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The course is known for its holistic approach to design challenges. While focused on the design of physical artefacts, our approach embraces wider disciplines including experience and digital design so that students leave us with a skillset suited to current design careers. You will learn to create design concepts that are commercially viable, addressing user needs and behaviours. At the same time, we promote a responsible approach to design, meaning that you will always consider the social and environmental impacts of your design decisions.
From your first day, you will be immersed in hands-on learning experiences that will challenge and inspire you. You will be taught by lecturers who have extensive experience in industry and who continue to be involved in real-world design projects and research. You will be guided through the latest design techniques and best practices, while helping you develop your own unique and creative approach to design. With a focus on both theoretical and practical aspects of product and experience design, you’ll leave the course with a deep understanding of the design process and the confidence to bring your ideas to life.
We have extensive workshop facilities and offer a dynamic creative studio space to inspire and encourage students to experiment, test their ideas, build prototypes, and push their creativity to new heights.
The course has a strong track-record of working with industry and external collaborators. This gives students the opportunity to apply their creative skills to real-world challenges set by our industry partners. Over our 40-plus year history, we have built an unrivalled network of industry contacts who come back to give guest lectures and set projects.
Students have the opportunity to undertake placements - a feature of the course since its beginning. This means we are well set-up to help students find internships, with mentoring to help students prepare a portfolio ready to apply for placement and design jobs.
Over its history, the course has produced generational design talents (including Apple’s Senior Vice-President, Sir Jonathan Ive, founder of Trunkie, Rob Law MBE and Chief Executive of IDEO, Tim Brown) but we continue to produce graduates who will shape the future of design. Our students go on to work for some of the world’s leading design consultancies and brands; while others go on to create their own studios and design businesses.
Year 1 - Level 4
Industrial Design Foundation (Key/core skills development)
Design History, Theory & Context, Materials & Process
Communicating Design (Sketching & model making)
Our exciting curriculum is responsive to current industrial design practices through our collaboration with partners in both research and global industry.
Our adaptable studio spaces provide a learning environment conducive to both independent and collaborative work, helping you to take ownership of your individual learning experience.
Year 2 - Level 5
Industrial Design Practice (Skills & techniques, live projects & National competitions)
Contemporary Design Context (Theory & skills)
Industrial Placement or Personal Live Project (Opportunity to study abroad)
Year 3 - Level 5
Professional Design Practice (Design projects)
Professional Design Context (Theory, skills & critical writing)
Industrial Placement or Personal Live Project
Year 4 - Level 6
Critical & Contextual Design Report
Design Competition / Collaborative Project
Final Major Project Pt 1 & Pt 2 (Self directed)
Although the programme has a history of over 40 years, the following pages show a selection of past major projects and competitions projects from the last 10 years. These highlight the breadth of topics the BA (Hons) Product Design course at Northumbria University covers; product, experience and interaction to name just a few.
See more online:
AWARE: A tangible embodiment of daily digital transactions targets the rising trend in cashless spending by embracing its convenience and aims to increase awareness of spending through haptic feedback. This sensory interaction engages all of the user’s senses to communicate transactions. Aware provides an engaging experience by creating a connection between digital spending and tangible outcome.
Effective use of conceptual representational models combined with a working ‘bread board’ prototype and illustration storyboards to successfully communicate the design proposition.
Household food waste inflicts an immense burden on the planet’s resources, with 4.5 billion tonnes of edible food being discarded yearly. Uncertainty in judging freshness and confusion caused by best before dates, paired with cognitive effort and time barriers, results in unnecessary food being wasted.
Snoot is helping to combat household food waste through a playful, analytical tool to instil confidence in judging freshness, whilst also providing knowledge on how to use/ preserve food. Built-in aroma detection identifies the volatile organic compounds that food releases as it degrades. Snoot interprets this data to suggest practical ideas, based on the food’s exact current freshness. Methods to use up food are shown through printed receipts, encouraging knowledge and excitement around food’s potential.
Conceptual representational models photographed in context to successfully communicate the design proposition. Mixed with a ‘breadboard’ working prototype to prove and validate the science behind the concept.
