Leading in Product Design

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Faculty ofIndustrial Design Engineering

Delft University of TechnologyLandbergstraat 152628 CE DelftThe Netherlandswww.ide.tudelft.nl

T +31 (0)15 278 9166E io@tudelft.nl

Circulation: 1,000 copies March 2010

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Industrial Design Engineeringis everywhere

Delft-trained industrial design engineers make an

essential, distinctive contribution to innovative and

successful products. They are shaping our world.

1. Windows 7, softwareIDE alumnus: Stephan Hoefnagels

Company: Microsoft

Market introduction: fall 2009

2. Tuit, prize winning tablewareIDE alumnus: Jurre Groenenboom

Company: StudioCrisp* for HEMA BV

Market introduction: 2005

3. Philips|DE Senseo, coffee machineIDE alumni: Joost Alferink, Robert Bouwmeester and

Sven van Westreenen

Company: WAAC’s design & consultancy for Sara Lee|DE

Market introduction: 2001

4. Dutch Railways, double-decker rolling stockIDE alumnus: Ad Kleingeld

Company: NS Design for Dutch Railways

Market introduction: 1994

5. Schiphol Airport signageIDE alumni: Martijn Geerdes, Jurriaan Grolman and

Rosanne van den Enk

Company: Bureau Mijksenaar BV for Schiphol Airport

Market introduction: 1991

6. ResQTec G2 Cutter, rescue toolIDE alumni: Thomas Paulen and Robert Fienieg

Company: VanBerlo strategy+design for ResQTec Zumro BV

Market introduction: autumn 2005 (VS)

7. Predator Pulse II Dragon David Beckham Range, soccer shoes

IDE alumnus: Sonny Lim

Company: Adidas AG

Market introduction: June 2005

8. LivingColors, color your world with light

IDE alumnus: Bram Joosen (user interface)

Company: Philips Design and

Philips Lighting (GOAL dept) for

Philips Consumer lamps

Market introduction: 2007

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The power behindsuccessfulproductdevelopment

Industrial design engineersIndustrial design engineers (ID engineers) educated at Delft University of Technology are engineers trained to work in product development. A multidisciplinary study. ID engineers learn about every aspect of product design. They have strong practical design skills, a broad technological grounding and extensive knowledge of innovation processes.

Design and development Industrial Design Engineering at Delft is a breeding ground for first-class designers. But the skills mastered by ID engineers extend far beyond the strict definition of ‘design’. Industrial design engineers can be found in every aspect of product development. From styling to product management.

World of IndustrialDesign EngineeringThis brochure introduces you to the world of Industrial Design Engineering. The skills, the work and the added value. It also describes the opportunities available to you at the faculty of Industrial Design Engineering. These include degree courses, research and design projects.

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Delft University of TechnologyIndustrial Design Engineering is a faculty of Delft University of Technology (TU Delft). Founded in 1862, this is the oldest, largest and most comprehensive technical university in the Netherlands. With over 13,000 students and 2,100 scientists, it is an establishment of both national importance and significant international standing.

ProfileWith 20 professors in various disciplines and a scientific staff over 200, Industrial Design Engineering (IDE) at Delft University of Technology is the largest university-based design course in the world. Since it was founded in 1969, more than 3,400 designers have graduated in IDE. Delft is also a pioneer in educational innovation and a source of important research in the field of Industrial Design Engineering.

Added valueProduct innovation is an essential part of business. But it is not easy. How do you come up with the right idea? How to develop it? And how do you market it successfully? At the faculty of Industrial Design Engineering, we actually devise, study and improve products. This is done based upon the wishes of users, the business community and society as a whole. It is called integrated product development and it results in products with clear added value for the user.

The faculty ofIndustrial Design Engineering

“Creating successful products people love to use”

CoverThe heart of the faculty where students work on prototypes

and models.

Find out more: Faculty site: www.io.tudelft.nl | University site: www.tudelft.nl

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Product developmentDevising new products and developing them in a commercial setting. Examples: designer, stylist, product engineer, interface developer.

CommercialCombining knowledge of technology, markets and management in sectors like marketing, distribution, advertising, sales and service.Examples: product manager, product planner, market development manager, brand manager.

Process supportKnowledge of development methods and processes is used to improve the quality of products and business processes.Examples: methods and techniques engineer in product improvement, head of product safety department, creativity techniques consultant.

