This course bridges speculative and practical design approaches to explore the evolving landscape of interaction design across current and emerging technologies. Students will investigate how human cognition, behavior, and sensory experience can drive innovation in products, services, and systems—especially within the realms of IoT, wearable technologies, and smart environments.

Through a hybrid methodology that integrates human-centered, research-informed design with critical, discursive exploration, students will engage with both real-world use cases and future-focused provocations. The course supports iterative prototyping and speculative thinking as complementary processes—enabling students to both solve contemporary challenges and imagine transformative futures.

Students will develop technical and conceptual skills through lectures, hands-on demos, and weekly exercises. Tools such as MODI, Arduino, and TouchDesigner will be used for both low- to mid-fidelity and speculative prototyping. Emphasis is placed on usability testing, user research, group critique, and design storytelling to build a holistic understanding of human-technology interaction.

By the end of the course, students will produce two complementary outcomes:

• A functional prototype that responds to current user needs and technological opportunities

• A speculative design proposal that challenges assumptions and envisions alternative futures for interaction design.

This dual-track approach empowers students to become versatile designers—able to innovate within today’s constraints while shaping the conversations of tomorrow.

Major Requirement | BFA Industrial Design, MID (2.5yr): Industrial Design

Manufacture: from Latin manu factus, literally, made by hand (Merriam Webster online)

This studio explores the objects and possibilities that arise from using additive manufacturing as a method for serial production. Working intensively with FDM, both as a medium and a method, and learning about other forms of additive manufacturing, the studio asks some of the most quintessential questions of Industrial Design: What does it mean to design for a particular method of fabrication? What kind of potentials do these technologies offer? How can they be employed to make objects different than the ones possible in traditional manufacturing? How can they be combined with other materials and methods of making to expand the range of object potentials?

This is an intense making studio, one would even say an ultra-making studio, which includes experimenting with the mediums, modeling forms for production and culminates with actually producing them. In order to do this, we will be testing materials, learning about AM technologies, speculating about the future of these technologies, learning to use slicers and printers, and learning to write our own gcode. Results of this studio are first and foremost enticing material objects, which might be looking at the present, near-future or far future of these technologies as object-making means. Outcomes could include full-scale furniture pieces, consumer products, Grasshopper scripts, printer prototypes, business models and more.

Note: This is a CAD intensive course however it is not a CAD class, and there will be few software demos. Fluency in 3d modeling software (Solidworks, Rhino or the like) is necessary to succeed in this course. Advanced CAD is preferable, but not required.

Major Requirement | BFA Industrial Design, MID (2.5yr): Industrial Design

This spring the Design for Extreme Environments Studio will consider how to design spacecraft and habitats suitable for extreme environments and long-duration missions, such as those to the Moon or Mars. Students will work in teams, with input from experts at NASA and elsewhere, to provide creative ideation and innovative concepts while helping create the future of space travel.

Designing for the physical, emotional and psychological needs of astronauts may seem like an esoteric challenge but putting people into unfamiliar or highly dangerous surroundings requires an extreme level of attention to design. It is not enough to design technologies, systems, or equipment that function according to basic technical specifications without incorporating the human needs of the users, the people that will interact with them.

Extreme environments create extraordinary challenges to human physiological and psychological existence where common expectations for safety, comfort and performance need to be radically redefined. It is in situations like these that common assumptions no longer hold true and every aspect of a design must be considered in a new context. This questioning of assumptions and awareness of context are crucial for innovation in a wide array of domains.

This studio uses extreme environments as a pedagogical approach to focus design on human needs and interactions, while emphasizing creativity and innovation in tightly constrained situations. The skills, methodologies and knowledge acquired in this studio are applicable in a broad range of domains of which aerospace is just one small subset.

NASA’s Artemis campaign will launch the second Artemis mission this year, possibly during this spring semester. The Artemis II mission will send humans further from Earth than ever before but will not land on the Moon. Future missions, starting with Artemis III will explore the Moon for scientific discovery, technology advancement, and to learn how to live and work on another world as we prepare for human missions to Mars.

This studio is funded by a grant from the RI Space Grant Consortium, Michael Lye PI, so there are no lab fees and minimal out of pocket expenses. The grant will cover these costs.

Major Requirement | BFA Industrial Design, MID (2.5yr): Industrial Design

This course explores the intersection of industrial design, occupational therapy, and toy innovation by focusing on learning the fundamentals towards the creation of tactile, mobility-supportive toys and action figures. Students will design and prototype toys that promote movement, sensory engagement, problem-solving, and collaboration, drawing inspiration from emerging trends in therapeutic play and evergreen action figure design.

