esade

Prerequisites

Previous Knowledge

COURSE CONTRIBUTION TO PROGRAM

Course Learning Objectives

The course is based on hands-on, experiential learning. In other words, learning the Design Thinking approach in a participatory and active manner, by applying it to a specific innovation challenge, in teams.

Teams will work on their challenge on a weekly basis. The course faculty provides weekly support to the team's project work during contact hours. The methodological approach is designed to foster active learning and application of the knowledge shared during lectures in the innovation projects.

It is essential that the team shares their progress with the lecturer throughout the course. Active participation is required from all students.

The format of the course is as follows:
? In class capsule sessions: Sessions where the theory, key principles and methodology are explained by the course lectures.
? On-campus work sessions: Application of the theory in the project during class while working in teams.
? Independent teamwork after class.
Every lecture session is the building block for the next session. Students are required to complete all assignments before the following session. During class the professor will provide support to teams and address questions. Please make the most of this time.

Session 1: Introduction to course
? Overview of the course, approach and methodology.
? Introduction to the challenge.
? Introduction to Ethnographic Research.

Session 2: Ethnographic Research
? How to understand the problem from the user's perspective.
? How to conduct interviews.

Session 3: Map the System
? How to map the ecosystem of the challenge.
? How to identify stakeholders.

Session 4: Interpreting the findings
? How to move from learnings to insights.
? Define the opportunity and the target user.

Session 5: Ideation
? Entering the solution space: methods for ideation.
? Methods for evaluating ideas initially.

Session 6: Prototyping and User Test Plan
? Create a low fidelity prototype.
? Prepare to test your solution.

Session 7: Insights & Business Model
? Learnings from User Tests.
? Draft 1 of Business Model.

Session 8: Iteration
? Update the solution.
? Update the Business Model.

Session 9: Final presentations
? Team presentations.
? Course wrap up.

ASSESSMENT

Assessment criteria

The Final grade is calculated as follows:
? Assignments during the course: 60%
? Final project outcome and presentation: 40%
? Optional peer evaluation: +/-


1. Assignments during the course: 60%
Weekly groupwork assignments include the following:
? In class assignments (which start in class and should be finished after class and then submitted).
? Independent groupwork assignments (should be completed after class and submitted before the next class).
Submissions are made in teams, one submission per team in PDF format or in Miro.

The evaluation criteria include the following:
? The assignment complies with the instructions and timings.
? It follows the design thinking principles and it applies tools and methods discussed in lectures.
? Demonstrates self-reflection on the tools and methods discussed in class.


2. Final project outcome and presentation: 40%
The final project outcome and presentation accounts for 40% of the grade. Each team will deliver a final presentation and submit a supporting slide deck of their project.
Each team will have 10 minutes to present their project. Each team should submit the following:
? A final presentation which shows the final solution and how it creates value. This should include proof of validated learnings throughout the course.
? A PDF document of the outputs of each class session (the process) from Miro.
? Emphasis is on the evolution of the idea and how it has developed during the course.

Some of the evaluation criteria:
? Is the user need / problem clearly stated?
? Is it clear how the user research was carried out?
? Is the solution clearly defined? Can you understand what it is and how it works?
? Has the team considered what is required to realize the solution (e.g. in terms of key players & resources)?
? Is there a clear problem-solution-fit?
? Is it clear how the team prototyped and tested? Is it clear what they set out to learn in that testing? Was the learning objective relevant for the project success?
? Overall process: does the team provide clear arguments and motivations for the choices they make? Does the team leverage their research as evidence?

3. Optional peer evaluation: +/-
The course provided an optional peer evaluation. The project work is a team task. Team members will be awarded the same grade for project related work, but this will be either raised or lowered based on the differences in individual participation in the project work.
Team members may choose to carry out a peer-evaluation if they feel that the contribution to the team effort was substantially different. If you feel that the input of one or more team- members was substantially less than average, please inform the professor, Nanita Ferrone, by email. Please note, however, that part of the team learning outcome is to work with members with different levels of aspirations, abilities, ideas, etc. Hence, try to solve problems internally. The call for peer evaluation is meant to be a last resort if prior efforts did not succeed.

Bibliography

Timetable and sections