Course content

Academic content

This course emphasizes the central elements of the design process.

Students work systematically to develop products that, from an ethical understanding, provide desired user experiences, composed together of elements that provide relevance. The elements can be form, function and sustainability.

The course follows a structured approach where students learn to develop a clear understanding of what is meaningful to achieve with the end user (experiences and behavior), within a specific area.

This is done first by analyzing and distilling human needs and concerns. In this context, ideation and product development for a desired effect on the user then comes. Theories and methods to clearify the user's interaction with the product, will be introduced.

There will also be sub-assignments that deal with different perspectives in the interaction between users and products.

Learning outcome

Learning outcomes

Through this course, students will understand the main elements of a design process. Through a structured approach, students learn to create products that are meaningful and that have the desired effect on the end user.

Skills

The candidate

• can conduct user research and apply insights from these to develop solutions that are in line with the user's needs

• can use visualization techniques to express and test ideas

• can build prototypes to express and test ideas

• can conduct user testing, evaluate and further develop solutions based on feedback

• can reflect critically on the solution's impact on society and the environment and apply sustainable design principles to develop solutions that create long-term value

General competence

The candidate

• has competence in applying user insight to create solutions that provide good user experiences and are adapted to both individual and societal needs.

• has an understanding of how form, function, aesthetics and ethics can be composed to create holistic design solutions

• can work both individually and in groups to carry out design projects, with insight, concept development, testing and completion

• has a conscious relationship with sustainability and understands the role of ethics in the design process.

Knowledge

The candidate

• can describe and discuss the basic main elements of a design process.

• can analyze and distill human needs and concerns, in order to prepare a precise mission statement

• has an understanding of what is meaningful for users within a specific area

• has knowledge of idea development and creative processes.

• can design products that are relevant and have the desired effect on the user

• has knowledge of visualization techniques to create a comprehensive presentation.

Learning methods and activities

• Lectures

• Project work in groups

• Some sub-assignments are individual

Specific conditions

Required previous knowledge

TPD4010 or TPD4100 and TPD4111 or equivalent.

Course materials

Will be assigned at the start of the semester.

Credit reductions