Research projects are listed by cluster, starting with competitive projects, followed by research contracts, self-funded projects, post-docs and ending with PhD projects.

MAPPING PORTUGUESE DESIGN

• Creative Archipelagos: ArtDesign and Crafts in the Lusophone Atlantic Islands
• The Portuguese cultural poster between 1960 and 2000 in the performing arts. Case studies: ballet and theatre

DESIGN FOR SOCIAL INNOVATION AND SUSTAINABILITY

• CREATION - Cultural and Arts Entrepreneurship in Adult Education
• Blue Circular Post Branding Project
• CraftDesign for Entrepreneurship, Social Innovation and Sustainability
• Fashion as a Vehicle for Sociocultural Transformation. Sustainable clothing design through digital platforms
• Transition to circular and sustainable economy through design
• Design of Fashionable Wearables to Promote Sustainable Behaviours in the Context of Smart Cities
• Paradigm shift in Design Education to drive Strategic Innovations, Sustainable Solutions and Social Change
• Anthropology Informing Sustainable Toilet Design: Guidelines to Surpass Behavioral Issues, Diffuse Technological Innovation and Promote Social Change

INTERACTION DESIGN AND UX

• SMARTOUT - Smart Public Park Solution: Development of Real-World User Scenarios
• Insertion of predictive model based on artificial intelligence in the evaluation of LMS interfaces
• Designing in the invisible world: virtual reality and industrial design education 
• Innovation in Basic Design, with the creation of a learning tool based on Virtual Reality

ENVISION FUTURE

• Biodiverse Futures: Non-normative speculative design tools against monocultural eco- futures

COMMUNICATION, CULTURE AND CONSUMPTION

• Id.Med - Uma Sistema de Identificação de Medicamentos Inclusivo
• MATSKI_LL - The Matrioskas Sequence for Knowledge and Innovation (Matski– Living Lab for Blue Circular PostBranding Project)
• The implications of design in advertising departments: a post-doctoral study
• The concept of Urban Place and Advertising: The Kyoto case study - Kansei Engineering's approach applied to street advertising to manifest local identity
• Musical Iconography Design: Development and application of an alternative musical notation system for ludic engagement in early years
• The effectiveness of communication generated by pictograms and wayfinding systems in supermarkets in the pandemic context caused by the 2019 Coronavirus
• Design Principles Applied to Semiotics in Brand Imagery: The Cases of Repertoire Dance Companies
• Intervention, synergy, complementarity, efficiency in the relationship between the different types of territorial brands in the context of country brand value
• Design and Cultural Heritage: Communication in Palaces/Museums

ART AND VISUAL PRODUCTION

• Communicating design research using documentary film
• Contributing the design process to the creative process of photography

DESIGN PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES

• SHELTER - Structural Hyper-resisting Element for Life Threatening Earthquake Risk
• DGE - Design and Game-Approaches for Entrepreneurship
• Social Awareness and Cultural Significance in Designing (Non) Gendered Toys
• A Human-Centred Ethical Framework for Addressing Privacy Issues in Service Design
• Co-creating transformation: synchronizing operations and organizational change through design
• The Natural Pigments in Socorro and Archeira Mountains and their use by the Live With Earth Association
• Synaesthetic Design for health and well-being: a multidimensional model for a Sensory Centered Design Development
• Why Design matters? Making the case for the smaller companies in the automotive industry
• How can we develop a model for the (re)design of more effective, valuable and appealing educational systems?
• Coworking Spaces for Design Education. A Study on Self-Determined Learning Spaces

MAPPING PORTUGUESE DESIGN                          

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Post-docs

Website: http://arquipelagoscriativos.unidcom-iade.pt/

This project aims to map the artists, designers and artisans of the Portuguese-speaking archipelagos, considering the African matrix, Portuguese influence and the impact of these productions in Portugal, through the new urban "archipelagos" generated by migratory movements. It also aims to strengthen the connection between art, crafts and design as a source of innovation and creativity. Through the comparative analysis of the different domains, it intends to analyse the points and to understand how the process of globalization implied the redesign of the urban and mental landscapes, and the underlying cultural policies; it is proposed to map the creative processes in the islands, geographic and mental, through documentary multimedia archives, as well as stimulate the theoretical production on emerging interdisciplinary practices.

