Can design generate information to aid in technological innovation? An investigation using industry based case studies

For the first time in the history of the Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) enterprise, design and design research was involved from the very beginning of a scientific research program. Within the CRC Wood Innovations, Project 2.3 was set up to research and develop innovative techniques for the production of bentwood components, including the use of microwave technology. A Masters of Design (M.Des) project was included into the research program to contribute new and innovative ideas to assist in the design and development of a commercial bending technology. The aims of Project 2.3 that help to guide the outcomes of the design project were to develop innovative techniques for wood bending for the mass-production of bentwood components, to produce new designs and products and to develop a means for technology transfer. A driving goal for this design project was to use existing parameters of industry partners and research constraints to produce furniture prototypes that utilise and test microwave bentwood components. Particular emphasis has been placed on technological, marketing and manufacturing parameters, while working with two Australian manufacturers, CDe Group and Jensen Jarrah. The importance of producing physical embodiments of furniture using microwave bentwood components was that they allow the designer to test bentwood manufacturing techniques, component reliability and consistency, while also placing the technology into a simulated commercial production environment. The objectives of the design project can be identified and divided into a number of elements. There was a need to identify collective needs and desires of the Australian Furniture Industry to give a strong information base to work from. Through a series of experiments and collaborative projects (case studies), furniture prototypes were created and the prototypes were used to stimulate discussion. The conversation generated information to assist in furthering the technological and product development of bentwood components in both scientific and manufacturing fields. The final stage consisted of an analysis of the information produced through the feed back generated by the prototypes. The design project contained in this thesis was designed and completed to assist in the transition of a pre-commercial technology to a commercially viable manufacturing technique.