Katie explains more: 

It was the first year they had run an event like this and it was a really enjoyable and informative selection of sessions.

One of the University professors started by introducing us to the day and the topics we then covered. This included a Sustainable Design talk from The Design Museum, an interactive live Zoom lesson from the Museum where we split into groups and organised products that they had sent to the university into different orders of recyclability, most useful, etc. They also sent different material samples which were passed round and explained to be recycled or biodegradable – such as packaging that imitates plastic but is in fact made from seaweed. 

After this, we participated in an Inclusive Design Workshop. We were given 30 minutes to design Jo, a woman with cerebral palsy, a product that would enable her to use the toilet without needing assistance from an able-bodied person, as she is in a wheelchair and has very limited mobility. This was very challenging and definitely opened my eyes to the challenges of everyday tasks for some people, as well as the need for User Centred Design, and a “one size fits one” approach. My group was Jo’s favourite, and we won a book each – This Is A Prototype, by Scott Witthoft. 

Following lunch, we were given a tour of Lincoln University’s design facilities, including a cutting-edge digital design room in which each student has a large tablet that can be pulled/pushed towards/away from them, up and down, and a pen that can be used for digital sketching. Other facilities included an ink printing room, 3D printers, laser cutters, 3D scanners, metal workshop and a craft workshop for other materials such as glass, ceramic, and jewellery. 

Finally, each person had the opportunity, via Zoom, to meet with the university professor who had overseen admissions to the competition and had seen our portfolios. He gave individual feedback about our portfolios, such as how to include your own identity and how to link the pages together to make it cohesive. It was incredibly helpful for my official design portfolios for applying to higher education. 

The whole day was really interesting, and information packed. I made some good friends and exchanged contact details with other people also interested in design from across the country, and I would say it was definitely worth waking up at 5am for!