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Featured Application: Using photographs of conspicuous landmarks in mobile maps can enhance the spatial information presented to pedestrians when wayfinding. When wayfinding with mobile maps, the acquisition of spatial knowledge can be limited by relying on automated route instructions and the small map on the screen. Repeating a route without support from navigation aids may be challenging as the user has been focused on their mobile phone and not the surroundings. According to theories of spatial knowledge acquisition, landmarks are environmental elements important in the development of such knowledge. This study examines how different navigation aids impact spatial knowledge, with a particular focus on landmarks. Participants navigated a route using one of three aids: a booklet of sequential landmarks, a booklet of Google Maps screenshots, or a paper map. The landmarks were selected based on their conspicuity and strategic placement along the route. Thirty participants completed tasks assessing their spatial knowledge of the route and surrounding area after walking it. This study, divided into three phases, compared the effectiveness of each navigation aid, highlighting the effectiveness of landmarks in wayfinding. Results indicate that landmarks significantly enhance wayfinding, especially for pedestrians navigating short, pre-set routes without a map. This suggests that incorporating landmarks into mobile maps could improve on-screen spatial information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates how Australian consumers' aesthetic preferences for timber joints in architectural products are influenced by their sociodemographic characteristics and the visual appearance of the joints. Visual appearance in architecture and product design is a vital factor in consumer response and success of a product; however, designed items are often created without aesthetic research rigour to better understand user acceptance. We see this as an opportunity for greater penetration of aesthetics for designed products and, in this instance, contemporary architecture. We provide extensive literature defining aesthetics and outline the theoretical framework for experimental computer-generated visual stimuli. An online survey was conducted with 114 participants, who rated five timber joints on seven visual appearance attributes. The findings reveal that Joint 1 (angular) and Joint 5 (curved) were the most preferred joints. Employment status was the only sociodemographic factor that significantly affected the aesthetic preference. The findings of the study were used to inform design decisions for building a pagoda in a cemetery in Melbourne. The study contributes to the literature on aesthetics and design by providing empirical evidence on consumer preferences for architectural products. The study also suggests an opportunity to bridge aesthetics with sustainability, as timber is a sustainable material that can be designed to resonate with consumers' aesthetic sensibilities while adhering to environmental principles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cooling sportswear products have been used to improve the comfort of individuals exposed to hot–humid climate conditions; however, these products were not explored adequately in the outdoor sports context. Moreover, it is not known if these products meet the needs of athletes in developing and tropical countries. Therefore, this study presents the design and exploratory evaluation of affordable cooling sportswear (T-shirt). Eight Sri Lankan athletes tested the sportswear prototype over three-weeks, undergoing a 30 min cycling trial that covered 15 km. The results show that the cooling sportswear improved cooling comfort, sweat evaporation, and overall comfort of the athletes by increasing ventilation and reducing body temperature. The developed prototype assisted in identifying suggestions for designing cooling sportswear products, including aesthetic, cost, functional, and sustainability considerations. These suggestions may guide researchers to develop affordable and sustainable cooling sportswear for endurance cycling athletes living in developing and tropical countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of innovation for architectural products in the building industry increases due to global competitive markets and users' increased value given to the visual aesthetics of products. Visual appearance is crucial in architecture and product design and influences users' product choices in many ways. Substantial research on innovation exists concerning users' purchasing, adopting, and recommending it to others, but little research investigates the link between product innovation and aesthetic preference. This gap in knowledge prompted our investigation. Quantitative analysis of a survey of 114 respondents from Australia was conducted in this study to examine whether innovation plays a significant role in perceiving the aesthetic preference of an architectural product more than other visual appearances. Standard multiple regression using SPSS V28 was applied for statistical data analysis. Results uncovered that innovation explained the highest percentage of variance in overall aesthetic preference, and the innovativeness of a product strongly influences the visual appearance and aesthetic preference. The findings of this study offer new insight into the level of innovation for new product development where visual appearance is of high importance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: We demonstrate the importance of Human Centred Design considerations for future mobility projects which can apply to other developing countries facing similar challenges. The growing trend of private car ownership in Malaysia is