Developing enterprise opportunities from placements to graduate consultancy in lean sustainable design
Authors: Humphries-Smith, T. and Hunt, C.
Publisher: The Design Society
ISBN: 978-1904670193
Abstract:This paper reports on the adaption of a model for consultancy of using graduates working on a contract basis for Bournemouth University (BU) but within a client organisation, and managed by a member of academic staff. The model is based on BU Design graduates undertaking a 6 month consultancy under the direction of an academic.
The adapted model, discussed in this paper, offers consultancy in the area of lean sustainable design, a research specialism of the Sustainable Design Research Centre. The paper discusses the industrial relevance of design education and how design education and design research are strengthening each other with industrial relevance and investigates how to exploit existing relationships with companies who employ undergraduates on placement.
It is envisaged that in order for graduates to work effectively as consultants, they will need additional development in the area of sustainable design and lean design. To address this possible shortfall a short continuing professional development (CPD) course is being developed, which will be offered to perspective consultant graduates to provide training to them in appropriate areas. In order to manage the risk associated with using inexperienced graduates to conduct the consultancy work, the projects will be managed by academics as well as providing support, by way of mentoring, to the graduates during the consultancy periods. The paper reports on research undertaken with final year design students to determine the content of this short course
Source: Manual
Preferred by: Tania Humphries-Smith and Clive Hunt