Keywords: Creative Archipelagos: Art, Design and Crafts in the Lusophone Atlantic Islands

PhD projects

Through the production of a theoretical and iconographic corpus based on the inventory and cataloguing of posters designed for the Portuguese theatre scene between 1960 and 2000, it is intended to question the visual language structures operated by designers to communicate different concepts to the public, which will enable the research results to be made available to the scientific community and graphic designers who wish to enrich their own practice.

Keywords: Portuguese Cultural Poster; Portuguese Graphic Design; History of Design in Portugal; Performing Arts; Author identification

DESIGN FOR SOCIAL INNOVATION AND    SUSTAINABILITY

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Competitive projects

Website:  http://creationproject.eu/

The CREATION Project envisages to develop entrepreneurial skills framework for adult education, for the creative and cultural sectors across Europe, intended to bridge gender gap in entrepreneurship and the need to address inclusion in instructional design. The intention is to reflect on the education principles and programmes in cultural entrepreneurship and provide new lenses to undertake actions that promote innovative pedagogies and methods for inclusive cultural and arts entrepreneurship teaching, learning and assessment, and that support educators and learners to use digital technologies in creative, collaborative and efficient ways to create cultural capital. To pursue this, CREATION will identify the knowledge, skills and attitudes for becoming a cultural and arts entrepreneur and define the approaches, tools and support required for adult educators and migrant support providers who teach individuals coming from different backgrounds - women who come from marginalised backgrounds migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, to facilitate learning of these entrepreneurial skills that will enable them to succeed in cultural and arts entrepreneurship.

Keywords: Creativity; Social Innovation; Technology; Cultural entrepreneurship education; Social inclusion.

Website:  https://bluecircular.org/

This project aims to contribute to the protection of marine life by combating the problem of marine litter. The fishing community of the Capitania of Cascais (fishing ports of Ericeira and Cascais) is encouraged to collect marine waste in their daily work, bringing it to collection points on land in partnership with the existing APLM/Docapesca project "Fishing for a Garbage-Free Sea". The objective is to produce durable items with environmental, social, visual impact and boost conscious consumption from marine waste (plastics and fishing nets). The implementation of the Blue Circular Economy model aims to promote the involvement of civil society, the fishing community, the political and business spheres.

Keywords: Blue Circular Economy; Sustainability; Conscious Consumption; Sea; Local development

Crafts, under the umbrella of the cultural and creative sector, represent an important contribution to social development and cultural freedom. Entrepreneurship through crafts and design brings a strategy to promote the empowerment of vulnerable communities. Given the challenges our society is and will be confronting in the XXI century, such as the climate emergency, the process digital automation in the human workforce, emergency situations such as natural disasters or protracted crises, as well as the socioeconomic crisis that will follow COVID-19 pandemic, the scientific knowledge on policies and strategies aimed at promoting sustainable development and ensuring equality and social inclusion of vulnerable communities should be strengthened. This research reflects upon the role craftsdesign and entrepreneurship can play to promote sustainable development and proposes to address it.

Keywords: Craftsdesign, entrepreneurship, women´s empowerment, sustainability, social innovation 

The fashion industry is one of the most polluting industries in the world. Globally, countless tons of textile materials are wasted and thrown into landfills. The disposal of this type of waste and exacerbated consumption seriously damage health, environment and economy. Through the creation of fashion design pieces based on more sustainable solutions that are supported by modular design, and through the involvement of local communities, we think it is possible to create solutions whose ecological footprint will be smaller, in a way to envision other futures for the industry and society in which diversity and the authentic rise, but with the support of innovation and technology. A mixed methodology, interdisciplinary approaches will be carried out in the areas of fashion, culture, economics, technology and sustainability.

Keywords: Fashion Design, Sustainability, Modular Design, Diversity, Social Change 

Circular economy (CE) is gaining attention as a potential way for our society to increase prosperity and sustainability by reducing the dependence on materials and energy. In this transition towards CE, numerous research projects and activities have and are being developed at distinct levels of society and design has a crucial role, however, there are still limitations and barriers. To implement it, designers and companies need to be able to apply the CE principles in practice in a simple and efficient way. The PhD research project “Transition to circular and sustainable economy through design” was designed with the objective of supporting the creation of added value for the design professionals and for society. Focusing on supporting the transition to CE, the results will strengthen the role of design by providing professionals with a strategy supported by effective methods and a toolkit for an innovative and effective design practice.

