Abstract
Despite growing interest in co-creation in design, how engineering students perceive and integrate it into their professional development remains largely unknown. This paper explores the experiences of eight final-year engineering students who applied co-creation in their capstone projects. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, exploring: (1) the usefulness of co-creation as an educational approach, (2) its contribution to the project, (3) its impact on professional development, (4) the difficulties encountered, and (5) suggestions for optimizing its implementation. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed using open and axial coding, identifying recurring themes and patterns. Students highlighted co-creation as a tool for effective communication, user empathy, and the generation of innovative solutions, particularly during problem definition, ideation, and prototyping. They acknowledged its positive impact on the development of professional skills such as teamwork, conflict resolution, and adaptability. Among the difficulties identified were managing expectations, resistance to change, and the need to dedicate additional time to coordination. Strategies to overcome these challenges are suggested, such as training in co-creation tools, appropriate participant selection, and efficient planning of time and resources. Co-creation is presented as a valuable complement to the training of future design engineers, fostering key skills for collaborative work and the creation of user-centered solutions. Its effective integration requires conscious planning and consideration of both the difficulties and opportunities it presents.
Presenters
Juan Carlos Briede WestermeyerAssociate Professor, Engineering Design, Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María, Valparaíso, Chile Ruben Jacob-Dazarola
Academic, Design Engineering Department, Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María, Chile
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Co-creation; Engineering Design; Student Experiences; Professional Development
