Your motivation for the MSc programmed of your choice.

Industrial design world has evolved due to the world of constant and cascading change that we live in today. Design is not just about good looking product anymore; it has become conscientious and ever changing like life itself. Due to this manifestation, now we need to take more factors into consideration, creating a totally new view in the most obnoxious perspective. Design is more than creating an object; its about creating an experience towards a better future. It is a fact, that product are designed and created every single day, but along the way there are a certain aspect of good design that sometimes are taken for granted or never been considered at all for product placement. To produce something that was prepared to face the real world, there are a lot of insights from the external as well as internal factors need to be studies and analyze. Design need to help transform consumer interaction with product through a meaningful experience, and to create this experience we need to understand the outside and inside environment of human. I believe that Strategic Product Design offered in TU Delft is one of the courses created to as means of adaptation on the changes on our world today. Previously, design has always been known about fine aesthetic, high-tech, modern material, creating wonders and luxurious product but sometimes combination of these can be superfluous. Companies/designers werent able to recognize the constraint to come out with an ideal recipe that works just nice in the real world. "Designer has to be aware of the consequences of their actions on people and society and thus cultivate a broad base of knowledge and understanding." (Goerge Nelson) Finding realistic approach to design; it is not just about conceptual and over the top idea, but ideas that are relevant toward the world we living in now and for the future. Im aware that design has to be view in a broader horizon. More associated studies and research needed for product planning and we need to find ways of developing an ideal product so we can escape redundancy, manipulate resources at the maximum level while understanding the differences in local or global product market needs. In general, SPD which emphasizes on the fuzzy front end of a new product development is one of a new area in industrial design, which Im very keen to explore. It can create designers and entrepreneur through deep understanding of product commercialization and created a new approach for services for client in an international environment.

Why do you wish to conduct this program abroad and in Netherlands in particular?

One of the main reason why I choose to further my studies abroad is because Ive already obtained my degree locally, so it is only pertinent to actually broaden my horizon of knowledge outside Malaysia. Every country and even university have their own unique way of daily life and different way of approaching design, it is by experiencing those ourselves that can we only see and feel the essence of a certain place. "The world is a book and those who do not travel read only a page." (St. Augustine) In addition, a new place can offer a fresh thing to be explored and experienced. EU is one of a design hub that is rich with the old and the new. The history and tradition can make one see the fundamental nature of a culture while the latest innovation can make us experience what is beyond, today. The most interesting part of being in a different place is how we can actually understand people. The way of life people lead thus the way how the mind works to find solutions in their everyday problem. Studying abroad is one of a good way to understand and really feel the core and the spirit of a place and a culture. After 3 years of working in design field in my country, I realize that were merely a follower and most of the company around lack studies and analysis for a well designed and marketable product. It is for a company or designer to understand what make the market accepted their product. It is also important to understand what make a consumer want to own a product and we too have to do our part in designing responsible product that is not a threat to our future generation. This goes down to how we think and find solutions in every problem encounter, to acquire the thought we have to find experience and sometimes see how others did it. Personally I have always admired the innovativeness of Dutch design. Names likes DROOG, CARVE and Hella Jongerius are some part of Dutch design that I admired. CARVE is one of the most innovative companies I found during my years in playground industry, their bold and unique yet simple ideas inspires my being as a designer as well as protrude silly smiles to the children face. Whilst, Hella Jongerius is one of a designer that never cease to amaze with her works and words. Designers cant get away with all too pompous statements. They have to operate with clearly-defined problems, they have to stick to their promises, and they have to relate to the world around them. And then they have to take responsibility for the end result. (Hella Jongerius)

At the moment, although there are lot of Master Degree for Industrial Design offered in my own country, nevertheless none of them have specify their studies in Strategic Product Design or a studies where more advanced elements of design are the main concern. This is a good opportunity to learn and gain knowledge in a different level inside Industrial Design and Engineering (IDE) and hopefully one day this knowledge can be absorb and practice locally.
Why are you interested in TU Delft

TU Delft ranks the first in my list, purely because it offered exactly the course that Im looking for. After Ive obtained my Master Degree, I will be working under Business Advanced Technology Centre (BATC) in UTM where main focus is linking local industry with design concepts and ideas, currently education system here(local) have minimal linkage with the real industry outside. This has been widely practice in Europe as well as in TU Delft itself where partnerships are formed through business for example Philips and P&G. This intention is also supported by my colleague and mentors as TU Delft is considered one of the highly recognized for industrial design engineering. One of the 60 Best DSchool published by Businessweek in the Global List, it a conformity that TU Delft is the place I want to be, with its signature program that assimilate design with engineering and technology as well as emphasizing on management and ergonomics. However this is merely a confirmation to support my decision to continue my Master Degree in TU Delft. Im always fascinated by the assimilation of the beauty of tradition and the quirkiness of modern banalities that human created along the course of history. Seeing one thing in a different perspective perplexed me sometimes but it is an exhilarating experience. I can see that TU Delft have a lot to offer to a mere designer I am now, but their legacy in embracing the new front end of innovation is an experience that I wouldnt miss for a life time. Delft itself is a place with history of its own. Historical intricacies have always enthralled me, going shopping in an old vintage building that actually selling the latest brand, walking along a thousand years old road together with the latest gadget that help to take me around town. Its ironic and special. Like TU Delft and the town itself, where the university are striving for the latest innovation while standing in between the history of the place itself. Through critical thinking we often see flaws in our everyday life and systems. Ideas emerge from within these embedded thoughts sometimes are priceless but it is not sufficient to just have an idea we need to have a design and a knowledge on how that idea can be realized. There are lots of obstacles and complications to ensure an idea turn into reality.