Product technologyConcentrates upon designing and improving production and assembly, through enhancing either the process or the product design.Examples: head of in-house engineering bureau, manufacturing engineer, assembly engineer.

ConsultancyAdvising companies on such things as product development, innovation strategies or business processes.Examples: strategic product development consultant, strategic management consultant, innovation consultant.

Education and researchThis group concentrates upon research and teaching at universities or dedicated research at research institutes.Examples: lecturer, researcher, PhD student.

EntrepreneurshipInstead of working for a company, many industrial design engineers start their own company in product design or related areas.

“Industrial design engineers are found in a great variety of jobs”

Employment

ID engineers are employed by a wide variety of companies.To name a few:

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“I am currently president of the IDE Alumni association. In 2002, after working for a multinational, I’ve founded my own company with Michiel Oudakker. Our Amsterdam based innovation agency specialises in boosting our client’s innovation power, creating innovation strategies, revitalising product portfolios and developing concepts for new products and services. Among our clients are large companies such as Philips, KPN and Unilever.’’

Deborah NasCo-founder and partner SunIdeeGraduated in 1996www.sunidee.comwww.ioalumni.nl

“After graduating, I took a one-year follow-up course in car design in Switzerland. Three years later I joined BMW and then moved abroad to work at BMW Group Designworks USA. In 2004 I came back to Munich to become Director Design of BMW cars. In the USA, we designed not only the BMW 6-series, but also other products such as the Nokia Communicator. It’s a good thing for a designer to be confronted with multiple design problems.”

Adrian van HooydonkDirector Design, BMW carsGraduated in 1988www.bmw.com

Industrial design engineersat work

“At IDE I’ve learned how to turn abstract ideas into concrete results.”

“Problems are good.They force creativity”

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“After working for Sony Ericsson, I navigated my career towards TomTom. I truly value the combination of different skills taught at IDE: a broad view enables you to share the passion of both the designers and the engineers. This ability is a crucial factor for accomplishing maximum performance of all parties and is desperately needed when balancing on the thin line between success and failure.”

Joost van der MadeTomTom Product Line ManagerGraduated in 1993www.tomtom.nl

“I’m partner and co-founder of an industrial design firm with studios in Leiden, Hamburg and Hong Kong. My responsibilities include the Hamburg studio and npk products. Our firm employs fifty skilled designers, engineers and model makers. They all intend to develop products that stand out from the crowd. Products that are a pleasure to use and that are loved by the people. Our job is to translate the promise of a brand into new products and services.”

Wolfram PetersPartner / co-founder npk industrial designGraduated in 1978www.npk.nl “We intend to

develop products that stand out.”

“A broad view enables you to share different passions”

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Industrial Design Engineering is a

technical degree course concentrating

upon product development.

BachelorDuring the bachelor’s phase, students develop a solid technical background and are introduced to the various aspects of product development. These include:• production and construction techniques;• human-product interaction;• design;• marketing;• (innovation) management.

These, together with the methodical aspects of the process and design skills, are brought together through design projects.

MasterStudents of Industrial Design Engineering have a choice of three master’s degree courses and three specialisations (automotive, medisign and retail design).

Integrated Product DesignCovers the whole design and engineering process, integrating all aspects relevant to product development.

Design for InteractionGraduates on this course specialise in the analysis and conceptualisation of designs for human product interaction.

Strategic Product DesignThis course emphasises the fuzzy front end of the new product development process (product planning) and also addresses the commercialisation phase.

AutomotiveAutomotive is a specialisation in the automotive design domain from a strategic perspective. Automotive design is a field that, more than others, drives on tacit knowledge and the application thereof.

MedisignThis specialisation trains dedicated and skilled engineers in human anatomy, physiology, medical technology, healthcare systems and some basic surgical techniques.

Retail DesignA specialisation in retail design enables students to guide, manage and execute the development of successful retail concepts/formulas through gaining knowledge about the context of retailing.

The course

More information about our courses:www.bachelor.io.tudelft.nl | www.ide.tudelft.nl/masters | io@tudelft.nl

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During their time at TU Delft, students

of Industrial Design Engineering develop

a number of valuable skills.

Technology marketmatchingKnowledge of market conditions, consumer needs and technological possibilities is essential to product development. The industrial design engineer combines an understanding of all three.

From problem to solutionThe industrial design engineer is good at analysing problems, and can convert them into useable solutions.

