Expanding the Ideation Horizon: Cultivating Radical Innovation in Undergraduate Engineering Design

Abstract

Traditional engineering design education frequently prioritizes structured problem-solving and incremental improvements, which can limit students' ability to address complex societal challenges. This article examines an educational practice that intentionally expands the ideation phase within a transdisciplinary STEAM framework to foster original, future-oriented design solutions. By postponing convergence and utilizing speculative design techniques, students move beyond technical fixes toward integrated ecological, social, and technological interventions.