Developing Design Thinking Research Articles

A Cross‐Cultural and Interdisciplinary Collaboration in a Joint Design Studio

AbstractA design studio is a critical venue for design students, as they are educated to develop design thinking and other skills through studio courses. This article introduces a design studio project in which Korean and Malaysian students worked jointly for one semester to design affordable urban housing. The Korean students were interior design majors and the Malaysian students were architecture majors; thus it was thought that the students' areas of expertise were likely to differ. It was also anticipated that the students would display cultural differences in terms of housing and planning practices. The motive for starting the joint design studio was the idea that a cross‐cultural collaborative working setting could redefine students' thinking styles and stimulate students to obtain non‐routine perspectives on the design of buildings and spaces. Through observation and interviews, we explored how students tackled affordable housing problems within the context of cross‐cultural and interdisciplinary design education. Collaborative learning in a joint studio situation supplemented students' expertise, re‐orienting approaches to design and opening up a holistic approach to the design issues of affordability, sustainability and community. Overall, the practical learning in the joint studio project validated the importance of exploring alternative solutions based on varied levels of information, and input of those from different educational and cultural backgrounds. The cross‐cultural and interdisciplinary collaboration allowed for a previously unavailable enhancement of design education by encouraging students to obtain divergent thinking for innovative design ideas.

Perception of the Real World—Understanding Historic Environments, an Informal Design Studio: Walking Istanbul Series

Design education is the most important part of architectural education. Formal architectural education (training), followed by an architect in the candidate’s training period, is a whole consisting of theoretical and practical courses. In spite of this programme package, in design education, student acquires to experience the design by his/her own and this is the only way to learn how to design. In this context, aside from formal architectural education informal studies such as workshops, seminars, conferences, exhibitions, competitions, excavation, etc. have an undeniable importance. In design education, “informal studies” have some outstanding results on developing design thinking skills, learning by doing, creating motivation, intuitive knowledge and self-confidence and at the same time these studies are a suitable tool for the LLP—lifelong learning programme. In this paper, as an informal study example two workshops will be discussed to evaluate the contributions of such informal studies on student’s individual and collective learning styles, design thinking techniques and practices.

Operational Research for the Real World: big questions from a small island

The address explores three questions that are important for operational research: ‘Where do we come from?’, ‘What are we?’ and ‘Where are we going?’ First, it looks briefly at the history of O.R. from Babbage to Blackett and the importance of a ‘union of theory and practice’ in our work. Then it looks at O.R.'s identity and image and argues that we do have a reasonably clear idea of our identity, although we do not give sufficient prominence to our contribution to improving system design. It also argues that the ‘brand image’ of O.R. has become diluted and needs to be simple, distinctive, relevant and compelling. In considering how we might achieve that, by addressing the third question, it proposes that we should grow our capability and activity in accommodating ‘analytics’, in building in behavioural science, in coping with complex systems, in developing design thinking and in encouraging evaluation. It also suggests strengthening bridges between academics and practitioners, between those working in different specialisms and in diverse sectors and between O.R. and the public. Finally, it argues that such developments would assist O.R. to reinforce our bridge between science and the humanities and enable us to better meet the challenges of the ‘real world’.

Research on the Teaching Reform of Design Expression Course

Design Expression course is a very important basic course of Industrial Design to the students who learn this major, as it involves the expression and scheme of design idea. It will help students to develop design thinking and improve the professional quality that instruct students in understanding the importance of design expression correctly in the process of personnel training.

As an Educational Tool the Importance of Informal Studies/Studios in Architectural Design Education; Case of Walking Istanbul 1&2

Design education is the most important part of architectural education. Formal architectural education (training), followed by an architect in the candidate's training period, is a whole consisting of theoretical and practical courses. In spite of this programme package, in design education, student acquires to experience the design by his/her own and this is the only way to learn how to design. In this context, aside from formal architectural education informal studies such as workshops, seminars, conferences, exhibitions, competitions, excavation, etc. have an undeniable importance. In design education, “Informal Studies” have some outstanding results on developing design thinking skills, learning by doing, creating motivation, intuitive knowledge and selfconfidence and at the same time these studies are a suitable tool for the LLP- lifelong learning programme. In this paper, as an informal study example two workshops will be discussed to evaluate the contributions of such informal studies on student's individual and collective learning styles, design thinking techniques and practices.