Generation Z: Exploring personalities, interests and influences in young designers

Abstract

Product designers - whether students or professionals - are a diverse group of individuals with mixed abilities in a variety of skills. As an integral element of design education at undergraduate level, design projects in particular appear to highlight this diversity of characteristics. At Bournemouth University the level 5 and 6 design projects have proved noticeably enlightening in differentiating between students’ innate strengths and weaknesses. As a result, a number of personality types were identified; the Doers; the Dreamers; the Ideators; the Negotiators; the Visionaries; and the Whatevers. Personality analysis tools such as the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and the NEO Personality Inventory have become established in the workplace, and attempts have been made to apply such systems to the design studio. In addition, the identification of individual learning styles – and corresponding teaching styles – has become a core feature in education. This paper investigates whether the identification of defined personality types and traits within project-based product design education is justified, and to what extent such characteristics may be affected by external influences. Drawing on a survey conducted with undergraduate students at levels 4, 5 and 6 - as well as design professionals – the interests, inspirations and aspirations that may help to shape designer personalities are explored, and the results shed new light on the emergent characteristics of tomorrow’s designers. In a world in which the role of team players is becoming more important, the authors discuss the differing student strengths and weaknesses reflected in the survey, and whether a greater understanding of the influences and ambitions of Generation Z could help to address the current and future skills shortage in product design.