platFORM is a collaborative class for design & business students from different universities. Together they are designing products & services that address social and ecological problems, and then launching their businesses at the end of the course.
*platFORM hasreceived a Professional Notable honor in the Design Education Initiatives category in the 2015 Core77 Design Awards program.
Social & Environmental Problems are becoming increasingly complex and the way in which we approach problem solving needs to change. Entrepreneurship and small business have the opportunity to make meaningful changes in the way we produce and consume products and services. Traditionally entrepreneurs have emerged from the business sector,but we are now seeing design move upstream in the process. By incorporating design in the development of new ventures we can achieve more creative and user centred solutions. But finding a way for these two industries to collaborate early on can be difficult.
Design has traditionally been an afterthought for business. So we’re experimenting with the formula by introducing designers at the very beginning, before the conception of an idea.
We’re challenging the students to create products beyond just a prototype by moving them into the real world.
At the end of the course they hold a pop-up shop to launch their products.
