Berry Eggen is appointed Professor of User Centered Engineering and is heading the research group of the same name at the department of Industrial Design. 

1. What are you working on at the moment, with regard to ID?
In cooperation with the User Centred Engineering (UCE) research group I am trying to define and implement structural changes in the existing research program to shift its focus from the more general theme of Ambient Intelligence towards Ambient Care. This shift concerns the application domain rather than the long-term research questions the group addresses.
With regard to education, the UCE group recently took responsibility for supplying assignments in the User Focus and Perspective competency area. Personally, I am also involved in setting up the Intelligent Spaces track in the Master program in Industrial Design the department is offering. The UCE research group consists of both staff (7.5fte) and PhD students (12fte + 3 vacancies).

2. Why did you choose Industrial Design?
I joined ID for its focus on intelligent products, systems, and services. Working at Philips Research as one of the principal scientists involved in ‘the making of’ the Ambient Intelligence vision, I experienced first-hand the need for a new breed of design engineers who can not only identify and analyze complex real-world problems, but who can also generate and implement solutions that truly integrate user, technology, and business aspects in innovative designs.

3. What is an ‘intelligent product or system’ in your opinion?
In my view, an intelligent product or system is able to autonomously generate behavior that is judged meaningful and appropriate by its users. The environment, including people and other products or systems, can be sensed and interpreted by the product or system and provides the indispensable input enabling the system to act and behave intelligently.

4. What would you like to achieve personally with or within ID?
To set up an innovative research program that will uncover basic insights into how intelligent products and systems should be designed to become successful from the user’s perspective.

5. What satisfies you the most in your work at ID?
I experience the professional working environment, which consists of many different disciplines, including engineers, psychologists, social scientists, and designers, as very inspiring and challenging. We all share the drive to build and realize a new department that will produce a new breed of Industrial Design Engineers ready to design the intelligent products of the immediate future.

6. What bothers you about working at ID?
It took quite some time to fill the design chairs that complement the technology and user research groups. This delay put a lot of pressure on the current staff as their number lagged behind the increasing number of students. But it seems we can now turn the tide because the new design professor (Kees Overbeeke) has recently been appointed.

7. What do you think is the biggest challenge ID faces?
To find a true balance and seamless cooperation between the technology, user, business, and design research programs that, in the end, will fuel many vital processes within the faculty, including our primary mission: delivering top-notch design engineers ready to supply the market with their intelligent products, products, and services.

8. What do you think is the particular strength of this department?
Its multidisciplinary nature and the resilience of its current crew.

9. What do you think is (still) a weakness?
The more mature the department faculty becomes the more difficult and daring it becomes to implement necessary changes. This is a potential risk.

10. Where do you think ID will be in five years?
In five years ID will have become a full-grown department, a delivering a steady stream of Industrial Design masters, who will be in great demand.

Designers should ask themselves: Is my design necessary?

Ronald van Tienhoven is core team member of the entertainment domain and has extensive experience in the varied field of design, ranging from exhibitions and ICT innovations to the design of a brand new cemetery in Spijk.

Design in the Dutch Bible belt
Spijk, a small village in the Dutch Bible belt – the region between the big rivers dividing the South of the Netherlands from the North of the country – wanted a new cemetery and invited three artists to design it. Ronald van Tienhoven (49), staff member of the entertainment domain, Laurien Wijers (63), and Mike Tyler (35) designed a completely new concept based on energy transition, Tibetan Buddhism, and Van Tienhoven’s extensive insights into burial rituals in various cultures. 'This was a challenge because dying is a crucial moment in human existence and where to bury a deceased loved one is a very important question in all cultures. For an artist such an assignment is in a way a ‘rite de passage.’ After you finish the project you move on, but for the people of Spijk the design of the cemetery is everlasting. In a manner of speaking, a well-conceived cemetery ‘welcomes’ the next of kin.'