Technology roadmapsTechnology only really becomes valuable once an appropriate use is found for it. The industrial design engineer identifies those uses.

Multidisciplinary teamsThe industrial design engineer has the know-how to communicate effectively with those working in other aspects of product development.

Context mappingThe industrial design engineer can very quickly master the terminology and ‘state of the art’ of an industry. The innovation processes learned at TU Delft are applicable in a wide variety of environments.

VisualisationIndustrial design engineers are able to explain ideas fully yet concisely by visualising them. On paper, as models or in presentations.

Unique skills

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Speed and qualityA structured approach to innovation means that industrial design engineers create products which:• respond to market needs and therefore have a

good chance of success;• are truly innovative;• have a short time to market.

The industrial design engineer also has a number of other talents, which are crucial to product development.

Creative inspirationWhen part of a team, industrial design engineers can act as creative catalysts. They are good at generating ideas, devising concepts and facilitating creative sessions.

All aspectsThe industrial design engineer considers every aspect of a product: user-friendliness and design, but also distribution and technical factors like production and assembly.

Better communicationThe industrial design engineer knows about every aspect of product development. So he facilitates communication between specialists drawn from different disciplines.

Focus on resultsThe industrial design engineer makes sure that product design teams always focus upon the final result, not upon the specialisations of individual members.

The added value ofindustrial design engineers

EXAMPLE

LifeStrawAfter an extensive user testing in Ghana, Prabhu Kandachar and his team re-designed a 25 cm long personal water purifier that canturn most of the world’s surface water into safe drinking water. The LifeStraw Child consists of several filters and two compartments with halogen-based resin and carbon, respectively. The straw has a capacity of 700 liters or one year. “Over a billion people are without access to safe drinking water”.

Designer: Prabhu Kandachar (team leader)

Product: LifeStraw

www.lifestraw.com

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Products that make a difference

EXAMPLE

Using the talents of an industrial design

engineer delivers tangible results:

products that are easier to use, faster

to make or reflect a new and inspiring

vision.

FootlooseWomen wearing high heels take discomfort for granted. Marte den Hollander graduated on the design of a shoe that combines the looks of high heels and the comfort of flat shoes. She invented an adjustable heel mechanism: adjusting the heel automatically changes the curvature of the sole to fit the altered shape of the foot. The mechanism has been patented. “Never think everything has already been thought of: all things can be improved”.

Designer: Marte den Hollander

Product: Footloose

www.martedenhollander.nl

EXAMPLE

EXAMPLE

BabybloomIn a regular incubator, prematurely born babies can suffer brain damage due to overexposure to light and noise. Parents feel sad and powerless because of the limited contact. Heleen Willemsen graduated on an improved design that invites parents to embrace their child and to sit in a comfortable position. A flower shaped cap can shut out light and noise. “The friendly design brings back the ‘babyness’ in the hospital”.

Designer: Heleen Willemsen

Product: BabyBloom

www.babybloom.nl

SENZ UmbrellaAfter his third umbrella of the week turned inside- out, Gerwin Hoogendoorn decided it was time for a redesign. He graduated on a design that eliminates all possible umbrella frustrations by creating an a-symmetrical shape that allows the umbrella to slice through stormy winds. Rejected by a leading umbrella producer, Hoogendoorn and his friends Philip Hess and Gerard Kool started their own company. Their first 10,000 copies sold out in just nine days.

Designer: Gerwin Hoogendoorn

Company: SENZ Umbrellas BV

www.senzumbrellas.com

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A strong, active connectionPartnerships with industry are an important part of the teaching and research conducted by the faculty of Industrial Design Engineering. We have developed long and successful relationships with many companies, encompassing degree, research and design projects. Our links with the business community are further reinforced by the fact that many of our academic staff continue to pursue part-time careers in the commercial sector.

Business projectsStudents work on problems submitted to us by a commercial company. This type of partnership often yields excellent results and enthusiastic responses from the firms concerned. They view such co-operation as inspiring and productive.

C,mm,nElmer van Grondelle and his student design team are cooperating in a research initiated by the Netherlands Foundation for Nature and Environment. Their goal is to develop a vision on sustainable individual mobility. “C,mm,n is an open-source 2+2 family car with a hydrogenpowered fuel cell system. The concept is a showcase of communication technology. Open-source means no secrets or patented parts: anyone willing to share technology can improve this design.”

