The Wealth Creation Process: Experiential Learning through Competitive Industry-led Group Design Projects and Underpinning Lectures

SUMMARY

The paper describes a cross-disciplinary approach to leaching the principles of engineering design. It shows how synergisms have been developed between the disciplines of marketing, engineering design and manufacturing as well as the artistic dimension. The artistic dimension is used to provide an integrating medium to achieve good communications within the design process; to transmit cerebral images throughout the design process; and to stimulate creativity and innovation. Industry-led projects have been used to consolidate the learning process, formally initiated by a series of lectures on the principles of design. Two principle approaches are examined through experiences gained by running several projects: first, a top-down sequential approach to design, starting from marketing, leading through design and manufacture to product launch; and, secondly, approaches in which the same steps are undertaken concurrently to differing degrees. It is shown how the second approach has increased the students' rate of working; has led to higher levels of innovation; and has developed a wide range of interpersonal and management skills. The concurrent mode of working has been shown to be more effective when high levels of cross-disciplinary concurrency are achieved. Recommendations are made for the use of design management techniques to achieve high levels of concurrent operation, which are of relevance to improved industrial practise.