If there are optional specialization in the Masters program of your choice: which specialization interest you most, why?

Entrepreneurs are someone who is willing to take upon her or himself a new venture or enterprise and accept full responsibility for the outcome . Whereas design thinking creates possibilities of ideas to improve life, inspire joy and even jumpstart a sluggish mind. These possibilities need to be adhere and worked on somehow that is the main reason why if there are optional specialization in Masters program for me to choose from, its a studies on how design and entrepreneurship are related and what does it effect and contribute towards our world today. Designers have ability to become a core business on its own. A lot of freelance designer manage themselves either by their choice or while waiting for other job opportunity to come by. It is can be considered as an alternatives route for a designer survival. But there is more than just survival, entrepreneurship enables us to choose our own ways of doings thing and understand that just because its an order from a higher management doesnt meant that its the best ideas and cannot be challenge. We have to understand our values because other people in a different field might just miss it entirely. From previous working experience in a playground company, I can see that the company management has a plan of expanding their business in a different field, by making innovations their core ideas, but the unable to see that within their playground business, there are a lot of other opportunities they can benefits from. We always look for a better ways to channel our innovative ideas. Being an entrepreneur its about having guts to ensure that our ideas are being heard and learning how to position ourselves not only as a mere workers and supplier but as partners and correlative to business. Ideas are challenging because you need all the right sets of condition and criteria, like the right client or brand, the right market, the right location or place, the right milieu, the zeitgeist and the right idea. An idea is nothing unless it is manifested (Karim Rashid)

I think understanding entrepreneurship is actually a way for designer to appreciate the values of their ideas and fight for it. An idea is often attractive, if it is simple it easy to be accepted, but bold and wild ideas might have a harder time to materialize and sometimes we left it unexplored. To collect and study all the necessary information and to compose it to produce something is the greatest challenge. Design and entrepreneurship might be able to actually create explorer in the future who have the confidence to navigate their own future.

Give three examples of Master thesis topics that interest you and explain your particular interest

Designs have morphed itself into a multidisciplinary field; its not just about styling the aesthetic but styling the emotions. The combinations of technology, consumer and business inspired innovation and at some point creating stories that can alter paradigm. A few subjects create curiosity and inspire me, if I were given a chance to explore one of my personal favorite topic is to study on Design For Good where designer have a chance to explore products under a certain constraint and how we can actually ensure that the help or the ideas reach the place that needed it the most. In Design Revolution by Emily Pilloton, it tells about a hundred products that are changing peoples life. These people were in a very delicate situation and finding solution for their means of survival is one of the ways designer can contribute. My particular interests are in the children life and education, when survival is their main concern other things would just be secondary. Building up a system that can ensure education were within everybody reach is almost impossible but I think we shouldnt stop trying. A revolution come within an integral element from corporate, government and even independent organization and what is needed is more than a design idea but a certain system that can indicate the reality of a situation. In his book Design Like You Give a Damn Cameron Sinclair shares his the obstacles faces by them along their way in doing design pro-bono. From design to price indication, implementation, prototype and evaluation will give a prospect in a broader perspective in each project, finding solution where it needed the most. Another example of topic that interests me is the connection between the tradition of a culture and their adaptation in our modern world today. Finding the niche and the value of a cultural history and implement it towards our lifestyle. In my country they are a lot of traditional item that are long forgotten or are just being remembered as part of a souvenir but these items were very important in our ancestors everyday life before. It is quite a challenge for me to indulge into a project where I can revive back a prestige item and mould it into our everyday life as a functional item, as they were before rather than being kept as a mere deco in an interior. After working in a playground company for 2 years, I have learned the value of fun in life. Playscape have evolved and weave it ways enigmatically until today. To inspired children through the use of sustainable technology while enabling them to have fun is one of the evolutions in playscape. It is one of an interesting field to venture especially when we are living in the ever changing digital platform. Playscape can generate interactions through engagement and connection that form emotions and love in the end.

Write a brief summary (maximum 250 words) of the thesis work of the final assignment done for your bachelor degree and state the credits, grade and full workload if available.

Color Studies on Toddlers Toys (1-2 years old) is the title for my undergraduate project. It was completed in 2 semesters, consecutively. For the first semester there are 2 credits hours (Grade: C+) and the second semester 3 credits hours (Grade: A). The main subjects discuss in this research are toddlers, toys, and color. Colors have the capability to stimulate thousand of creative response in a child, while toys are a medium used to develop various skills during childhood. Block toys which come from manipulative group ensure toddlers can explore their imagination endlessly through tactual and kinesthetic learning. In this study, the connection between color and the skills used during childs play is recognized in order to prove that color preferences among children are actually based on a certain body function. Based on the theories suggested by Antonio F. Torrice, color preferences among children will be influence by the activity the toddlers indulge in. How toddlers perceive color and their role during object play can be associated with their growth development. Based on the theory when toddlers are involved in a certain activity their preferences can be defined upon which skills are being exercises. Table below shows the relationships between Torrice theory and skills provided by block toys and the rank of preferences among toddlers.

Based o the studies, there is a significant association in term of the application of color and skills provided by toys toward toddler. The findings can be used as guidelines in selection of color for toddlers toys. Collaboration of color studies with other element can create a cohesive, unique and effective result in designing space or product especially for toddlers.