increasing traffic congestion. As part of a solution, the Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA) chose to develop technologies for an electric bus system in Kuala Lumpur and initiated a project to design and engineer an electric bus system with a focus on Human Centred Design (HCD) principles. In order to fulfil this a total of 28-hours of user observation was conducted in Kuala Lumpur (KL), Malaysia. Alongside this field research an online questionnaire study of future users (n = 102, Age 21–35) was conducted to further substantiate findings. As a result, we address the need for HCD considerations to be included in sustainable public transport systems in Malaysia. User observation revealed six key issues associated with the daily routine of a commuter which were then used to inform the questionnaire survey. Alarmingly, the survey revealed that over 60 per cent of respondents had never used the bus system in Kuala Lumpur stating problems such as frequency, comfort, driver attitude and bus shelter access. This provided a necessary platform for improvement resulting in eight key recommendations ranked by importance with the aim to increase bus usage in Malaysia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industry 4.0 (I4.0) has proposed a significant shift in the way companies approach manufacturing. However, this new paradigm is not without faults. The integration of processes and equipment ('digitalisation') can be prohibitively expensive or too technically complex for small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) with limited resources and technical expertise. Another barrier to digitalisation lies in the ambiguity of not knowing what precise practices to adopt to improve productivity. Although these challenges have been identified in the literature, there is still little evidence on how to tackle them. Thus, we explore how design thinking can help overcome these challenges, given that it has been used in many organisations and disciplines to deal with complex and ambiguous problems. We do so by investigating the research question 'How can designers and design thinking processes assist manufacturing SMEs' digitalisation?' We address this research question by presenting a case study of a university–industry collaboration where the authors utilised a design-thinking process to select and implement technologies to capture, process and analyse data for an Australian medical device manufacturer. By reflecting on the case study, we identified the user-centeredness of design thinking as crucial in selecting technologies for implementation that prioritised usability and brought value to all stakeholders. Furthermore, iterative prototyping was critical to scale up the required expertise and deliver a successful sustainable solution without investing vast resources. Our work suggests that designers and design thinking have the potential to help de-risk digitalisation. Finally, we suggest a framework that may assist in guiding other SMEs approaching digitalisation and provide a starting point for further design thinking research in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrial design is intrinsically linked to manufacturing; however, what is required of industrial design to adapt to new changes brought on by Industry 4.0 in manufacturing is unknown. Current literature gives little insight into how industrial designers need to evolve to the current developments in manufacturing to remain value drivers in an Industry 4.0 paradigm. There is minimal research describing the link between industrial design, Industry 4.0 and the effect this will have on sustainability. We conducted an extensive survey of 190 respondents from 53 countries to establish the present state of industrial design practice globally and to better understand the priority sustainability is given by practicing industrial designers. Qualitative data showed a desire for improved sustainable processes; however, quantitative data contradicted this, showing "sustainability" as one of the lowest ranked areas of importance in design practice for industrial designers. While sustainability—especially in manufacturing—demands more prominent change as industrial design adapts to an Industry 4.0 manufacturing paradigm, it seems that junior industrial designers do not currently see this as a priority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the importance of including a Human-Centred Design (HCD) approach for successful university–industry collaboration. We detail user surveys and user evaluation techniques to engage end-users for the rejuvenation of manufacturing industries through sustainable product development. There are numerous studies describing the importance of university–industry collaboration; however, very few portray the detailed working relationships necessary to fulfil both the university and the industry agenda. This paper explores a joint project between a prominent Melbourne-based university and a government organisation from Malaysia. The intention was to innovate a range of furniture for Malaysian dormitories to stimulate the local manufacturing sector and provide high-value product applications for Malaysia's abundant timber sector. By detailing a HCD approach, we reveal how to better direct the design outcomes to accurately reflect the research intent. This is detailed through a case study showing how the research data was translated into final product concepts influenced by end-users and collaboration with the industry stakeholders. The resulting products are a range of sustainable, modular dormitory furniture with a direct route to market. Finally, we provide the lessons learned and suggestions for developing sustainable products through university–industry collaboration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]