The DigiTile Project

Reverse innovative design — an integrated product design methodology

Most contemporary architectural and urban debates have overlooked, if not diminished, the critical character of aesthetics as branch of philosophy and mediator of our social interactions. Urban transformations entail social, economic, environmental, political, technological, psychological, and aesthetics changes. Thus, the ubiquity of aesthetics demands more sophisticated critical methods to counter the pragmatism and technocratic approaches within contemporary design practices. But the urgency to tackle the challenges of urbanization has condemned the critical framework that aesthetics provides to oblivion within design. In contrast, this text situates aesthetics at the center of contemporary urban debates and defends its analytical power to tackle the challenges of urbanization, such as climate change, social inequity, and migration crises.

Innovative products are the holy grail for consumer product manufacturers. The essence of what makes a product innovative and in-demand by consumers is a nebulous subject. The research presented in this paper charts the initial steps toward computer-directed innovation in product design. A method for identifying the innovative subsystems in a product and archiving that information is formulated. The innovation information, if archived in a design repository, can support automatic concept generation that is biased toward innovative concepts. Products featured in published lists of innovative products were reverse engineered to expose the component and functional relationships and to analyze where the innovation of the product was most prevalent. A function subtraction method based on difference rewards is used to isolate innovation functions and components in order to populate a Repository of Innovative Products (RIP). The goal behind this research is to develop a method to analyze innovative products such that they may aid in the innovation of future ideas outputted by the Design Repository. This methodology will be used in undergraduate design classes to teach how to factor in creativity and innovation in the early stages of engineering concept design.

Abstract. For many regions of the Far East, the commercialization of scientific developments in agriculture is primarily associated with creating interest in innovative products of medium and small producers, such as Peasant Farms (PF) and Personal Subsidiary Farms (PSF), which constitute the main share of agricultural producers in the Far East. Methods of systematic and abstract analysis, synthesis, which served as a basis for application and identification of cause-and-effect relations in solving the problems of promotion of innovation development in agriculture in the region. The system of innovation promotion for medium and small producers on the example of the Buryat State Agricultural Academy is considered. The scientific novelty lies in the development of a model of involving small and medium agricultural producers in innovation activity by promoting innovation development of universities. In the article, there is a description of the project of the Buryat State Agricultural Academy on promotion and popularization of agro-innovations, which has been adopted for implementation. As a result of this project, structure responsible for commercialization of innovative products, design and prototyping of innovative agricultural products have been created in addition to the traditional research departments of the university. The proposed model is aimed at generating interest in innovations among the main producers of agricultural products in the region – private farms and household farms, which currently shun innovations due to the prevailing opinion about the high cost of production and promotion of innovative products. The article describes the mechanism for the formation of interaction channels for testing innovative agricultural products, informing manufacturers about the results of testing, reducing risks for business and the process of promoting innovative developments of the university through the involvement of small and medium-sized agricultural producers.

Innovation in Product Design gives an overview of the research fields and achievements in the development of methods and tools for product design and innovation. It presents contributions from experts in many different fields covering a variety of research topics related to product development and innovation. Product lifecycle management, knowledge management, product customization, topological optimization, product virtualization, systematic innovation, virtual humans, design and engineering, and rapid prototyping are the key research areas described in the book. It also details successful case studies developed with industrial companies. Innovation in Product Design is written for academic researchers, graduate students and professionals in product development disciplines who are interested in understanding how novel methodologies and technologies can make the product development process more efficient.

Product innovation design is challenging due to the complexity of the industrial environment, the changing needs of markets and customers, the effect of intense social competition, and the unpredictability of the future. This paper presents in a systematic analysis of reliability method on industrial product innovation design in order to illustrate what the real meaning of reliability method and how it works on the product innovation design. It also clarifies the relationship between reliability method and product innovation design, reflecting the function of reliability method on each work stage. It is concluded that a suitable thinking mode should be applied on the corresponding design, and it will enhance the effectiveness of innovative product design in general.

