Industrial Design: An Amalgam of Social Form and Technological Function – An Impact Analysis on Contemporary Design and Design Education

Abstract

The paper examined the content, structure and characteristics of the industrial design discipline which, is said to be indistinctly linked to its core values and commitment to render professional service for the generation of ideas & concepts. Industrial design is aimed towards the development and production of industrial products, goods, and services, for the benefit of man and society. The study also highlighted the underpinnings of the role, and place of the given social form and structure, which was stated to be the societal structure, procedure or order of a society which establishes the methods of societal expression or practice, or a fixed way of carrying out its proceedings or an established scheme and formula for carrying out all of human/societal activities. It was established that the issue of the context of the technological function of industrial design refers to the use of practical application of scientific knowledge, principles and practice of technology that is adopted in the creation and development of useful man-made things for societal benefit. The paper also established that the role of industrial design epitomizes an amalgamation of the characteristics of social form and its inherent technological function in the process of the actualization, production and development of man-made environment. The paper recommends that the development of a relevant and reliable design education curriculum, aimed at achieving a viable pedagogic model, and educational tool will be needed for the actualization of an efficient and viable design-led education delivery. It also recommended a rigorous paradigm shift from the current traditional theme-based, project-based learning techniques that is characteristic of the “Top-down†learning approach, to a dramatic tilt and shift towards a more adaptive “student-centered†or “de-centered†learning model and technique of design education delivery.