This major project is the culmination of 5 years of both university and industry-based learning, yet the roots of my passion for design can be traced back to the first time I stepped into a D&T workshop at school some 15 years ago!
I chose PDM at Nottingham for its ability to equip me with all the tools and techniques to apply myself across a diverse spectrum of design projects, both from a product and graphic perspective. The uniqueness of PDM comesfrom how the engineering side of the degree has taught me to understand materials, manufacture, markets and viability. The high-fidelity level of realism applied to projects through work on full product costings, FEA validation or creating our own immersive branding has been one of the most enjoyable aspects of my time at Nottingham.
My passion for future-focused, sustainable design saw me named as a finalist in the national 2021 Undergraduate of the Year Award for Sustainable Thinking. My industrial year in Müller UK & Ireland's Packaging department enabled me to put many of my problem-solving orientated skills into practice, honing them further within a professional FMCG working environment. Applying myself to sustainability led design innovation projects in industry only reaffirmed my passion for design and its power in both forging our future and improving consumer lives.
My major project has allowed me to utilise the skills nurtured over my career, in a context that tackled both sustainability and user-centred design. Whilst the core (no pun intended) of the project looked at creating a sustainable alternative to single use packaging, the rationale of looking at the whole reuse system was so that a product family could be implemented that streamlined user interaction to a level not seen on current industry models.
I am excited for what the future holds in industry, but will always look back upon these past five years with great fondness and pride at the collaborative achievement of our cohort.
David Winters, MEng Product Design and Manufacture