Keywords: Rounding the vertices Toolkit; Circular Economy; Design; Sustainability; Design practice

The world is facing unprecedented crises in contemporary history, which create complex challenges to a society struggling to solve them. However, although it is a time of crisis, it is also a time of opportunities for Design and Design Education to prepare future designers to assume a position as agents of change. In this context, this study sought to identify a specific set of competencies required for the designers to become active agents of change. The study has culminated in the development of a Design Competencies Framework, which aims to be a valuable tool for supporting Design Education, promoting change and training designers to deal with complex problems and become agents of change.

Keywords: Design Education; Sustainability; Social Impact; Competencies; Strategic Innovation. 

INTERACTION DESIGN AND UX  

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Self-funded projects

According to recent reports, currently one in eleven people in the world is over 65, and it is estimated that by the year 2050 this proportion will increase to one in six. Being outdoors, specifically in natural environments, has been shown to improve the quality of life, physical and psychological well-being, and autonomy of older people. However, the outdoors is often a challenge for this age group due to health/age related changes and the gap created by poor design. Current technology-based Assisted Living Environment solutions (such as health monitoring systems) can help create spaces that enable older people to live in comfort, safely, healthily and independently. However, many of these solutions are intended for indoor spaces and rely mainly on user input through wearable computing. Thus, this project aims to promote the health, well-being and autonomy of the elderly, boosting a safe use of public space, understanding the current situation of the interaction between the context and the target population.

Keywords: Aging, Outdoors, Smart Environments, User Research

PhD projects

Technology advancement has become a critical component in today’s learning environment. With the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, reliance on it surged, forcing many Higher Education institutions to re-direct their current educational models more strongly towards the online medium. This adjustment disabled many of the features of the traditional face-to-face model (e.g., distancing of participants, meaningful interactions, peer-learning, communication), which have now become mediated through a 2D screen-mediated platform. Set in an industrial design education context, this research investigates the use of immersive Virtual Reality technology and 3D shared spaces as an alternative to traditional online learning and remote collaborations to enact a more intuitive, tangible, and interactive digital experience.

Keywords: Design education, pedagogy, Virtual Reality, immersive learning, remote collaboration

Virtual Reality (VR) digital technological medium has been revealing positive contributions to a growing number of educational areas, including design education. In the context of the development of Basic Design (BD) skills, we propose an innovative pedagogical tool based on VR, for assisting the teaching-learning process. The learning outcomes (LOs) of all BD curricular units taught in the Portuguese Higher Education were firstly, identified. This led us to the creation of a conceptual framework that connects the theoretical-philosophical premises of BD and the LOs.

Consequently, we validated the framework using a Human-Centered Design approach. The results of a questionnaire to previous BD students pointed to the high expectations towards the use of immersive VR for several phases of the teaching-learning process, as well as to the LOs that would benefit the most with such tools. We expect to actively contribute to the acquisition of more and better skills among students, to enhance the teaching-learning process of BD, as well as to advance the learning design, in the area.

Keywords: Basic Design; Learning outcomes; Virtual Reality.

ENVISION FUTURE

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PhD projects

COMMUNICATION, CULTURE AND CONSUMPTION

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Self-funded projects

Many people consume some type of medication on a daily basis. A good identification and understanding of the information on the packaging is fundamental to prevent mistakes and accidents related to taking the medication. However, the information on many packs is scarce and/or not easily accessible, a problem which becomes more evident for groups who, due to their clinical condition, level of education or simply age, have greater difficulty in perceiving and understanding it. Thus, the Id.Med project proposes to develop a code for identifying medicines, based on pictograms, acronyms and colours, applicable to packaging, which is inclusive of the entire population.

