Storytelling Stimulates Science
Year: 2010
Section: NEW PARADIGMS AND APPROACHES
Editor: Boks W; Ion, W; McMahon, C and Parkinson B
Author: Smith, Neil; Bailey, Mark; Singleton,Steven; Sams, Phil
Section: NEW PARADIGMS AND APPROACHES
Pages: 137-142
Abstract
Multi-disciplinary working is claimed as an essential ingredient for innovation. However, the barriers
to multi-disciplinary cooperation that lead to meaningful contributions for an organisation are
significant.
The authors describe how a series of collaborations between an industrial R&D science community
("the scientists") and Northumbria University’s School of Design has helped to develop a new
approach to research and teaching based on the communication device of storytelling. We find that
this approach can create a common platform in to which different disciplines can embed their
specialist knowledge to the benefit of multi-disciplinary working. This paper builds on previous work
of Smith and Sams 2007; ‘Friendly’ [1].
This paper also describes observations on how the level of engagement of the scientists with the
design-led projects has developed, charting a shift from sceptical suspicion to engaged enthusiasm.
This paper focuses upon recent projects that have involved both undergraduate Design for Industry
(DFI) and postgraduate Multidisciplinary Design Innovation (MDI) groups, disclosing the academic
structures and investigative methods that allowed design, business and engineering students to
collaborate with the scientists and help inform their strategy team, e.g. how new patented science
could be better communicated.
Keywords: Narrative, multidisciplinary, storytelling, science and design
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E&PDE 2010: ENGINEERING AND PRODUCT DESIGN EDUCATION 2010
The 12th International Conference on Engineering and Product Design Education will take place 2-3 September 2010, and will be organised by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim, Norway in partnership with the Design Education Special Interest Group (DESIG) of the Design Society and the Institution of Engineering Designers (IED). The conference in 2010 will address the relationship between design education and design research. This year's conference theme, "When...
