BRIDGING SUBJECTIVE INTERPRETATION AND OBJECTIVE STRUCTURE IN DESIGN EDUCATION FOR INDUSTRIAL DESIGN ENGINEERING STUDENTS

Paper in proceeding, 2025

Teaching industrial design principles to engineering students at a technical university poses distinct challenges. Unlike art or design students, engineering students often approach problems with a binary perspective, expecting answers to be either correct or incorrect. This mindset complicates their engagement with design, where subjective interpretation and open-ended solutions are fundamental. This abstract presents work carried ut at a university of technology within the Industrial Design Engineering program. The aim has been to clarify the design process for industrial design engineering students by introducing structured methods for articulating subjective decisions. The goal has been twofold: to provide students with tools to self-reflect on their design choices and to establish a shared framework that enhances transparency and communication between students and educators.