The effects of adopting the innovative dynamic product design method on the performance of students of different learning styles

To improve customer satisfaction in innovative product design, a topology structure of customer requirements is established and an innovative product approach is proposed. The topology structure provides designers with reasonable guidance to capture the customer requirements comprehensively. With the aid of analytic hierarchy process (AHP), the importance of the customer requirements is evaluated. Quality function deployment (QFD) is used to translate customer requirements into product and process design demands and pick out the technical requirements which need urgent improvement. In this way, the product is developed in a more targeted way to satisfy the customers. the theory of innovative problems solving (TRIZ) is used to help designers to produce innovative solutions. Finally, a case study of automobile steering system is used to illustrate the application of the proposed approach.

Today, commercial architecture is not only as a simple shopping environment, also as the spirit place with deep cultural connotation, affecting people's living and aesthetic orientation. The paper interprets Japanese contemporary commercial flagship store features and building surface character, analyses the concept of building behind the surface phenomena, summaries the useful experiences of Japanese contemporary commercial architecture design concepts and practice, then as the reference for our country architectural design.

Usaha Kecil Menengah (UKM) mempunyai peran penting dan strategis bagi pertumbuhan ekonomi negara, baik negara berkembang maupun negara maju. Pada saat krisis ekonomi berlangsung di Indonesia, Usaha Kecil Menengah merupakan sektor ekonomi yang memiliki ketahanan paling baik. Kemampuan UKM perlu diberdayakan dan dikembangkan secara terus menerus dengan berusaha mereduksi kendala yang dialami UKM, sehingga mampu memberikan kontribusi lebih maksimal terhadap peningkatan kesejahteraan masyarakat. Industri Tanggulangin adalah salah satu UKM yang berdiri sejak 1939 ketika beberapa perajin memulai pembuatan barang-barang tas dan koper. Dan pada tahun 1976 didirikanlah Koperasi Industri Tas dan Koper (Intako), yang awalnya hanya beranggotakan 27 orang. Modal usaha diperoleh dari simpanan pokok anggota. Dalam perjalanannya, koperasi itu terus berkembang dan jumlah anggotanya sudah mencapai 354 perajin UKM dengan aset sekitar Rp 10 miliar. Produk tanggulangin ini telah memiliki brand dan mutu yang cukup bagus yang sudah diakui oleh konsumen. Tetapi setelah terjadi luapan lumpur lapindo hampir 70 persen perajin di Tanggulangin sudah gulung tikar. Beberapa di antara mereka yang masih bertahan hanya untuk menggarap pesanan. Selain itu serbuan barang-barang produk Cina yang harganya sangat kompetitif, namun kualitasnya buruk yang juga ikut andil dalam keterpurukan tersebut. Praktis, sentra industri tas dan koper Tanggulangin sepi pengujung.Penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa penyebab menurunya penjualan adalah membanjirnya produk cina, kenaikan harga bahan baku, dan kurangnya inovasi desain produk. Oleh karena itu perlu adanya pembinaan dari pemerintah dalam mengembangkan inovasi desain produk dan inovasi dalam pemasaran. Sehingga eksistensi sentra industri tas dan koper Tanggulangin dapat berkembang dan membuka lapangan pekerjaan bagi warga sekitar serta meningkatkan pendapatan asli daerah Kabupaten Sidoarjo.

Product innovation design based on user experience is a new direction for the development of design theory. It’s also the expansion of user experience in the field of product design. By the theoretical analysis of user experience and product innovation design, the procedure of product innovation design is proposed considering the features of hand tools. It includes four stages: user research, task analysis, prototype design and testing & evaluation. In the innovation design procedure of hand tools, the core is product task analysis and user task modeling.

