Squads

Squads are groups where students, scientific staff, and experts from the field, companies and organizations work together in a specific application domain. The application domains of the squads align with the research clusters of the department of Industrial Design. In each squad, staff members are gathered with specific expertise, each squad therefore covers a specific set of expertise areas. Different staff members offer different approaches and design research preferences.

Squads offer a learning environment that is close to professional reality. You will learn to work in interdisciplinary team, together with various stakeholders and with students of various levels (bachelor, pre-master and master). This will prepare you to work in a domain that constantly adapts to societal changes.

Within the squads, research and design go together in developing innovative products, services and systems. Project 1 design and Project 2 design research in the master are executed within the context of a squad. The coaching within the squad is layered. As a master student you are supported by scientific staff members (e.g. the squad leader and other involved project coaches), PhD students and experts from the field (industry liaisons). In some squads, practical matters and the demo day are organized by squad support persons.

The table below provides an overview of all the squads. For Project 2 design research you register for the project, and you will be allocated to the squad of your graduation mentor, or a random squad (and mentor). Please visit the project market for specific information about the various projects the squads offer.