Design in Science

This project is funded through the Emerging Industries Programme at the IfM. The project is aiming to understand the potential role of industrial design in early stage scientific research.

Design Trends

These PhD projects are seeking to understand the way in which design trends evolve and to develop practical tools for industry

Top management involvement in new product development
Top management support is acknowledged as being critical in new product development management. This PhD project seeks to understand the characteristics of effective top management involvement.

Sustainable design of medical devices
This project is aiming to quantify the impact on sustainability of the design of medical devices.

Design management in the retail industry
This project is investigating why there is a tension between the role and contribution of design management in large retailers in the UK, US and EU.

From Eco- to sustainable design

This project is aiming to provide a better understanding of how the concept of sustainable design can be more effectively integrated in design practice.

Design knowledge transfer
Designers play a key role in knowledge transfer between academia and industry. This project seeks to better understand this role, through surveys of academics and an analysis of design related intellectual property.

Strategic Design

Design can be employed strategically in firms. These PhD projects seek to better understand the strategic role of design.

Managing technology feasibility within the medical device industry

The technology feasibility process is full of risk and uncertainty, but has a major impact on product development. This PhD project seeks to better understand the characteristics of an effective feasibility process for medical devices.

From co-production to co-creation (CoCo)
This project aims to identify co-production/co-creation activities and roles in B-to-B (Business to Business) service relationships and to develop models and management tools for effective and efficient co-creation of services.

Design for Behaviour Change

Understanding how designers think about behaviour and strategies to influence it.