Using CAD software taught in previous courses, students will design and implement fully elements of articulation as seen in action figures and mobility-focused toys, complete with packaging. Through both digital modeling and hands-on fabrication, students will learn to design around three core joint systems: ball-and-socket joints, hinge joints, and slot mechanisms to create moving, opening, and interlocking parts. Emphasis will be placed on integrating standardized hardware to streamline the transition from prototype to pre-manufacturing

Students will gain experience in mold-making from CAD models, using the model shop to create production molds, cast rubber and hard plastics, vacuum-form packages, and develop final packaging design. By the end of the course, each student will produce a pre-production prototype of an articulated toy with a road map to manufacturing & market, complete with professional package concepts and ready for presentation or portfolio.

Major Requirement | BFA Industrial Design, MID (2.5yr): Industrial Design

Chair design is a rite of passage for those interested in the close interplay between form, structure, and comfort. Of all furniture types, chairs most clearly reveal how design decisions affect both the human body and the integrity of construction, inviting a critical understanding of how material and structure shape experience.

During the first half of the semester, students will gain hands-on experience working with a focused material palette to investigate chair design. The studio emphasizes analog methodologies and shop-based exploration. Students will study form, proportion, and ergonomics through full-scale mockups and prototypes - developing a working understanding of structure, joinery, and connection methods along the way.

In the second half of the semester, students will turn their focus to manufacturing and repeatability, refining their designs and building jigs for producing multiples. They will navigate the trade-offs required to move a design from concept to production, learning what must be adjusted or let go to preserve what matters most, and developing a disciplined sense of balance between desired outcomes and producibility.

By the end of the semester, each student will have developed a personal process for designing, refining, and producing chairs that embody structural integrity, comfort, and a distinct form language.

Prerequisite: Wood II or Metals II (must be completed - may not be taken concurrently with this advanced studio).

Major Requirement | BFA Industrial Design, MID (2.5yr): Industrial Design

The course incorporates both the development physical and UI/UX design elements combined. The digital transformation and the way people interact with products is currently changing the consumer product landscape and the design opportunities its use brings. During the course students develop ideas that by the end of the course will build high-fidelity prototypes. Some knowledge of 3D modeling software and or UI/UX design software such as Figma or Adobe XD allows students to focus their time on the design subjects they are researching and developing for the course. 3D printing and UI/UX simulations will be iteratively evolved throughout the semester to final prototypes.

Major Requirement | BFA Industrial Design, MID (2.5yr): Industrial Design

An exploration into form, process, and industry…

Casting is perhaps one of the oldest industrial practices still in use today. The process itself and designing for it have endured from ancient times. The same principles apply - those of draft, parting, flow, and shrinkage. These are the principles that will be covered academically in this studio.

More intuitively, you will investigate form - drawing on history, experience, tactile knowledge, and experience. Putting both academic knowledge and intuitive investigation into practice, you will design and build objects for the industrial cast iron production process. Working within this process will be just as much research, planning and iteration as it will be physical investigation and experimentation of material and form.

Iron will be the material to be cast for reasons of versatility, machinability, established relationships, and primal physical connection. One must not forget that iron is a part of us all. It comes from Space, and there is magic in it... That which comes from the stars runs in our blood, filling our veins. That magic flows within us.

Major Requirement | BFA Industrial Design, MID (2.5yr): Industrial Design

This advanced studio invites students to explore how designed objects shape our everyday rituals of gathering, serving, and sharing. Through the creation of tabletop collections, students will engage in a hands-on, research-driven process that bridges form, function, and lifestyle.

The course begins with an investigation into target users, seasonal events, and market trends to uncover design opportunities. These insights will guide students as they develop their own collection, moving through concept generation, material exploration, and technical refinement. Each project will culminate in a curated “tablescape” that tells a story - visually and functionally - about how the objects relate to one another and the context they’re designed for.

Throughout the course, students will be challenged to develop thoughtful, well-crafted designs that embody long-term usability - encouraging students to create products that are not only beautiful and functional but also built to last. Studio work includes iterative model making, Illustrator-based ideation, and technical drawings to support production.

By the end of the semester, students will have created a refined tabletop collection that reflects strong material fluency, thoughtful storytelling, and a high level of craft.

Note: It is strongly encouraged that students registering for this class have completed ID 2453-XX Wood II or ID 2452-XX Metals II or ADS: Production Ceramics.

