‘From the formal to the innovative’: The use of case studies and sustainable projects in developing a design process model for educating product/industrial designers

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The BSc in computer aided product design (CAPD) course at the University of Wolverhampton was conceived as a collaborative venture in 1989 between the School of Engineering and the School of Art and Design. The award was at the forefront of forging interdisciplinary collaboration at undergraduate level in the field of product design. It has integrated engineering design from the former with industrial design from the latter, developing a mixture of traditional, technical and design skills using the computer. The current paper discusses the use of formal methods of delivery on the CAPD course together with the integration of industrial product design and engineering design from a case study and project approach. It progresses from a formal approach through a transitional stage to an innovative method of delivery and assessment. In providing the framework to this innovative approach the paper utilizes examples of students’ case studies, projects and design competitions that rely upon the use of three-dimensional (3D modelling) and both traditional prototyping and rapid prototyping techniques in developing the product design artefact. Combined with this is the utilization of a design process model that combines both product design and industrial design methodologies. The changing attitude of staff in the education of CAPD students, with respect to the integration of formal methods and innovative methods in case study and project scenarios, is also discussed.