About

Dan McLean is Program Director of the Bachelor of Industrial Design and Program Director of the Master of Design at Adelaide University, Australia, where he is also a Senior Lecturer in Industrial Design.

His work spans industrial design education, product development, systems thinking, human-centred design, design visualisation, prototyping, industry engagement and international collaboration.

Dan has taught industrial and product design continuously since 2002. Prior to Adelaide University, he served as Program Director of the Bachelor of Design (Product Design) and Senior Lecturer in Industrial Design at the University of South Australia, where he led major curriculum redevelopment initiatives, strengthened industry-embedded learning models, and guided program growth through sustained collaboration with industry partners, professional bodies and international institutions.

Professional Practice

Alongside his academic career, Dan maintains an active professional practice through Dan McLean Industrial Design. His consulting work spans consumer products, advanced technology, packaging, mobility and manufacturing systems, including projects involving Apple, Microsoft, Pelican Products, the Australian Wine Research Institute, Scholle Industries and VAF Research. This ongoing engagement with industry informs his teaching and research, ensuring strong alignment between academic learning and contemporary professional practice.

Earlier in his career, Dan worked in Japan as an industrial designer specialising in environmental, public infrastructure and automotive design. He also worked as Product Design Coordinator, managing the design and production of computing systems for defence, industrial and commercial applications. These experiences established a strong foundation in cross-cultural collaboration, large-scale design projects and industry-driven innovation.

International Engagement

Dan regularly contributes to international design education initiatives through invited teaching, workshops, conference presentations and academic collaborations across the Asia-Pacific region. He has delivered teaching and workshops in China, Singapore and Taiwan, and has led numerous international study tours and New Colombo Plan-funded mobility programs for industrial design students.

His recent work explores the relationship between traditional industrial design sketching practice and emerging AI-enhanced visualisation workflows within contemporary design education.

Dan is a board member of C-IDEA (International Design Educator Association), a global network of art and design educators that promotes international collaboration, research exchange and creative practice across design disciplines.