Swamp cypresses, ginkgos, and plaid hedges
The artists designed a cemetery very different from the existing burial grounds with their  grey tombstones, conifers, cypresses, and holly. In the flat landscape around Spijk, which consists mainly of monoculture, such as apple orchards, they searched for a complete botanical make-over. They created different levels and planted unexpected trees such as the swamp cypress and the ginkgo. The swamp cypress, with its erratic aerial roots, is found in the Mississippi delta, but it does very well in the Dutch climate and the Ginkgo is like a living fossil. Plaid hedges, made up of the interwoven trunks of different types of bushes, were planted. They form a very old landscaping element, providing birds and insects with plenty of shelter. Julius Caesar hated them, because they prevented his troupes from marching on.

Designing and communicating
Everyone in Spijk was pleased with the design, except for the sectarian SGP. This strict religious minority party opposed the wall with urns the artists had designed. Orthodox Christianity forbids cremation because a burned body will not be able to rise on Judgment Day. In the end, however, the cemetery was built and designed according in keeping with the artists’ plans, including the urn wall, made of planished loam.
What Van Tienhoven learned from the project is that a design can only be successful if you communicate well with the client and user.

Industrial design
'The link with Industrial Design is the fundamental balance that has to be struck between autonomy and service. A good designer finds this balance. An artist has to trust his autonomy and certainly should not anticipate on the evaluation of the public. A good designer depends only partly on autonomy, but must avoid the pitfall of being only service-oriented.
A designer is a participant in a certain discourse. In order to be a participant one has to know history and to have an open mind towards social processes. Europe has a strong dialectical tradition. After modernism one can expect a retro movement. Developments are very much action-reaction based. Whatever the ‘fashion’ is, the designer should always ask himself: Is my design contributing anything? Why is this design necessary? So many products are utterly superfluous. At ID we often work with sensors and actuators. That does not mean, however, that every design should contain one, by default. Sometimes students think, “Let’s put some sensors and actuators in the design and it will be alright”. Other students do not have the faintest sense of history. These are observations that ask for some adjustments.’

Incremental prototyping
Another problem some students face is the reluctance to make a model. ‘I believe very much in incremental prototyping', says Van Tienhoven. 'Designing is not just a mental activity, it is also very tactile. Just make a prototype, reconsider, make another one, and so on. This is indeed research through design, a fundamental way of increasing designing competencies’.

Artist in an engineering environment
‘I have had a lot of discussions with fellow artists, but they were usually a much smaller challenge and inspiration for me than discussions with engineers. I love to teach at the departments of Architecture and ID. One should not be forced to choose either arts or engineering. It is this eccentric marriage between arts and technology that makes ID such a vibrant department.’

The ID education model
‘The competency based model ID employs is very important because it propels the dynamism necessary for design. There is only one problem: How do you properly assess students’ progress? Before you know it you drift into a quagmire of bureaucratic rules, procedures, and meetings’. ‘On the other hand’, Van Tienhoven adds, ‘in art schools I often heard reviews of students’ work which lacked objective reasoning.If you pretend to be a school or university you need to have a proper assessment system.'
'Another issue within ID is the use of self evaluations. This is very much based on the assumption that language is the appropriate medium, whereas many designers, even great ones like Bruno Ninaber, are probably not the ones who are able to write a good learning portfolio. An ID-student might fail due to his lack of reflective capabilities. However, the dynamic system is to be preferred over the traditional lecture-oriented model.’

Selection or not?
Van Tienhoven wonders whether ID would become an even stronger department if it could select students. ‘Some students with the appropriate diploma are just not suitable to the program or the education model. You invest so much time in teaching these students the basics and after a while you reach the conclusion: This is not your cup of tea. The first year should be more selective. Every now and then you see a third-year student who is really not suited to become a design engineer. It would be better for ID and for the student to call it quits, but it is already too late by then. The individual bachelor project (the six-month design project students have to complete individually) is really the proof of the pudding.’    

For the third time study association Lucid organized an inspiring trip to London, where students visited numerous design companies and appreciation for the TU/e Industrial Design education was harvested. Interview with Wouter Kersteman.


