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Westermeyer, Juan Carlos Briede; Bastidas, Javiera Ortega; Figueroa, Isabel Leal; Balic, Gabriel Cereceda

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Abstract:

Observing is an ability which some of us have developed more than others. However, for designers, observation is a cognitive tool which appears as a key stage in the creation process, focusing on the study and understanding of the environment/context through a phenomenological approach, covered from the personal vision of the observer. After 5 years of analysing results of evaluations associated to the application of observation in teaching design workshops for the concept creation process in students of Universidad del Bio-Bio's Industrial Design School, it was possible to detect differences in methodological approaches when teaching this process. This research, whose intention is to implement improvements in these methodologies, has a goal of diagnosing and gathering the perception of the role of observation within the education of industrial designers, making a qualitative investigation using a case study approach, interviewing 145 designers chosen by sampling done by convenience and accessibility, on-line surveys and two focus groups. As a main result, 117 meaningful units associated to the observation process are gathered, grouped into 16 conceptual codes and 4 categories of study. As a main conclusion, a categorisation of the observation stages and identification of the key stages to consider while teaching product design are highlighted.

Keywords:

Product Design, Problem solving, Observation, Phenomenology, Method