DE5033 - Going Live

Through studio-based experimental learning and workshop activities, your sessions, which simulate real-world design studios, allow you to apply product design skills advancing a deeper understanding of the discipline while also providing opportunities for critical debate and feedback in a supportive and respectful environment. Working alongside industry or stakeholders will provide you with real-live scenarios, presenting research, findings and potential design opportunities.



Through project and enquiry-based learning you will be given the opportunity to develop and generate creative responses to challenging briefs. Identify and define potential problems that matter to others or just creating well-crafted artefacts. Explore and generate design ideas through sketching, introducing and building on key tools for user-focused / observational design research, prototype building and testing, evaluation, user feedback and visualising / communicating your design intent, pitching to a relevant audience. These projects will allow you to further develop and enhance your skills necessary in becoming an aspiring product designer.



You will be encouraged to think and work independently or as part of a group, investigating design challenges and researching through both primary and secondary sources, putting yourself in the position of others and designing through experimentation. Work on practical live product design projects that reflect real-world challenges and your final designed outputs, prototypes, artefacts will be presented or exhibited to share your process with others. By the end of the module, you’ll emerge with a greater understanding of the Product Design process through real-live scenarios that will prepare you for tackling some of the latest challenges in a rapidly evolving design landscape.

Each project will begin with a comprehensive briefing that will outline and clarify the design project along with the expected learning outcomes, the module and project requirements / deliverables and a detailed schedule. Where a collaborative or live project is involved, professionals from the external partner will work with your module tutors to agree a suitable project and any additional support they can offer. This may include in-person briefings, feedback and guidance throughout the project, site visits, access to proprietary research and specialist equipment.



You will have regular weekly studio sessions to structure your learning experience. In these, you’ll participate in group discussions to receive guidance and feedback from your peers and tutors. Tutors are aligned to each module that relates closely to their own design expertise and experience providing specialist support, whether that is through prior professional experience, through ongoing industrial collaborations or through current research work undertaken within the University.



The module has a specific virtual learning environment (eLearning Portal) which acts as a resource where you can access all the relevant documentation including module briefs and guides, presentations and assessment requirements. The digital submission of work, both formative and summative assessments, allow for expedient communication and the effective review of work whilst also utilising industry standard practices. During core working hours for the Design School but outside your timetabled sessions and project dependent, you will have access to a wide range of technician-supported workshop environments. Project and solution driven, these will support all your making requirements including specialist model making materials, laser-cutting, 3D printing, creating sewn soft-products, sensors and electronics, photography and videography. CAD workstations and industry-standard digital modelling software are accessible on campus 24/7 in certain buildings.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk
(Reading List service online guide for academic staff this containing contact details for the Reading List team – http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/readinglists)

Knowledge & Understanding:

Demonstrate knowledge of design methods and processes through their appropriate application during design research and development.



Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:

Record and show a process of creative experimentation, iteration, and on-going evaluation in order to develop and refine your design propositions.



Select and appropriately apply a range of research methods and approaches in the development of design artefacts.



Independently generate concepts, proposals, solutions, or arguments.



Personal Values Attributes

(Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):

Demonstrate through a range of media and making skills through the creation of design prototypes and artefacts to articulate the values, ideas and reasoning that inform your design practice.

You will be regularly assessed formatively and informally, using verbal feedback during timetabled sessions and at key stages of the design development process. Students may be asked to present their work verbally to an audience of peers, tutors and stakeholders to receive feedback and guidance. 

 

Students will be summatively assessed against one or more product design assignments over the course of the module submitted at the end of block 3, which may include design prototypes or artefacts. For each assignment, students will be assessed against the module outcomes and criteria set out in the brief. The combined marks for the projects (weighted to reflect the duration of individual projects) will form 80% of the overall mark. You will also submit an Illustrated Process Journal of your projects in this module. This will form 20% of the final mark for this module.

 

Feedback is written and delivered via tutorial review and via eLearning portal (eLP) after the submission at the end of each block (module).

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This module will provide you with the opportunity to test your design skills and knowledge to-date in real-world scenarios through live, industry-facing collaborative projects. You will be working alongside stakeholders providing an authentic and professional learning experience allowing you to better understand the world of product design and the complex challenges ahead. You will have the opportunity to engage and deliver professional level presentations, communicating your design intent, developing your verbal and visual skills, essential for your career in product design.