Study Guide

Objective

After the course student knows different definitions of design thinking and is able to apply design thinking viewpoint and some of the methods in different challenges and in multidisciplinary teams and different fields.

Content

Design thinking as a way of observing, seeing, and sensing the world.
Design thinking as methods of making sense of the complexity.

Design Thinking 5 ECTS course fits for anyone, who wishes to learn holistic human and experimental approach to be exploited in different challenges in different professional fields.

The course is structured in Introduction and in four main themes (A4DT - Approach Four Design Thinking):
1. Holistic View
2. Human View
3. Experimenting / prototyping
4. Concept Design

Each theme includes group tasks that are built on previous tasks.

Materials

Reading

Brown, T. 2019. Change by design: how design thinking transforms organizations and inspires innovation

VanPatter, GK, Pastor; E.; Jones, P. 2020. Rethinking Design Thinking: Making Sense of the Future That Has Already Arrived

Burnett, B. & Evans, D. 2016. Designing Your Life, How to build a well-lived, joyful life.

Raami, A. 2015. Intuition unleashed: on the application and development of intuition in the creative process.
https://aaltodoc.aalto.fi/handle/123456789/15347

Raami, A. 2020. Intuitio3: Yhteys mahdottomaan ratkaisuun.

Hyppönen, H. 2020. Luomiskertomus: Matkalla luovuuden tulevaisuuteen.

Miettinen, S. (toim.) 2021: Muotoilun avaimet älykkääseen teollisuuteen ja liiketoiminnan ketterään kehittämiseen.

Teaching methods

Exercises, project work, reporting and reflections, peer learning.

International connections

Innovation pedagogy

Student workload

The scope of the course is 5 ects, which corresponds to 185h of work input (1 ects = 27h)
Assignments:
-individual exercises and reports
-team exersices
-team project

Content scheduling

Fall semester 2023, Tuesdays and Fridays in 3-4 hour periods. Possibly teaching also on Wednesday afternoons.

During the course, design thinking is learned both in general and in relation to designing your own life.

The study consists of exercises, assignments, a work life project and active teamwork..

Design thinking is introduced through literature, internet links and guidance and reading group discussions and is applied in the service design project.

Evaluation scale

H-5

Assessment methods and criteria

The course is evaluated on a scale of 0 - 5.

The grade is influenced by active participation in the tasks and team work, completion of assignments and a project with professionalism, and adherence to the agreed schedule.

Assessment criteria (Individual exercises and reports, team exercises):
- Extent and utilization of information acquisition in working
- Reflection, understanding perspectives and perceiving wholes
- Diversity of ideas and options
- Returning tasks on agreed schedule

In addition to teachers´ assessment, the peer assessment will be taken into consideration.

Assessment criteria, fail (0)

Quantity: the work is not completed and or,
Quality: the minimum content requirements are not met.

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1-2)

Sufficient 1
Theory and methodology are poorly understood. The implementation in assignments are poor.
Research, communication and documentation are hardly acceptable.
Moderate participation.

Satisfactory 2
Appear to grasp theory and have made a start in showing its applicability in assignments.
Research, communication and documentation are acceptable.
Moderate participation.

Assessment criteria, good (3-4)

Good 3
Understanding of theory and applicability of methods in assignments, but work could be stronger.
Research, communication and documentation are good.
Active participation.

Very Good 4
General understanding of theory and methods, very good implementation in assignments.
Reliable research, innovative work and communication and documentation on good level.
Very active participation.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

Excellent 5
Mastery of theory and methods, proficiency of implementation of them in assignments.
Outstanding research, innovative work and excellent communication and documentation.
Very active participation.