Major Requirement | BFA Industrial Design, MID (2.5yr): Industrial Design

This class teaches modern tools and methods for product design and development. The cornerstone is a project in which teams consisting of MIT Sloan MBA students, MIT Engineering students, and RISD Industrial Design students conceive, design, and prototype a physical product.

Project ideas come from the students in the class and are rated for potential. The most promising opportunities will be used to form project teams (on the basis of student interest) for the remainder of the semester. Each team will be allocated a budget for product development. The course is occasionally supported by sponsors, who may suggest one or more project opportunities for your consideration.

The class is jointly taught by MIT and RISD faculty. The first half of each class session will generally be in lecture and discussion format, and the second half will be used for project team meetings and consultation with faculty. Students registering for this class should be prepared to travel at least once a week to the MIT campus in Cambridge, MA.

Major Requirement | BFA Industrial Design, MID (2.5yr): Industrial Design

Graduate Thesis Communications II is a studio course run in parallel with our sibling studio course which focuses on completing your thesis. Together, we will spend the spring semester finishing the thesis and thesis book that you proposed at the end of Graduate Thesis Communications I. We continue to think about writing as a design tool and as a communication tool. For this course, we put more emphasis on the communication aspect. Together, we will continue to refine and strengthen the manner by which you explain your thesis to yourself and others. We will think about audience, voice, structure, and form. We will explore different ways of communicating the same idea in different contexts and mediums (visual, oral, written). We will examine how to share our work and with whom. At the end of the course, you will have a complete thesis.

Enrollment is limited to Graduate Industrial Design Students.

Major Requirement | MID Industrial Design

Graduate Thesis Communications II is a studio course run in parallel with our sibling studio course which focuses on completing your thesis. Together, we will spend the spring semester finishing the thesis and thesis book that you proposed at the end of Graduate Thesis Communications I. We continue to think about writing as a design tool and as a communication tool. For this course, we put more emphasis on the communication aspect. Together, we will continue to refine and strengthen the manner by which you explain your thesis to yourself and others. We will think about audience, voice, structure, and form. We will explore different ways of communicating the same idea in different contexts and mediums (visual, oral, written). We will examine how to share our work and with whom. At the end of the course, you will have a complete thesis.

Enrollment is limited to Graduate Industrial Design Students.

Major Requirement | MID Industrial Design

This course provides a focused investigation into descriptive sketching as a tool for visual communication across disciplines. Students will examine a range of effective techniques for translating complex concepts into clear, accessible hand-drawn visuals. Emphasis will be placed on rapid ideation, visual problem-solving, and the capacity of sketching to function as a shared language across cultural and professional contexts. Through structured exercises and iterative practice, students will develop strategies for determining appropriate levels of detail and clarity in response to a variety of scenarios. The course aims to cultivate sketching as a transferable skill, relevant to a broad spectrum of 21st-century career paths.

Coursework will include regular group critiques, during which students will analyze the clarity, execution, and communicative effectiveness of peer work. In addition, students will be encouraged to explore innovative approaches to visual storytelling, with a focus on refining their ability to convey narrative and information predominantly through visual means.

Elective

During this course, we will examine natural environments, systems, processes, and organisms with the intent to design a more circular, and less harmful human-planet relationship. Students will embark on a creative and rigorous exploration of the deep biomimicry and biodesign methodology put forth by the RISD Nature Lab as a pathway toward innovative materials, products, manufacturing methods, services, and experiences. These materials and methods will be placed in context to support the Hyundai Motor Group’s research on the future of mobility, creating design solutions that demonstrate our discoveries’ real-world applications and potential impacts.

Particular focus will be placed on advanced Biodesign research techniques such as microscopy imaging, 3D scanning, material & process development & testing, consultation with scientific experts, and referencing scientific research.

The spring curriculum and assignments will provide structured support for a deep dive into student-directed biodesign research. Bi-weekly demos build the technical skill set students need including a further exploration of biomaterials, generative modeling, additive manufacturing, public speaking, and product photography. Guest lecturers and reviews will provide bi-weekly feedback and guidance in addition to the teaching team. Frequent check-ins support students in their larger research arc, including a focus on broader design frameworks of Design Justice and user interviews. 

The final outcome of the semester will be students’ documentation and write-up of their research process that will remain in the Regeneration Studio online archive, as well as an advanced and functional prototype.

A close partnership with the RISD Nature Lab and the ID Department will provide access to the expertise and equipment necessary to complete student-driven research topics.