1. This was the third time Lucid organized a study trip to London, often referred to as the design capital of Europe. For which ID students was this trip intended? Tell us a bit about the group and the program. 
This particular study trip is for students with a propedeutic degree. It gives them a taste of industrial design in the professional world as well as some future perspectives concerning internships, jobs, and master programmes. It was a five-day trip during which we visited four design studios and consulting agencies (including ‘Therefore’, IDEO, Frazer, and the Design Council) and a variety of museums (including the Science Museum, Tate Modern, and Victoria & Albert Museum). Of course we also visited the usual sights such as the Tower Bridge and Big Ben.
    
2. What where the most important destinations on your trip?
The product design company consultancy 'Therefore' was a very interesting location because one of our bachelor graduates Rombout Frieling is currently working there. Also the visit to a department of one of the largest design studios in the world, IDEO, provided us with some great professional insights. Last but not least the, Master program Industrial Design Engineering (IDE) at the Royal College of Art was a real interesting place for the ambitious bachelor students.

3. You visited quite a number of design companies. Which ones appealed to you most and for what reason? 
The way of working at IDEO appealed to me most because it is very similar to the way we work here.

4. What do you think is the match between the design approach as you have seen it during your London trip and the department of Industrial Design? 
You could clearly see the difference between companies such as ‘Therefore’, Frazer, and a company like IDEO. The first two had very tight deadlines and basically modelled a plastic casing around the electronics that were delivered to them. The user hardly plays a role in this design process, whereas at IDEO the user is important.

5. How did the companies react to the typical Industrial Design features (the focus on intelligent products and services and the competency based learning)? 
They showed great interest in our course and were enthusiastic about the opportunities we could offer in the future.
 
6. Why should senior ID students go to London? 
This trip can offer you a glimpse of your future path, showing you different opportunities for your own future.

7. If you could do the trip over again, what would you keep the same and what would you change? 
I would definitely skip the Central Saint Martins College of Art. There's no science whatsoever within any of the courses there, which they proudly stated during their presentation. Although some of the projects were quite interesting, the RCA has a lot more to offer that is closer to 'our' approach to industrial design.

8. What was your personal highlight of the trip?
I really enjoyed the visit to the RCA, but the Science Museum was perhaps even more impressive. I particularly liked the gigantic LED ring in the central hall and the Pure Island Exposition.

9. What other issues in relation to the trip would you like to share with us?
At all the companies and institutes we visited “European Design versus Asian Design” was a very hot topic. As they said: "The climate is changing", and in my opinion this change is a positive one for our type of industrial designers.
 

Before 2007 all existing university courses in the Netherlands have to be accredited. When a program receives accreditation it means that it is able to attain its goals and has methods to measure processes and outcome. It demonstrates that your course is up to the high Dutch educational standard. Industrial Design is a new course and has not been accredited so far. Esther Gielen, who will serve as project leader when ID is accredited this fall, shares her ideas. 

An accreditation is a vital moment in the history of every course. If you do not receive accreditation, you may lose your budget as well as the influx of new students. You are ‘dead’. Courses receiving a negative outcome are no theory, it happens every now and then. Accreditation is a test. It is like a self evaluation on a larger scale. As a course ID asks the students to show their progress via a self evaluation and learning evidence, during an accreditation this applies to the whole department.

All academic Industrial Design Engineering courses will be accredited. Industrieel Ontwerpen (TU Delft) and Industrial Design Engineering (Universiteit Twente) will cooperate in writing a report on the field of Industrial Design, listing the fundamentals that are part of all three courses. Esther Gielen is certain that the wish to cooperate and to make the most of the accreditation will prevail over any competition. Delft, Twente, and Eindhoven all have their specific focal points. When selecting the committee who will do the actual investigation each of the departments is entitled to put forward preferred committee members. This committee will visit each department for a total of two to three days to see how the department functions on a day-to-day basis and to conduct interviews with the staff. Before this visit takes place, the department will send the committee an extensive report (VBI: visiterende en bemiddelende instantie or: visiting and mediating authority), which will be studied in detail. Both bachelor and master programs will be assessed. The three industrial design courses intend to exchange the draft versions of these reports.

