Advancing Taiwan's traditional craft products: A modular product design model of manufacturing technologies

Abstract

The compatibility between craftsmanship and industrial product design is an important axis of modern design development. This research seeks to integrate the craft process and industrial product design methodology to achieve mass production while maintaining characteristics of traditional craftsmanship. This study constructs an operational model to formulate appropriate strategies, present two craft cases, and utilize the triangulation method to explore synergistic effects between craft process and industrial product design. The conclusions reveal that craft materials, modules, innovation, and living technology are four key design features of the modern craft model. Moreover, this study proposes a new craft development model which applies the module concept to determine feasible market strategies that can be implemented to bridge the gap between craft and product design processes. Importantly, this study also draws upon theories and models proposed by previous researchers to explain how modern craftsmanship can be leveraged to establish market niches for mass-produced products. The concept of modern crafts facilitates cross-domain collaboration and integration, contributes to the field of traditional crafts and product design, and creates niche markets for traditional craft products. This novel approach can therefore be leveraged to advance the development of sustainable design, innovative material use, product recycling, innovative design concepts, and human-friendly design.