Abstract:

This paper addresses the evaluation of a teaching-learning experience of project through a workshop on design methods organized for undergraduate students from two design faculties as part of an international collaboration that took place at a Contemporary Art Museum in 2015.

The evaluation is based on:
a) reports produced by 12 students from the host university that attended the workshop from 28 September to 9 October 2015;
b) records of the observation of the workshop dynamics carried out by four researchers from the host university.

This workshop is the first joint experience between students and teachers from two design faculties, which resulted from an international cooperation agreement between the two institutions.

Thirty-nine students from different design courses (accessories, fashion, textiles, communication and industrial design) came to Brazil from Denmark accompanied by two Danish design teachers who planned and led the workshop. The teachers´ approach on design methodology was made with the use of Co-Creation Cards (FRIIS, 2014). Twelve Brazilian students from the Design Undergraduate Course participated, plus three teachers and one Doctoral Student as researchers, using the Observation Protocol.

The workshop was about how design methods can support an art museum. It lasted two weeks using an immersion method of eight hours a day resulting in:
a) production of ten inspiring videos about the project concepts developed for a Contemporary Art Museum;
b) twelve reports by Brazilian students and
c) four reports by Brazilian researchers.

The discussion about this teaching-learning experience of project is based on the analysis of students´ reports and the records of a non-participatory observation made by the researchers.

The first part of the paper describes the proposal of the workshop and the methodology adopted, based on studies of processes and methodology used in the design field, with an emphasis on creativity (CROSS, 2011; SAWYER, R. K., 2012; MILTON, A & RODGERS, 2013) and on education (LAWSON, K., DORST, K., 2009). The second part looks at the students´ experience in the workshop, comparing the different circumstances of the work teams.

The third part deals with the students´ feedback, based on the analysis performed by the authors, which identifies, for example, how the use of co-creation cards might influence the absorption and application of design methods during the development of projects. The fourth part presents the analysis and conclusions of this experience.

Keywords:

Design methods, workshop, international collaboration.