Product Design Experiential Learning

With the advance of technological innovation and the increased availability of products, it has become easier to notice when bad product design happens. But what makes a design good or bad? This advanced course in product design allows students to answer such a question by exploring this still-evolving discipline from a number of perspectives. The course objective is for students to demonstrate the knowledge and skills needed to work professionally as a product designer. Students are invited to independently explore the problem area, define relevant design problems and plan the further design work. During the course, students build on previously acquired knowledge relative to the design process and apply their skills by undertaking real-world product design problem-solving projects. As part of the course assessment, students are expected to account for the design process, argue for relevant facts, social context and a user focus to justify the methods, techniques and tools used to perform, explain and visualize the process and the result. This course includes Fab Lab studio hours. This course includes experiential learning hours with our Community Engagement Member Institutions (CEMI). CEMI are dynamic learning environments created to foster learning through a structured interaction with the community. In addition to regular lecture hours, students will be involved in learning by doing through real projects and integration with the local population and territory in order to remove cultural and learning barriers as well as to develop a strong likelihood for success in life. The experiential learning hours are fully supervised by instructors who track students step by step during their learning experience, monitor and advise according to student needs, and support student initiative. This unique learning model allows students to benefit from an all-encompassing educational experience based on theory and practice in real enterprises, learning of comprehensive operational processes, problem-solving, leadership, and management.