RSS 1.0Faculty Research and Publications
Recent Submissions
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Innovative Industrial Design in Saudi Arabia: The Retractable Umbrellas of Al-Masjid an-NabawiThe retractable umbrellas at Al-Masjid an-Nabawi in Medina exemplify a seamless integration of modern industrial design and Islamic architectural aesthetics. Designed to address the intense heat of the region, these innovative structures provide shade and comfort to worshippers while enhancing the mosque's visual harmony. This article explores the functionality, engineering marvels, and cultural significance of these umbrellas, emphasizing their role as a sustainable and user-centered solution. As a symbol of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, they showcase how industrial design can harmonize tradition and innovation, offering a model for future projects in culturally significant spaces.
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Predicting Student Performance in a Design Entrepreneurship and Leadership Course: Leveraging Academic MetricsPredicting and understanding student performance is a critical challenge for design education programs, as it enables educators to identify at-risk students, allocate resources effectively, and enhance teaching strategies to support student success. This study investigates the use of academic metrics to develop a predictive model for student performance in a "Design Entrepreneurship and Leadership" course at Effat University. The academic record data collected includes student attendance, quiz grades, midterm exam grades, final exam grades, and assignment project grades. Using a multiple linear regression approach, this research examined the relative influence of these factors on the students' final course performance. The results indicate that quiz grades, midterm exam grades, and assignment project grades were the strongest predictors of student success, while attendance grades also contributed significantly to the model. The proposed predictive model provides valuable insights for design educators and program administrators. By understanding the key drivers of student performance, they can identify at-risk students early on and implement targeted interventions to improve learning outcomes. Additionally, the findings can inform curriculum development, assessment practices, and the allocation of resources within design program’s other courses. This study contributes to the limited but growing body of research on predicting student performance in design-focused courses. By leveraging academic metrics, the researchers demonstrate a rigorous and data-driven approach to forecasting student success, which can be adapted and applied to a variety of design education contexts. The findings have important implications for enhancing the quality and effectiveness of design curricula, ultimately preparing students for the complex challenges they will face in the professional world.
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Factors Influencing the Success and Challenges of Design-Driven Entrepreneurship in the Kingdome of Saudi Arabia: A Theoretical FrameworkPredicting and understanding student performance is a critical challenge for design education programs, as it enables educators to identify at-risk students, allocate resources effectively, and enhance teaching strategies to support student success. This study investigates the use of academic metrics to develop a predictive model for student performance in a "Design Entrepreneurship and Leadership" course at Effat University. The academic record data collected includes student attendance, quiz grades, midterm exam grades, final exam grades, and assignment project grades. Using a multiple linear regression approach, this research examined the relative influence of these factors on the students' final course performance. The results indicate that quiz grades, midterm exam grades, and assignment project grades were the strongest predictors of student success, while attendance grades also contributed significantly to the model. The proposed predictive model provides valuable insights for design educators and program administrators. By understanding the key drivers of student performance, they can identify at-risk students early on and implement targeted interventions to improve learning outcomes. Additionally, the findings can inform curriculum development, assessment practices, and the allocation of resources within design program’s other courses. This study contributes to the limited but growing body of research on predicting student performance in design-focused courses. By leveraging academic metrics, the researchers demonstrate a rigorous and data-driven approach to forecasting student success, which can be adapted and applied to a variety of design education contexts. The findings have important implications for enhancing the quality and effectiveness of design curricula, ultimately preparing students for the complex challenges they will face in the professional world.
