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Kiernan, Louise Brigid; Yoshida, Ayuko; Thundathil, Manu

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This paper explores how diversity in disciplinary backgrounds enriches learning and innovation in engineering and product design education, through a series of research projects conducted in healthcare settings. Four service system design projects were undertaken by multidisciplinary teams from engineering, business, design, and healthcare. These projects addressed diverse challenges: (1) improving paediatric referral pathways across community, primary care, disability, and mental health services, (2) enhancing access and dignity in civil registration services for users and staff, (3) reimagining user and staff experiences within a congested hospital reception area, and (4) improving the transfer of drugs from pharmacy to wards to reduce errors and increase efficiency. An iterative research process engaged stakeholders across sectors, using journey mapping as a key method for integrating insights, validating findings, and fostering collaboration. Journey maps proved to be powerful educational tools—making complex service systems visible, encouraging dialogue between disciplines, and helping students and professionals alike to co-create and refine solutions. From an educational perspective, the findings highlight the value of embedding multidisciplinary, real-world projects into engineering and product design curricula. Working within healthcare systems challenged participants to navigate ambiguity, negotiate between technical and human factors, and practice empathy-driven problem solving. These experiences developed critical competencies such as systems thinking, communication, and reflective collaboration. Ultimately, the research demonstrates that embracing diversity in educational and professional teams enhances creativity, inclusivity, and the ability to design meaningful solutions for complex societal contexts.

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