From Theory to Practice: An Adaptive Development of Design Education

Abstract

This study aims to discuss the adaptive challenge, and bridge the gap between theory and practice in design education. From now on, navigating design communities through the new era is a significant issue facing global competition and pluralistic society. First, this study reviews the essential evolution of design theories in the past few decades on man-machine system design, user-centered design, and user experience design. Second, based on three case studies of the REACH toothbrushes, an IEF wearable computer, and a LINNAK twin-cup, the research findings are offered to witness the advancement and transformation from hi-tech to hi-touch. Furthermore, this study summarizes three paradigms to interpret the adaptive evolution in design education. Finally, the authors propose three directions for the advancement of the creative industry and design education. The contributions of this study are to (1) clarify the interrelations between the theory and practice of design via the three foci of the human factors, human actors, and cultural aspects; (2) demonstrate the transformation of the archetypal model of user–tool–task employing illustrative paradigms; (3) identify the evolution of design education with contextual stages in the past decades; and (4) propose orientated perspectives for the personnel and institutes of the design industry and design education.

From stereotype to reality: A pilot study on the use of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and STEAM in design education in Taiwan

“…Additionally, the revision and improvement of the design education model also need to find answers from the industry. If there is a disconnect between teaching and practical application of the knowledge and skills required, it will be difficult for design schools to train students to achieve the competencies required as designers (Cross, 2011;Chiang et al, 2021).…”

The Influence of Humanities on Art and Design Learning Performance: An Empirical Study

“…This humanities category is included in liberal arts education but distinguished from liberal arts that exclude natural science such as geometry and astronomy. Researchers in multiple arts and design disciplinaries suggest including these humanistic capabilities in the art and design study program (e.g., ICSID 2003;Yang et al 2005;Cartier 2011;Chiang 2018), as which are critical to art and design practitioners and researchers (McCoy 1990;Buchanan 2001;Swanson 2004;Lasky 2005;Baseman 2015;Davis 2015;Giampietro 2015;Walker 2017) and are promoted by traditional humanities (Dumitru 2019;Ghias et al 2020). Although perspectives and theoretical studies have argued that humanistic capabilities increase art and design learning performance, little evidence supports this argument to our best knowledge.…”

Sustainable Development in Local Culture Industries: A Case Study of Taiwan Aboriginal Communities

“…Consequently, emotional design has become a key factor in product innovation. Thus, the emphasis of design has shifted "from Function to Feeling", "from Use to User", and finally "from High-tech to High-touch" [12][13][14]. In discussing the respective demands of consumers and product designers, Lin et al [15] argue that in the evolution of the cultural and creative industries based on the 4C model (Creative, Cheerful, Collective, and Cultural), the emphasis of consumers has gradually shifted from physiological needs to aesthetic experience, while the emphasis of product designers has gradually shifted from function to experience, and is now in the process of shifting to culture, a process in which the 4C model is taking on a twin stage consisting of humanities and technology, beginning with creativity, and proceeding to enjoyment, choice, and culture, as shown in Figure 1 [11,15].…”