In Search of Atmosphere, a consideration of atmosphere through an everyday object.
Everyday objects have such a profound influence towards the ‘atmosphere’ of our daily environments, but often received little attention past their aesthetical form or applied function. This project takes the opportunity to prompt a conscious understanding of atmosphere and its inherent values through a considered interaction with light.
Developed to a working prototype level to fully articulate the interaction and experience the concept. By moving the receiver closer to the lamp the illumination increases.
Throughout the course students have the opportunity to enter worldwide design competitions as part of their design projects, using their design skills and knowledge to tackle complex design questions and scenarios. Design for Industry students have a long history of success over the decades winning many awards:
FrailTea is a system for collecting and analysing grip data via daily kettle usage, which provides caregivers with an accurate daily picture of their elderly patients’ frailty statistics.
Its Great to Hydrate, a three-step behaviour change campaign, which aims to inform the public about how to hydrate vegetables and prolong their usability, encouraging waste reduction in the process.
speculative system adopting circular thinking and 3D printing technology to reduce plastic waste in tablet medication.
Going round in circles
Graduated 2015
Your role now:
Co founder & Creative Director of Beta Design Office founded in July 2020. As a multidisciplinary studio founded in 2020 and based in South London, beta. helps clients push boundaries of new product innovation. In all projects, beta. uses critical design thinking, implementing a threephase user focused strategy to create experiences which are emotionally engaging. As a company, beta. incorporates a playful approach to form and usability with an inherent focus on function. beta. has partners, not clients – working through a highly collaborative process and offering a service that enables the company to become an extension of their team.
How did the programme help you get where you are:
The course helped me forge a path for my design career. I have spent a lot of time working with other design students and one thing that the course does so well is not just understand the What and the Who, but challenge the Why. Northumbria helped me understand and see the real value in design thinking, making sure designs were thought through from the start, to make a real difference to users and the world around. Typical skills like CAD, rendering etc can always be taught. However coming up with the big idea is where the real value lies and this is what I learned most from.
The freedom and constant challenges that being a designer bring, creating innovative mechanisms and designs that haven’t existed before is really rewarding. One of the most fulfilling moments is when you see reviews of your products and seeing your designs improve peoples day to day lives. What do you enjoy about being a designer?
Graduated 2016
Your role now:
Ash works as the Creative Strategy Director at YourStudio (YS), a Retail Design and Experience agency. With four global studios located in London, Melbourne, Amsterdam, and New York, YS is positioned at the forefront of innovative retail experiences. Ash recently transitioned from the London office to become a part of the YS team in Melbourne. Over the past decade, Ash has collaborated with a myriad of renowned global brands spanning various sectors. Her portfolio includes work with LEGO, L’Oréal, Coca-Cola, BMW, Panasonic, Guinness, Johnnie Walker, IKEA, Google, Adidas, and Nike. After completing the course, Ash chose to specialise in creative strategy. Her expertise bridges the gap between research, trend analysis, and insight, seamlessly integrating them into creative direction and design development. Apart from her primary role, Ash also explores the intersection of technology and craft in her personal work. Her most recent project, Recall-ci, delves into the innovative potential of AI and human intelligence in creating unique jewellery pieces.
How did the programme help you get where you are:
The course was fundamental in my career and development. The course was instrumental in providing me with a broad range of transferable skills, such as problem-solving abilities, design and CMF sensitivity, and attention to detail. Furthermore, my two placements, working with David Fisher at Fish & Co and at LEGO in Denmark, were invaluable in helping me define and specialise my areas of interest and skills.Through the course and these opportunities, I learned how my design skills could be tailored to meet specific industry needs, thereby shaping my specialisation and equipping me with a unique blend of expertise that I use in my work today.
What do you enjoy about being a designer?
