Soft skills in design education, identification, classification, and relations: Proposal of a conceptual map

Soft skills are interpersonal, social, and emotional competencies, transversal to various fields of knowledge and life. In the Knowledge Age, soft skills play an essential role in the differentiation of human work. Nevertheless, in design education, there are still few studies on soft skills. This study brings a conceptual map of soft skills in design education. It refers to a mixed-methods research conducted through a survey involving 93 teachers of high education design courses in 26 countries. We combined the survey results with a literature review analysis aimed at defining constructs and identifying their relationship. Finally, we propose a classification for soft skills as being Collective/Individual and Cognitive-Metacognitive/Interpersonal-Social. Our research recognises the connections and interdependence among skills, allowing us to settle different groups and establish relations among other skills. Furthermore, based on literature, we identified a hierarchy of gateways skills and high order skills and pointed out their connections. Additionally, a conceptual map was created, including the 20 primary soft skills in design education, their proposed classification, and the links between the skills. The result can help teachers and students know the primary soft skills in design education and develop teaching-learning approaches to acquire soft skills during their university training

Identidade cromática de um ambiente urbano em Natal-RN, Brasil / Chromatic identity of an urban environment in Natal-RN, Brazil

Este trabalho revela a identidade cromática de um ambiente urbano na cidade de Natal-RN, Brasil, além de apresentar suas relações cromáticas que se estabelecem entre unidades edificadas e seu entorno. Para tanto, foi elaborado um mapa contendo as cores existentes no local, por meio de um levantamento in loco com a utilização de aparelho portátil para leitura de superfície

Boosting innovation and growth through the use of design

The question underpinning this study is: would the incorporation of design throughout every dimension of a company's business pursuing innovation result in higher levels of growth and competitiveness? The paper begins with a brief theoretical approach to the concepts of creativity, design and innovation and identifies some of the traditional company growth strategies. This paper provides, in the context of design management, a first empirical analysis on the relationship between company growth and the investments in design along the value chain, stressing the importance of the phase in which design gets applied for the first time (“momentum”). The empirical analysis was based on data captured from an online questionnaire on the Portuguese manufacturing industry. The multivariate data analysis focused on the analysis of variance and factor analysis. The pa- per has the merit to conclude that the companies growing more sharply apply design from generating ideas to processes and production and extending into the marketing phase

DESIGN MANAGEMENT IN PRACTICE: DISCUSSION ABOUT HUMAN AND PROCESSUAL FACTORS

Com o objetivo de identificar os fatores relacionados com a Gestão do Design (GD) na prática, esta investigação realizou uma pesquisa-ação com cinco companhias brasileiras desenvolvedoras de produtos e atuantes em diferentes segmentos de mercado. Para tanto, foram desenvolvidas 22 atividades que envolveram gestores e colaboradores dessas organizações. As ações foram realizadas através de uma prática integrada em que estavam presentes, ao mesmo tempo, os integrantes das cinco empresas. Ao longo das implementações, foram identificados importantes fatores processuais (descritos como fatores críticos de sucesso, inputs e outputs) e humanos (denominados como vetores positivos, negativos e principais atores) compreendidos como influenciadores do processo de implementação da GD em companhias. Além deles, observaram-se distintos papéis dentre os envolvidos nos níveis estratégico, tático e operacional das companhias e os impactos que eles possuem na dimensão global das organizações. Desta forma, este artigo se propõe a discutir tais resultados e, ao final, busca fazer uma inter-relação entre eles.This research aimed to identify factors related to Design Management (DM) in practice, and carried out an action research with five Brazilian companies that make products and are active in different Market segments. We developed 22 activities that involved managers and employees of these organizations, which portrayed an integrated practice that involved all companies at the same time. Along these implementations we identified procedural and behavioral factors that influenced on the implementation of DM. Besides, we observed distinct roles among involved members, and specific impacts that they have on the organization. Thus, this article main propose is to discuss these factors and related all results

PhD Thesis. Making in the conceptual phase of design processes. A descriptive study contributing for the strategic adequacy an overall quality of design outcomes

