Carma,
I hope the following explains my statements relating to students understanding the consequences of design decisions.
Colleagues and discuss ethics in year one, ethics and branding in year one, cover issues of sustainable design and inclusive design in years one, two and final year; and, more detailed aspects of these topics in optional modules, which include business and entrepreneurship. In each year their understanding is tested through formal written examination and practical application through coursework. In some modules, such as inclusive design, students work directly with people with disabilities through co-design.
In year one all design students are given workshop training (particularly health and safety workshop practice) to enable them to independently make a small (up to 20gm shot size) injection moulding tool in year two.
An evidence-based approach to design decision-making is taught in every project, with the application of ethics codes of practice applied in each year and each project. Our students most often have a high technology content to their design outcomes and so physical functionality/safety is paramount. All students are trained and expected to define a user, task and environment (UTE) for the design outcome.
Final year project students have to complete an University research standard ethics clearance document for their proposed final design, when involving human participants (with a more rigorous checklist if animals are involved) and the methods by which they will validate the project outcomes. This includes staged risk assessments for participant involvement and prototyping.
They have sign-off points at which their project may be halted if they have not delivered adequate evidence of market or function/safety. They also have to validate their final design in terms of design for manufacture and commercial viability, as defined in the product design specification, which they produce in the earlier stages of the project. We examine them on their audit trial of evidence (process) as well as the efficacy of their final design outcome.
The final year projects are run along the lines of a conventional (for the UK) client-based projects. In many cases the students are working directly with industry clients on live projects, often brought back from their placement year in industry. Of the 130 or more industrial design and product design undergraduate students we have in each year, over half undertake a year-long placement with commercial organisations. The students bring back to the cohort a level of commercial understanding that enhances the awareness of the whole year group regarding professional practice.
I hope the brief description of the undergraduate design programmes with which I'm involved provides some insight into the drivers behind my contribution to the discussion.
Best wishes
George
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