Educational Framework for IoT Product and Service Prototyping

Abstract

Background The rapid evolution of the Internet of Things (IoT) technology is reshaping industrial design, moving from traditional standalone products to complex interconnected systems. Despite these advancements, design curricula at universities often remain focused on aesthetic form-giving and visualizations, failing to keep pace with these technological shifts. This discrepancy underscores the urgent need for curriculum updates to better prepare students for the opportunities and challenges presented by emerging technologies. Methods This paper introduces the development of an IoT educational framework tailored for design curricula, aimed at enabling design students without technical or engineering backgrounds to realize innovative IoT products and services. The framework comprises educational objectives, content, a dedicated hardware and software IoT prototyping toolkit, and teaching guidelines. The effectiveness of the framework was examined by case studies conducted at three universities, involving a total of 15 students. Results Case studies demonstrated significant enhancements in students’ learning experiences, enabling them to effectively tackle the complexities of IoT prototyping. The educational framework and prototyping toolkit successfully facilitated the students’ transformation of abstract concept ideation into tangible, interactive IoT prototypes. Feedback from the students underscored the importance and their willingness to integrate technical knowledge and practical skills into the design process. Conclusions This investigation contributes to a shift towards a more inclusive, technology-infused design education, equipping the next generation of designers with the essential knowledge and skills required to navigate and contribute effectively to the new design opportunities presented by technological advancements.