Selection of Contributed Modules

Location: Middle East Technical University, Industrial Design, Turkey

Year(s): 2021 (this project) also 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017)

Level: Graduate, compulsory

Duration: 3,5 months / project

No. of students: 11

Course collaborators Erman Örsan Yetiş (instructor) and Çankaya Municipality Women and Family Services Unit

My Role: Project development, assignment development, assessment

The 2021 theme for the graduate studio module was ‘gender-aware design’. In the context of this course, ‘gender-aware design’ refers, firstly, to integrating gender equality endeavours into the design process and solutions in line with gender mainstreaming from a macro perspective. It envisions a design process where gendered practices, social issues and inequalities are thoroughly recognized and effectively addressed by designers and design researchers. Secondly, it refers to critically adopting some contemporary gender debates, theories and methodologies in order to build a comprehensive critique of, and to transform accordingly, design practice and theory.

There were two levels to this endevaour:

1. Rethinking every stage, tool and method of the design process.

2. Tackling problem areas where gender inequality persists, in collaboration with Çankaya Municipality, Women and Family Services Unit.

For the materials developed throughout this module, visit the projects ResearchGate page

Where: Middle East Technical University, Industrial Design, Turkey

Year(s): 2021

Level: Undergraduate, 4^th year, compulsory

Duration: 3 months

No. of students: ~75

Collaborator(s): Mehmet Erdi Özgürlük

My Role: Course development, assignment development, assessment

The aim of this course is to introduce the key issues and concepts around design management, different approaches to the design process, understand how contemporary design concerns are embedded into the design process, and to discuss these issues and concepts with reference to existing literature and the experiences of industrial designers who actively participate in various managerial processes. By the end of the course, the students will be able to [1] answer the question of what design management is and learn the key theories, issues and concerns, [2] critically evaluate different approaches to design management, [3] embed contemporary design concerns into the design process (i.e. sustainability, collaboration, gender) and [4] position their roles in the larger scheme, through models of innovation and transitions.

Where: University of Limerick, Product Design & Technology, Ireland

Year(s): 2018, 2019

Level: Undergraduate. 3^rd year, compulsory

Duration: 3 months

No. of students: ~40

Collaborator(s): Muireann McMahon

My Role: Course development, assignment development, assessment

This is a compulsory module in Product Design & Technology undergraduate programme in UL. The purpose of the module is the introduction of issues on sustainability, the triple bottom line (i.e. ecological, social and economic) as well as cultural aspect as the fourth bottom line. The module starts with an historical account of the term “sustainability” starting from early examples, such as The Silent Spring by Rachel Carson and the foundation of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, to the most recent developments in design and product development practice, such as social innovation, systems thinking, open-source movement and design for behaviour change.

Where: Middle East Technical University, Industrial Design, Ireland

Year(s): 2015

Level: Graduate, elective

Duration: 3 months

No. of students: ~10

Collaborator(s): Çağla Doğan

My Role: Course development, assignment development, assessment

The aim of this module is to examine the nature of sustainability in order to develop an understanding of its applicability to the field of product design. The establishment of a useful basis for the area emerges through initial literature review, design workshop, design critique of a product and application of that critique to design examples at various scales of intervention, appropriate to the fields of study of course participants.

The module provides insights into product design, sustainability and contemporary issues by addressing Quadruple Bottom Line of Sustainability – practical meaning (utility plus environmental impacts); social meaning (ethics, social justice); personal meaning (inner values, conscience, spiritual wellbeing); economic means (profit as a means to an end, not an end in itself). This course offers a unique perspective by examining the nature of objects and their relationship to sustainability within a design-centred approach. It includes the review of various systems thinking and design-based approaches as they relate to sustainability and product design.

Where: University of Limerick, Product Design & Technology, Ireland

Year(s): 2017

Level: Undergraduate. international training programme

Duration: 3 months

No. of students: 12

Collaborator(s): Muireann McMahon, Adam de Eyto, Manon Rio

My Role: Programme development, industry collaboration, action research

As part of the Learning for Innovative Design for Sustainability (L4IDS) Erasmus+ Knowledge Alliance project, four European institutions with design departments [University of Limerick (UL) in Ireland, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) in Spain, NHL University of Applied Sciences (NHL) in the Netherlands, and Linköping University (LiU) in Sweden along with four design led SMEs (Small to Medium Enterprises) and four National Design Agencies] aim to develop a training and exchange programme for Circular Design with an adaptable schedule conforming to the structures of these schools. The aim of the programme is to promote a culturally-diverse, interdisciplinary working environment for students from varying backgrounds (e.g. Product Design, Business, Materials Science).

