OVERVIEW

The “Executive Design” module is part of the “Tools and Technical Disciplines for Design” course, which aims to provide students with transversal technical skills to support design projects in a conscious and sustainable manner. 

The teaching therefore integrates operative and communicative notions for the drafting of technical documentation and project management in a professional context (module ‘Executive Design’), and introduces the principles of eco-design and circular economy applied to the sustainable design of nautical products (module ‘Ecodesign and Life Cycle Assessment of the Nautical Product’). 

Executive Design module (Progettazione Esecutiva) takes its starting point from a ‘preliminary concept’ drawing to simulate a design process that follows the development phases typical of the profession, through in-depth studies in the field of outfitting, steering systems, on-board systems, and the relationship with the subjects that are generally involved in the design and construction of a yacht, from the shipyard to suppliers and the client. 

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The teaching aims to provide students with useful tools to integrate the notions received in the laboratories and more specialized teachings and to make them coherent for a more general vision of the project, or to make students aware of the problems related to the design and preparation of documentation that allows professional dialogue with a hypothetical client or work site, with the related organization and management problems of the people theoretically involved.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The objectives of the module are:

- to increase the student's knowledge of the various technical and technological elements that make up the ‘boat’ as a whole in order to be able to complete and integrate them with the teachings transmitted by the other courses;

- provide the student with the awareness that design, understood as the lines and style of the exteriors or interiors of a boat, regardless of whether it is a sailing or motor boat, cannot disregard what these two envelopes enclose;

- provide students with a methodology for approaching a more in-depth phase of the project, which also includes responsibilities for managing both the technical issues, as well as the people involved and participating in the design team;

Fundamental training moments are the creation of working groups, with the subdivision of specific tasks among the various elements of the group, to research technical and commercial information which, given the vastness of the topics, foresees a more autonomous involvement to be dedicated to market research, in the technological fields that make up a boat.

As part of the module, students must complete the preliminary project, developed in the previous semester, with all the construction, technical and descriptive details such as

- analysis of the design and consistency with the initial requirements;

- integration of the concept design with all the technical elements necessary for the vessel's operation;

- elaboration and drafting of graphics, with particular attention to the development of general plans;

- refinement and completion of the 3D model of the hull and superstructures;

- drafting of technical specifications, weight analysis and on-board equipment diagrams

- presentation and display of their designs.

The practical design activities will enable students to learn to manage their social interactions with a collaborative attitude and constructive communication; they will also lead to autonomous decision-making, an aptitude for managing team work, coordination between several people and different skills, and the ability to manage uncertainty.

PREREQUISITES

It is desirable that students have already attended the first semester's lectures as the technical topics covered presuppose a technical knowledge base that allows them to delve into the more specific topics of ship design. 

TEACHING METHODS

Teaching is organised in different and complementary activities, the main ones being:

- Theoretical lectures in the classroom.

- Lecture support through blackboard sketches, presentations of drawings, slides, shipyard images

- Revision of students' work

- Site visits

- Occasional interventions by external professionals

During the first lessons, in order to familiarise with the new topics, a handout produced as a collection of research and technical articles related to on-board systems is provided.

During the first lesson, the working groups are established and confirmed, and the boat types are assigned, which will be the same size for all groups, with freedom of choice between sail or motor propulsion.

From the third or fourth lesson, the final part of the available hours is left for drawing and research exercises in the classroom, and for revisions.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The module deals with:

- Development of the design aspects that enable quotations and planning by construction sites or approval of new construction by hypothetical clients.

- Development and deepening of the technical specification and design spiral.

- Hints on how the designer elaborates and integrates his work with the construction site programme.

- Attention to symbology and graphic representation.

- Notes on the construction sequence, structures and materials.

- Hints on the interrelation between designer/project manager/client/site

During the course of the module, visits to construction sites and projections of images of the construction phases on site are planned whenever possible to enhance the thematic insights.

The technical notions and ways of approaching the profession of designer, also intended as a contact person and consultant for a hypothetical client, which are transmitted during the Module do not disregard issues of environmental impact, thus maintaining a link with the Ecodesign and Life Cycle Assessment Module.

The specific topic of the year is defined and updated at the beginning of the lectures and communicated to the students in a timely manner in line with the theoretical topics covered.

The detailed contents of Executive Design (Progettazione Esecutiva) are provided before the beginning of the semester on the aulaweb page dedicated to the teaching. The aulaweb page will also be the lecturer's weekly communication and update tool.

The practical and design applications envisage the students' use of some software illustrated in other modules, including those included in the Office 365 and Adobe Creative Cloud packages, Rhinoceros for two-dimensional and three-dimensional project graphics.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Sciarrelli, C. (2011), Lo Yacht . Origine ed evoluzione del veliero da diporto, Mursia, Milano.

Zerbinati, D. (2006), Lavori a bordo, Nutrimenti, Roma.

Larsson, L. & Eliasson E.R. (1994-1997), Principles of yacht design, Adlard Coles Nautical, London.

Crepaz, S. (1986-1990), Teoria e pratica della vela, Zanichelli, Bologna.

Marshall, R. (1979), Designed to Win, Adlard Coles, London.

Lodigiani, P. (1998-2004), Capire e progettare le barche, BCA Demco Kit, Como.

It is also recommend reading nautical magazines and catalogues (e.g. Professional Boat Builder, Digital Yacht Design, NAUTECH, VETUS Catalogue, etc.).

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

ERICA GAGLIANO (President)

MARIA MOROZZO DELLA ROCCA E DI BIANZE'

MAURO SCULLI (President Substitute)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

https://corsi.unige.it/corsi/11905/studenti-orario

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Oral Examination: The examination consists of the delivery and presentation of all the papers produced as part of the teaching, normally printed 2D drawings in A1, A2 and A3 format, technical specifications and some papers presented in electronic format. A critical discussion of these is also held in relation to the theoretical content delivered during the semester. 

ASSESSMENT METHODS

Oral discussion with presentation of the papers produced during teaching and completed after the end of the lectures and the latest revisions. The discussion of the materials presented by the students will be assessed according to their completeness, capacity for interpretation, in-depth study and graphic restitution with respect to the assigned topic, and aims to verify the knowledge and understanding of the theoretical notions delivered and the ability to critically rework the concepts acquired and orient them towards practical design applications. 

The illustrated method makes it possible to assess the level of growth and integration of the numerous notions learnt during the Executive Design Module, and to understand the extent to which students have acquired a global vision of the boat project, which also includes the topics covered in the other areas of the course of study. 

FURTHER INFORMATION

Students with disabilities or learning disorders are allowed to use specific modalities and supports that will be determined on a case-by-case basis in agreement with the Delegate of the Engineering courses in the Committee for the Inclusion of Students with Disabilities. Students are invited to contact the teacher of this course and copy the Delegate (https://unige.it/commissioni/comitatoperlinclusionedeglistudenticondisabilita.html).