This workshop is related to the topics "relationship between industry and education" and "apprenticeships and internships".
The Bridging Design Prototype (BDP) approach aims to strengthen the link between design, technology, and business in small organizations that are implementing new products for the public service system.
Design is the weak link in the Fuzzy Front End (FFE) process of new product development in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) or small organisations. SMEs, public institutions undergoing change, solo practitioners or researchers, and research units in large organisations, often cannot afford to bring a design perspective early into the research and development (R&D) process of innovative service products that eventually will be used by thousands or millions of people. If they did, it is argued, the adoption of the envisioned artifact, process or service could be faster.
A BDP is a functional prototype that includes features familiar to users, together with novel features a designer chooses to incorporate after careful analysis of relevant data. It capitalises on a user community’s prior knowledge (embodied in theories of use, techniques, and instruments) and recognises their context realities. These characteristics bring users into the development process early: users incorporate the prototype into their work, living, or study activities, while a researcher or R&D team employ it for observation.
Early adoption of a concept idea in the form of a BDP may lead to socially inclusive products, active community participation, and early capital for the small organization. A user community will only be prepared to incorporate a new product in their context when they qualify it as useful, usable and desirable.
The BDP approach is meant to become a way for stakeholders and companies to perceive Design is an experience good (Commission of the European Communities, 2009), Design as an strategic resource (Acklin, 2011), and the benefit of Design as a knowledge broker and brokers of language bringing an outsider's view (Ravasi & Stigliani, 2013)
Through practical exercises, the participants will be walked through the six principles underpinning the BDP approach. Its theoretical underpinnings are derived from user-centred design (Norman, 2002), human-centered product development process (Norman, 1998), inclusive design (Keates & Clarkson, 2003), participatory design (Suchman, 1993) and the theory of meaningful learning (Ausubel, 1968).
The example cases are drawn from the project outcomes of my master’s students who are in their final year of study. These students have undertaken their projects through internships in collaboration with a start-up or a small and medium-sized company. A few students are themselves entrepreneurs, and can use the course to develop their own entrepreneurial ideas. The outcomes shared have been achieved in 10 weeks with an average time investment of 80 hours, while taking other classes, doing internships, and/or parenting.