Department reaction
Esther Gielen has some earlier experience with accreditation. She was involved with the accreditation at Avance in Breda, the professional school for ICT and media, a few years ago. ‘Although the accreditation means a lot of extra work, worries, and problems to solve, my experience is quite positive. Staff members and students are willing to put their best foot forward and to show how proud they are of their course. It’s like a parade; you want to make the best possible impression. Now the students and staff members have to fill in all sorts of questionnaires concerning quality care, coordinated by Esther's colleague Drs. Pleunie Verdaesdonk.The response shows a cooperative and interested attitude towards the outcome. Professors, for example, are interested to know how their assignments are evaluated by the students and they are willing to make adjustments based on the outcome of the questionnaires. They like to know which aspects of their work are appreciated. The results are also discussed by the domain and program managers.’ Esther believes that it will be possible to reach a consensus about what is really important.

Possible outcomes 
Nearly every aspect of the department will be examined: the objectives and contents of the program (including promotion, information, description of the education model, and the assessment), the quantity and quality of the professional staff, and the facilities, such as ICT and ateliers. The accreditation gives insights into the status of the department. One of the important figures is the efficiency, as illustrated by the number of drop-outs, the ratio between number of students and number of staff. Esther Gielen believes that the committee will appreciate the unique educational model, the fact that students are able to make many choices for themselves, and the highly realistic projects. She expects the NVAO (de Nederlandse Vereniging voor Accreditaties van Opleidingen) to be particularly critical about the competency based educational model, which is a new system. The way students are evaluated -- by assessments of their Self Evaluations instead of traditional exams -- will form a crucial aspect of the accreditation. She also worries a bit about those aspects of the educational routine that are not formally documented.

Desired results
‘When it is all finished, sometime in mid-2007, I hope and expect to be proud of what we have achieved with ID, despite the “growing pains”. We will no longer have to defend ourselves against outside criticism, in particular from those departments within the TU/e that tend to be sceptical at times. Industrial Design is a truly academic course, even more so than others, in some respects’, claims Esther. ‘The responsibility, the complexity of the tasks, and the thoroughness of reflection that is required are all signs of a genuine academic course.’
‘For me personally,’ Esther continues, ‘it will really be a triumph, when the accreditation is completed successfully.  You need to motivate a lot of people and keep on asking for that little bit more. When we receive the accreditation, the whole faculty wins.’

Industrial Design is an active and visible department. During the upcoming weeks ID will be represented at a number of conferences and exhibitions such as the STRP festival in Eindhoven, the Design & Marketing conference at the TU/e, and the International Symposium on Intelligent Environments at Cambridge University.

Dr. Christoph Bartneck’s ‘emotional robot’ E-Muu (reviewed in the New York Times)*  can be seen at the STRP festival in Eindhoven on March 24, 25 and 26.

 


Prof. Berry Eggen, chairman of the Design Platform Eindhoven plays a key role during the conference Design & Marketing at the TU/e on April 6.


Prof. Matthias Rauterberg will participate in the International Symposium on Intelligent Environments 'Improving the quality of life in a changing world' which will take place in Cambridge, UK, on April 5, 6, and 7.

Joep Frens' thesis highlights rich interaction

These days we are surrounded by highly interactive products, such as mobile phones, digital cameras, personal digital assistants, and MP3-players. While such products differ in form, they are all operated in the same way: through on-screen menus and navigation buttons. In his research Joep Frens explores an alternative paradigm for the operation of interactive products: rich interaction.

Designing for rich interaction
Interactive products have three properties: form, interaction, and function. In conventional interactive products these properties are often designed independently. Frens proposes a new approach to designing interactive products. This approach starts from people’s skills and aims at aesthetic interaction while concurrently exploring and designing the three properties so that the resulting products have a unity of form, interaction, and function.

From rich to conventional
Frens designed a digital camera that is operated by means of rich actions instead the buttons so typical of conventional interactive products. An experiment comparing the use of this rich interactive digital camera (RI Camera) to that of a conventional camera with buttons demonstrated that users prefer the rich actions of the RI Camera and that there is no marked difference in usability between the RI Camera and the conventional camera.

