Understanding Values

“Don’t expect to be in control” - Maurits Willemen

Leadership & Project Organisation

by Maurits Willemen

Realising design project goals takes more than being a good designer. In the real world, knowing how to work with teams, collaborate with stakeholders, and organise and manage a project is essential. Throw yourself into an immersive experience to develop strong leadership and organisational skills and find out what kind of leader you will be.

Successfully running a design project has a lot to do with organisation and leadership. This elective course centres on teaching and developing the skills needed to organise design projects, enabling the realisation of project goals.

Learn about the various roles in design teams and how to lead those teams. Explore how to manage collaborations with multiple stakeholders and how to handle different communication styles. Develop skills to manage the time, budget and deliverables of a design project, as well as how to handle scope changes.

Start by jumping into new surroundings, case studies that present different real-world scenarios that designers are faced with. Recognise and accept that you might not yet have the necessary skills to find your way out. Then learn the theory and skills needed to navigate these surroundings, empowering you to achieve your goals as a designer.

Through the immersive process of learning how to run a project, discover who you are and where you want to go as a future design leader.

“We teach our students everything and anything about design, but that doesn’t necessarily fulfil all of the requirements that you need to have as a designer, to make sure that your design goals are actually realised. If our students feel empowered to successfully run a project that would make me very happy.”

Mastering Research Methods

by Ellis van den Hende

Scientific reasoning is crucial in today’s society. So, for designers, developing scientific literacy is a vital tool. This course aims to unlock a curiosity towards understanding the value of arguments and information. To trigger enthusiasm for scientific research. Teaching you to use new wings while falling down a rabbit hole of information.

Building on the foundations of basic research for design, this elective course dives deeper into the realm of scientific research.

Gain broader knowledge about different research methods. Develop a critical stance towards academic publications you encounter. Learn to see the value of these papers, both in terms of shortcomings and contributions. Explore how to dissect a scientific paper and have the opportunity to discuss it with the researcher that wrote it.

Get hands on experience with scientific research by participating in an ongoing study with one of the experienced researchers at our faculty. Bring something new to the project, such as adding a variable, and write your own paper about it.

Embrace the value of information and scientific studies, preparing to build better arguments. Develop resiliency when it comes defending your position when challenged. Apply this knowledge and experience to your bachelor’s final project, graduate studies and beyond.

“As an IDE graduate, I am grateful to have discovered the value of scientific research for design. I hope that after this course students think that with good research, they can build a strong argument. That by knowing more they can get more done.”