PNCA is responding to the COVID-19 pandemic by building an inclusive educational environment that utilizes both onsite and remote learning options.
Program Description
The MFA in Collaborative Design and MA in Design Systems start with the end in mind: to produce creative ethical leaders who will apply a whole systems mindset and a tool kit of design, analytical, and entrepreneurial skills to drive positive impact in private, public, and non-profit sectors. Students, faculty, partners, and clients work together on complex problems using a collaborative, systems-based, holistic approach.
Both programs draw on the city of Portland, the Pacific Northwest, Pacific Rim and more globally as learning labs for graduate students seeking expanded design practices to meaningfully address the emerging challenges of the 21st century. Our faculty, mentors, partners, and participants share a vision where future creative leaders effect systemic change creating equitable, resilient, and profitable solutions for a changing and better world.
CD/DS believes equity and socially minded, environmentally sensitive designers fosters a more humane world that can better address the multi-causal challenges we currently face including, climate change, racial injustice, poverty and health care.
What is Collaborative Design?
Collaborative Design prioritizes partnership, teamwork, and a holistic design process that assumes that the client is who you design with, not who you design for. Through a multi stage process collaborative design involves research, design sprints, applied system thinking, data facilitation and data visualization to address wicked problems that face the world today. This process is generated and supported by user feedback. This form of creative relationships places those who are most affected at the center as essential partners in the design process, leading to possibilities that more uniquely support the needs of the client and stakeholders.
What are the defining aspects of Collaborative Design? shared ownership, strong team building, energizing the innovation process.
Who Are Collaborative Designers?
Empathetic Listeners
Mold-Breakers
System Mappers
Bridge-Builders
Design Innovators
Business Leaders
Critical Thinkers
Life-long Learners
Creative Researchers
Team-worker
Storytellers
Prototypers
Feedback-Takers
What do Collaborative Designers Do?
Participatory Research
User Design Research
Information Design & Data Visualization
Community & Group Facilitation
Visual Facilitation
Product Design Iteration
Creative Direction & Narrative Building
Visual Communication
Critical Design & Systems Thinking Scholarship
Personal Creative Practice
Social Entrepreneurship
Design & Process Consultation
See All Program News
MA Design Systems Student Humaira Tasneem Hosts Design Week Portland Panel!
Humaira Tasneem hosts Design Week Portland panel: The Right to Fail: Risk + Reward In Building Creative Culture.
Student Project Spotlight: SJ Bowden's data visualization of the PAR process!
Participatory Action Research (PAR) is a method that is integral to our design thinking in the MFA in Collaborative Design + MA in Design Systems, in that 'it is a method of research that relies on purposeful engagement with with participants to deeply study human-centered problems and ignite action towards positive change'. Check out MFA Collaborative Design student SJ Bowden's data visualization of the PAR process!
Mobility 2030 A Decade of Opportunity
By 2030, patterns of mobility around the Portland region have dramatically changed — for the better. How did we do it?
MFA in Collaborative Design and MA in Design Systems Class of 2020 Thesis Talks Schedule
Join the MFA in Collaborative Design and MA in Design Systems Class of 2020 for Thesis Talks via Zoom May 4-11
choose your path
MFA in Collaborative Design
This 60-credit program is tailored for early- and mid-career creatives who are ready for an immersive experience. Late afternoon and evening classes up-level skills and aptitudes for a rapidly changing design environment. We take a critical and entrepreneurial approach to “wicked” problems such as resource depletion, emerging technologies, climate change and global demographic shifts.
MA in Design Systems
This 40-credit program embraces the reality that all creative endeavors are embedded within complex systems: of design, relationships, hierarchies, production, power, collaboration, and competition. This program is for the working creative who wants to master those systems, whether inside a firm, between organizations, or among multiple stakeholders.
"Collaborative Design prepared me for a life of working with entrepreneurs by introducing me to the world of social innovation and community-oriented design. I am so grateful for the connections I developed with fellow alum, mentors and professionals through the program."
Flexible
Classes are held in the late afternoon and evening to accommodate early and mid-career creatives who want to accelerate their skills while continuing to work.
Collaborative
Participants work with the most creative, professional minds in Portland, Oregon – a leading edge of creativity - and access new technologies and partnerships with national and international knowledge networks. Upon completion of the 60-credit, two-year program, graduates leave with a project portfolio that demonstrates their ability to think critically and act entrepreneurially in rapidly changing environments.
They go on to launch successful programs, work for leading design initiatives and nonprofits, create thriving design consultancies, and work in higher education.
View Faculty & FacilitiesEvents
Get in touch
Get in touch with MK Guth: Director of Hallie Ford School of Graduate Studies at mkguth@pnca.edu to learn more.
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