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Envisaging future cities within intersectional strategy in the Arab RegionSince the 1980s, the term "Intersectionality" was demonstrated and was widely recognized when discussing gender issues. This also applied to gender and space, leading to the recognition of gender and urban studies as being related to one another and sharing a common foundation (Löw, 2006). Regardless of the later critique of intersectionality (Nash, 2008), the academic recognition of gender intersectionality had significant effects on education, research, and practice in the field of spatial disciplines. In order to evaluate the possibility of gender inclusive urban design in making our cities safe for everyone, especially women, this study focuses on the intersections of gender and space, and in particular the urban public space. It makes a discursive attempt to summarize the varied experiences of heterogeneity in the Arab region. It employs a socio-spatial paradigm from a theoretical and methodological standpoint. The United Nations (UN), among other international organizations that support gender equality in cities, are cited in the study's official papers, secondary sources, and literature review, which are all used to assemble its data. In order to better comprehend the gender inequities in the Arab region, the study emphasizes intersectionality as an analytical strategy and calls for a multidimensional view of gender in the Arab states. The study explains the idea of intersectionality and justifies its applicability to the area. It then explains how this idea might be used to encourage and promote development for everyone. This study explores intersectionality as a crucial theoretical resource to further develop and promote urban planning from an intersectional perspective, contributing to current debates and discussions on the use of gender mainstreaming in urban policies. The study underlines the significance of intersectionality as a tool for urban planning since it enables feminist theorists to differentiate between different experiences of women in the city. The paper is structured into four sections: 1) Outlining important ideas; 2) exploring how gender affects the city and how women have historically been disadvantaged by urban planning; 3) Examining policy documents and interviews to gauge the intersectionality of GM policies; 4) synthesizing the results to assess gender planning and make suggestions for future studies. The study adopts a mixed-methods approach, analyzing important policy documents, conducting a survey, and organizing semi-structured interviews. This study investigates the significance of intersectionality in urban design as a result. It draws attention to the importance of the research done by many eminent academics in these crucial subjects, including anthropologists, geographers, architects, urbanists, and cultural theorists. It comes to the conclusion that women are underrepresented among those who make decisions in our urban sector, including legislators, planners, architects, and engineers. This lack of representation and precise data collection has a direct impact on the urban shape of our city. Furthermore, intersectionality has useful ramifications that may be applied to the formulation of policies to help organizations deal with the problem of gender diversity.
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Participatory Strategic Foresight Framework: Embracing Future Thinking in Design Education and Community Vision PlanningChanges in society, student expectations, and technology continue to shift the ways in which we learn. The contemporary state of design education is being affected by changes in the professional realm that requires a future thinking-centered design to increase the citizen participation in designing their own future city-environment. As new forces reshape the academic landscape and conversations around educational accessibility pervade public debate, examining existing methodologies of design research and curricula is significant to enhance the student experience and equip them with the skills needed for future professional practice. Future thinking can be seen as a crucial premise to approach solving a problem in an innovative way. It is particularly essential at circumstances in which challenges are complex, vague, and ambiguous. Any futures-focused effort, strategic foresight, or provocation about an alternate future scenario is a means of exploring and learning from generated possibilities. Design-Futures deal with the role of design in shaping future alternatives. Future thinking incorporates two particular approaches: diverging and converging. It requires both a flexible way of understanding, to come with different thoughts, and know-how to make responsible decisions. This chapter reviews the literature crossing strategic foresight and interior design with the accentuation put on how design students, educators and design practitioners may engage with the future to investigate the challenges to decision-making. The author has developed a framework crossing the area of service & product design through future thinking, user and community centered design. The framework is structured to educate design practitioners effectively and also empower them to lead the market as change-makers. This paper will present case studies of participatory design workshops that addressed different areas of concern but were underpinned by a shared approach. Through this framework, conclusion is presented as the elaboration of a futures thinking framework that can contribute to many other design disciplines.
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Design Futures: Cultivating Strategic Foresight Competencies in Design EducationFuture thinking and speculation practices can be seen as a crucial premise to approach solving a problem in an innovative way. It is particularly profitable at circumstances in which challenges are complex, vague, and ambiguous. Future thinking incorporates two particular approaches: diverging and converging. It requires both a flexible way of understanding, to come with different thoughts, and know-how to make responsible decisions. This paper reviews the literature crossing Strategic Foresight and Design disciplines with the accentuation put on how innovation design students, educators and design practitioners may engage with the future to investigate the challenges to decision-making they highlight. Combining Foresight and Design, as part of Strategic Planning processes, can help the emergence of new and more creative possibilities and conceivable outcomes, cultivate the incorporation and arrangement of diverse stakeholders, and provide for continuous learning through prototyping and experimentation by utilizing design tools and approaches to attain more profound knowledge and arrangement around current reality. A framework was presented to integrate speculation and strategic foresight approaches in design education highlighting the significance of the strategic foresight Design approach and explaining the theoretical background behind creating the framework. A participatory design workshop was conducted to explain methods used to support and validate the results of the theoretical background in order to further develop the framework. This framework can be adopted in the design field in order to facilitate the process and to support practitioners’ decisions to select suitable tools.
