Master of Regional and Community Planning / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / Sheri L. Smith / The Kansas City Design Center (KCDC) Interdisciplinary Urban Design Studio is one of a myriad of design studios throughout the country, which seek to bring students of differing educational backgrounds together in an urban environment. In this setting they collaborate with each other, faculty, and outside professionals in an effort to stem many of the problems associated with urban America today. While these design studios have made their goals and objectives clear to the public and their studio participants, what are they offering in terms of a quality interdisciplinary educational experience? How interdisciplinary are these urban design studios? Are students receiving the same educational experiences? The above questions can only be answered by documenting the processes involved as well as looking to the students for their insight and feelings of their own individual educational experiences while taking part in the studio. The Kansas City Design center builds its educational endeavors around its interdisciplinary design studio. The goal of this studio is to “strengthen the educational experiences of future planning and design practitioners by engaging university faculty and students with real world issues facing Kansas City’s built environment.” Through this studio, faculty and students are able to work closely with local client groups working towards improving the built environment in Kansas City. If Kansas State University and the University of Kansas continue to send students to KCDC to study each year, it only seems appropriate that their faculty and potential students understand what is taking place at this particular studio. Therefore, the goal of this research paper is to describe the projects undertaken during the inaugural Kansas City Design Center Urban Design Studio and to analyze the interdisciplinary environment of the studio.

This thesis explores the development of an interdisciplinary design incubator and community business center in Richmond, Virginia through the adaptive reuse of a retired, historic school building. In contrast to the deteriorating conditions of Patrick Henry School, renewed growth abounds in its extraordinary site surroundings—the 105 acres of Forest Hill Park, which serves as the virtual backyard of the school building. This dualism provided a prime opportunity for discovering the design possibilities in connecting a built space to its physical surroundings and for giving meaningful new life to an abandoned space.

Master of Regional and Community Planning / Department of Landscape Architecture and Regional and Community Planning / Jason Brody / From start to finish, implementing large public infrastructure projects, like a park, can be challenging. Funding shortages, public opposition, and physical limitations are all potential problems that can halt a project’s development. This study explores the complexities of implementation by using a proposed park designed by the Kansas City Design Center as a case study for examination. The visioning process, or first stage of implementation, is explored by examining the factors that influenced the design. Through interviews, this report then examines how the actors and processes of project implementation work together or against each other in project development. Applying the learned knowledge of implementation to the proposed park of the Kansas City Design Center presented multiple challenges, as well as opportunities for the park. After understanding implementation and its application to the Rail Park, three main strategies are proposed to move the Kansas City Design Center’s proposed park past the visioning stage. The three strategies are: to collaborate between actors, garner public support, and project phasing. General conclusions about implementation in this study found that there will be challenges and not all can be anticipated, but it is important to plan for those that can be. Being flexible and persistent to move a project forward is necessary in order to accommodate stakeholders’ concerns and unforeseen problems. Knowledge of implementation and its complexities will assist actors, developers, and students to advance visions into reality.

Este trabalho tem como objetivo identificar as contribuições do design estratégico no processo de inovação de uma Empresa da indústria moveleira do Rio Grande do Sul. O caso é chamado de Monalisa, trata-se de uma indústria de gestão familiar, produtora de móveis no Rio Grande do Sul. Monalisa é um pseudônimo escolhido para preservar a identidade da empresa. O estudo narra o caso de uma indústria que utiliza o Design Estratégico como um meio de inovar, a partir da criação de um Centro de Design e da cultura de projeto, como forma contínua de renovação. O estudo ainda objetiva estimular uma reflexão a respeito do Design Estratégico como abordagem e como protagonista dos processos de inovação da organização em pauta. Demonstra, desse modo, como esta indústria percorreu o caminho da produção, para produção, mediação e distribuição, isto é, do produto ao sistema-produto. O referencial teórico discorre sobre o Design Estratégico, a sua origem e a aplicabilidade. Caracteriza, em continuidade, Centros de Design e apresenta alguns fundamentos a respeito da inovação por meio do design, demonstrando limites entre o Design Estratégico e a Gestão do Design. O método de pesquisa é o estudo de caso único. As discussões e a conclusão apresentam diretrizes para a implantação de um Centro de Design a partir da utilização do Design Estratégico. / This papers aims to identify the contribution of strategic design in the innovation process of a company of the furniture industry of Rio Grande do Sul. The case is called Monalisa, and it is a family owned industry, producer of furniture in Rio Grande do Sul. Monalisa is a pseudonym chosen to preserve the identity of the company. The study narrates the case of an industry that uses Strategic Design as means of innovation, through the creation of a Design Center and the project culture, as continuum form of renovation. In addition, this study aims to estimulate a reflection on the Strategic Design as an approach and as the protagonist of the innovation processes of the organization. It shows how this industry has trailed the path from production, to production, mediation and distribution, from product to system-product. The theoretical framework discourses on the Strategic Design, its origin and applicability. It characterizes, in continuity, Design Centers and presents some fundamentals about the innovation through design, showing boundaries between the Strategic Design and Design Management. The research method is the single case study. Discussion and conclusion provide guidelines for the implementation of a Design Center from the use of Strategic Design.