Location: Middle East Technical University, Industrial Design, Turkey

Year(s): 2017 (this project) also 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2021)

Level: Graduate, compulsory

Duration: 3,5 months / project

No. of students: 8 to 15

Course collaborators: Figen Isık, Burcu Derer Omay

My Role: Project development, assignment development, assessment

The purpose of this project was to develop bio-political tools to govern our daily social interactions. These objects were designed to control and organize people’s everyday lives, force them into different patterns of behaviour in a critically fictionalized utopia/dystopia of the future. This is a different approach compared to the usual product design process in which users are accommodated rather than explicitly tried to be controlled.

The module introduces different philosophical and sociological terms and topics like biopolitics, post-human condition, social interactions, utopias, etc. and adopts a speculative design approach.

This project is specifically selected among all the graduate studio projects I have been part of, as I developed the design brief and facilitated the whole project by myself. In addition, I have been part of graduate design studio modules every semester from Spring 2012-2013 to Spring 2016-2017.

Where: Middle East Technical University, Industrial Design, Turkey

Year(s): 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017

Level: Undergraduate, 4^th year, compulsory

Duration: 3 months

No. of students: ~45

Collaborator(s): Dalsu Özgen Koçyıldırım, Nagihan Tuna

My Role: Course development, assignment development, assessment

This module aims to help about-to-graduate industrial design students to develop their visual identities and portfolios, through teaching the fundamentals of graphic design and book design. The module adopts a practical approach, with a few lectures on graphic design, narrative in design, preparing CVs and recruitment in the design sector. While the content of the module is very straightforward and comparatively light in content, the outcomes (i.e. portfolios) are in high quality and sets a standard in print portfolios. The module especially sets itself apart with the introduction of “narrative” into portfolio development to present one’s design process and convey design approach, skills and capabilities.

We made an exhibition of 2015 Portfolio Designs.

Location: University of Twente, Product Design & Management, the Netherlands

Year(s): 2018

Level: Undergraduate, 3^rd year, compulsory

Duration: 2 months

No. of students: ~60

Collaborator(s): Armağan Karahanoğlu

My Role: Course development, assignment development, assessment

This module introduces several theories and frameworks on the role of design at various levels of people’s experience with products. It consists of theory lectures with exercises and an individual design assignment. The theories and frameworks are examined using literature, assignments and practical work. Throughout the module, the students are expected to iteratively develop means to analyze, appropriate and generate design solutions with the help of the provided frameworks.

I was involved in the development of Spring 2017-2018 module specifically. I was a guest lecturer with Erasmus+ Staff Exchange.

Location: Middle East Technical University, Industrial Design, Turkey

Year(s): 2011

Level: Undergraduate, 3^rd year, compulsory

Duration: 2 months / project

No. of students: ~45

Collaborator(s): Çağla Doğan, Fatma Korkut, Sedef Süner, Senem Turhan

My Role: Project development, assignment development, assessment

This design project was conducted in collaboration with Kale Group, one of the major ceramic tiles and accessories producers in Turkey, in Fall 2011-2012. The aim of the project was to develop sustainable design solutions integrating bathroom accessories (e.g. soap dish holders, toothbrush holders, towel bars, etc.) with bathroom tiles, ensuring that bathroom tiles and accessories are reparable and reusable.

As part of the project, I developed an idea-generation tool called Biomimicry Sketch Analysis (BSA) and the tool was incorporated into early stages of the project as a three-day exercise to further explore the sustainability considerations.

This project and assignment are specifically selected among all the undergraduate studio modules I have been part of. In addition, I have been part of 2^nd-year design studio modules every semester from Spring 2010-2011 to Fall 2012-2013, and 4^th-year design studio module of Fall 2010-2011.

Location: Middle East Technical University, Industrial Design, Turkey

Year(s): 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017

Level: Graduate, compulsory

Duration: 3,5 months

No. of students: 8 to 15

Collaborator(s): Gülay Hasdoğan, Dilruba Oğur

My Role: Course development, assignment development, assessment

This module concentrates on research methods relevant to the cross-disciplinary area of industrial design. The scope of the module involves both design research as an academic activity and “research” for and through the industrial design process. The module contains lectures, discussions, library research, and field-work. In this module, the students are expected to learn relevant terminology and think in terms of research concepts in the industrial design field. They go through short research practices, which will guide them in doing research in their design projects and their final thesis.