Keywords: 

The Matrioskas Sequence Framework (MSF) is a service design approach empirically conceived to assess how organizations gather, measure, learn and incorporate knowledge, embedding it into their organizational cultural and operational modus operandi, to develop exclusive differentiating know-how. In the MATSKI_LL project, the MSF approach will be applied to the Blue Circular Post Branding project to create a living lab pilot, supporting decision-makers to foster innovative approaches in a Blue Circular Economy.The proposed solution will be co-designed with end-users, addressing visual data analysis, creating a metadata catalog, and interactive dashboard configurations with indicators presented as advanced or predictive scorecards. This visualization strategy will complement the adoption of formal business process specifications (using BPMN) to track and monitor customer opinions, perceptions, and attitudes (i.e., behavior changes) about the usefulness and added value of the blue circular economy. Customer satisfaction and advocacy are other aspects involved in the deployment of the Living Lab; therefore, in addition to all other stakeholders involved in the recycling chain, gamification methods are also planned to attract and motivate the active participation of users (e.g., the fisherman's results of the sea garbage retrieval).

Keywords: 

Post-docs

This research intends to deal with the contributions and implications that design, as a language, can have on the different advertising departments. Such intention demonstrates the need to clarify a theoretical path that seeks the essence of design in the advertising process in strategic and aesthetic foundations since the contingencies point out that the design ontology places itself in direct and significant relationships with the account, planning, media, and creative departments in the development of advertising. An experimental research project will be developed to expand scientific knowledge about the transdisciplinarity of design and advertising in a reference book for the Master's Program in Design & Advertising at IADE - Universidade Europeia.

Keywords: Design; Design processes; Languages; Advertising; Transdisciplinarity.

PhD projects

Ever since the XVII century, the musical sheet (pentagram - 5 lines) has been used as the most common form of musical language. However, when we talk about children in early years contact with musical expression we tend to think about nursery rhymes and rhythm exercises. In a global world, we tend to question society and the accessibility of different knowledges such as music. Semiotics - the subject known for studying the relation between symbols and caption from the receptor - can provide important information in the creation of a new group of symbols that should improve understanding and accessibility of music in early years. By collecting information about the impact of semantic on visual perception, graphic design will be used as a tool to elaborate new strategies of accessible cultural communication (using music as an example) by creating a new musical alphabet for children and studying its implication.

Keywords: Graphic Design, Musical Literacy, Iconography, Semiology, Accessibility

Given the current health crisis caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, this study aims to study the effectiveness of signage and wayfinding systems, in main access areas with large flows of people of large shopping centres. These systems are important for virus control, but there are limitations to their effectiveness in combating crowding. Preventive measures in crowded places include social distancing, the use of face masks, ventilation, air filtration and hand washing or disinfection with appropriate products. The way individuals and groups of regular or occasional space users interpret the information on mobility dynamics and the direct identification of each sign/symbol are relevant factors that will help understand the inefficiency of the systems.

Keywords: Graphic design; Signage; Wayfinding Systems; Covid-19; Pandemic

The central objective of this research is the creation of evaluation parameters for the images incorporated in brand identity systems in the cultural sector. To this end, an analysis will be made of the elements that make up communication in the repertory dance companies sector, in the Luso-Brazilian context. Thus, the hypotheses presented aim to understand which are the main elements present in brand images that can be parameterised and qualified to be incorporated in brand personality systems, as well as brand graphics, colours, typography, symbol, shapes, graphics. The study will be based on case studies.

Keywords: Visual Design, Semiotics, Brand, Dance

Museums are strong pillars of modern knowledge, although their appeal is not the same for everyone. In this new digital age, called Industry 4.0. Everyone is a user, be it an application or service, and in all these situations the user expects a personalized experience and feel special. The objective of this work is to analyze the possibilities that the new visual technologies can offer to the museums. We intend to use the Pena Palace as a case study. We hope, with this study, to find out the appropriate solutions to this particular case, taking into account the availability and interests of users, as well as encourages them to return many times. We intend to look for methodologies of approach to the public supported in a fusion of the practice with the scientific. To determine the results that we hope museums to become centers of knowledge that they should be as well as the visitors became closer to the Museums.

