73452 - Product Design T (A-K)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the workshop the student knows the design elements of the primary consumer goods at low prices and knows how to guide the development of a complete project. In particular, at the end of the ex-chair seminar, practical and theoretical activities envisaged, the student possesses the skills necessary to satisfy the needs of the user through his direct involvement, through the application of ergonomic methods, surveys, as well as questionnaires / interviews , task analysis, direct observations and ethnographies. In this context, the student knows how to set up, conduct and monitor a project activity which, through an ergonomically oriented approach, is aimed at increasing product performance and improving the psycho-physiological conditions of those who use them, has a conscious approach to the process of concept generation, it has the ability to synthesize design capable of bringing together the technological and producibility aspects on the expressive and formal value of the product. It also possesses the skills regarding the phases of technical design and technical production development.

Course contents

The Course addresses the theme: Design and communication for the enhancement of Emilia-Romagna's heritage.

The size and importance of the productive culture of Emilia-Romagna are difficult to estimate, but impossible to deny. Everything around us speaks of a story that has its origins in the long manufacturing tradition of the territory. There are many companies that have been able to highlight this tradition, creating collections and museums that tell of their know-how, stage processes, products and communicative artifacts, cultivating the virtuous relationship between past, present and future.

Can design and communication provide a perspective view to re-establish the relations underlying the productive culture of our territory (understood as heritage)?

Starting from this research question, the Course starts from the collaboration with cultural institutions and museums of companies still operating in the Region, in order to develop a series of design projects.

In order to develop this objectives, the Course will be divided into three pheses:

1. Research
2. Concept Development
3. Final Project

Partner

Istituto per i beni artistici, culturali e naturali (IBC) dell’Emilia Romagna.
The collaboration will take place through lectures, guided tours and intermediation with the contact partners of the corporate museums, also through involvement, in the form of guests, in the classroom.

Readings/Bibliography

The professors will provide, in their lectures and in the moments of revision, precise references to texts, web sites, magazines and documents available to deepen the topics presented.

In addition, bibliographic information may be added based on the information needed during the course.

Suggested readings:

• Celaschi, F. Il design della forma merce, Il sole 24 ore edizioni, Milano 2000
• Celaschi, F., Deserti, A., Design e Innovazione, Carocci, Roma 2007
• Celaschi, F., Non industrial design, Luca Sossella, Milano 2017
• Collina, C. (Ed.), E-R Design - Estetica del quotidiano negli istituti culturali dell’Emilia-Romagna, Collana IBC Digital, Bologna 2017
• Formia, E. & Celi, M. (Eds.), Humanities Design Lab. Le culture del progetto e le scienze umane e sociali, Maggioli, Sant’Arcangelo di Romagna (RN) 2016
• Formia, E., Storie di futuri e design. Anticipazione e sostenibilità nella cultura italiana del progetto, Maggioli, Sant’Arcangelo di Romagna (RN) 2017
• Girardi, D. & Oliva, S. (Eds,), I musei d’impresa in Veneto. Un connubio virtuoso tra territorio, impresa e turismo, Marsilio, Venezia 2017

Teaching methods

The Course is structured through lectures, testimonials from guests (professionals, companies), visits, assistance to desk and field research, up to the realization of models and prototypes.

These methods correspond to the structure of the Course, subdivided into 3 phases: research, concept development, final design with prototyping.

The teaching group will accompany the design process in all its phases, supervising classroom work with the students and guaranteeing collective and individual reviews.

The work in the classroom, as well as the reviews, represent a fundamental step of the learning path by the students: the presence will therefore be mandatory.

Students will also be invited to participate in events promoted by the University Course (seminars with national and international guests, exhibitions, competitions, etc.).

The teaching methods will provide:

• frontal lessons

• classroom exercises, sometimes to be concluded as home assignments

• revisions to individual groups

• presentations by invited guests

• possible visits to the realities involved

• collective checks during the development of the three research phases, concept and detailed project

Assessment methods

The Course foresees the delivery and evaluation of the outputs for each of the three phases in which it is carried out.

The intermediate deliveries will take place on predetermined dates, indicated in the general calendar. Each group will present its progress publicly with slideshows and, for each of the three phases, a judgment will be expressed.

Intermediate evaluations will form the final judgment of each student (in part, the result of collective work and, in part, of individual work).

Since this is an integrated course, the final judgment will be formulated on the basis of the individual judgments of the professors holding the teaching modules.

They contribute to the formulation of the judgment:

• quality of the documents presented and the model;

• quality of research and project;

• active participation in the course;

• punctuality in lessons and deliveries.

Examination method

At the exam each group will have 20 minutes to illustrate the stages of their work: research, project, models.

Frequency obligation

Course attendance is mandatory. Students who are absent for more than 30% of the lessons will not be admitted to the final evaluation with a signature.

Teaching tools

• Presentations / slideshow;
• Individual and collective revisions of students' work;
• Collaboration with external structures (model laboratory, photographic laboratory, libraries, etc.);
• Final exhibition of the works.

Office hours

See the website of Elena Maria Formia