Product Design

Product Design is about constantly examining the relationship between products and their users. There are all kinds of products and they are everywhere, from the purely functional to those that make a statement. At its core, product design is all about questioning and redefining that which already exists. This is why product designers develop meaning and think about appearance.Emerging technologies have already triggered fundamental debates on the future of well-established ideas regarding product design, the use of products, and the product economy. The widespread application of new methods of distribution and production are now providing major new opportunities for today’s product designers.An important aspect of the study programme is the discovery and development – by literally ‘getting your hands dirty’ – of (new) materials and production processes. You could even go one step further: by not being afraid to dismantle that which already exists, in both a physical and a conceptual sense, as well as in terms of production and distribution. In doing so, you will develop new ideas and new ways of using products; you will explore in depth the practical consequences of designing. Examples of these consequences include dimensions such as environmental and social sustainability. As a product designer, you are thus not limited to working with existing instruments; you can also adapt these instruments, or even design your own. This goes beyond the product itself: product design is not limited to tangible objects, but may also result in a General or Other Designprocess or a service. To summarise: product designers are experimental, research-driven, collaborative and entrepreneurial professionals who are able to imagine how products can change our future.