I try to bring real-life projects into my classrooms and serve the broader university community at the same time. My Arts 171 Graphic Design III students collaborate with groups of Cynthia Wagner-Weick’s ENGR 293: Technology Venturing students.
The engineers work on proposing a viable invention and createa business plan. My students make their concepts seem real by branding it, creating a visual identity (logo), packaging and point of purchase displays for the product and an advertising campaign promoting it.
While getting an applied design experience, my students learn to fulfill and exceed clients’ requirements and expectations and collaborate with people from other disciplines. They enter the world of Engineering and Business and learn about product development and business strategies that they would otherwise not be exposed to in our curriculum.
Interactive tutorial for Freshman
In the fall of 2009, students from my Arts 095: Time Based Media II class competed to redesign the Pacific Library’s Pluto tutorial which introduces PACS II students to various academic topics. The project brought together professionals from Communication, Library and the Arts fostering ties between these departments and allowing students to gain experience in interdisciplinary collaboration. Cindy Quan won the competition and was executed her proposal in the spring of 2010.