Keywords: Service Design, Museum, Case study, Experience, Cultural Heritage

ART AND VISUAL PRODUCTION

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PhD projects

Communicating research is based on a system held by companies that  publish in journals. That knowledge should be public. Lately this system is being changed to open access. The general public, the market, the politicians and stakeholders aren’t aware of what design research do and can achieve. Also adding that researchers have difficulties to explain their projects. Film can be self-explanatory when addressing complex issues using a narrative way so the viewer can be engaged. This proposal is about the use of documentary film helping design researchers communicate. Unidcom, a design research centre from IADE-UE, will be used as case study. The produced documentary film will make prove of evidence and validate that film can be a better choice to transfer scientific knowledge. Sideways along the process there will be an evaluation of what people see from the research centre before and after the documentary film exhibition.

Keywords: Documentary Film; Communication; Visual Communication; Design; Research.

In this research, photography is approached as a vehicle of communication, in which Design provides principles for a process, resulting in an iconographic and symbolic image. We present how the political apparatus used photography and images to make a positive contribution to the creation of a political regime, and how the design process and foundations added value to the images (Taschen 2001, Tupitsyn 1998). In the review of the literature, three photographers were found to show this capacity, namely: Aleksandr Rodchenko, with the contribution of Constructivism, Joe Rosenthal and the representation of the image as an identification of mythical heroism (Health, 2012; Eastwood, 2007) and Alberto Korda, with the image Che Guevara de Guerrillero Heroico that presents itself as a universal symbol (Ziff, 2008; Lidwell, W, Holden, & Butler, 2010).

In the field of fashion photography stands out the designer Alexey Brodovitch due to influence in the magazine Harper's Bazaar's. Other photographers who contributed to the fashion image were Irving Penn with abstract compositions of objects, Steven Meisel with his creativity in the publishing world of fashion and Oliviero Toscani with his provocative side appealing to social consciousness.

It is possible to verify the interaction of Design and Photography throughout the work (Bauret, 2005; Arrowsmith, Penn, & Majocchi, 1991; Toscani, 2018), with examples of photographers with learning in Graphic Design who use the camera as tool and Design as a process (Usatin & Roma, 2017). From these realities it is intended to systematize a set of principles that are the result of the knowledge acquired through literature review and case study and that can bridge the gap between Photography and the image with Design and its principles as a process.

Keywords: Design, Photography, Process, Perception, Image

DESIGN PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES

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Research contracts

The aim of the SHELTER project is to develop a seismic shelter solution for fractions of existing buildings (houses, offices, etc.) that can be fully integrated. The design of this shelter will take into consideration all aspects related to the preservation of human life during the possible collapse of the building and its survival in the post-collapse period.

The UNIDCOM/IADE team will actively participate in the following tasks: a) support to the study of the architectural integration of the shelter; b) support to the study of the conditions to ensure the survival of the occupants during the building collapse; c) study of the physiological comfort and support to the study of the psychological well-being of the occupants after the building collapse and; d) virtual 3D modelling of the shelter. These tasks will be developed through a user-centred design approach and using 3D, digital and analogue representation and modelling technologies.

Keywords:  Industrial Design, Innovation, Interdisciplinarity, User Centered Design, 3D Modelling

Self-funded projects

The use of emergent game approaches in education, particularly in entrepreneurship, is becoming an important topic. Also, design thinking was found helpful as a pedagogy to introduce entrepreneurship to students and provide additional approaches that may enrich the curriculum. What is still unclear is which skills are developed through the use of these approaches. Therefore, this project aims to understand how design and game approaches contribute to developing specific personality factors relevant to entrepreneurship. As specific objectives, this project aims to: 1) Assess the relationship between the use of design and game approaches in entrepreneurship education and the development of specific entrepreneurial skills; 2) Identify and apply appropriate design and game approaches aiming at training students to recognize opportunities and ideation; 3) Understand how students' backgrounds, such as business and design, affect the implementation and impact of design and game approaches in entrepreneurship education. This project's main output will be a toolkit of games to provide action-oriented guidance for scholars and practitioners to apply for entrepreneurship education. 

Keywords:  Game approaches; Design Thinking; Entrepreneurship.

