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NC State European Center in Prague

ID 492: Special Topics in Industrial Design – Product and Furniture Design

Instructor: Jakub Pollág & Václav Mlynář
Credits: 3
GEP: Elective

Course Description

Topics of current interest in Industrial Design. Normally used to develop new courses. Industrial Design Majors, and Department approved Elective for all other College of Design Majors with Junior, Senior or Graduate standing in Major. Product design is a course for curious students interested in further developing their skills in this creative field. From understanding the technicalities of manufacturing processes to the psychology of customer decision making, product design is a field requiring a vast skillset to deliver great products for the right price at the right time. We will explore all factors that separate a good design from a great one. We will explore the value of innovation. By addressing real world challenges, students will develop their own portfolios and understand how creative teams work in comparison to the creative individual. This course will not only inspire but also cultivate critical thinking with a focus on personal growth. On completion of this course students should have tools to become a professional designer and understand how to use them.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of this semester, students will be able to:

  • Define problems to which industrial design may apply
  • Summarize existing solutions and associated short comings, and compare existing solutions with user needs
  • Identify the scope of such problems and target users or stakeholders
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the critical questions that designers need to ask when selecting and recommending materials and manufacturing processes for specific applications
  • Develop a series of varied and alternative solutions to explore and test
  • Distinguish and organize projects by identifying design stages, durations, benchmarks, and outcomes
  • Evaluate solution characteristics (e.g., manufacturing methods, materials, venues for application, etc.)
  • Create documentation materials and presentations of findings