More information Industrial Design TU/e:
Joep Frens, j.w.frens@tue.nl
www.richinteraction.nl

Designing for Rich Interaction: Integrating Form, Interaction, and Function
ISBN-10: 90-9020538-1
ISBN-13: 978-90-9020538-0

The defense will take place on Wednesday April 19, 2006, at 4 p.m. in the Auditorium of the TU/e.

In honor of the TU/e's 50th birthday all alumni are invited to the Alumni Day, 21 April. The Industrial design department will organize a tailor-made program.

I have a feel for languages, says Dana Cook (23), an exchange student from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, but I wasn’t able to acquire enough command of Japanese to communicate well enough during my textile design project in Tokyo. In Holland I expected to learn Dutch quicly because I already know German, but, though I can follow it to some extend, the Dutch have taught me only bad words. They prefer to speak English with me.

Dana is an exchange student at ID, thanks to the exchange agreement between RMIT and ID, he came to the TU/e in the  Netherlands because other students told him that ID resembled ID at RMIT and that  major industry is located in the environment. In Australia research and development do not feature prominently in design education. Design is aimed primarily at practical applications such as furniture and textiles. Dana is very much a cosmopolite due to his father’s job as a geologist. He was born in Colorado, in the US, in 1982, moved to Texas in 1987, to Jakarta in 1990, and to Alaska in 1998, to end up in Australia that same year. So he is in fact not an Australian at all. 

Junior employee at ID
It was the ‘junior employee’ concept that attracted Dana to ID at the TU/e. ‘Although you are more self directed you are working at the university instead of at home, as is the case at RMIT. The tempo is higher and there are more restraints. In Melbourne you usually start off really cool and end up in a rush when the project has to be finalized.’

Howlers
At the moment Dana is involved in a project assigned by Professor Berry Eggen based on the famous envelopes that feature in one of the Harry Potter movies. ‘These so-called ‘howlers’ are magical letters, delivered by owls. They open themselves and start to scream. After the voice disappears the whole letter vanishes. It’s really a very open-ended communication device. It’s a search for magical properties in communication.’ Dana really enjoys participating in a group of six students, a bunch of very divergent characters. Nothing is standardized, as it is in Australia. Everyone does unique things within the project. Although his knowledge of engineering is not extensive, he is happy to learn and his fellow students are very helpful. He is proud he did well on the complex modelling assignment and appreciates the input of the companies that were involved. That increases the scientific level of the course. Whereas craftsmanship is of paramount importance in Australia, ID focuses much more on innovations. At ID you have a chance to explore interactive design. The similarity between the two programs lies in the use of self evaluation. At RMIT you also have to formulate your targets in advance.

Holland
Dana live in Berlin for two years, but Holland is not as much like German as he expected. The Dutch are more sociable, but the food is terrible, he summarizes.
Homesickness is not one of Dana’s favorite subjects. Although he would like to stay in the Netherlands for another six months, he does miss his family, the ocean, the weather, and the typical Australian BBQs. He likes to mingle with the Dutch and would prefer to stay in a real Dutch student house.

Ice-skating, snow, and ‘krokets’

RMIT student Shaun Oorde Grainger talks about his experiences as an exchange student at Industrial Design. Shaun is impressed by the education system and the work ethics and is looking forward to a long stay in Europe.

1. Why did you choose Industrial Design at the TU/e?
I'd heard very good things about the department’s course structure and facilities from one of my lecturers who had visited here earlier this year. I was also attracted to the focus on emerging technologies and the department’s relationship with Philips design, and obviously the fact that all courses are taught in English.
 
2. Why the Netherlands?
My mother is actually Dutch, as you may have guessed from my name, so I've always had a desire to learn more about the Dutch culture and improve my non-existent vocabulary. I'm also a big fan of stroopwaffles and pannacooken!
 
3. What were you expecting beforehand?
I didn't expect to integrate into the work and projects as smoothly as I have, but I think the complete lack of a language barrier has made that very easy.
 
4. What have you gained from the exchange so far?
I've met a lot of interesting people and had a lot of adventures and new experiences, like snow, ice skating, and krokets!
 
5. What do you think of the courses so far?
I've really been impressed by the quality of the teaching and staff here. I find the subjects we're taking to be relevant and I like the competency-based style of learning.

