Graduate Jamie Walker reflects on his time studying Product Design.
I'm a product designer/multidisciplinary designer and graduate of BDes (Hons) Product Design. I enjoy designing minimal and modular products which bring joy and surprise to the user as well as designing them through a range of different physical and digital methods. Outside of design and my studies I love adventure, travel, music and just generally being creative.
I chose Edinburgh Napier University to study Product Design as it had a huge emphasis on making, rapid prototyping and working with really hands-on methods when approaching design. Having the opportunity to study abroad in my 3rd year was also a huge influence on my decision to study here, as I wanted to experience studying design in another country to learn about another design culture and to enable me to use this in my own design process in 4th year.
“I learned a number of physical and digital methods, key in the design process, during my time on the course.”
These include physical methods such as model making, sketching, rendering, rapid prototyping, visual storytelling, and digital methods such as digital sketching, 3D modelling, print layout and presentation skills, film editing and utilising the Adobe Creative Cloud suite to make eye-catching and informative graphics to promote and present our products. I also learned a range of research methods which would provide the framework and inspiration behind the research driven design process.
“I loved my time in the city, being in Edinburgh was amazing due to the rich heritage and history of the city as well as its connection to the arts.”
As I lived nearby I never moved into and lived in the city, but being on campus and having the city so close was a huge benefit in allowing me to access research and inspiration for my projects as well as connect and communicate with fellow creatives to build up my employment network for my time after graduation.
Merchiston was a great campus to study at and the facilities were exactly what I needed to aid me in my studies as well as to provide an engaging and modern learning environment.
The highlights of my study include achieving my First-Class Honours degree after having my final year changed entirely by COVID-19, experiencing a semester abroad as part of the Erasmus+ programme in Oslo, Norway, where I experienced a whole new type of learning and creating, as well as a new culture and way of living. All of this has made me into a more rounded, experienced and independent designer.