Teaching Innovative Thinking and Consumer-Oriented Design to Engineering Students: Perspectives Based on Observations and Experience

Abstract

This paper presents some observations made during the teaching of the design process to undergraduate engineering students. It discusses the challenges of teaching engineering students to be more consumer-oriented in their design projects. It emphasises the importance of understanding a design problem fully and of appreciating the motivation behind the development of a product. In addition good design requires a thorough knowledge of both the context and user needs.