JDD x Coventry Uni - Design In Practice

Here at JDD Furniture, we are spearheading a project module in collaboration with Coventry University to address the problem of excess waste in our manufacturing processes. The module looks for ways to reduce the amount of material waste by repurposing it into other products. We wrote a brief for the second-year students, challenging them to create innovative designs that reflected the needs and behaviours of our flexible, shared workspaces. They were then to investigate, devise, and present a range of evolved concepts to us.

To help them with this task, our sustainability expert, Sadie MillerMaggs, rehomed our scrap MDF and Plywood, giving the students hands-on experience with the exact waste they are working to utilise. Tim Ball - a senior lecturer at Coventry University, said: "A huge thank you to everyone at JDD who made today's delivery possible - and for the assistance with unloading it.

We're delighted to have the structural ply/MDF offcuts we anticipated and many bonus items that our technical team is already eyeing for other projects!"

Following a successful visit from Coventry University students to JDD HQ, James Mercy and Henry Watson were invited to the university to engage with second-year design students. The visit included marking and providing detailed feedback on the student's work and delivering a presentation highlighting their design journeys. Their contribution offered a blend of professional insights and practical advice, directly connecting academic learning with real-world industry experience.

The day began with a session where the second-year students presented their mobile trolley design concepts to James and Henry. Each student showcased four design concepts tailored to various agreed personas and aligned with specific design briefs. James and Henry provided thoughtful and constructive feedback, applauding the effort and creativity evident in both the designs and the prototype models. The prototypes, in particular, demonstrated the students' ability to translate abstract ideas into tangible, functional solutions, a critical skill for aspiring designers. The session not only celebrated the students' achievements but also provided them with actionable insights to refine their work further.

In the afternoon, James and Henry shifted the focus to their own journeys in design, delivering engaging and personal presentations. They shared stories from their early days as university students to their current positions at JDD, weaving in anecdotes about their challenges, milestones, and key learnings. Their openness about navigating the design industry gave students a clearer picture of what to expect in their future careers.

The presentation sparked a lively Q&A session, where students had the opportunity to seek advice on overcoming hurdles they might face, whether during their studies or as they transition into the professional world. James and Henry's honest reflections and willingness to engage created an inspiring and memorable experience, leaving the students motivated and better equipped to pursue their own design aspirations.

In reflecting on the day, Tim Ball said, " A huge thanks again for your time, support, and enthusiasm today. We are really looking forward to how the project progresses next and will keep you posted. Speak again soon."

So far in this module, the students have shown great skill and innovation, and we look forward to seeing their final products.