Highlights Design

From top left to bottom right: SNSF Agora Project: "The Ice Age Machine", Event: "Refresh", SNSF Project: "Interfacing the Ocean", SNSF Project: "Home-Based Fitness Gaming for Diabetes Intervention", Junior Research in Design Project: "Creolisation of Design", SNSF Project: "Design History of the SBB", Start-up: "finally.", DIZH Project: "Spatial Abilites"
From top left to bottom right: SNSF Agora Project: "The Ice Age Machine", Event: "Refresh", SNSF Project: "Interfacing the Ocean", SNSF Project: "Home-Based Fitness Gaming for Diabetes Intervention", Junior Research in Design Project: "Creolisation of Design", SNSF Project: "Design History of the SBB", Start-up: "finally.", DIZH Project: "Spatial Abilites"

    «Cooperations with renowned universities, externally funded projects and awards reflect the outstanding quality of IDR research. In 2023, a growing number of doctoral students and early career researchers were pursuing pioneering projects at the IDR. Innovative initiatives and events also contributed to strengthening our scientific impact. Our research actively engages with the ongoing digital transformation and is helping to shape new, forward-looking fields.»

    Dr. Anna Lisa Martin-Niedecken, Head of the Institute for Design Research (IDR)

      Scientific, Artistic and Creative Output and Impact

      In 2023, our researchers communicated their findings and contributions to the design discourse and in an interdisciplinary context through journal articles and conference contributions, as well as through exhibitions and teaching. Firmly oriented towards design practice, our research generated both scientific and discipline-specific knowledge and insights.

      → Overview «Scientific, Artistic and Creative Output and Impact»

        Promotion of Talents and Careers

        Besides issuing our annual call for applications for our Junior Research in Design Programme, which funded five early career researchers in 2023, we also recorded an increasing number of doctoral students. Candidates are either pursuing an individual PhD in design or are part of the Transdisciplinary Artistic Programme funded by swissuniversities.

        → Overview «Promotion of Talents and Careers»

          Cooperation and Internationality

          To ensure a broad research perspective, IDR researchers continued strengthening their national and international networks with diverse cooperation partners.

          In Switzerland, our partners include the University of Zurich, ETH Zurich, the University of Bern, University of Lausanne, Zurich University of Teacher Education and ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences.

          → Overview «Cooperation and Internationality»

            External Funding

            In 2023, two new SNSF projects were approved in the area of Health Design. One project explores the application of artificial intelligence in emergency medicine, while the other examines ethical issues of digital technologies in physiotherapy.

            Approved in spring 2023, the SNSF project «Interfacing the Ocean: Towards a Sea Change in Design»is situated at the interface between ecology and design.

            → Overview «Research Projects»

              Experience

              In September, 25’000 visitors attended «Scientifica», a major science festival organized jointly by the University of Zurich and ETH Zurich. As part of the programme, our «Digital Health Design Living Lab» presented a short lecture and workshop on digital healthcare.

              Under the motto «Machen wir uns ein Bild von der Welt» [Let’s Create a Picture of the World], the Knowledge Visualization research group presented two projects that illustrate how visualizations and image-based models contribute to imparting knowledge.

              Left:DIZH structure “Digital Health Design Living Lab”, hidden object image by Laurin Schaffner Right: Project: “With the senses of a spider”, prototype with air currents at Scientifica

                Noteworthy

                Earning a PhD degree in design research offers designers an exciting opportunity to deepen their specialist knowledge, to question existing paradigms and to introduce new perspectives. In 2023, the number of doctoral students doing an individual PhD increased to ten, while four students were enrolled in the «Transdisciplinary Artistic PhD» cooperation programme. Generally, individual PhD-projects tend to be integrated into externally funded research projects.

                Left: PhD Project: SYMBIOCEAN by Rasa Weber. Underwater Prototype "Kiki" at research station STARESO (Corsica) at minus 10 meters. Date: June 2023. Right: PhD Project: Farewell Spheres by Andrea Jäggi, photo copyright: APImages

                  Award-Winning

                  In 2023, IDR designers and researchers were awarded severalwith the Swiss Design Prizes. Funded by Innosuisse, «3FOLD» won first prize in the category «Product Design» for its innovative surgical tool for implanting pacemakers. «finally.», another venture to emerge from a ZHdK research project, was awarded first prize in the category «Inclusive Design» for designing products aimed at supporting people in the last phase of life.

                  Left: Copyright finally. with Mina Monsef Right: “3Fold” award ceremony, Francesco Robotti, Benjamin Josi, Laurin Schaffner, Nicole Kind and Lisa Ochsenbein, photo: Jasmin Frei

                    Networking

                    The Interaction 23 conference at the Kongresshaus Zurich was attended by numerous participants. The focus was on the question of how design positions can contribute to (re)defining life on our planet. In addition to the international keynote speakers, researchers and doctoral students from the Interaction Design department also gave presentations. 

                    Sophie Walker and her team are working on the research project «Projekt CH+» and are pursuing a co-design approach. The «CH+ App» was used for the first time in the 2023 federal elections in Switzerland. 

                    Photo by Olivia Kwok, courtesy of IxDA