We have just concluded the Design Innovation module at the Singapore Institute of Technology (AY24/25 T3). My class this trimester brought together students from physiotherapy, electronics and data engineering, and computer science (real-time interactive simulation). Their projects explored themes as wide-ranging as wellbeing, sustainability, social media, and education.
What stood out to me was the richness that came from this mix of disciplines. Physiotherapy students grounded their ideas in human needs and care, while engineering and computer science students introduced systems thinking and technology into the conversation. At times these perspectives clashed, but more often they complemented one another—reminding us that innovation often emerges at the intersections.
Over the course of the trimester, I saw my students become more comfortable with ambiguity, more willing to ask difficult questions, and more open to testing ideas through practice. For me, that is what design innovation is about: not only finding solutions, but learning to reframe problems, to collaborate across differences, and to imagine possibilities that may not have been obvious at the start.
As always, teaching this module has also been a learning journey for me. I am grateful to the students for their energy and curiosity, and I hope the experience has given them both confidence and tools they can carry into their future work. Design, after all, is not only about creating—it is about connecting people, disciplines, and perspectives in meaningful ways.
