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Project Opportunities: Interdisciplinary Program (IDP) in Design

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Stanford’s Interdisciplinary Program (IDP) in Design brings together the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design (“the d.school”), the Product Design undergraduate degree program and the Design Impact graduate degree program.

This new university collaboration gives us more ways to build sustainable, impactful relationships with companies interested in or already participating in the global design movement. Membership in our Affiliates Program enables companies to connect with a worldwide community of innovators from industry and academia, and offers engagement with Silicon Valley’s unique mindset and skillset. A variety of workshops, social gatherings and expert briefings create opportunities to learn, network and exchange ideas. Your Membership connects you with one of the world’s most highly‐regarded design education programs. Several options offer a wide range of possibilities.

Membership Benefits

By supporting design education, Affiliates create opportunities to develop their own personnel, learn from other companies and projects, and interact directly with select Stanford faculty.

An annual membership allows Affiliates to connect with faculty and classes, including:

Strategic conversations

The Affiliate and the IDP in Design program staff will engage in regular conversations to create mutual learning. Justin Ferrell, head of strategic partnerships, is your go-to steward to the vast resources of the IDP in Design. The program may host an event or experience that brings the Affiliate and program faculty and staff together virtually or in person. Through these interactions, the community will exchange best practices, explore emerging technologies and design opportunities, and/or define new ways in which to derive benefits from the Stanford‐Affiliate relationship.

Class projects

Over the course of the year, the Affiliate may develop classroom‐based projects with the consent of the instructors. The overall purpose of these interactions will be to grow and evolve student learning through the collaboration, to accelerate the deployment of design tools and approaches in real-world challenges.

Summer Projects

Summer projects also can be defined, which are either new or continue the developments begun during a classroom‐based project.  Affiliates may incur additional costs for these projects to cover project materials and personnel. 

Over the course of the year‐long Affiliate membership, your organization and our faculty and staff work together to create a flexible list of possible projects and pick projects to engage in together, being responsive to changing priorities at the Affiliate and Stanford as the relationship unfolds.

Membership Fee

The membership term is September 1 through August 31 (matching Stanford’s academic year).  The one-year membership fee is $200,000 and is paid in advance. Companies may join at any time; the fee is not prorated.

Participation

For administrative information, to get involved, and to be informed about upcoming events, please contact:

Adjunct Professor Justin Ferrell

Potential class project options

ME115A/B – Human Values in Design / Product Design Methods

ME216A – Advanced Product Design: Needfinding

ME216B/C – Advanced Product Design: Implementation 1 & 2

ME277 – Graduate Design Research Techniques

ME313 – Human Values and Innovation in Design

ME316A/B/C – Product Design Master’s Project / Design Garage

 

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