CONFERENCES
E&PDE 2026 - 28th International Conference on Engineering & Product Design Education
The Conference will bring together representatives from education and industry interested in sharing new perspectives on design education.
Knowledge Base Repository
In addition to research papers, the Design Society is developing several valuable resources for those interested in the study of design. These include a repository of PhD theses, a library of case studies and transcripts of design activities, and an archive of our newsletters. Please note that these resources are accessible exclusively to Design Society members.
FROM DIVERGENCE TO CONVERGENCE: A STUDY ON THE CO-CREATIVE PROCESS OF MULTICULTURAL TEAMS ADDRESSING SOCIAL DESIGN ISSUES
ZHANG, Yanfang
Type:
Year:
2026
Editor:
Buck, Lyndon; Brisco. Ross; Bohemia, Erik
Author:
Series:
E&PDE
Institution:
Kyushu University, Japan
Page(s):
25 - 30
DOI number:
ISBN:
978-1-912254-24-8
ISSN:
3005-4753
Abstract:
This study explores how multicultural student teams transform culturally grounded divergence into integrative design outcomes when addressing social loneliness. Drawing on a six-month Global Project-Based Learning (PBL) program involving Japanese and Estonian students, the research integrates cultural framing theory, relational reconciliation, boundary object mediation, and intergenerational capital. Using a qualitative case study supported by survey data, it identifies a non-linear three-phase process: culturally distinct problem framing, artifact-mediated negotiation with emergent cultural brokers, and convergence through hybrid integration rather than compromise. Findings reveal that generational differences created greater difficulty during solution development than cultural differences, while intensive face-to-face interaction strengthened trust and communication. The proposed Multilayered Reconciliation Model conceptualizes cultural diversity as an epistemic resource activated through relational infrastructure, demonstrating how divergence can generate innovation in societal design collaboration.
Keywords:
