An industrial designer’s approach to a virtual learning environment

Widened access and lifelong learning trends in modern education require that web-based Learning Environments be designed as student-centred education and support mechanisms. Many Virtual Learning Environments are encumbered by a steep learning curve detrimental to their full employment. Students with lower levels of computer literacy struggle particularly. This paper reports: 1) the way in which the traditional Industrial design techniques are used to create virtual Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) which can be used "instinctively" by students with lower levels of computer literacy; 2) a case study of the design of a multi-media learning environment examines the ways in which mutually reinforcing learning methods can be utilised to place students at the centre of universities learning policies, allow efficient information storage and retrieval; and on 3) the potential for future development of such systems

The virtual environment in design projects

Traditionally design projects for students have been based around conventional sketching methods, soft models and marker renderings. As we enter the 'Information Age', it is important that designers are taught to address the challenges that technology brings and also to utilise its benefits in the product development process. In this paper we report on: A) Systems-based Design projects tackling Information Ergonomics and Graphical User Interfaces - We present case accounts which indicate the potential of interactive screens. We report that these provide a realistic Graphic User Interface for a product so that proper Information Ergonomic analysis can take place. The main attraction of the Systems Design approach is that it allows students to gain an insight into the ways in which products interact with one another and with the user. B) The use of virtual and actual 3D CAD models as a way of presenting a traditional Industrial/Product design project. - We consider the advantages that the latest CAD modelling techniques can enjoy over traditional model-making and how the two can be used in sympathy. (Supported by case account

An effective prototyping method for delivering interaction design in industrial design education

Increasingly industrial designers are required to engage in the design of computer-embedded products. Due to the interactive nature of these products, efficient prototyping is becoming more critical in the design process. This paper presents a designer-oriented prototype development method that facilitates the construction of fully functional physical prototypes. Unlike the multi-media authoring tools commonly used to date, this method employs a cheap and widely available software application: Microsoft PowerPoint with embedded Visual Basic. The method has been designed for use by programming non-literate designers and allows interactive physical prototypes to be created and tested without extensive specialist knowledge. This was achieved in part by simple modifications to a standard computer keyboard. Our case study on the use of this method in the teaching of information ergonomics demonstrated that students could effectively produce software-hardware hybrid prototypes with minimum effort in a short time scale. This method offers an excellent means of collaboration between designers and professionals from different domains. The prototyping method enables rapid and iterative design cycles in design education, research and practice