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Employing Extended Reality (XR) to Expanding Narratives of Place-Making, Spatial Presence and Immersive ExperienceExtended Reality XR, which encompasses various forms of virtual reality VR and augmented reality AR, has emerged as a powerful experimental tool in design and environmental psychology research due to its ability to produce comprehensive and immersive experiences for users through narratives. A strong sensation of spatial presence, which may be viewed as a subjective sense of space cognition and its surroundings, is one sign of a good XR experience. Despite the fact that XR research has shed light on numerous elements that may affect presence and place-making in XR environments, there is still much to learn about the varied phenomenology of narrative possibilities that ensure a successful immersion experience. The paper focuses on extended reality and how it influences how we create spaces, feel present in our surroundings, and have an immersive experience. In this paper, the concepts of place-making and spatial presence were examined in relation to how people might create a consistent sense of reality during both real-world and virtual experiences. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the ideas of place-making, presence, and immersion experience as they have been developed in XR research while also addressing variables that could affect expanding narratives. The study covers major elements of the "place" literature, connects them to the idea of presence, and then exhibits their use in the context of extended reality. It also discusses the phenomenological properties of presence in human consciousness. A user study conducted through a designed immersive experience as a simulation to some spaces of the Grand Egyptian Museum. Samples of users’ responses were collected through a survey addressing their perceptions of the virtual visit. The study showed that place-making and spatial presence in extended reality work as a link between real-world locations and virtual attributes. When moving from the real world to the virtual one, boundaries become more fluid, themes can be developed, and virtual spaces mimic the real spaces. The study outline proposals for further work and lays out some ideas for future research.
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The Delphi Method as a Morphological Catalyst for Foresight-Oriented Design ResearchAnticipating expository concepts could be complex in the field of innovation management. Designers confront methodological challenges when they lock into a future framework with rapidly changing variables. The system’s users, for starters, do not yet exist. Second, ongoing changes in critical components and their interconnections make it hard to conceptualise relationships and offer synthesizable data. There is a lack of evidence in the rational core for generating forecasts. The Delphi method and morphological analysis are both well-established methods in strategic foresight. This paper suggests that using a morphology-based Delphi approach that employs a mix of the Delphi Method and Morphological Analysis to forecast future results in creative, complicated enterprises is beneficial. Furthermore, one tool compensates for the theoretical and functional shortcomings of the other by showing transparent, value-based arguments in an iterative, customizable manner. This documentary study has adopted a comparative study-based methodology that compares morphological Delphi in the context of future-oriented design to related fields in terms of procedural and theoretical parallels and differences. The results demonstrate morphological Delphi techniques through different scales of studies to provide a learning experience that is based on research, application and interaction which can be employed in future context design.
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A pedagogical Context to Integrating Trend Forecasting Techniques into Innovative Design EducationDespite the abundance of knowledge in trend forecasting evident within many disciplines, there is a dearth of information on the application of trend forecasting in design education in the context of determining the innovation in trends’ concepts and philosophy, theme, colour, materials and finish. This issue stems from the inadequacy of the traditional learning framework in design curriculums to keep up with the multi-layered structure of design professions’ demands that acquire expanded, cross-boundary knowledge and futurology skills. This study suggests a thematic approach that employs trend forecasting as an integral part of the design process, entwined with form, function, desirability, and other considerations that highlight the market development within the real life context. This paper aims to investigate the significance of trend forecasting incorporated in the design education development process, and to set a practical guidance to educators to create a culture of anticipatory progress in learning, teaching and assessment that is completely aligned with the strategic objectives. The study has adopted a case-study based methodology of presenting examples of senior students’ projects and assessing the learning outcomes to be applied as medium synthesizing for new ideas generation. The results demonstrate forecasting through different scales of studies to provide a learning experience that is based on research, application and interaction with the design industry.
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Smart Life Jacket (Wearable Technology Product)The Smart Life Vest is a product designed to prevent drowning incidents by combining advanced technology with innovative safety features. This vest is suitable for a wide range of users, from beginner swimmers to professional athletes, ensuring protection at all levels. Equipped with smart sensors that monitor the nervous system and detect unusual movements, the vest can instantly recognize drowning situations. Once activated, it automatically inflates an airbag or buoyancy system to prevent drowning. Additionally, it sends an SOS message with the user’s precise location, accompanied by an automatic light to ensure rapid assistance. These integrated features provide safety and peace of mind, allowing users to enjoy water activities with confidence.
