Design Research: The Sociotechnical Aspects of Quality, Creativity, and Innovation

The book provides a holistic insight into design research, a comprehensive and cohesive vision of state-of-the-art knowledge about creating and improving quality products, creativity and innovation. Contributions in this volume serve as the illuminating compass for understanding engineering design research, offering a comprehensive perspective on product development, creativity, innovation, invention, and productivity, providing the historical trajectory of design science and exploring the frontiers of engineering design research. The presented educational projects were deployed across EU universities, providing insights for future design courses.

Central to the discussions is the pivotal role of sociotechnical dimensions in engineering design, discussing issues of creativity, quality, human-centric methodologies, and the demands of emerging technologies emphasizing their pivotal role in engineering design success.

The text offers a panoramic view of design research's current state and critical themes, providing a comprehensive overview for young researchers. Educators and mentors will deepen their knowledge, while experts will refine their methodologies and tools.

Dorian Marjanovic is a Professor Emeritus at the University of Zagreb. After gaining experience in the industrial sector, he joined the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture at the University. He established the Chair of Design and Product Development and led various research projects there. He has also contributed to the Editorial Boards of several academic journals. He is the founding member of The Design Society and served as president from 2013-2018. He also chaired the DESIGN conferences from 1998 to 2018 and is recognized as a Design Society Fellow. 

Professor Mario Štorga is the head of the Chair of Design and Product Development at the University of Zagreb, Croatia, and a visiting professor at Luleå University of Technology. He has been the leading researcher in numerous national and international projects, focusing on the structuring and visualising design information evolution, complexity management in product development,and engineering teamwork modelling and management. Mario has published over 100 scientific papers (in journals and conferences) and over 50 industrial reports. He has been invited as a speaker to numerous academic and industrial workshops and seminars in Croatia and abroad. Additionally, he is the conference chair for the international series of the DESIGN conference and a member of the Board of Management of the Design Society.

Stanko Škec is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Zagreb, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, and Naval Architecture. He was appointed as a Visiting Assistant Professor at the Engineering Systems Group, DTU - Technical University of Denmark from 2018 to 2019, and a visiting researcher in Canada, the UK and Sweden. His research interests are related to the multidisciplinary field of product design and development, primarily focusing on the management and monitoring of development processes and activities, as well as studies of computer-aided design and virtual collaboration.