Another idea I thought of last night- (kinda a take on a first year project I did):
Have a selected product category for each 1HDC (or a few per 1HDC). Things like medical devices, military devices, kids toys, automotive things, etc.
The challenge is to design and object in the style of the category, but the trick is the object isn’t actually a thing. The challenge is picking up the visual cues for the category (ie. massing, materials, details, graphics, forms, etc.) that communicate or relate to the category.
For example, in medical, you could design some sort of box, that has flush touch buttons, some sort of screen, some vents, coloring in white and a light blue/green… It doesn’t have to DO/BE ANYTHING.
It’s a good challenge because it gets you thinking about other product categories and what makes things visually fit into those categories without thinking about function, utility, ergonomics, etc. Perfect for a 1HDC that is fun, puts everyone on an even playing field (you don’t have to have any experience with the category), and can teach you quite a bit about visual DNA.
R