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Raw Sphere 'Smart home device'RawSphere is an advanced smart home device designed to offer a premium user experience through a combination of high-end materials, elegant design, and innovative interaction methods. Drawing inspiration from the Audi GrandSphere and Audi SkySphere, RawSphere integrates multiple sensors and unique controls to provide a luxurious and interactive smart home experience.
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Smart Electric Portable IronThe Dual-Function Steam Iron is a premium appliance designed for affluent consumers who value both simplicity and functionality in their household products. This innovative steam iron combines the capabilities of a traditional iron and a steamer into one device, while featuring a retractable cord mechanism that addresses common storage issues. The design is aimed at enhancing convenience and maintaining an organized storage solution for users who appreciate a clutter-free environment.
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Limbo 'smart light unit for kids'Lighting unit for children aged 5 to 11 years, featuring an embedded game inside. The game is a maze, located at the top of the product, with a small ball inside. To activate the lighting unit, the child must move the product to guide the ball through the maze. Once the maze is solved, the child will be able to turn the lighting unit on and off. After 24 hours, the maze changes, prompting the child to attempt solving it again in order to activate the light bulb. This interactive lighting unit provides an engaging and educational experience for children while also functioning as a practical lighting solution.
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TECHNOLOGY FORESIGHT IN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONSEducation is a powerful driver of sustainable development; it plays a very pivotal role in securing socio-economic growth. Developed and developing countries give considerable dedication to reviewing and modifying their educational systems, since education comes among their significant priorities aiming to prepare citizens and societies for the future. Hence, higher education reform is essential for the achievement of developmental goals. This paper sheds light on the major trends that are significantly influencing the development of the higher education sector in Egypt to a great extent. Different megatrends are identified under the domains, interaction and visualisation application, and Learning Management Systems (LMS) platforms. The proposed trends are expected to have a sound impact on the development of the education sector in Egypt. The impact of those technologies on educational development is sourced from the literature review. Several interviews were conducted with experts from different domains to identify several developmental opportunities. The results of the interviews were summarized, and recommendations were presented. These recommendations are directed for policy and decision-makers in the field of higher education to influence the development of the sector for a competitive nation.
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The Evolution of Japanese Design: Application and User Perspectives in New Product DevelopmentThe evolution of aesthetics is a constant process, as designers adapt to new materials and knowledge while preserving the essence of their craft. Japanese design embodies this principle, as it has evolved over time while remaining true to its original purpose. This paper aims to investigate the evolution of Japanese design aesthetics from the Prehistoric Jomon period to the contemporary Japanese design of the twenty-first century, while through specific survey, explores how users interact and perceive Japanese design, and what are the factors that influence their preferences and knowledge of Japanese design. The paper begins by exploring the characteristics of Japanese design that have remained consistent over time, such as attention to detail, simplicity, and harmony with nature, which are clearly identified in furniture in this research. It then looks into how Japanese designers have incorporated new materials and techniques into their work, including the influence of Western design styles in the Meiji period and the integration of digital technology in contemporary Japanese design using number of case studies as research method. The paper also examines specific case studies of Japanese design, including the concept of “The Structure of Iki,” which embodies the Japanese aesthetic of understated elegance, and the use of “wagara” patterns, which are inspired by nature and traditional Japanese art. In addition to analysing the visual aspects of Japanese design, and conducting survey to gauge the users’ interaction and knowledge. The paper also considers the philosophical side of Japanese aesthetics, including the concept of wabi-sabi, which celebrates imperfection and impermanence. By exploring the cultural and historical context of Japanese design, this paper offers insights into the ways in which tradition and innovation have shaped Japanese design aesthetics. Throughout the paper, the focus is on how Japanese design, specifically, furniture to an extent, has evolved while maintaining its core principles, making it a renowned leader in minimalist design. By understanding the evolution of Japanese design, designers can gain insights into how to adapt to new materials and technologies while preserving the essential qualities that make their work unique and timeless.
