Design and Innovation

Taking a design-centered approach to solving problems and developing technology-driven ideas in entrepreneurial settings, this course introduces core design thinking principles and their application to the creation and implementation of solutions. Tools are provided to navigate each stage of the design thinking process. Through project-based learning and real-world case studies, students gain practical insight into how the methodology fosters innovation and user-centric thinking.

Course Overview

This course has five modules, each being an essential foundation for a good engineer.

  • The Drawing Module: Students will be taught: Communication through Drawing, Orthographic Projections, Dimensioning & Lettering.
  • Materials and Process: Introduction to identification and essential knowledge of common metals, woods, and plastics. Their normal availability, use and processing of materials.
  • Makerspace Module: The students will be exposed to and taught various the use of various tools and equipment in the makerspace.
  • Design: Module on what is design and the relevance and types of design areas. A short history of industrial design.
  • Design Process: What is the design process and how to apply it. Using the design process to actually design a new product.

Learning Objectives

Students become more aware and develop sensitivity to the world around them. They develop empathy for the user and thus better understand the problem at hand and be better at creating solutions. The biggest change would be the shift in students’ mindset about physical systems around them. Students can use the design process in all their future projects by being able to modify, organize, construct, create and design.

Learning Outcomes

  • Develop ability to make precise drawings and gain a working knowledge of basic materials.
  •  Build prototypes and models in various materials using hand skills as well as workshop techniques.
  •  Be able to classify, describe and interpret the physical materials they come across in daily life.
  •  Distinguish, correlate, and infer the visuals that they see both in the 3D world as well as on the 2D digital platform and develop a more discerning eye.
  •  Think independently, work collaboratively, tackle ambiguity and incorporate a human centered empathy-based approach to problem solving.]
  •  The ability to use the design process to solve problems in various situations and be able to build working solutions which can be tested and improved upon.
  • The Mechanical Design Process (David Ullman, 6th edition) (available in the library)
  • Design for the Real World, by Victor Papanek, VAN REINHOLD NOSTRAND, 1984
  • Designing for People by Henry Dreyfuss, SIMON & SCHUSTER, 1955
  • Thinking Design, by S Balaram, NID Publications, 1998
  • The Green Imperative, by Victor Papanek, THAMES & HUDSON, 1995
  • 101 Design Methods by Vijay Kumar
  • How Designers Think by Bryan Lawson
  • Design Thinking: Understanding how designers think and work by Nigel Cross
  • The Design of Every Day Things by Donald Norman
  • Indian Anthropometric Dimensions for Ergonomic Design Practice By Debkumar Chakrabarti
  • Engineering Drawing by ND Bhatt, Charotar Publishing House
  • Elements of Manufacturing Processes by B.S. Nagendra Parashar & R K Mittal
  • Westermann Tables edited by Hermann Jutz and Eduard Scharkus
  • Make: Magazine
  • Wired: Magazine

Additional Readings

Recommended Websites:

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