Collaboration Models for Teaching Design Within Specialized Contexts

Abstract

While there exists a wealth of human-centered design projects in which students can successfully render their creative skills while producing a compelling portfolio piece, it is often problematic for faculty to frame and organize a product design collaboration obscured within a space of limited experience or access. This paper will compare and contrast three collaboration models employed in teaching design to undergraduate students on projects that required an in-depth understanding of unfamiliar contexts. Strengths and weaknesses observed through each of these approaches will be outlined, as well as the learning and design outcomes from projects focused on assistive technologies, commercial construction, and the healthcare sector. Faculty and team leaders will gain insights in how to structure their teaching collaborations to maximize student interactions, learning, and design results on specialized projects.