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Culinary Academy as a Multicultural Status: Interior Design PerspectiveCulinary art is one of the most ancient forms of cultural expression, where there are abundant types of food with different and unique tastes in this world. Although Saudi Arabia is an extensive country with diverse nationalities, and each has its unique taste in food, it has few culinary art academies. In addition, those academies are limited in activities. Culinary art academy will allow people to exchange culture; they will be able to communicate and mingle with multi-nationalities in Saudi Arabia. In addition, students interested in this field can make their career where they can get a degree in culinary arts and learn from and interact with the finest culinary professionals through this multicultural opportunity. Moreover, the culinary arts industry benefits the owner financially through the establishment's reputation and the students who study or visit it. From the perspective of interior design, this paper highlights the importance of this multicultural academy. In addition to the literature review, the case study analysis and the conducted survey studies and discusses the fundamental interior design requirements that should be formulated when establishing and designing this kind of academy. Throughout the paper, the qualitative approach will be used to examine the precision of the suggested hypotheses, leading to clear outcomes and results.
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Interior Design Standards of a Non-medical Rehabilitation CentersThere are plenty of studies highlighted that the interior design of any place can affect the psychology and the mood of humans. Therefore, building and designing an environment to help in psychological healing, as a non-medical environment, will lead to a healthy society. Thus, there is a real need for any healthy society to provide rehabilitation resorts that combines psychological rehab centers and resorts entertainment activities. Firstly, the psychological rehab center is a specialized place within psychology that focuses on studying and applying psychological skills and knowledge on behalf of individuals with chronic health conditions and disabilities to maximize health and welfare, choice and independence, functional abilities, and social role participation across the lifespan. In addition, psychologists are uniquely trained and specialized in engaging in various activities, including consultation, clinical practice, program development, public policy, and advocacy related to persons with disability and chronic health conditions, teaching and education, training, and administration. Secondly, the resort is where people frequently go on holidays to relax and rest. Hence, the rehabilitation resort is a non-medical place that simultaneously provides the rehab center and resort services for people interested in psychological healing, self-development, and improving relationships. It will help society to be healthiest. Interior design affects humans through various aspects due to the physical and psychological human differences each person receives, perceives, interacts with, and responds to differently. Based on this, the paper’s main idea is investigating the impact of interior design on humans’ mental health to help increase society’s quality of life performance. However, the lack of psychiatric centers and clinics in any society has disregarded or did not give value to the interior design and the spaces of the place, seeing it as an incremental condition. This paper focuses on the psychological section for non-psychiatric patients. It aims to merge and find the relationship between interior design and healthy mental life to develop space planning and the facilities of the given space.
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Preservation and Exchange the Saudi Cultural Identity Through the Interior Design of Arts and Crafts CentersArts are surrounded humans—whether they realize this or not—where they used to be involved in this creative process of building things into existence. Indeed, the process of crafting is a historical heritage and a symbol that comes from any nation’s culture. Despite the rich diversity in Saudi culture and its various arts, it has recently begun to appear larger and wider. This is mainly due to the growing awareness within the Kingdom and the increased presence in many regional and international cultural events. In harmony with the architectural idea, the interior design of the arts and crafts centers is the core environment to exchange culture and art expression and preserve and modernize those arts and crafts. These centers usually include handmade crafts exhibitions and provide workshops for pottery, wood, textiles, and fine arts. So, this paper aims to highlight the role of the interior design of these types of centers as the environment to preserve and exchange the culture, focusing on traditional arts and handicrafts. The paper is mainly based on the qualitative approach, which starts with the literature review and discussing the practicing, studying, and demanding the arts and crafts, then analyzing two different examples of the social-cultural and the handicrafts centers, then ends with a survey study to investigate the Saudis’ subjective points of view about this kind of centers.
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Mako KayakThis kayak will be a hybrid between the ocean kayak and the transparent kayak, it will take the best of both worlds. Taking the strong form of the ocean kayak and the fun of the transparent kayak. This sport is a very exciting sport that is loved by many, and should evolve more that already has. We will be using many different research methods, we will be interviewing different type of people like; people with successful kayak business, also regular kayak users. We will be doing a survey that will be answered by over 200 people that will let us know what the people desire in the kayaking industry right now. After knowing what the people want, there will be a sketching and designing phase, then the prototype, models, manufacturing process and lastly the expected result is to have a functioning kayak with a new idea that hasn’t been done before .
