The Integrated Product Design (IPD) Master’s programme focuses on teaching how to design user-centered innovative products and product service combinations, based on a balance between the interests of users, business and societal challenges. It covers the entire design process, starting from a design brief and ending with a complete product that is fit for mass or small series production. Thus the emphasis of the IPD master is on teaching conceptualisation and embodiment design, by applying systematic state-of-the-art theories and methodologies, and by integrating user, technology and business aspects. The identity of the IPD Master’s programme is determined by the coherent integration of all these aspects to come to a successful new product proposal; this makes the IPD Master’s programme challenging, exciting and unique.
The international product development arena is changing rapidly; products are becoming smarter, better integrated into systems and have to comply with increasingly stringent standards. Product development is moving from an inter-disciplinary to a transdisciplinary occupation, becoming more knowledge intensive and therefore in need of continuous updates of tools and methods.
The IPD Master’s programme provides an integrated approach to the disciplines involved: advanced studies in innovative design theory and methods, aesthetics, ergonomics, engineering, and sustainability. The IPD curriculum includes multidisciplinary applied research on innovative product development embedded in its product design projects.