Project manager: Elmer van Grondelle

Product: c,mm,n open-source car

www.autoindetoekomst.nl

Selection of the business partners• Athlon Car Lease• Rabobank• GE Plastics• Philips• Akzo Nobel• Shell• e-Traction• Vredestein• Inalfa Roof Systems group BV• National Instruments• Greijm Form Technics BV

Partnership with industry

EXAMPLE

Interested in a business project? io@tudelft.nl

EXAMPLE

EXAMPLE13

PlakkiesIDE students end their Bachelor with a final project in cooperation with a company or institution. The BSc final project is an example of IDE’s strategy of knowledge transfer. Some of the projects become actual products, such as Plakkies: a sustainable flip-flop designed by Michel Boerrigter in cooperation with KidsRights and Jan Jansen. “The Bachelor final project is the last before entering the Master programme,” says Kees Nauta, who organizes the projects. “KidsRights wanted to conduct a project in the townships of Johannesburg. They were thinking about a sustainable plug-socket. We calculated the feasability of this idea

and suggested a broader approach: the design of a simple product, to be sold in Western shops, manufactured with simple tools, by local, uneducated people. This challenge resulted in a range of product concepts, one of which was Plakkies.

Designer: Michel Boerrigter

Product: Plakkies

FHybrid scooterAsian, African and southern European cities are notorious for their smelly, noisy scooters. The faculty of Industrial Design Engineering tries to tackle sustainability and mobility problems by integrating design and scientific knowledge. Crijn Bouman graduated on the design of a silent scooter powered by hydrogen. “This graduation project has led to a spin-off: the company Epyon, which designs super fast recharging systems with lithium-ion batteries’’, says Sacha Silvester.

Designer: Crijn Bouman

Product: FHybrid scooter

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During the final phase of their course,

Industrial Design Engineering students

have to complete a research or design

project. They do this either individually

or in groups. A degree project is

suggested by a company and finalised

in consultation with a professor from

the faculty. Some 85 percent of our

students complete their studies with a

degree project produced as part of a

work placement in industry.

Degree project

Interested in trainees?Industrial Design Engineering ‘Stagebank’ (workplacement exchange)www.io.tudelft.nl/stagebankstagebank-io@tudelft.nl

EXAMPLELINKXHelma van Rijn graduated on an interactive toy that stimulates the language development of autistic children. The toy consists of speech-o-grams and interactive blocks. Parents add speech to the speech-o-grams and attach them to objects. “If a child links its blocks to speech-o-grams, children hear the word matching the object, and thereby expand their vocabulary.” Her project was part of project group LinguaBytes that develops adaptive toys for multiple-handicapped children.

Designer: Helma van Rijn

Product: LINKX

http://studiolab.io.tudelft.nl/vanrijn/LINKX

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A world leaderThe research conducted at the faculty of Industrial Design Engineering focuses upon every aspect of product development. No other faculty in the world studies this subject in such depth and breadth.

Useable resultsOur research yields results which are widely applicable in the business world and society at large. And, of course, have a sound scientific basis. This makes the faculty of Industrial Design Engineering an ideal partner.

Researchand Product Development

More information about IDE research: www.ide.tudelft.nl/research | io@tudelft.nl

EXAMPLE

CombinationsHow do people experience a product with two brandnames such as Senseo (Douwe Egberts + Philips) or Beertender (Heineken + Krups)? PhD-researcher Lisanne Bouten confronts groups of consumers with new combinations to establish how such products should be designed and introduced. “Two brandnames are supposed to give a sense of double quality. My first results show that this is not always true.”

Researcher: Lisanne Bouten

PhD-research: “Co-branding in new product develop-ment from the consumer’s point of view”

Faculty ofIndustrial Design Engineering

Delft University of TechnologyLandbergstraat 152628 CE DelftThe Netherlandswww.ide.tudelft.nl

T +31 (0)15 278 9166E io@tudelft.nl

Circulation: 1,000 copies March 2010

Leading in Product DesignThis brochure introduces you to the world of Industrial Design Engineering. The skills, the work and the added value. It also describes the opportunities available to you at the faculty of Industrial Design Engineering. These include degree courses, research and design projects.

“Industrial Design Engineering, the human face of technology”

Prof. dr. Cees de BontDean faculty Industrial Design Engineering