From idea to implementation : fostering creativity and design maturity in novices

Abstract

This thesis explores how novices, in particular students, design products for people and how to foster creativity in students who are accustomed to a traditional engineering curriculum. In a world of messy, ill-definied and "wicked" problems, students must learn how to struggle with and take on these challenges, regardless of the disciplines they choose to pursue in the future. Qualitative and quantitative approaches are taken to observe the efficacy of such methods. Two case studies based in the design classroom are described. First, findings reveal the need to teach students a more nuanced, deeper view of using user-centered methods. Designers cannot haphazardly follow instructions for methods without thinking about implications to the design process. Second, it is important to expose students to fresh, new, design scenarios and to train them to communicate their message through various media. These findings help researchers shed light on the path from the idea to implementation of products designed with end users in mind.