DFGN.R Organization
Design Factory Global Network
DFGN is a network of 39 design factories located in 25 countries across 5 continents, operating within different universities and research institutions. Each design factory serves as a unique innovation hub and experimentation platform, driving change within its own institution as well as in its surrounding environment.
The DFGN hypothesises that design factories, innovation hubs, and similar innovation ecosystems can strengthen the industry landscape of a region. Our vision is to increase the diversity and skills necessary to operate in these evolving environments, thus amplifying the resilience of these landscapes. We aim to facilitate serendipitous interactions between different stakeholders, bringing together research, education, and business practitioners, and creating new opportunities for continuous learning and development.
For more information, please visit here.
Aalto University Design Factory
Aalto Design Factory (ADF) is part of the mechanical engineering department at Aalto University. ADF is an interdisciplinary product design and learning hub that unites students, teachers, researchers, and industry professionals. Our goal is to create a new kind of passion-based learning culture at Aalto University.
ADF hosts several courses and serves as the base for many research groups, projects, startups, and sponsor companies. The architecture and activities are designed to facilitate collaboration between students, researchers, and companies.
For more information, please visit here.
METU Design Factory and Middle East Technical University
METU Design Factory is a part of Middle East Technical University in Ankara, Turkey. Its goal is to catalyse interactions among researchers and students from design studies, engineering sciences, social sciences, and other related fields in order to develop new and innovative products. The main objective of METU DF is to provide an inspiring and encouraging environment for interdisciplinary collaboration, where both academics and students from various disciplines can work together using the space and production infrastructure provided. The center has rapid prototyping and product development infrastructure to serve internal and external stakeholders' education, research, development, implementation, and technology transfer needs. Moreover, through DF's infrastructure, the knowledge generated at the university is transformed into prototypes and products.
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CERN IdeaSquare Journal of experimental innovation
CIJ is a research journal that publishes results of empirical research on the practice of strategic technology and innovation management. CIJ is a multi-disciplinary, open online journal that is devoted to the latest research and theory development in in-situ innovation experimentation, strategic innovation management, knowledge exchange and management, and innovation policy issues in cross-sections of science, technology, innovation, and business. The intent of CIJ is to be intellectually challenging providing evidence-based results that guide decision-making in managing innovations. The CERN IdeaSquare Journal of Experimental Innovation (CIJ) is targeted at communicating thought-provoking, contemporary, and latest findings in experimental innovation research.
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International Design Factory Week
The DFGN.R Conference 2023 will be held alongside with the International Design Factory Week 2023 (IDFW). The IDFW is a one-week-long event where two representatives from each Design Factory (DF) gather to get to know the community, share best practices, and plan for collaborations. Through workshops and collaborative working sessions, participants are able to refuel and expand their professional toolboxes, as well as strengthen their ties with educational change-makers from around the world. The IDFW is a closed event, with only two representatives from each DF being invited to gather around one table.
Design Factory Global Network Research Conference
DFGN.R
DFGN.R 2023, "Designing for Multiplicity," is the second research conference organized by the Design Factory Global Network and is held alongside the International Design Factory Week (IDFW). DFGN.R'22 was held in Leeuwarden, the Netherlands, by NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences, and the conference theme was "Designing the Future".
The editions of DFGN.R offer an opportunity for participants to engage in a range of activities, including keynote speeches, panel discussions, workshops, and other experiential sessions. The conference is a two-day event hosted by different DFGN members, providing a unique opportunity for participants to learn about different practices, methods, and pedagogies in the field of design and innovation across the globe. The conference collaborates with the CERN IdeaSquare Journal of Experimental Innovation (CIJ), and selected research contributions are published in a special issue.
For more information about the DFGN.R’22 Conference Proceedings, please click here.
For more information about the CIJ Special Issue (2022), please click here.