Methodology and Creativity

DESCRIPTION
Methodology and creativity are two essential elements for design. On one hand, a designer must be able to plan and structure a suitable design process that ensures accomplishing the final goal. On the other hand, creativity and existing related tools and methods are key to identify and generate innovative ideas and concepts that industrial design offers.

Professionals in this field can develop projects related to:

. Planning and structuring a design process.

. The use and knowledge of methodologies and creativity tools.

. The design and development of innovative products blending methodological processes and creativity techniques.

This course studies existing project-oriented methodologies, their evolution and development and the structuring of the design process. Furthermore, the course digs into the recognition of diverse tools and techniques that can foster creativity within the structured design process and the study of different stages, milestones and tools that are relevant for each of them, such as: CUT analysis (Communication-Use-Technology) or idea selection and rating techniques. Finally, the competences acquired in this course are applied in practice via exercises and projects.

PRE-REQUISITES
No specific prerequisites are compulsory for this course.

 

CONTENTS
UNIT 1. INTRODUCTION TO PROJECT METHODOLOGY. Bruno Munari's methodology. Christopher Jones' methodology. Hans Gugelot's methodology (Ulm School). Christopher Alexander's methodology.

UNIT 2. CREATIVITY TECHNIQUES. Logical thinking vs. Creative thinking. Conflicting brain hemispheres. Characteristics and types of creative thinking. General phases of the design process.

UNIT 3. TOOLS FOR CREATIVE THINKING. Mental maps. Brainstorming. Brainwriting. IDEO method cards. Kathryn Best's Sustainability Issues map. Six hats of thinking.

UNIT 4. DESIGN METHODOLOGY. Intuitive and logical means for idea generation. Applications of sinectics. Experimental Fantasy. Analogy. Morphological analysis. Functional analysis. Storytelling. CUT analysis. Other methodologies.

UNIT 5. IDEA EVALUATION AND SELECTION. Idea evaluation techniques.

 

METHODOLOGY
The learning strategy proposed by this course is a progressive process where theoretical content and practical work are developed side by side, so that aforementioned content can be applied in practice. In order to do so, the following methods and techniques will be applied:

 

ACTIVITIES INSIDE THE CLASSROOM
. Master classes for knowledge transmission and activation of student's cognitive processes.

. Exposition of representative and real professional case studies that help students grasping theoretical concepts and translating them into their everyday work activity.

. Motivational and demonstrative video visualization.

. Individual or group mentoring meetings in order to monitor progress of the learning process.

. Different test in order to assess the level of fulfilment of generic, basic and specific competences.

. All the units will start with theoretical expositions of the main concepts of each topic.

 

ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM
. Continued development of exercises proposed in the classes.

. Search of motivational material and examples from the library and the net.

. Development of transversal activities in Deusto FabLab related to digital fabrication.

. Readings of recommended articles and books.

. Watch recommended videos and documentaries.

 

ASSESSMENT
Evaluation activities are split into continuous evaluation (EC) and final evaluation (EF) activities. Different activities will be developed in order to evaluate each of the competences:

Continuous evaluation activites (EC):

* Class exercises weighing 15% of the final grade. Depending on the characteristics of each exercise, they may be collected right after the class or let be finished and collected in a specific date.

* Individual or couple exercises where different design methodologies will be analysed. Those exercises weigh 15% of the final grade.

* Planification and development of a design project related to a topic proposed by the teacher. This project will weigh 20% of the final grade

* Group workshops regarding digital fabrication assessed by an expert. These workshops weigh 10% of the final grade.

* Oral presentation of exercises. Those presentations are worth 10% or the final grade.

Final evaluation activity (EF):

* Individual exercise that determines 30% of the final grade.