Tese de Doutoramento em DesenhoEste é um trabalho de investigação sobre processos de projecto e mais especificamente sobre a forma como a tomada de decisão pode influenciar os resultados destes em termos da sua adequação estratégica e qualidade global. O estudo incide sobre a fase conceptual dos processos de projecto e procura descrever o comportamento dos projectistas tanto ao nível do Ensino (estudantes finalistas) como ao nível das empresas. Um dos resultados previstos era a criação de um modelo descritivo que suportasse a compreensão da gestão de processos de projecto nas suas variáveis mais críticas. Este modelo descritivo deveria basear-se na identificação de parâmetros chave dos processos de design no que concerne a sua adequação estratégica e qualidade global. Em termos metodológicos trata-se de uma investigação mista com claro domínio de métodos qualitativos de investigação activa como são as experiências videogravadas de processos de projecto, tanto em situação de simulação como em situação de contexto real. Os métodos quantitativos foram também utlizados e serviram o propósito da triangulação metodológica de dados por forma a obter-se uma descrição o mais rigorosa e consistente possível dos processos de projecto e seus elementos estruturantes. A recolha de dados deu-se tanto no contexto de ensino como no contexto empresarial portugueses tendo-se efectuado experiências em que estas duas áreas de intervenção interagiram. Ademais foi feita uma comparação do desempenho de estudantes universitários Portugueses e Holandeses do Curso de Design. Esta análise almejava confirmar informação obtida em estudos anteriores e assim validar o presente estudo e também visava perceber o papel que diferentes currículos de ensino podem ter na performance dos alunos finalistas. A conclusão fundamental deste estudo é a de que a tomada de decisão a par com a gestão de informação e conhecimento e a geração de ideias são aspectos fundamentais a serem acedidos nos processos de projecto xiii Resumo quando se persegue a sua adequação estratégica e uma boa qualidade global destes. Um segundo contributo deste trabalho é a descriminação de um conjunto de parâmetros que servem a melhor compreensão dos processos de tomada de decisão no projecto. Estes parâmetros integram um modelo descritivo de tomada de decisão criado e que equaciona a tomada de decisão em três níveis distintos que são interdependentes da gestão de informação e conhecimento e da geração de ideias. O modelo criado apresenta num nível macro, respeitante à ‘mindset’ do projectista e que tem dois elementos a considerar: a) a estratégia de projecto que pode ser de três tipos: guiada pelo problema; guiada pela solução; guiada pela integração; e b) os processos cognitivos criativos que assumem dois modos de acção: o exploratório, que tem a ver com operações tais como a alteração contextual, a inferência funcional, o teste de hipóteses e, o generativo, que se relaciona com a transferência analógica, a associação, a recuperação de elementos/informação e a síntese. Num nível intermédio as decisões podem ser de três distintas naturezas: de Enquadramento (Framing), Chave (Key) e Facilitadoras (Enabler). Por fim temos o nível micro do modelo, que corresponde à operacionalização da ‘mindset’ e que compreende a estratégia da decisão e o modo de decisão. Quanto à estratégia de decisão esta pode ser: a) baseada em regras de compensação, b) baseada em regras de não compensação ou c) mista numa negociação das duas primeiras. O modo de decisão está intimamente ligado às dinâmicas de grupo e foca-se na forma como os grupos organizam o projecto e decidem.This research focuses on the design process and more specifically on the way decision making can influence the design process’ outcomes in its strategic adequacy and overall quality. The study is centred on the conceptual phase of the design process and, in general, aims to describe the behaviour along the process of design students and professional Portuguese designers both at the educational and business level. It should result in a descriptive model to support the understanding of design process management in terms of its critical variables. This descriptive model is based on the identification of the key parameters of design processes concerning its strategic adequacy and overall quality. In methodological terms it is a mixed methods research with a clear dominance of qualitative methods integrating an active research where experiments either in simulated situations or in real context play a key role. Quantitative methods were also used and they served the purpose of triangulating data in order to have a more consistent and rigorous description of the design process and its main structural elements. Data gathering occurred in the education and business areas, partly separately and partly combined. Furthermore, in the field of education a comparison of the performance of both Portuguese and Dutch university students was made. That helped to validate some findings of previous studies but also to understand the role different Design curricula can have in the performance of students. The main conclusion of the study is that decision making togehter with information and knowledge management, and idea generation are the fundamental aspects to be addressed in design processes when both strategic adequacy and good quality of the design outcomes are pursued. Another important finding is that decision making is better understood through the use of a few central parameters. These parameters were used in the creation of a descriptive decision making model that equates xi Abstract decision making at three different levels that are highly dependent on information/knowledge management and Idea generation. At a macro level, which regards the mindset of the designer, we make a distinction into two elements: a) the design strategy with its three types – problem driven, solution driven and integration driven; and b) the creative cognitive processes that present two modes of action: the exploratory one that has to do with operations such as contextual shifting, functional inference and hypothesis testing; and the generative one that is related with analogical transfer, association, retrieval and synthesis. At an intermediate level we have decisions that can have a Framing, Key or Enabler nature. And finally, we have the micro level of the model, the operationalization of the mindset, where the decision strategy and the decision mode are chosen. The decision strategy presents three types of behavior: the compensatory rule based; the non compensatory rule based and the negotiated compensatory /non compensatory one and it is clearly linked with the way decisions are taken in processing information. The mode of decision is linked with group dynamics and focuses on the way teams organize themselves while working and deciding