6. What are the differences and similarities between ID and RMIT?
The most noticable difference I see is the attitude of the students. The Dutch students I work with are very focused and organized, whereas in Australia students tend to be far more relaxed about projects, especially in the beginning, and will then step the work up as it comes closer to the deadline. I think this is illustrated well by the nine-to-five work ethic that students have here.
 
7. What does RMIT have to offer ID students?
Why should they go there on an exchange? Melbourne is the art, design, and cultural capital of Australia and even on a global scale is a very forward-thinking and creative city. I think that this would be a stark contrast to the way of life in Eindhoven and that together with the variety of projects and teaching methods at RMIT, which are more idea and thinking than skills based, this would give students the creative insight that many of them have expressed they feel is lacking here.
 
8. What are you plans for the next couple of months?
As far as the study side of the exchange I think the TU/e has a lot to offer me, especially in giving me a better understanding of design for new technologies. As for the cultural side of the exchange, I'm hoping to do as much travelling in Europe as my schedule and budget allow and I'd also very much like to learn Dutch. It’s proving to be very difficult though, due to how well the Dutch speak English.
 
9. What will you have achieved within six months?
Hopefully I'll be in a position to do an internship here in Europe either though RMIT or the TU/e.
 
10. What do you miss the most while you are here?
Sunshine!
 
11. What do you think of Holland/the Dutch compared to Australia/the Australians?
I think both cultures have quite an open and relaxed attitude towards social concerns and life as a whole, which makes us quite compatible nations. And we both love beer!

All is well in the Netherlands, except the weather

James O'Halloran is an exchange student from RMIT and is impressed by the teamwork at Industrial Design. He is experiencing a 'steep learning curve' and is determined to see a lot of Europe.

1.Why did you choose Industrial Design at TU/e?
The course is in english. I had heard good things from lecturers at RMIT about the course structure and facilities. This was backed up by what I could see on the web site.

2.Why the Netherlands?
Part of my plan throughout this year is to see as much of Europe as I can. Holland is central to many locations, and also there are many cheap flights to various places... Spain, turkey, England, Italy, etc

3.What were you expecting beforehand?
Was really not sure what to expect. I was a bit surprised about how industrial Eindhoven itself is. It is not what I imagined a Dutch city to look like - nor what many Dutch seem to consider being a typical Dutch city.
I actually thought that I could take the opportunity to learn Dutch. Everyone's English is so good that I can fortunately/ unfortunately get by too easy without it.

4.What have you gained from the exchange so far?
There had been a very steep learning curve due to the differences between RMIT and TU/e institutes.

5.What do you think of the courses so far?
Group work is very structured. TU/e students seem to have been given a good background on group dynamics and teamwork in first year. I have, and still am benefiting greatly from their knowledge in this area.

6.What are the differences and similarities between ID and RMIT?
Similar learning techniques are being practiced at both Universities. There seems to be more focus on self-evaluation at TU/e. The breakdown of various competencies I have found to be very valuable. It is very clear and allows you to easily determine what areas need development and, in turn effectively develop all areas.

7. What does RMT have to offer to ID students?
The main benefit of RMIT is that you in most assignments you have a large amount of freedom to choose a direction. In most cases I have had the option to work in-group or individual basis. In these circumstances it can be tempting to remain in your comfort zone, only focusing on the areas that you are already good at. If you have the motivation to push yourself, there are excellent staff for support. There is also a large amount of freedom given regarding access to workshop facilities.

8. What are you plans for the next couple of months?
Work hard. Enjoy and explore my surroundings. GO to as many festivals around Europe as I can. Get a job to make this achievable.
This is fantastic opportunity for me to develop many aspects of myself - academically and beyond for example: to gain a complex understanding of different cultures, traditions, and values that others may have. I wish to make the most of it.

9. What will you have reached within 6 months?
By this time I would like to have filled in any 'gaps' that I have discovered with regard to what I've learned throughout my ID education. Changing institutions - especially to a foreign country is a great way to do this, because these gaps become evident very quickly. Ideally, I would like to have set up an internship somewhere in Europe. I think this would be the perfect introduction to the workforce, as well as being a great gateway and opportunity. (As it is difficult to match the array of Industrial design industries that is offered in Europe.

