Product Design

This module offers focussed opportunity for students to extend and enhance their practice by including working in a wider design research community. The study of the cultural and critical contexts of design practice is vital to any student of the creative disciplines, this module will develop Master’s students’ abilities to contextualise their practice through a series of themes addressing contemporary issue in design.

This module introduces an applied understanding of how design can be used as an iterative process for creative problem solving. It will enable you to understand how to apply design thinking processes to your specialist area through understanding users, challenging assumptions, redefining problems and creating innovative solutions to prototype and test. The module will also provide a broad introduction to research methodologies, strategic research planning and research design. A range of design thinking tools will be introduced and explored before you undertake an in-depth project that provides opportunities for experimentation leading to innovative solutions.

This module provides an in-depth understanding of the scope, nature and role of how design can be used to shape the future. A series of future-focussed tools will be explored from a creative perspective to understand how to employ design as a catalyst for new products, services and experiences that address contemporary societal and business-related challenges. It also will examine the role of design at strategic, tactical and operational levels and support an understanding of the relationship of the user to strategic goals over a range of time horizons. The module will culminate in design provocations that demonstrate how design can engage with multiple futures that blend technology and business needs while providing user-focussed innovative solutions.

This module introduces the core principles of design innovation and develops a broad understanding of how design can be used as a strategic resource to drive innovation. It will explore a range of design processes and expose their application in different project settings. An interrogation of the spectrum of design innovation approaches will enable students to develop knowledge and skills in their use in academic and professional contexts. It will also develop knowledge of how design strategy and management can be used as a strategic resource in the public and private sectors and as a result enable the student to be able to critically analyse the role of design in potential political, economic, socio-cultural and technological futures.

The final synthesis MA module will support you to develop, resolve and present a significant body of work, located within a defined area of product design practice. The module accommodates opportunities for external collaborative, industry based or international learning experiences, and enables you to undertake and submit work developed within professional placements and/or live projects.

The module synthesises the specialist product design practice you have developed throughout the programme. It also accommodates the opportunity to present your work in progress and to engage in interdisciplinary critiques to test ideas, gain feedback and support the development of your final body of work.

The content of your practice is negotiated with specialist product design staff and you will manage your learning via the development of a Synthesis project proposal. The module features a flexible assessment submission process which combines written and practical elements, the weighting of which being responsive and appropriate to your individual future ambitions, be they professionally or academically focussed.

This final MSc module will support you to develop and resolve a significant body of specialist product design practice. Your learning journey will be synthesised by the presentation of an innovatively ambitious project, located within a defined area of technical, market orientated or advanced digital product design.

The module accommodates opportunities for external collaborative, industry based or international learning experiences and enables you to undertake and submit work developed within professional placements and/or live projects. The module features a presentation of your work in progress to test ideas, gain feedback and to engage in interdisciplinary critique to support the development of your final body of work.

The content of your practice is negotiated with specialist product design staff and you will manage your learning via the development of a Synthesis project proposal. The module features a flexible assessment submission process which combines written and practical elements, the weighting of which being responsive and appropriate to your individual future ambitions, be they professionally or academically focussed.