Title: Evaluation of the Implementation of Walewangko Architecture in the Façade Design of Government Buildings in the City of Manado The Architecture of Walewangko is a cultural heritage of the Minahasan people, symbolizing values such as openness, equality, and consensus. As the capital of North Sulawesi and the core region of the Minahasan ethnic group, Manado City is expected to reflect this local identity through its public architecture. However, modernization and the demand for functional efficiency have led to a shift toward contemporary design, often neglecting traditional elements. This study aims to evaluate the implementation of Walewangko architectural elements in the facades of government buildings in Manado and to understand policymakers’ perceptions of this trend. Using a mixed-methods approach combining quantitative and qualitative strategies, the research examines 10 government buildings across administrative levels through facade measurements, content analysis, and semi-structured interviews. The findings reveal that buildings constructed after 2014 have largely abandoned Walewangko elements, highlighting a diminishing presence of local identity in public architecture. These results align with broader national trends and underscore the urgency of reintegrating local values through the lens of architectural regionalism in contemporary design practices.

Background: Biophilia is becoming an important theme in contemporary design practice. Research in this area has demonstrated measurable improvements in human health and wellbeing when built environments are able to connect people to nature. However, there is much debate about how design students can best learn to fluidly implement biophilic principles in their work. Purpose: This article describes an action research study conducted by design educators to evaluate experiential learning techniques in health care–focused interior design studio courses. The goal was to improve students’ creative synthesis in applying biophilic principles. Methodology/Approach: The author followed the four steps of action research—planning, action, observation, and reflection—in developing and evaluating a new experiential learning framework. An observational approach was used to assess student projects and the effectiveness of these teaching methods. Findings/Conclusions: Students who participated in the experiential learning activities demonstrated a relatively higher degree of holistic integration of biophilic principles in their design projects. Implications: While the observational findings are provisional evidence, these results provide insights into the advantages that experiential pedagogies may have in helping students to integrate and apply design knowledge. The ability to connect biophilic design principles to direct personal experiences appears to enhance creative synthesis in student work.

Social sustainability is key for a successful green transition and circular design, focusing on justice and quality of life for all at both local and global scales. Despite its importance, social concerns are often underexamined in contemporary design practice and possibly even overshadowed by material concerns. This paper unfolds a theoretically informed discussion and analysis of a Danish case study to explore the complex context and practices of social sustainability in a circular design project, ‘the Swan’ kindergarten, and its’ design-related phases. We collected empirical data from online videos, interviews with key design related stakeholders, and social media showcasing local community involvement. Our theoretical framework highlights a ‘caring perspective’ that relies on situated knowledge and emphasizes understanding complex social phenomena within their broader contexts. Our approach foregrounds the entanglement of material and social concerns through three interrelated lenses of care: 1) material practice (what is done), 2) affective involvement (who it involves), and 3) ethical intentions (why it matters). Our findings reveal that, despite ethical intentions, material practices are often driven by environmental agendas and tectonic aesthetics, overshadowing social concerns like global justice and local affective involvement. With these preliminary insights, we aim to raise awareness of the importance of maintaining a focus on social sustainability and advancing the debate on ‘the social’ in circular design.

HRMARS - This paper explores the incorporation of Chinese traditional colours into the modern design practice, such as how the traditional colour, which is inherent in the culture, such as vermilion, imperial yellow, jade green and indigo blue are interpreted, used and redefined in the new visual culture. Using the mixed-methods research design, the study collected the qualitative data using semi-structured interviews with 18 experts who included historians, cultural theorists, and professional designers, and the quantitative data collected using a structured survey that was offered to 477 consumers of various demographics. There was the use of purposive, snowball and stratified random sampling to promote both depth and representativeness. The results have shown that traditional Chinese colours have deep kinds of symbolic meaning both to the professional and the general population. Designers stressed on them as tool of cultural distinction and emotionality, especially in branding, fashion and interior design. The consumer survey data showed a great deal of positive correlations with authenticity and aesthetic richness, but a significant generational difference appeared: younger participants were more willing to creative reinterpretation, whereas older generations favored symbolic conservatism. The research states four strategic principles of the practitioners, including historic awareness, contextual adaptation, material and technological integration, and co-creative participation, which can allow designers to maintain cultural authenticity and achieve innovativeness. The results of the findings can be added to the body of research about heritage and design, confirming the idea that traditional Chinese colours can be discussed as living cultural means with the potential to add to the international design practice in the twenty-first century.