Integrated Product Design MSc

Course Content

The first term includes three taught modules worth a total of 45 credits plus one double module of 30 credits which continues into the second term alongside three further modules. The thick module, Professional Design Studio, will include guest lectures, research seminars and group or individual project. The projects can be based on design research or product/industrial design.

The ‘Design Futures’ module will introduce the importance and potential value of future foresight techniques and develop a vision of the future and critically evaluate its implications for design, innovation and enabling technology.

The ‘Computer Aided Design and Manufacturing Techniques’ module will introduce CAD and graphics based design modelling, rendering techniques and tools, product design simulation techniques and tools, rapid prototyping and manufacturing techniques.

For the final four months of the programme (June to September), students can either continue their projects to greater depth as their dissertation project, or undertake a new subject. Students are encouraged to form industrial links as part of this project.

Typical Modules

Sustainable Design

• Key environment and socio-economic issues and relationships to sustainability
• The Life Cycle Assessment method and design practice with awareness of its strengths and weaknesses
• The tools of LCA and streamlined LCA to highlight critical environmental issues for development in a particular product
• Different views on environmental issues and practices
• Case studies to differentiate environmental problems, issues and possible solutions.

Design Creativity and Aesthetic Awareness

• Creative thinking theory and practice in design process
• Applying higher level creativity within a range of scenarios
• Aesthetic awareness within historical, semantic and contextual references
• The ability to incorporate and reflect on aesthetic content within design scenarios which drawing on a wide range informed and creative references
• Strategic Design Management and Research
• Understanding and critical awareness of design management and research principles within contemporary multidisciplinary practice
• Definitions of design, design management, branding, strategy, innovation, design research, technology and creativity
• Managing design and design research to improve organisational performance
• Relationships between design of products and services, the needs of the market place and the implications of consumer influences
• Qualitative and quantitative design management and research tools for formulating strategies, plans and implementation within new product or service development.

Human Factors in Design

• Anthropometric and biomechanical principles and design considerations
• Postural and motion principles and design considerations
• Perceptual, cognitive and emotional principles and design considerations
• Design of control interfaces and display interfaces
• Philosophy and process of human centred design.

Professional Design Studio

• Socio-cultural, economic, technological and environmental factors
• Design research and process developments
• The role and management of design within organisations
• Design responses: high quality design deliverables as part of a response to a design issue.

Design and Innovation Futures: Seminar &Workshop

• Futures forecasting and forecasting techniques
• Influences of global and national economyorganisational change issues
• Social and ethical issues
• Influence of technology, marketing and brandinginnovation drivers
• Key design research findings.

Computer Aided Design and Manufacturing Techniques

• The technical challenges in the context of global product design and development
• Current computer aided design and manufacturing techniques in integrated product design
• Creative and virtual design theories, methods and techniques
• Applications of 2D/3D design modelling, rendering, analysis, simulation and prototyping, digital manufacturing
• Digital human modelling in design
• Integration of a range of CAD/CAM/CAE tools into design project.

Strategic Design Management and Research

• Strategic Innovation Management/Design Strategy
• Relationship between Design and Marketing
• Managing Customer Experience
• Project Management
• Design research methods

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Dissertation Project

• Identify one or more critical issues suitable for in-depth research in the context of current needs and/or concerns of integrated product design
• Show evidence of initiative and creative thinking in both the methods employed and the critical evaluation of the key issues identified
• Critically reflect on the learning in the taught modules and the application of conceptual and practical tools during the design research project
• Work independently to a high standard in investigating and addressing complex issues and self-manage their study programme effectively.

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