design and innovation in business.
Nottingham Trent University | Global Summer School
2025
For the fourth year running, Kathryn Pashley and I ran our two-week summer school, created for non-design students from disciplines like business, marketing, law, and this year, including mortuary science! Once again, the 25 students stepped into unfamiliar territory— of sketching, modelmaking, and creative problem exploration—and rose to the challenge that we set each year was all about the weather. The goal remains simple: to show that design is a powerful tool beyond the studio. We offered an accessible, hands-on experience that introduced students to design fundamentals and how these skills can drive innovation in any field. Week one of the summer school covers the essentials—sketch ideation, physical model making, and framing opportunities from observations. We also continued integrating generative AI into the process, giving students a chance to experiment with tools that sparked new levels of exploration and expression.
In week two, student teams tackled real-world challenges shaped by the weather, which this year was hot and dry, applying their new skills in a fast-paced, collaborative design studio. The outcomes were clever, considered, and surprising, from small cooling products to massive weather safe-spaces. This programme continues to grow confidence and creative capability step by step. Even for students who won’t become designers, the impact is lasting—they leave with a deeper understanding of design’s role, and how to collaborate with creative thinkers in their future careers.
For more information please feel free to get in touch through one of my channels.
