Avi Faibish – Faculty Exchange & Lectures
Short Professional Introduction
An industrial designer, academic lecturer, and innovation consultant whose career bridges the cutting edge of technology, medical devices, and defense systems with the applied business world. Teaching at the Department of Industrial Design at the Jerusalem Multidisciplinary College, this professional delivers masterclasses and workshops globally.
Throughout an extensive career in the global industry, they have registered numerous patents and earned prestigious international accolades, including the Red Dot Design Awards. As a founding partner at Studio FLY and an official consultant for the Ministry of Economy and Industry, they mentor entrepreneurs, early-stage startups, and international companies in product strategy and Design to Value (DTV) frameworks.
Their teaching and design methodology is rooted in inclusive industrial design and experiential learning. They believe a product's true success lies in the empathetic value it delivers to the end-user, balanced with rigorous engineering and commercial feasibility. This unique combination of analytical research, hands-on prototyping, and multidisciplinary industry integration offers a highly relevant and impactful framework for international academic collaborations.
Areas of Expertise
A concise list of key fields and topics.
Examples:
· Inclusive Design
· Industrial Design
· Material Exploration
· Human-Centered Design
· Design Research
· Sustainability
· Emerging Technologies
· Studio-Based Learning
Lectures & Workshops Available
Design to Value (DTV)
How do we develop a physical product that not only meets user needs but also outperforms competitors and maximizes profitability in a highly competitive market? This session (available as an inspiring lecture or an interactive, hands-on workshop) unpacks the Design to Value (DTV) methodology—a powerful business-Design and engineering framework that merges cost optimization with maximum customer value. We will explore how to analytically deconstruct competitor products (Teardown), identify material and manufacturing saving opportunities, and distill a sharp Unique Selling Proposition (USP) that balances cost, functionality, and user experience.
What Participants Will Explore & Experience:
· Explore the Analytical Teardown Process: Understand how to dissect an existing product from the ground up—physically deconstructing components, identifying raw materials (such as ABS, PC, Tritan), and evaluating assembly and manufacturing methods.
· Experience Aggressive Competitor Analysis: Learn how to map the competitive landscape, identify technical and design gaps, and translate negative user feedback on existing market products into a distinct competitive advantage for your own.
· Navigate Value Engineering Trade-offs: Engage in complex decision-making processes to determine where to cut manufacturing costs and where it is absolutely critical to invest in order to preserve user experience and brand integrity.
What Participants Will Develop / Learning Outcomes:
· A Business-Design and Engineering Mindset (DTV Mindset): Participants will gain the ability to evaluate every single component of a product not just for its aesthetic appeal, but through the lens of manufacturing costs, assembly efficiency, and bottom-line impact.
· Design Brief & Specification Building: (In the workshop format) Participants will actively practice drafting precise product requirements that balance technological feasibility, target costing, and the core value proposition.
· A Cost-Optimization Toolkit: Participants will walk away with a practical methodology for "de-cluttering" design and engineering reducing production costs (DFM - Design for Manufacturing) without compromising structural integrity or usability.
Format: Lecture / Workshop / Seminar / Studio Critique
Duration: 90–120 min /1–5 days / Week-long studio
Suitable for: Industrial Design / Product Design / Interdisciplinary Programs / MA Students / etc.
User-Centered Design:
How do we transform human, emotional, and physical insights into successful physical products? This session (available as an inspiring lecture or an interactive, hands-on workshop) focuses on the User-Centered Design (UCD) framework and the power of Inclusive Design as a practical driver for innovation. Drawing from real-world, hands-on case studies (such as product development for Stanley), we will explore how to truly "step into the users' shoes"—from construction workers on active job sites to populations with specialized physical needs—and translate their day-to-day pain points into precise design, ergonomic, and functional decisions.
What Participants Will Explore & Experience:
· Explore UCD & Inclusive Design Methodologies: Understand why designing for the "extremes" of human capability (such as utilizing Ford’s aging suit or analyzing the ergonomics of the OXO peeler) ultimately yields better, highly accessible products for the entire mainstream market.
· Experience Field Research & Empathy Tools: Learn how to conduct effective ethnographic field observations, ask the right questions, and uncover latent, unarticulated user needs.
· Analyze Real-World User Feedback: Discover how to mine customer service logs and negative online reviews (e.g., Amazon) to build a concrete roadmap for product optimization and identify overlooked design opportunities.
· What Participants Will Develop / Learning Outcomes:
· An Empathetic & Inclusive Mindset: Participants will gain the cognitive tools to evaluate products through the eyes of diverse end-users with varying physical capabilities, environments, and needs.
· User Personas & Scenarios: (In the workshop format) Participants will actively develop realistic, field-based user profiles and map out user journeys to solve complex usability and ergonomic challenges within their natural working environments.
· A Practical Design Toolkit: Participants will walk away with a clear, systematic methodology for translating qualitative, qualitative-empathetic field insights into concrete technical and aesthetic product specifications (Specs).
Format: Lecture / Workshop / Seminar / Studio Critique
Duration: 120-240 min / Half Day / 1–5 days / Week-long studio
Suitable for: Industrial Design / Product Design / Interdisciplinary Programs / MA Students / etc.
International Teaching & Collaboration Experience
Erasmus+ Teaching Mobility
· Representative at Aalen University, Germany (2025), delivering specialized lecture series on Inclusive Design and Design to Value (DTV).
Collaborative Studios & Cross-Cultural Projects
· Co-instructed an international, English-led methodology studio in collaboration with the National Institute of Design (NID) in India and academic institutions in Sri Lanka, in partnership with the Strauss Group.
Interdisciplinary Collaborations
· Spearheaded a collaboration with Milbat, focused on assistive technology, accessibility, and specialized products, as part of the Design and Technology course.
· Facilitated a collaboration with Azrieli College of Engineering and the Jerusalem Municipality to develop strategic digital and business solutions for local enterprises, as part of the Marketing for Designers course.
· Led a collaboration with The Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance to develop smart electronic musical instruments, as part of the Atoms and Bits course.
Collaboration Interests
Topics and areas the lecturer is interested in exploring through future collaborations.
Examples:
· interdisciplinary design education
· healthcare innovation
· inclusive design methodologies
· speculative design
· Design Entrepreneurship & Market Strategy
· Assistive & Rehabilitation Technologies
· community-based design
· material experimentation
· socially engaged design
Available Formats
Examples:
· Guest Lectures
· 1 Week Workshops
· Design Sprints
· Studio Critiques
· Collaborative Studios
· Research Seminars
Contact
Email address: avifa@edu.jmc.ac.il
Inclusive Industrial Design (B.Des) / The DAN Department of Creative Human Design
Jerusalem Multidisciplinary College
Studio FLY / Website: https://avifaibish6.wixsite.com/studio-fly
LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/avi-faibish-4ab77a54/