PhD projects

The study addresses the lack of social awareness regarding (non) gendered or gender-neutral toys and aims to understand the role of cultural significance in the design process of toys. Different areas of knowledge like biology and psychology suggest that gendered trends in toys potentially narrow children’s early play experience resulting in gender differentiation in skills and abilities between the age group of 6 to 10 years old. To address this problem, the study explores different awareness methods for adults about a gender-neutral perspective. The use of a Constructive Design Research approach, as the methodology, allows the integration of qualitative processes, like ethnography, to achieve the goal of creating awareness. Different socio-cultural stakeholders are key to provide necessary information into design experiments like speculation, critical design and discursive ways. To bridge the socio-political differences of gender and bring about a more holistic understanding of gender-neutrality, the study generates an Inclusive Toy Design Framework as the practical implication of gender-neutral awareness.

Keywords:  Design for Behaviour Change, Awareness, Design for Play, Inclusive Toy Design Framework, Constructive Design Research, (Non) Gendered Toys

Contemporary service design involves handling increasing amounts of people’s information. A lack of adequate regulations for data privacy and loopholes within existing ones has led to numerous violations and abuses, particularly by so-called Big Tech companies. Through a comparative analysis of relevant design methodologies and practices, this project will investigate how privacy can be embedded into service design from conceptualisation to development, by elaborating a comprehensive study of human-centred design practices and processes. The outcome will be a universally acceptable ethical framework that addresses existing and future privacy concerns within service design and thus contributes to create better experiences for people. Ultimately, this investigation seeks to provide an actionable tool that will enhance human-centred design methods in the context of service design. Nonetheless, the universal framework ultimately aims at becoming a tool for every designer willing to integrate privacy as a core aspect of his or her practice, irrespective of the legal, political, or business situation in which they might be creating their products.

Keywords: Data Protection, Ethics, Human-Centred Design, Privacy, Service Design    

Organizations are being forced to change at a rapid pace, and design seems to be consistently closer to this transformation helm.  In the context of public administration, public organizations, have been increasingly resorting to design and design principles to access and incorporate knowledge about citizens’ needs and to improve citizen engagement with government (Mureddu & Osimo, 2019; Park-lee, 2020). These efforts have led to co-creating policies (McGann & Wells, 2019) and new positions, such as Chief Design Officer for Helsinki (2016) and Los Angeles (2018). Despite these indicators for the role of design in public sector innovation and organizational change, research on how design relates to organizational change remains limited. (Deserti, Rizzo, 2014; Sangiorgi, 2015). The research purpose is to explore the role of design in organizational change in the context of Lisbon’s municipality. Inquiring into the intersection of these two scientific areas identified a surprising interrelated research field: skills.

Keywords: Design, Organizational change, skills, Municipalities

There is currently a pressing need to integrate citizens, markets and institutions into ecosystems and nature's cycles in a sustainable way at a global level. In order to answer this problematic, this research will integrate environmental, social and economic aspects, through Design for Sustainability. This research is based on the study of the natural pigments of the Local Protected Landscape of Serras do Socorro e Archeira, and their different applications through the Live With Earth - ECO CAMPUS Association, Torres Vedras. The aim is to investigate the potential of this abundant raw material, in the most diverse applications within the areas of Eco-Design (Natural Dyes / Dyeing / Colour Language), Eco-Arts (Natural Paints), and Eco-Construction (Earth Murals / Natural Earth and Lime Plaster). 

Keywords: Natural Pigments; Eco Design; Eco-Arts; Eco-Construction; Circular Economy; Social Entrepreneurship; Eco-Products

This research focus on the (re)design of educational systems that, according to stakeholders, show many deficiencies. The goal is to discover how to intervene systemically instead of solving isolated problems to generate better learning outcomes and a better learning experience. A model was developed for the (re)design of more effective, valuable, and appealing educational systems.  The hypothesis is that the model can provide educational system designers with heuristics to (re)design systems to provide better learning outcomes and high-performing school systems.  There will be a need for expert educational system designers to help schools. A methodology of systemic design interventions embodied by a mix of experiments was used. The findings coming out of the experiments on nomadic learning, learning while moving, digital twin, and educational crafting revealed the positive impact of systemic interventions on the learning outcomes and learning experience and, are a partial foundation for the model.

Keywords: Educational Systems, Organization of Learning, Educational System-Designer, Educational System-Design Model, Learning