Product Design BA Welcome Pack
Welcome to Product Design BA – September 2026.
Welcome to the Product Design course – we’ve an exciting year ahead, packed with inspiring design projects, creative challenges, hands-on workshops, technical demonstrations, and practical making sessions that’ll help you develop the skills, confidence, and mindset of a professional designer.
Every week brings new opportunities to explore ideas, build prototypes, learn industry-standard techniques, and collaborate with fellow students. To make the most of these experiences, teaching typically runs from 10am – 4pm, with Wednesdays kept free for clubs, societies, sports, and student life activities.
To help you get started on your Product Design journey, we’re hosting an online Welcome Session on Wednesday 19 August at 11am. This is your chance to meet the course team, discover what life as a Product Design student is all about, and connect with some of the people who will be studying alongside you.
During the session we’ll cover everything you need to know before September, including:
- Your timetable and what a typical week looks like
- Recommended reading and learning resources
- Drawing and sketching equipment
- Toolkits and workshop essentials
- Laptop requirements and software
In the meantime, enjoy the rest of your summer, get ready for an incredible year of creativity, innovation, and making, and we look forward to welcoming you to Product Design.
Your Course Leader
Paul Hines
Deputy Head of Art & Design
Paul.Hines@northampton.ac.uk
As Course Leader, my job is to oversee the course, make sure everything is running smoothly, and ensure that you have the best possible experience while studying at UON. Put simply, I:
- Help make sure the course is organised and running smoothly
- Support you and help solve any problems if or when they arise
- Work with tutors and technicians to deliver teaching and projects
- Keep the course current with new ideas, technology, and industry trends
- Listen to student feedback and helps improve the course
Additional staff
- Dr Friedemann Schaber – Senior Lecturer
- Alex Tinkler – Lecturer
- Dr Noha Fouad – Associate Lecturer
- Iqra Saleem – Technician Demonstrator
- Paul Tallon – Technician Demonstrator
Welcome and Induction Session
In preparation for your course starting in September, we hold some online sessions beforehand so you can meet your Academic Team and other students studying the same course. These will be held on 19 August at 11am. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Paul Hines: paul.hines@northampton.ac.uk.
Wednesday 19 August
Session Title: Welcome to Product Design
- Time: 11am – 12pm (BST)
- Link:
https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/385388123046546?p=FwpL3ija7aEmOKx1HR - Meeting ID: 385 388 123 046 546
- Passcode: BA9uN6ok
Meet the Product Design Team and your colleagues for an introduction to the course and what to expect in your first few weeks.
Monday 21 September
Session: Enrolment/registration
- Time: 10am-12:30pm (BST)
This time is available for you to complete your enrolment if you haven’t already done so. If you need any assistance with the enrolment process, please come to the Creative Hub (CH303), Waterside campus, where a member of the team will be happy to help.
Session: Welcome Talk & Course Introduction
- Time: 1:30 – 4:00pm (BST)
- Location: CH303, Third Floor, Creative Hub, Waterside campus
Tuesday 22 September
Session: Student Essentials (timetabling, conduct and safety)
- Time: 10am – 12:30pm (BST)
- Location: CH303, Third Floor, Creative Hub, Waterside campus
Session: Introduction to Northampton Town
- Time: 1:30 – 4:00pm (BST)
- Location: Meet in CH303, Creative Hub, Waterside campus for walking tour
Wednesday 23 September
Session: Student Union – Clubs & Societies Fair
- Time: 10am – 4pm (BST)
- Location: Learning Hub – ground floor, Waterside campus
The Students’ Union (SU) will be hosting a Clubs and Societies Fair, giving you the chance to discover the wide range of activities available across the university. It’s the perfect opportunity to meet like-minded students, make new friends, and become part of the university community.
Thursday 24 September
Session: IT Essentials (laptop setup, email, printing and software installs)
- Time: 10am – 12:30pm (BST)
- Location: CH303, Third Floor, Creative Hub, Waterside campus
You’ll need to bring along your laptop for this session to download the software you’ll need for the course and complete your mandatory consent training.
Session: Toolbox & Equipment Talk – Art Shop
- Time: 1:30 – 4pm (BST)
- Location: CH303, Third Floor, Creative Hub, Waterside campus
Friday 25 September
Session: To Be Confirmed (TBC)
- Time: 9am – 5pm (BST)
- Location: TBC
Preparation and Pre-Arrival tasks
Before you arrive, we’d like you to watch at least one episode of Channel 4’s Taskmaster – a British comedy panel game show, then tackle the challenge below . . .
TASK: Impress the Designers
Bring in an object that best demonstrates your aesthetic sensibility as a designer.
This could be something beautiful, unusual, clever, amusing, thought-provoking, or simply something you think is exceptionally well designed.
Your chosen item must cost no more than £10.
The Product Design team and your fellow students will judge which object is the most impressive.
You may wish to think carefully before selecting a family heirloom,treasured possession, or anything of significant sentimental value, as there’s no guarantee that your item will be returned to you!
Most impressive object wins.
You have until your first session. Your time starts now . . .
Drawing Equipment, Modelling Tools & Laptop
Product Design is a highly practical course, so you’ll need a range of drawing materials, tools, and workshop safety equipment to support your design and making activities throughout the year. These items will be essential both in the studios and workshops, as well as for continuing your work in your own space.
We’ll be emailing you a complete list of recommended items before the course begins and will also go through it during our online welcome session.
A laptop is essential for running the personal (free/academic) versions of the computer-aided design (CAD) software used on the course. In Year 1, the core applications are compatible with both PC laptops and MacBooks, but Chromebooks are not supported.
If you’re thinking about purchasing a new laptop, we recommend considering a higher-performance model than the one provided through the university’s ‘free laptop’ scheme, especially if you plan to run the full suite of design software throughout your three years of study.
Please review your options carefully and if you have any questions, please just contact us for further advice.
Reading Lists
Looking for some summer inspiration? To give you a head start before the course begins, here are two recommended books that will help you start exploring the world of design, creativity, and innovation. They’re not compulsory, but they’re a great way to get into a designer’s mindset before September.
- The Genius of Design – Sparke, Penny.,, 2010.
- Drawing for Product Designers Second Edition: From Hand Sketching to Virtual Reality – Henry, Kevin, M.,, 2025.
