Lost in Translation: Teaching Product Design Across Cultural and Language Boundaries in China and the United Kingdom

Lambert, Ian; Firth, Richard

Abstract

This paper will explore strategies for transcending cultural and language barriers by two British design tutors when teaching in design studios at a Chinese university. Ian Lambert and Richard Firth, both based at Edinburgh
Napier University in Scotland, have been visiting tutors at the Zhengzhou University of Light Industry (ZZULI) in China for three years and have recently been exploring the use of entirely visual design briefs.

The pedagogical differences between Chinese and British design education are widely known and the nuances of
British design pedagogy, and even the most blatant differences, are often lost through the translation of verbal
direction.

Pedagogic design communities in China and the UK are keen to share ideas on design education and innovation
in industry. While such cross cultural design exchanges seem to focus on the export of western design and
innovation philosophies, approaches to Chinese design education have also been imported back to the UK with
positive results.

The paper will draw upon hands on experience and primary field research, including the experience of British
design students on exchange in the China.

Citation

Lambert, I., & Firth, R. (2009). Lost in Translation: Teaching Product Design Across Cultural and Language Boundaries in China and the United Kingdom.

• Conference Name: Cumulus Conference (38 degrees) 2009
• Start Date: Nov 12, 2009
• End Date: Nov 14, 2009
• Publication Date: Nov 14, 2009
• Deposit Date: Jun 1, 2015
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 1, 2015
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Keywords: Design; Transnational Eduction; International
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/id/eprint/8309