Abstract:

This paper examines methodologies and strategies used to motivate BA(Hons) Product Design (BAs) and BSc (Hons) Product Design Engineering students (BScs) to successfully work in pairs to design innovative and unusual kitchen gadgets. This was a live project with an industrial partner, in this instance design-led leading kitchen gadget company ‘Joseph Joseph’ (JJ).

It details motivational techniques championed by the tutor(s) to enhance the product outcomes, enthuse and benefit students including the pioneering pairing of BAs and BScs within the Product Design Engineering Department of Middlesex University for the very first time.

Techniques such as enhanced visualisation through meditation, skill sharing, iterative prototyping, body storming and presentation skills are examined to ascertain how the project received very high satisfaction and engagement rates from students as well as fulfilling the client brief to a very high standard. A detailed feedback questionnaire was filled in by each student and acts as statistical validation of method and satisfaction rate. Several outcomes from this project were of a high enough standard to be taken to the second stage of consideration for manufacture by the top stainless steel manufacturer in Germany.

The paper concludes that creativity is greatly enhanced by skill sharing, many quick activities at the initial ideas stage and a long period of functionality development in the workshops. This is done before final designs can be more fully worked out using the best of BA/BSc combined knowledge and skills.

Keywords:

Innovation, interaction, education, BA/Bsc collaboration.