One of the most rewarding aspects of my role over the past decade has been the extensive travel opportunities it provides. From research initiatives in Tokyo to various projects in Korea, South Africa, India, and China, to name a few, I’ve been privileged to work and learn in diverse environments. Currently, I’m thoroughly enjoying my time in Australia, immersing myself in the intricate cultural dynamics and consumer behaviors of this region, as well as appreciating the unique creative approaches and craftsmanship found throughout Australia and the broader Asia-Pacific region. Another fulfilling element of my profession lies in witnessing the tangible realisation of projects. From their inception, grounded in research and insights, through their development and final delivery, it’s always a thrilling experience. Most recently, it has been great to see the successful launch and global rollout of the Nike Style Concept, initially introduced in Korea, and the opening of the new EE flagship store in London.
Selection of the diverse companies BA(Hons) Product Design students go on to work for. Not all typical product design consultancies; for example, strategic design, digital interaction, brand strategy and experience design.
In House Design josephjoseph.com
Future Brand Experience forpeople.com
In House Team mars.com
In House Design stanleyblackanddecker.com
Design Consultancy cambridge-design.com
In House Design poly.com
In House Strategy openpolicy.blog.gov.uk
Strategic Design & Innovation seymourpowell.com
In House Design Teams lixil.com
In House Design adidas.co.uk
Design Consultancy special-agent.co.uk
In House Digital Design sage.com
Design Consultancy matter.co.uk
Design Consultancy kinneirdufort.com
Design Constutancy thealloy.com
In House Design kitchenaid.co.uk
In House Design whirlpoolcorp.com
Design Consultancy insightpd.com
Design Constutancy ziba.com
In House Design kenwoodworld.com
In House Design dell.com
Design Consultancy frog.co
In House Design lg.com
In House Design philips.co.uk
In House Design Team pg.co.uk
In House Design Team lego.com
Product Design Consultancy dca-design.com
Design Consultancy tangerine.net
In House Design Team accenture.com
Student Collaboration nasa.gov
In House Design tommeetippee.com
Design Consultancy native.com
In House Design Team sharkninja.com
In House Design Team nike.com
In House Design Team about.mattel.com
Strategic Design Agency layerdesign.com
In House Design samsung.com
Strategic Design Consultancy thrivethinking.com
Product Strategy Consultancy plan.london
In House Design mclaren.com
Design Consultancy black-blum.com
Global Digital Product Agency hedgehoglab.com
In House Design Team trunki.co.uk
Companies created by BA(Hons) Product Desgin (formely DFI) students, those who decided to influence design their own way . . .
In House Design electrolux.co.uk
In House Design o2.co.uk
Design Consultancy propulsiondesign.com
In House Design nikon.co.uk
Product Development rddplus.com
Concepts and Initial Ideas
year
3rd year
Your portfolio; we want to see how versatile and creative you are as an individual. Include a wide range of projects and skills, don’t just include your final design project, include creative work outside your studies; painting, photography, life drawing, ceramics etc. we are interested in your creativity, in whatever form it takes. Layout style; using a grid immediately creates a sense of order to your work.
Prospective students can register an interest or book an open day at: https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/study-at-northumbria/
Teachers / Industry / Placement Opportunities contact:
Programme Leader 2023-24: Ian Hewitt ian.hewitt@northumbria.ac.uk
Programme Leader 2024-25: Dr Sheng-feng Qin sheng-feng.qin@northumbria.ac.uk
Placement / Live Projects: Rose Wong rose.wong@northumbria.ac.uk
Student work blog showcases some of the exceptional work carried out by our students. Exemplar projects demonstrate our cohorts’ contributions to industrial collaborations, design competitions and design research.
Site showcasing all the Final Major porjects from each cohort. The projects are the results of four years education which show imagination and creativity, many drawing upon real-world issues.
www.nuproductdesign.squarespace.com
www.designforindustry.online
At Northumbria University, we embrace tomorrow.
We pursue new thinking, forge new partnerships, create and exchange new knowledge, and find new solutions.
Our inspirational academics, partners and students work together to tackle tomorrow’s challenges head on. We’re ready for the future whatever it may hold.
Confident and creative in everything we do, we offer leadership and direction in this fast-changing world.
Those with courage will transform lives and make a remarkable impact on the world.
Tomorrow. How will you handle it?
Discover more northumbria.ac.uk/design