Design Research at WSU

In recent years, there has been a growing understanding of the importance of “design thinking” in education, industry and the world at large. Such an understanding foregrounds the creativity and esthetics of design as central features of successful and innovative enterprises of all kinds. The positive impacts of design on user experiences and organizational structures affect fields traditionally thought of as “creative,” but also far beyond. The most innovative design breakthroughs nearly always occur at the intersections of disciplines where people with different ideas, approaches, and experiences cross-fertilize and co-create. This dynamic is well understood at Weber State University, and in order to fully realize the potential for learning and innovation made possible by expertise across campus, the Matthew S. Browning Center for Design has been established.

As design is a rapidly growing and increasingly lucrative endeavor, the MSBCD has as its defining priority the support of new and inspiring collaborative projects, in which students and faculty teams from across campus can experiment on the design of new products, services and experiences. The Center for Design will also support partnerships between these campus constituencies and outside public, private, and civic organizations, ensuring that students and faculty stay abreast of- and indeed drive- the ways in which design thinking and creative innovation methods are revolutionizing nearly every field, discipline and market sector. Design currently thrives in several WSU departments and areas, including Visual Art & Design, Theatre, Computer Science, Design Engineering Technology, and Interior  Design, and the MSBCD seeks to provide the campus with a locus for such activity of interdisciplinary and vision collaboration. 

MSBCD'S MISSION

 

The aim of the MSBCD’s support of experimental and collaborative project-based learning is to promote the acquisition of skills in creative problem solving, cross-disciplinary collaboration, visual literacy, innovation and invention, design research, and the development of community-engaged projects of all kinds.


AMONG THE VITAL FIELDS OF RESEARCH THAT THE CENTER SUPPORTS ARE: 

  • Product Design
  • Data Visualization 
  • Preservation Design 
  • Urban Design 
  • User Experience Design 
  • Industrial Design 
  • Service Design 
  • Interior Design
  • Game Design 
  • Art, Media and Technology Design
  • Furniture Design 
  • Arts Integration 
  • Public Art/Mural Design 
  • Lighting Design 
  • Digital Design
  • Instructional Design 
  • Design Management 

For more information please contact:

Matthew Choberka
Director, Matthew S. Browning Center for Design

matthewchoberka@weber.edu
801-626-7270