The Product & Interaction Design curriculum encompasses various sub-disciplines. Mechanical product design, intelligent product design, furniture design, package design, CAD design, 3D printing, prototyping, and other multidisciplinary areas have all been included in this programme. This course has been designed to teach students how to tackle practical design problems.
Programme Duration: Semester 1-8 (4 years)
Foundation Year: Semester 1 – 2
Programme Specialisation: Semesters 3 – 8
Foundation Year: The foundation year spans Semester 1 and Semester 2 and is common to both BDes in Communication Design and BDes in Product and Interaction Design.
The two initial semesters are multi-disciplinary, immersive, and hands-on, preparing students to proceed to the specialisations of their choice. Students are introduced to the basic skills and sensibilities required to be a designer such as drawing, model-making, geometry, colour, elements of design, and the experience of working with varied materials. This is accompanied by environmental studies and an introduction to the design process, where students learn to interact with people and their habitats to learn to solve simple design problems. Course details from Semester 1-2 are available here.
Programme Specialisation:
Second year onwards, the emphasis is on developing specific knowledge and abilities related to the discipline of choice. The variety of product design courses available to students emphasises advancing design knowledge, theory, concepts, and projects.
During the second year, the students are introduced to the fundamentals of the selected specialisation – Product and Interaction Design. In the fifth semester, topics like Psychology concentrate on understanding how the human brain works, understanding the fundamentals of cognitive biases and their behavioural effects allows the designers to consider the social consequences of their designs and several points of view. Students are expected to design intelligent products in the course IoT in Product Design utilising the appropriate electronic circuits and DIY support tool kits. The Creative Thinking Methods course teaches bio association, matrix construction, co-relations, metaphors, and other concepts. Material and Processes III investigates various types of finishes on specific materials to operate within recognised environmental and regulatory guidelines. The objective of the Packaging Design course is to provide practical, environmentally sustainable, and aesthetically pleasing packaging.
The Introduction to Intellectual Property Rights course, taken in semester six, provides an overview of many kinds of intellectual property rights that are relevant in India and throughout the world. Psychology II critically analyses vital ideas in human behavior, perception, and meta-cognition. The Advanced Material and Processes course provides students with the opportunity of creating a new emerging material by investigating the properties of various materials, experimenting with their use in combination with other materials, and developing a design opportunity for the new material. Technically Complex Devices course teaches students about consumer demands and product functioning. Further, the Design of Exhibition and Display Structures teaches students how to plan and build exhibition-related structures.
The institute also involves students in learning Advanced Interaction Technology and how human-machine and human-computer interactions are carried out. The Advanced 3D Modeling course teaches students how to use CAD tools like Solid Works to create complex 3D items and renderings. The method of tackling different problems from a design and environmental aspect is taught in Public Utility, giving students a chance to comprehend daily issues in fields including healthcare, agriculture, education, smart cities, entertainment, and more.
During their final semester, students get top-notch academic education in a range of subjects, including toy and product design, automobile design, furniture design, bio-medical design, and many more. In the final semester, the students have to complete18-week Degree Project/Minor Research Project which is either industry-based or self-sponsored. During this 18-week period, students gain real-world experience working with experts in the industry.
As a result, the students studying product and interaction design receive training in product design approaches and are ready to use their designs to change the world. The students work as creative team members in various design studios, IT-based companies, product design businesses, and consultancy services. Many people go on an entrepreneurial journey to provide design services. The institute also facilitates the placements of the students.