Global Fashion Design Challenge
Design Pattern Tags : Program, Learning engagement/activities, Blended learning, Online Collaboration, Communication skills, Teamwork
Global Fashion Design Challenge Mandy Penton and Sarah Charles
October 2015
Abstract/Snapshot:
In October 2013, fashion program students at RMIT University, the University of Salford and Columbia College participated in a live collaboration project, the Global Fashion Design Challenge. This was the third challenge in an ongoing annual collaboration that originally commenced in 2011. The concept is to allow students and staff to engage in an international experience that is virtual and occurs in real time. The 2013 challenge was five hours in duration with three checkpoints through the process for students to reflect on the process, to assess where to for the next stage and to share their work. The length of the design project depends greatly on the design brief and its requirements. In past years, the project’s duration has been either twelve, six or five hours.
Learning Context The RMIT students participating in the project were in their fourth semester of the Associate Degree in Fashion Design and Technology. The majority of participants from RMIT were female and between 19 and 26 years old. The gender imbalance reflects the same ratio as the usual cohort of students we have across our program.
There were 16 groups comprising two to three participants from each institution. Therefore, group sizes varied from six to nine students per group.
Rationale The Global Fashion Design Challenge gives students from three countries the opportunity to interact, share ideas, negotiate and create collaborative outcomes.
Learning Design The Global Fashion Design Challenge links to the following learning objectives for Fashion Design and Technology students.
Apply and creatively adapt a body of theoretical and technical knowledge and skills in fashion design and technology to your practice or future study.
Recognise and apply relevant technologies in the fashion design and production sector of the industry.
Investigate and work creatively to solve fashion design and production related problems.
Communicate effectively and collaboratively using written and oral methods in a team environment relevant to fashion practice.
Identify, analyse and reflect on fashion technology in a local and global context.
Work with others in a range of roles and context, demonstrating cultural, environmental and social awareness.
Apply initiative and judgement in planning, problem solving and decision making in your own work, and working as part of a team.
Conditions/Critical Success Factors Critical success indicators:
Feedback from students. We will need to consider how we implement feedback from students on the project. We are thinking of an online informal focus group, rather than a questionnaire
Level of activity on the ‘online platform’
Whether any self-initiated student links with programs / organisations for example student exchanges occur after project is complete.
Factors that influence use:
Online platform ease of functionality.
Resources needed to solve the problem:
Expertise in studio teaching skills
Essential IT and online assistance during planning and implementation.
Resources/Technology Videos of the Global Fashion Design Challenge have been shared on YouTube by the three institutions, and photos have been posted on Facebook.
2011 Global Fashion Design Challenge
2012 Global Fashion Design Challenge
2013 Global Fashion Design Challenge
Case Studies/Implementation The preparation process for staff is as follows:
Ten months prior: Establish communication with the main contact in other institution/s.Seven months prior: Investigate and agree on dates and timelines (day or night shift).Three months prior: Negotiate the brief outline and agree on the limitations of the brief.Two months prior: Identify and agree on the physical, IT and staffing resources needed for students.One month prior: Collate and requisition any other resources in advance.Two weeks prior: List and select teams of students in advance.One week prior: Exchange student lists in order to create the Global Teams.One day prior: Where possible connect students remotely.The link and discussion will follow. Previous links and discussions from earlier completed projects can be accessed through the following links (2011):
Link to project brief document TBA are anticipated 2 weeks prior to the project date.
Discussion of how the ‘live’ collaboration between students takes place can be accessed via the following link:
Outcomes The design brief is presented to students at the beginning of the challenge to increase the spontaneity of the design process and to set equal time constraints on all participants. The short design incubation process has produced many innovative and edgy design concepts. The process becomes almost like a brainstorming session with product outcomes.
The benefits for the three institutions include experience communicating globally, and working with cultural differences and social issues. New communication strategies have been developed in order to work in different time frames and in a shorter than normal teaching period for a design brief outcome.