Este trabalho tem como objetivo identificar as contribuições do design estratégico no processo de inovação de uma Empresa da indústria moveleira do Rio Grande do Sul. O caso é chamado de Monalisa, trata-se de uma indústria de gestão familiar, produtora de móveis no Rio Grande do Sul. Monalisa é um pseudônimo escolhido para preservar a identidade da empresa. O estudo narra o caso de uma indústria que utiliza o Design Estratégico como um meio de inovar, a partir da criação de um Centro de Design e da cultura de projeto, como forma contínua de renovação. O estudo ainda objetiva estimular uma reflexão a respeito do Design Estratégico como abordagem e como protagonista dos processos de inovação da organização em pauta. Demonstra, desse modo, como esta indústria percorreu o caminho da produção, para produção, mediação e distribuição, isto é, do produto ao sistema-produto. O referencial teórico discorre sobre o Design Estratégico, a sua origem e a aplicabilidade. Caracteriza, em continuidade, Centros de Design e apresenta alguns fundamentos a respeito da inovação por meio do design, demonstrando limites entre o Design Estratégico e a Gestão do Design. O método de pesquisa é o estudo de caso único. As discussões e a conclusão apresentam diretrizes para a implantação de um Centro de Design a partir da utilização do Design Estratégico. / This papers aims to identify the contribution of strategic design in the innovation process of a company of the furniture industry of Rio Grande do Sul. The case is called Monalisa, and it is a family owned industry, producer of furniture in Rio Grande do Sul. Monalisa is a pseudonym chosen to preserve the identity of the company. The study narrates the case of an industry that uses Strategic Design as means of innovation, through the creation of a Design Center and the project culture, as continuum form of renovation. In addition, this study aims to estimulate a reflection on the Strategic Design as an approach and as the protagonist of the innovation processes of the organization. It shows how this industry has trailed the path from production, to production, mediation and distribution, from product to system-product. The theoretical framework discourses on the Strategic Design, its origin and applicability. It characterizes, in continuity, Design Centers and presents some fundamentals about the innovation through design, showing boundaries between the Strategic Design and Design Management. The research method is the single case study. Discussion and conclusion provide guidelines for the implementation of a Design Center from the use of Strategic Design.

Este trabalho tem como objetivo identificar as contribuições do design estratégico no processo de inovação de uma Empresa da indústria moveleira do Rio Grande do Sul. O caso é chamado de Monalisa, trata-se de uma indústria de gestão familiar, produtora de móveis no Rio Grande do Sul. Monalisa é um pseudônimo escolhido para preservar a identidade da empresa. O estudo narra o caso de uma indústria que utiliza o Design Estratégico como um meio de inovar, a partir da criação de um Centro de Design e da cultura de projeto, como forma contínua de renovação. O estudo ainda objetiva estimular uma reflexão a respeito do Design Estratégico como abordagem e como protagonista dos processos de inovação da organização em pauta. Demonstra, desse modo, como esta indústria percorreu o caminho da produção, para produção, mediação e distribuição, isto é, do produto ao sistema-produto. O referencial teórico discorre sobre o Design Estratégico, a sua origem e a aplicabilidade. Caracteriza, em continuidade, Centros de Design e apresenta alguns fundamentos a respeito da inovação por meio do design, demonstrando limites entre o Design Estratégico e a Gestão do Design. O método de pesquisa é o estudo de caso único. As discussões e a conclusão apresentam diretrizes para a implantação de um Centro de Design a partir da utilização do Design Estratégico. / This papers aims to identify the contribution of strategic design in the innovation process of a company of the furniture industry of Rio Grande do Sul. The case is called Monalisa, and it is a family owned industry, producer of furniture in Rio Grande do Sul. Monalisa is a pseudonym chosen to preserve the identity of the company. The study narrates the case of an industry that uses Strategic Design as means of innovation, through the creation of a Design Center and the project culture, as continuum form of renovation. In addition, this study aims to estimulate a reflection on the Strategic Design as an approach and as the protagonist of the innovation processes of the organization. It shows how this industry has trailed the path from production, to production, mediation and distribution, from product to system-product. The theoretical framework discourses on the Strategic Design, its origin and applicability. It characterizes, in continuity, Design Centers and presents some fundamentals about the innovation through design, showing boundaries between the Strategic Design and Design Management. The research method is the single case study. Discussion and conclusion provide guidelines for the implementation of a Design Center from the use of Strategic Design.

The objective of the master´s thesis „Small business support in the Czech republic“ is to carry out analysis of current system of Small business based on a created scope of knowledge necessary for orientation in the respective topic, find deficiencies and suggest innovations. The first part is focused on history, on small and medium enterprise terms definition and the evolution of small business in the Czech Republic in the years 2000 - 2007. The second part is attended to analysis of particular support programs and pointed out on its benefits and disadvantages. In the following part was done the interview, which was intended to find out small and medium-sized entrepreneurs opinion on present situation in entrepreneurial subjects support system. I compared the results with interview investigation carried out in 2006. Final part contains suggestions and recommendations, which could lead to improvement in small entrepreneurs supporting in the Czech Republic.

A gap exists in the methods used in industry and available in academia that prevents customers and engineers from having a voice when considering engineering risk appetite in the dynamic shaping of early-phase conceptual design trade study outcomes. Current methods used in Collaborative Design Centers either collect risk information after a conceptual design has been created, treat risk as an afterthought during the trade study process, or do not consider risk at all during the creation of conceptual designs. This dissertation proposes a risk-informed decision making framework that offers a new way to account for risk and make decisions based upon risk information within conceptual complex system design trade studies. A meaningful integration of the consideration of risk in trade studies is achieved in this framework thus elevating risk to the same level as other important system-level design parameters. Trade-offs based upon risk appetites of individuals are explicitly allowed under the framework, enabled by an engineering-specific psychometric risk survey that provides aspirational information to use in utility functions. This dissertation provides a novel framework and supporting methodologies for risk-informed design decisions and trades to be made that are based upon engineering risk appetites in conceptual design trade studies. / Graduation date: 2012