Articles
To look for the next generation of engineering and design talent, look no farther than the kids selected to participate in the University of Wisconsin – Madison College of Engineering’s Camp Badger program. On Friday, July 23rd, Design Concepts’ staff members were visited by thirty-three, soon-to-be eighth grade students attending the week-long residential learning opportunity held on the UW campus each year.
Their creativity and enthusiasm were clear as they pondered a better way to move books from class to class and make today’s backpack obsolete. Their free-wheeling brainstorming session generated amazing ideas that got everyone talking and thinking about how great ideas become successful new products.
Each year, Design Concepts hosts internship opportunities for students interested in the field of design. This year, we’re welcoming four talented individuals (some current students, some recent graduates) with skills in strategy & research, industrial design and graphic design. They’ll work on every aspect of client projects as well as projects internal to the firm.
In addition to project work, this year’s interns will complete a research project for Design Concepts’ exploring the decision making process. Their completed project will articulate the motivation and process behind the choices we make and will guide the company’s thinking on future projects and client work.
We feel fortuante to have them here, and just had to ask: How did we get so lucky? Why did you choose an internship at Design Concepts?
Pictured (from left to right)
Jarod Beukelman
BFA, Savannah College of Art and Design, Industrial Design
Design Concepts was not just another industrial design firm ornamenting useless objects with plastic. Rather they seemed to really value the holistic design process to solve problems that better people’s lives.
Vivian Lin
Current candidate for AAS in Mechanical Design Technology at Madison Area Technical College (MATC)
PhD, Linguistics (MIT)
MA, Linguistics (SOAS, University of London)
BA, Linguistics (Harvard)
I loved the energy of the people I’d met, and I was drawn by the company’s philosophy and culture. I also felt that the people at Design Concepts were offering me a tremendous opportunity to learn, as well as contribute. I want to help design cool stuff, too!
Jake Ruesch
Herzing University, Graphic Design
I loved the atmosphere, people, projects and the potential for personal growth.
Nick Remis
Savannah College of Art and Design, Industrial and Service Design
I chose an internship with Design Concepts because they use a wide variety of methodologies and disciplines to create innovative strategies, concepts and products for a wide range of clients and fields.
Creating powerful connections with customers means understanding their needs, their goals and their lives. Filene Research Institute and Design Concepts are teaming up to help credit unions gain insights into opportunities to improve member services.
Design Concepts and the University of Wisconsin-Madison Wisconsin School of Business have joined together to develop a new graduate course created to bring design thinking to future business leaders. The course, titled “Design Thinking for Business,” is offered to MBA students at the Wisconsin School of Business Center for Brand and Product Management (CPBM).
Stefanie Norvaisas, Design Concepts’ director of strategy and research, joined colleagues for a panel discussion of design strategies that give businesses a competitive edge at the Product Development and Management Association’s (PDMA) 33rd Annual International Conference, November 4, 2009 in Anaheim, California.
