Peter Walters' message just now reminded me that I never announced the
award of his PhD earlier this year
It seems important to note when people who contribute this particular
list achieve their PhD, not least "to encourage the others"*.
Peter's Thesis was titled
"Knowledge in the Making: Prototyping and Human-Centred Design Practice"
He defended it on 9th February 2006 at Sheffield Hallam University, his
external examiner was Prof Bob Jerrard of Birmingham Institute of Art
and Design and I was the internal examiner.
His supervisors were Prof Paul Chamberlain, Dr Tom Fisher, Prof Mike
Press and Prof Anne Tomes
Peter also achieved his BA and MA at Sheffield Hallam, and along the way
has developed some elegant and convincing product designs, including
patented designs for easy to use garden tools. His PhD resulted in some
very innovative thinking about drugs packaging but that was a by-product
of an ambitious critical and practical study of the methods and
application of a wide range of prototyping techniques. The result is
both a better understanding of the relationship between, and limitations
of, virtual and physical techniques and a strong case for retaining the
"hands-on" engagement with physical prototypes as source of practical
knowledge.
Best wishes from Sheffield
Chris Rust
*Voltaire wrote of England (Candide Chap 23) "in this country it is found requisite, now and then, to put an admiral to death, in order to encourage the others to fight"
********************
Professor Chris Rust
Head of Art and Design Research Centre
Sheffield Hallam University
Psalter Lane, S11 8UZ, UK
+44 114 225 2706 (direct)
+44 114 225 2686 (research admin)
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www.chrisrust.net
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