10. What do you miss the most while you are here?
Sunshine. Seriously, I find that my enthusiasm and motivation increases largely in the midst of a nice day. Though there have been plenty of new circumstances and experiences to keep me stimulated.. And hopefully the weather will improve soon.

11.What do you think of Holland/the Dutch compared to Australia/the Australians?
It seems to me that like Australians, most Dutch people are very friendly and willing to help whenever they can. They also seem very fond of social occasions of night - which I can appreciate very much.

12.What further observations do you like to share with us?
The opportunity to study at an institution in a foreign land is one that I think no one should miss. Be it to RMIT Australia or ESDI Brazil, your learning experience expands from the classroom to all aspects of daily living. Here am challenged in new ways every day, and I don't think it's possible for me to comprehend the knowledge and experiences I will have collected by the end.

Stefania Nicolosi, an exchange student from the famous Politecnico di Milano, is currently participating in the ID master program. Although she has only been here for a month, she has already gotten a taste of the Dutch way of life and of studying.

1. Why did you choose Industrial Design at the TU/e?
When I decided to come to the Netherlands, I looked for information about all the Dutch universities that offer ID courses. In the end, I chose Eindhoven because I'm very interested in interactive design and this is the right place to be for that.

2. Why the Netherlands?
I wanted to improve my English, so I decided to choose a country where English is spoken. Moreover because I knew that there are important and good universities here in the industrial design field.

3. What were you expecting beforehand?
I expected to work in a very different way compared to Milano: small groups of students, brief assignments. I was a little worried about the engineering skills that might be required.

4. What have you gained from the exchange so far?
I really like the department. The studio lab is fantastic. Every student has a lot of space and everything you need, tools and information, you can ask for. People are very helpful.
Everybody spends a lot of time inside the department, so you can do most of  your work here, and this is useful when you are working in a team.

5. What do you think of the courses so far?
What I like very much is the interaction between students and teachers. It's a very good thing. The teachers are very approachable. I also like the modules. I have only taken two so far, but they were very interesting.

6. What are the differences and similarities between ID and the Politecnico di Milano?
In Milano there is another two-year specialization course after the bachelor degree. You can choose from a number of different subjects: product design, interior design, communication, product & services, Yacht design, fashion. These subjects are similar to the bachelor courses, attended by hundreds of students. There are no modules but traditional courses throughout the semester.

7. If you would recommend any ID student to come to Politecnico what would be the reason, now you know the ID TU/e?
The Politecnico di Milano is one of the most outstanding European
universities in Engineering, Architecture, and Industrial Design, the largest one in Italy. It would be interesting for ID students because the teaching methods are different. We study many different subjects, some of which may seem far removed from the subject of design. Milano is also the capital of ‘Made in Italy’, and you can feel this everywhere, not just in the academic and business area. It is where one of the most important furniture fairs in Europe takes place. The most famous design studios and magazine headquarters are also situated there.

8. What are you plans for the next couple of months?
First of all I want to develop good projects, learning as much as I can and improving my skills. I hope I will do my best.
But I also want to travel around the Netherlands and visit the beautiful places in this country and for the rest of the time I want to have fun, of course!

9. What will you have achieved within six months?
I’m here to become more self-confident, I mean in social relationships as well as in my profession. I think this is a good way to test my capabilities and to improve them.

10. What do you miss the most while you are here?
What I miss very much is nature. There are not very many trees and green
areas here in Eindhoven. The center in particular has too many buildings.

11. What do you think of Holland/the Dutch compared to
Italy/Italians?
I think they are similar in some respects, but I think here everything is projected to the future, you can see it in the architecture and also in the lifestyle, which is very open minded. In Italy we look more to the past and we are more linked to traditions, we don't like to change too fast. We love so much our historical roots.

12. What further observations would you like to share with us?
Well, I can also say that I’m very happy to be here and I suggest that everybody comes here to the TU/e in Eindhoven!