Bridging the gap – A co-creation experience of novice designers and elderly users

Abstract

Most design and engineering students aim “to create something that is having an effect on... people’s lives” [D1] and, consequently, put much effort in learning and practicing how to design and innovate properly. Only hardly surprising, technological feasibility is one of the main drivers of new product development activities. Alas, this conflicts with the fact that people only love products that meet their needs. As there is a gap between user-driven and design- or technology-driven requirement analysis, it is essential to educate students not only in designing the products rightly but also in designing the right products. Recently, co-design activities are emphasised as promising to connect industrial designers with target audiences who differ largely from their own experiences and expectations. To develop successful products for these target groups, the experience gaps between users and designers need to be bridged within the design process. If the aim is to create something that affects people’s lives, it is required to focus on the people. This paper analyses the learning experience of industrial design students during a co-creation experience with elderly people and derives essential competences in which user-centred designers should be educated and trained.