and performance. A modified framework is proposed to facilitate the individuals’ unique ways of idea generation and concept exploration so that the process will accommodate everyone with their unique backgrounds and approaches. Deliberation of students’ successes and failures sheds light on the advantages of a more flexible and adaptable creative process to achieve quality innovation. The third party's evaluations signify a strong application potential in design education and design practice.
The Impact of Color-filtered Lighting in Connection with Biophilic Design View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Junghwa Kim Suh, Elizabeth K Park
This research investigates the influence of color-filtered lighting in relation to biophilic design, specifically within the preschool learning environment where design elements impact early childhood development. Among various architectural design components, research underscores the pivotal role of lighting in affecting children’s pleasantness and energy levels. The experiment yielded three key findings: (1) discernible differences in pleasant and energy levels were observed between existing white lights and specific color-filtered lights; (2) varying pleasant and energy levels were noted among different color-filtered lights; (3) a relation was identified between external conditions (confounding variables) and pleasant and energy levels in the context of color-filtered lights. Subsequently, the study delved into the interplay between the effects of color-filtered lighting and natural light, specifically focusing on the Correlated Color Temperature (CCT) level. The study offers valuable insights into understanding the impact of color-filtered lighting and its integration with biophilic design, emphasizing its role in reinforcing the Attention Restoration Theory (ART) within a learning environment. By broadening perspectives on the incorporation of colored lighting, the study provides a nuanced approach to infusing a sense of nature into spaces where natural light is constrained. Rather than introducing colored lighting solely for visual appeal or personal preferences, this experiment offers fresh perspectives on comprehending colored lighting in both physiological and psychological dimensions within the context of biophilic design.
Futures Designed: A Needs Analysis of Integrating the Ideals of the New European Bauhaus into Art and Design Education View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Anna Merry, Doris Kailos
Design pedagogy increasingly includes discussions about ethical considerations in design, as well as considerations of the social and environmental impacts of design decisions. As educators encouraging students to incorporate sustainable practices into their designs is crucial for the development of Design Education. ‘Futures Designed’ is an EU funded project which aims to develop and integrate Art and Design micro-credential courses into existing Higher Education (HE) programmes focusing on the skills deemed necessary for the Green Transition, Sustainable Developments Goals (SDGs) and the New European Bauhaus (NEB). The project will: transfer targeted knowledge ensuring learners future employment; establish alternative spaces of learning; train and improve sustainable competences; invite current professionals to upskill; and promote behavioral change for the Green Transition. This presentation demonstrates the initial stage of the project focusing on the Educational and Training needs of target groups: Students, Educators and Working Professionals in the fields of Interior, Graphic and Fashion Design. Through Surveys, Focus Groups and Industry Consultations the needs analysis focuses on: opinions related to climate change; current knowledge of the Green Transition, SDGs and the NEB; and methods to produce meaningful theoretical and practical courses to address these needs in the participating countries: Cyprus; Lithuania; Greece; Belgium and Italy. This research is part of the Erasmus + Key Action 2 programme entitled: Exploring Green Futures: Integrating the New European Bauhaus into Art and Design Education. Project Reference: 2023-1-CY01-KA220-HED-000160668
