Learning Generative Design Methods: Higher Education Students Developing Toolkits

Abstract

In order to achieve successful products and services, design research nowadays is searching for new methods that unify collaboration between professional designers and future users. Developing and using these new design methods is also of interest in design education. In this study, design toolkits are developed to practise participatory design with a user-centric orientation. The purpose of this study is to analyse a case in higher education where students of art and design aimed at becoming craft teachers developed toolkits in design situations appointed beforehand. The literature review of the toolkit shows that a diverse and multidisciplinary field of applications has been developed. The data of the study consist of 24 virtual or physical toolkits made by the students as well as their reflections on their work. The results showed that executing a design process where students in a design situation had to enter into the future user's world creates empathy for designers. Also, various elements connected with the unifying of senses and physical activities were built into the toolkits as well as certain game-like features. The results of this study can be used as basic data concerning making educational insights in design education in higher education.