Design for social innovation: a study about the design process and the sustainability in design practices

The present doctoral research explores the processes of Design and the sustainability of Design projects for social innovation. This is a field of research and practice of Design oriented towards human progress, which however presents obstacles in the practices of Design as the choice of Design methods; and the formalization and the income statement. Our research questions are: HOW are the Design processes for social innovation developed? WHAT are the Design results and the benefits generated by such practices? HOW to create opportunities for the sustainability of Design practices for social innovation? Was gathered 13 cases of Design for social innovation, completing 18 interviews with leaders and designers of the respective projects. In the content of the interviews the Design processes of each initiative are analysed, focusing on the critical points. In response to the difficulty in achieving the sustainability of Design projects for social innovation, a phenomenon pointed out in the literature and the data coming from empiric research, is being developed a toolkit to support Design projects for social innovation, which presents the main obstacles of the projects and the respective actions to be taken by the Design teams in order to overcome these difficulties.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Design para a inovação social: uma leitura sobre o erro em projetos de design

The doctoral research in progress is based on social approaches of design, and explores the relationship between the demand for social innovation from different sectors of society and the efficient delivery of results by designers. The study is supported on the pillars of the constructivist paradigm and interpretative design chain, since design field is an activity that involves creativity, intuition and subjective aspects of creative thought. The opportunity for the study of social innovation from the design perspective justifies itself since: it’s considered the sixth wave of macro innovations; is a rupture with the technological paradigm; it’s encouraged by governmental organizations; the difficulty in measuring the results; the growing demand for design interventions; the gap between the demand and the design results. In order to contextualize the research some questions must be answered: WHAT is the set of theoretical principles underpinning the practice of design for social innovation? WHO are the researchers and experts in design? HOW the processes are conducted by designers and WHERE they centralize their efforts? To compose the case studies two surveys are designed as tools to identify successful initiatives in Latin America countries. The first sample unit consists of design researchers; and the second one are design team leaders. Preliminary observations indicate that it is hard for designers to adopt appropriate methods, techniques and tools; the methods for evaluating the design impact are inconsistent; the sustainability of the project is in risk; projects are planned but developed by trial and error. It is apparent the lack of experience and training of designers with social practices.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Textiles as a tool for social cohesion and active aging in social projects: Cases exploring the creative dimension of participants

D_TEX presents itself as a starting point at a crossroads of ideas and debates around the complex universe of Textile Design in all its forms, manifestations and dimensions. The textile universe, allied to mankind since its beginnings, is increasingly far from being an area of exhausted possibilities, each moment proposing important innovations that need a presentation, discussion and maturation space that is comprehensive and above all inter- and transdisciplinary. Presently, the disciplinary areas where the textile area is present are increasing and important, such as fashion, home textiles, technical clothing and accessories, but also construction and health, among others, and can provide new possibilities and different disciplinary areas and allowing the production of new knowledge. D_TEX proposes to join the thinking of design, with technologies, tradition, techniques, and related areas, in a single space where ideas are combined with the technique and with the projectual and research capacity, thus providing for the creation of concepts, opinions, associations of ideas, links and connections that allow the conception of ideas, products and services. The interdisciplinary nature of design is a reality that fully reaches the textile material in its essence and its practical application, through the synergy and contamination by the different interventions that make up the multidisciplinary teams of research. The generic theme of D_TEX Textile Design Conference 2017, held at Lisbon School of Architecture of the University of Lisbon, Portugal on November 2-4, 2017, is Design the Future, starting from the crossroads of ideas and debates, a new starting point for the exploration of textile materials, their identities and innovations in all their dimensions.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio