Abstract
The underlying ambition behind the Brunel programme was to generate new kinds of design professional who understood the contextual dimension of design work, and are able to respond to these wider revolutionary changes and contribute hugely to the development of new concepts and products within organisations. They also respond to the demand for closer ties between design and its social and industrial context by taking up roles as integrators and catalysts for innovation and change. Graduates from Brunel have been accepted into manufacturing and service companies as well as design consultancies. They are valued because they have crossed the tribal divide, they speak something of the new language of management, they have adequate structural understanding of institutions and corporate affairs, and they have been taught to be good flexible team workers. They do not, however, abandon their platform of design skills, or their understanding of creative processes. These abilities become transformed. The author's research output to date has focused mainly on an investigation of the value of academic and industry partnership. This paper is part of a series looking at the nature of both programmes - collaboration with industry and the career paths of graduates. It will focus on responses from 1999/2000 Brunel alumni and constitute an analysis of learning outcomes and in particular, new skills of the MA graduates now retained in quite different organisations.
Citation
Gornick, N. (2002) The designer as strategist: response from MA alumni, in Durling, D. and Shackleton, J. (eds.), Common Ground - DRS International Conference 2002, 5-7 September, London, United Kingdom. https://dl.designresearchsociety.org/drs-conference-papers/drs2002/researchpapers/31
The designer as strategist: response from MA alumni
The underlying ambition behind the Brunel programme was to generate new kinds of design professional who understood the contextual dimension of design work, and are able to respond to these wider revolutionary changes and contribute hugely to the development of new concepts and products within organisations. They also respond to the demand for closer ties between design and its social and industrial context by taking up roles as integrators and catalysts for innovation and change. Graduates from Brunel have been accepted into manufacturing and service companies as well as design consultancies. They are valued because they have crossed the tribal divide, they speak something of the new language of management, they have adequate structural understanding of institutions and corporate affairs, and they have been taught to be good flexible team workers. They do not, however, abandon their platform of design skills, or their understanding of creative processes. These abilities become transformed. The author's research output to date has focused mainly on an investigation of the value of academic and industry partnership. This paper is part of a series looking at the nature of both programmes - collaboration with industry and the career paths of graduates. It will focus on responses from 1999/2000 Brunel alumni and constitute an analysis of learning outcomes and in particular, new skills of the MA graduates now retained in quite different organisations.