In small groups of juniors and seniors, the ITEC 344: Product Design class of Fall 2008, consisting of about 25 students, worked and whittled themselves toward the completion of a capstone project in the Stayer Hall lobby.

A reception for the exhibition of those projects was held two days ago in the same lobby, with some encouraging words by Dr. Jane Bray, dean of education at Millersville University. The student designers were not available for comments.

The ITEC 34 course is offered every fall, and will be offered every semester as of next year.

“Design: the planned process of change that produces the results we want with minimized trade-offs and controlled risk,” read the first page of a PowerPoint printout on display behind the projects.

A superb interpretation of what “we want” with plenty of “controlled risk” was a playing table with a seat on either side, almost seeming for the purpose of two school-aged children.

In the middle, a flat surface serves as a checkers board. Michael Friedman, Jessie Buechele and David Stoy worked together for only three weeks during the Fall semester to put this together.

To the back of the leisurely checker game was a fantastic demonstration of minimizing trade-offs.

Probably a dozen hinges connected many pieces of wood, creating folding areas that allowed the object to flatten itself to just inches of height. Both a chair and table were in this way created by Nick Defeo, Greg Heffner and Ryan Martin.

Matt Ebner, Brian Chea and Greg Tice constructed a rocking chair and side table, suitable for a cup of tea before a quick nap in the sun.

Fittingly displayed beneath “the Symons lobby” plaque dedicated to Harry C. Symons, “in recognition of his services to Millersville University,” the exhibit will be displayed until Feb. 27.

Scott A. Warner, Ed.D., assistant professor in industry and design has been professor of ITEC 344 for the last two years and has led each of those classes through this capstone project.

Scott Warner, Assistant Professor of Industry and Design, examines a piece of furniture designed by a student. Photo by David Lu.
Scott Warner, Assistant Professor of Industry and Design, examines a piece of furniture designed by a student. Photo by David Lu.

Last year, at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Warner said his class participated in a larger competition and two of this students actually had their projects displayed there at IUP.

The goal was to design “a product appropriate for Ikea… [the students] had to find out what the corporate philosophy is for Ikea,” Warner said.

On the Ikea website, under “our vision and business idea,” it states that “our vision is to create a better everyday life for the many people. Our business idea supports this vision by offering a wide range of well-designed, functional home furnishing products at prices so low that as many people as possible will be able to afford them.”

Essentially, on top of having only 24 sq. ft. of birch plywood and limited solid wood to work with, the students had to figure out “how can we get everything down to a flat panel so we can ship it?” Warner said, because both the method of and materials used for shipping have environmental costs.

Over the process, Warner noticed his students gaining an expertise in a way of thinking and designing that surpasses most people and not merely because they created something out of virtually nothing. Anyone can be coached through that.

“We also wanted them to have a green perspective… how can you minimize the environmental impact of both the product and the material it’s made out of , as well as any shipping. If it’s going to go in a box, well, then that costs and it has its own environmental impact. So, all those kinds of questions came into play…

“As a teacher…what’s most important to me is what they learn from the experience,” Warner continued.

Warner, pausing after a long discussion on the importance of giving his students something of their own to research, design and produce. He concluded that what really matters at the end of the process is “what’s in here,” pointing to his head with both hands.