Designing the Things We Live With, a Creative Design Workshop

Led by award winning designer Ilsa Parry, this creative workshop from Street Style Surgery will introduce attendees to an innovative career in product design. Ilsa is perhaps best known as the winner of the BBC 2 series Design for Life with Philippe Starck, as well as her role as the founder and creative director of REthinkthings LTD.

This unique workshop is created with the goal of expanding young people's knowledge of new and artistic business opportunities. Students are given an overview of the variety of careers in this field by an experienced industry figure. The discussion will highlight projects in Ilsa's portfolio and take students through the entirety of the product design process including concept to production and sales. Bright and colourful visuals will be used to demonstrate potential ideas though the use of photography and video clips. A Q&A session will follow the talk allowing the attendees a chance to inquire and gain additional information about career opportunities available in the field of product design.

The group will be segmented into smaller groups where they will be given the opportunity to practice what they've learnt in the workshop. They will be assigned with an imaginative design task to create a unique object or structure using every day materials such as card, masking tape, chicken wire etc. The individual groups will compete in a Dragon's Den type challenge. Their goal will be to make a prototype which they will create as a team distributing the work amongst themselves. Each of them will take on a different task including photographic visuals, verbal copy, finances and sales pitch outlining function, social impact and appeal.

What happens on this creative product design workshop?

This workshop focuses on both:

1. Product Design and Development
2. Entrepreneur Skills
3. Team Work

I. Students will learn to design and create a unique product or object using everyday materials through information provided by the professionals leading the workshop.

II. Students learn what it means to be an entrepreneur. They will apply their knowledge to conceptualise their ideas learning that it's possible to turn an idea into reality without the need for specialty materials.

III. Students will learn how to work together as a team by putting together their collective ideas and distributing the tasks to create the final product.

What areas does this creative product design workshop cover on the national curriculum?

These workshops can be tailored to suit curriculum, topical or event based needs with varying outcomes to match time availability, venue and budget.

It is specific to the DT curriculum but also has cross curricular links with art, science, maths and general studies. The workshop is ideal for encouraging STEM careers and highlighting links with creativity. It also provides help with KS3-4 transition in Design Technology and KS 4-5 transition in DT (and can be extended for higher levels). The product design workshop encourages students to continue with the subject to the next stage of study (KS4/5/HE). It also covers PLTS and PHSE through social impact of the built environment.

What will young people get from this creative product design workshop?

• The chance to be entrepreneurial and project management experience
• The opportunity to understand new design possibilities through a creative outlet that positively impact society
• The opportunity to get creative and express themselves in a fun and easy-going workshop environment where all opinions are encouraged
• Hands-on experience of the product development with a focus on utilizing basic every day materials
• Various disciplines in 3D design with examples of work from well-known figures
• A chance to explore the idea of pursuing a unique career in design and an insight into the skills and qualities required
• An understanding of the difficulties, realities and rewards a designer faces. This helps young people to understand the creative decision making process
• An opportunity to share their ideas, engage in peer-to-peer praise rather than peer pressure, and develop their communication and presentation skills
• An increased respect for the opinions and ideas of others – and a sense of how this feedback can be used to improve their initial concept
• The raised self-confidence levels that come with having an idea and then seeing it brought to life
• A whole lot of fun!!

What do young people say about this creative product design workshop?

“It's amazing how much effort goes into creating small objects we take for granted.”

“Really enjoyed it – very challenging.” Henry

“I really enjoyed designing our own products to help stop crime.” Katherine Page

“My confidence has improved with making models.” Owen Williams

“A fabulous creative opportunity.” Mr Hodson

“An excellent opportunity for our students to show off their creativity and design to a group of individuals who care about design.” Mr Rowlands

What sizes does this creative product design workshop come in?

This creative workshop is structured over two days and broken down into four sessions.  

How many young people can this creative product design workshop?

Single sessions out of the four can be delivered independently e.g can just do a whole school talk for half a day or can just do sessions 2+3 over one day or two halves as a creative task or could just deliver session 4 as students pitch an idea already created and I act as an industry expert and a judge

Session one can accommodate up to 100 in one large hall or can be repeatedly delivered as half day sessions to a range of different smaller groups

Session two and three need to be done together, these can accommodate up to 100 but would require supporting host staff of at least 4 (1 to 25) these would need to be briefed to run the session with me as a floater or a group of just 25 delivered as a repeated session with smaller groups Ilsa to lead the sessions

Session four can accommodate up to 25 per session but this can be repeated for several groups if needed

Like the sound of this workshop?

Then you might also like to check out our other fashion workshops:

Recycled Fashion Workshop

Or our other business and enterprise workshops:

Dragons den product design and pitch 

Contact us about this creative product design workshop

Our workshops can vary in cost, so please provide us with some more information eg, numbers, location and the workshop you are interested in and we will provide you with a personal quote.

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We are very proud to say that we always aim to beat our competitor's costs whilst providing first class practitioners who will inspire and engage the young people they are delivering too! (Just take a look at our testimonials)