Industrial Design Engineering

"Hi, my name is Lola and I am in my second year studying IDE at THUAS. I chose this study because it combines the creativity with practicality. What I like the most about this study is that you work closely with real clients and have a variety of creative choices. You can find most of the information on the website, however, if you have any questions, please reach out to me and I am happy to help."

"My experience in IDE is surprising. Working hands on with companies and applying the knowledge we learn directly into the field is quite different from just learning and making exams which I was accustomed to. For example, we designed a toy for children in the first semester which helped us grasp how to design for other target groups! I love The Hague as it’s a very international city full of kind people and our course is also full of people from all over the world! In the future, I would like to design for the world and work in different countries, maybe even do a master."

"This program's flexibility is crucial for me to reach my goals! What's so special about it is how we seamlessly apply the knowledge we gain to our projects, giving us a firsthand feel for the industry. Studying abroad is a journey, where I soak up knowledge while interacting with folks from all corners of the globe, constantly pushing my limits and exploring new perspectives. I'm eager to dive deeper into the technical side of Industrial Design Engineering, with the support of our lecturers and opportunities to innovate on campus and globally. As someone who dreams big, I aim to contribute to innovative design solutions in either the automotive or aerospace sectors." 

"At the end of each semester, we have the IDE Expo. An event to look forward to! Every team gets to show their final design, prototype, and poster to the client and the audience. I have been a part of 4 expos by now. Last time me and my team showcased our filtration gully designed to filter stormwater before it gets back into the underground water reserves. The project was part of the ‘Design with Nature’ semester, where we abstract nature’s principles to mechanical principles. Our team managed to integrate no less than 3 organisms in our design: the flamingo, the mangrove tree and the basking shark. Overall, the Expo is fun as you get to see other teams’ solutions as well."

"Making new products from coffee waste, that was the topic of my graduation internship. I already was very interested in bio-integrated design and biomimicry. At Coffee Based, I did material exploration research for the reuse of spent coffee grounds and/or coffee by-products that occur in the coffee process. Eventually, I designed a storage container for coffee beans and coffee waste, made from coffee grounds. I learned a lot from my colleagues and gained a better understanding of my aspirations as a designer. Design is never a one-person job, that’s what I know now."

"During this semester you will learn about engineering drawing and manufacturing. You gain knowledge about the strength and stiffness of materials. Also, you get to know standard parts that designers integrate into their products: bolts, nuts, bearings and springs. While learning more about those topics, you and your group members design a product. After 15 weeks, you will deliver a prototype. This time, a group worked on a belt for a wheelchair and another group designed a tracking mechanism for elephants in Africa. As a tutor I help the students moving forward. I like asking a lot of questions and I enjoy watching the enthusiasm of students identifying and solving the problem. Sometimes, real life clients don’t understand the problem themselves, so problem identification is an important part."

"We live in an ever expanding universe, innovation has become a demanding buzzword and our societal & environmental problems keep mounting on top of each other. Good designers stand in the face of such challenges with a smile on their faces and creative sparks in  their eyes. That’s the mindset I expect my IDE students to channel while we help them in building a good design skillset. We teach human-centered design here at IDE, hoping to expand it to life-centered design – where not only humans but all life is valued and designed for. My personal expertise is in the field of positive design, or in other words, design for happiness. And that’s what I hope for my IDE students to gain from this program as well: happiness!"

"The first semester ‘Basics of IDE’ is pretty much what it says it is. Your group of 4 or 5 students will work on a design for an external client. You start with user research to really understand your assignment. From those insights you generate a ton of ideas. Then you apply design methods to select and develop the best ideas. You also learn about group dynamics and cultural differences so decisions won’t be about the loudest voice. Classes like sketching, prototyping, business and strategy support you on the road to proudly presenting your design to the client at the expo. I love coordinating this semester because it’s super motivating to be a part of students’ amazing learning curve."

“Looking back to my studying days, I can now tell that IDE is a modular program, designed to be a series of knowledge puzzle pieces from which you can choose & start your own career path. IDE gave me the necessary tools to design a toy with a huge impact to children exposed to traumatizing experiences, and also curated me with the necessary soft skills & patience so I can deal with any obstacles. Now I work as a Product Designer at the largest handbags company in Greece, enjoying the big potential and challenges, trying to make a sustainable difference.”

"As a User Experience Designer at Boeing, I’m contributing to digital solutions. From the research phase to final design delivery, I’m involved in numerous parts of the design process. I always try to find an optimal experience for our users. The problem-based solving approach and design thinking process I learned from the IDE program are often being used at work. Being an Enterprise UX Designer not only requires visual design skills, but also a broad spectrum of knowledge about open innovation and business. I really enjoy working with my passionate colleagues at Boeing."

"From studying IDE I gained a variety of knowledge within the design industry including project managing, and most importantly - collaboration. Therefore, through a diverse course and regularly working with clients, I have been able to kickstart my career as a designer at a furniture company and as a freelance designer. I also founded a startup (TukAid) that began at THUAS and focuses on solutions for pre-existing humanitarian crises, in an attempt to ensure people, receive the basic human rights they deserve. The premise of TukAid is a conversion kit which transforms a tuk-tuk into an affordable ambulance."

“After my graduation, I was curious to learn more. The IDE programme gave me the tools to empathize with the user, make rapid prototypes and conduct user tests. Collaborating with real companies and real users at IDE made me gather a lot of hands-on experience. I really liked that. I learned how important it is to include the end users in the design process and decided therefore to continue studying this topic during a master’s programme. I’m doing Design for Interaction at TU Delft now. After that, I want to work as a social designer to make a positive and sustainable impact on society.”

"Two years ago, after finishing IDE, I moved to Finland to start my own innovation and sustainability-focused company with a friend of mine: Riot Innovations. By re-thinking familiar everyday products we try to create and design tools to help people reduce their impacts and live more sustainably. I am the creative director. Even though I am now mostly responsible for UI/UX design, strategy, and innovation, every day brings new and different tasks. IDE has prepared and helped me majorly by teaching me how to solve problems through design thinking.“

“I am currently a Learning Designer at the International Baccalaureate (IB), an international non-profit educational foundation. Together with subject matter experts, I design online workshops and eLearning resources for the professional development of teachers around the world. I love finding creative ways to develop content that sticks, is practical for teachers in their classrooms and reflects the unique IB educational experience. My passion for learning combined with my attention to detail and innovative mindset is what got me this position, and I am very grateful!”