This course features a series of guest lectures, field trips, and demonstrations throughout the semester to provide insight into the quickly expanding field of biodesign and regenerative design, as well as expert guest critics.

Note: The activities in this course are a continuation of fall research conducted in the HMG-sponsored course: IDISC 2117 - Biodesign Practicum, which is a prerequisite.

Elective

During this course, we will examine natural environments, systems, processes, and organisms with the intent to design a more circular, and less harmful human-planet relationship. Students will embark on a creative and rigorous exploration of the deep biomimicry and biodesign methodology put forth by the RISD Nature Lab as a pathway toward innovative materials, products, manufacturing methods, services, and experiences. These materials and methods will be placed in context to support the Hyundai Motor Group’s research on the future of mobility, creating design solutions that demonstrate our discoveries’ real-world applications and potential impacts.

Particular focus will be placed on advanced Biodesign research techniques such as microscopy imaging, 3D scanning, material & process development & testing, consultation with scientific experts, and referencing scientific research.

The spring curriculum and assignments will provide structured support for a deep dive into student-directed biodesign research. Bi-weekly demos build the technical skill set students need including a further exploration of biomaterials, generative modeling, additive manufacturing, public speaking, and product photography. Guest lecturers and reviews will provide bi-weekly feedback and guidance in addition to the teaching team. Frequent check-ins support students in their larger research arc, including a focus on broader design frameworks of Design Justice and user interviews. 

The final outcome of the semester will be students’ documentation and write-up of their research process that will remain in the Regeneration Studio online archive, as well as an advanced and functional prototype.

A close partnership with the RISD Nature Lab and the ID Department will provide access to the expertise and equipment necessary to complete student-driven research topics.

This course features a series of guest lectures, field trips, and demonstrations throughout the semester to provide insight into the quickly expanding field of biodesign and regenerative design, as well as expert guest critics.

Note: The activities in this course are a continuation of fall research conducted in the HMG-sponsored course: IDISC 2117 - Biodesign Practicum, which is a prerequisite.

Elective

Turning an idea into a sustainable reality requires a fundamental understanding of business, but the frameworks that guide business principles overlap, complement, and enhance design principles. This course seeks to educate students to understand business as a critical design factor- a defining constraint or liberating perspective along the same lines that other design principles are taught. The guiding principle is that design and business are inextricably linked: Design work is intrinsically linked to business and will always be at the service of business, fulfilling the need for an enterprise (profit or non-profit) whose business model is critical to its survival. Design will find new channels, new outlets, through a more complete understanding of business needs and how businesses see opportunity. Design can and should be considered as critical strategic input for business. The objective of Business Principles: Design and Entrepreneurship is for students to understand basic business vocabulary, to explore how design vocabulary and design processes overlap, complement and enhance business vocabulary, and to understand how design thinking skills can be used to identify and execute business opportunities.

Elective

History is a powerful tool; a basic understanding of the history of design and familiarity with important design movements and designers is essential for thorough design work. By examining the work of other designers, we are better able to identify our own interests and concerns, and avoid repeating mistakes that have been navigated in the past. This lecture-based class will present the history of Industrial Design in a way that links it to today's studio work, and offers connection points to link past innovation and design activity with future design success. The lectures present a chronological overview of the profession of Industrial Design and its antecedents. Topics discussed will include major design movements, significant designers, manufacturers, and design-related companies, innovations in technology and material use, the development of sales, marketing, and user-focused designing, and the history of design process. Coursework includes extensive reading, in-class presentations based on independent research, projects, and writing.

Majors are pre-registered for this course by the department. Preference is given to Sophomore Industrial Design Students.

Major Requirement | BFA Industrial Design

History is a powerful tool; a basic understanding of the history of design and familiarity with important design movements and designers is essential for thorough design work. By examining the work of other designers, we are better able to identify our own interests and concerns, and avoid repeating mistakes that have been navigated in the past. This lecture-based class will present the history of Industrial Design in a way that links it to today's studio work, and offers connection points to link past innovation and design activity with future design success. The lectures present a chronological overview of the profession of Industrial Design and its antecedents. Topics discussed will include major design movements, significant designers, manufacturers, and design-related companies, innovations in technology and material use, the development of sales, marketing, and user-focused designing, and the history of design process. Coursework includes extensive reading, in-class presentations based on independent research, projects, and writing.

Majors are pre-registered for this course by the department. Preference is given to Sophomore Industrial Design Students.

Major Requirement | BFA Industrial Design