This course will emphasize the cognitive and technical skills necessary to manipulate material for the accurate three-dimensional communication of design intent. Projects focus on understanding the relationship of materials, manufacturing processes, products and the user. Special emphasis is placed on using non-toxic materials.

Students will develop the skills needed to effectively develop and communicate design concepts graphically, digitally and three-dimensionally, consistent with professional industrial design practice standards. Emphasis will be placed on the development, integration and application of computer aided design skills throughout the assignments, utilizing the relationship of analog and digital mediums as a means of enriching the design process.

This course will introduce advanced techniques for modeling, presenting, and communicating the “design intent” of a product concept. The specific topics for this course will vary each time it is taught. Potential topics will include new or upgraded software releases in relation to Industrial Design. Different topics within this course may be retaken for credit. The topic is determined by the instructor. The topic cannot be repeated.

Design Laboratory I is part one of a studio sequence that provides a forum for discourse and experimentation in design. Critical analysis, contextual relevance and research methodologies are developed and used as a means to define the role of design and the designer in creating consequential solutions for the social, economical and environmental betterment of the global communities. Projects will extend these ideas into the practice of industrial design as a mode of understanding the relationships that exist between the user, the community and the designed artifacts. Opportunities for inter and trans-disciplinary collaborations will broaden the scope of the projects. We will design through a process of iteration and reiteration, empathic exploration, and the development of the physical artifacts. Categories of products may include: consumer goods, equipment, transportation, furniture, or packaging.

Industrial Design Independent Study provides students the means to study in a specialized area with an individual faculty member. With the assistance of their faculty advisers, students will propose a course of study. Students must obtain permission of an instructor and complete the Independent Study Permission Form to enroll. **NOTE: Student must have a minimum 3.0 GPA **