course-details-portlet

TPD4166

Design 8 - Strategy

Choose study year

Assessments and mandatory activities may be changed until September 20th.

Credits 7.5
Level Second degree level
Course start Spring 2026
Duration 1 semester
Language of instruction English and norwegian
Location Trondheim
Examination arrangement Work

About

About the course

Course content

In this course, strategic and Industrial Design processes and methods will be discussed within the framework of deliberate and emergent management and design practices.

Topics that will be covered are:

- Product Planning and Goal Finding

- Product Service Systems Design

- Design Process and Methods

- Identity, Branding and Form giving

- Culture, Acculturation & Globalisation

- Stakeholder´s Participation & Network Development

- Forecasting & Back Casting

- Development of Value Proposition, Business Model and Placemaking Canvases

These themes will be used in a case. The students will work in groups, and each group will work with private, non-governmental or governmental organisations. The organisation might deliver products or services. The assignments in this course are group reports that describe and communicate a structured product planning strategy. Accompanying the reports, students will present their work in several interim and one final presentation.

Learning outcome

Knowledge:

The candidate knows

  • how to envision global social, economic and technology trends
  • how to develop future value propositions for an organisation, its related business eco-system and society through a systematic product planning and goal finding process.
  • how to critically reflect upon social and environmental sustainability challenges with respect to the formation of short-, mid-, and long-term Strategic Design directions
  • How to develop a concrete sustainability strategy based upon the typical project context while considering the relevant UNSGD goals

Skills:

The candidate can

  • use fundamental design strategy tools, as well as know how to analyze and develop design strategies and how to exploit and apply design as a strategic tool in organizations.
  • persuasively communicate and assimilate future value propositions and strategies in organizations.

General qualifications:

The candidate is

  • more conscious of their role as designer in strategy processes within organisations.
  • capable of managing strategic design processes and cultivate visual thinking, visualization and communication skills among actors involved in product planning.

Learning methods and activities

This project-based course comprises of lecture series on Product Planning and Management, tutoring sessions and project work. The purpose of the lectures is to build a foundation and share methods and processes, which can be applied in the project work. Complementary to the lectures, student groups will engage in weekly tutoring sessions. The tutoring sessions aims to guide the students in their project work.

This course is offered to international students. Language of instruction is English and Norwegian.

Further on evaluation

The student groups will be evaluated and assessed on:

  • How they document their processes, decision-making activities, strategies and outcomes following their strategies in a professional report.
  • How they present their work in a final presentation.

For a re-take of an examination, all assessments during the course must be re-taken.

Required previous knowledge

Students should have completed at least 3 years og higher education at University or equivalent, in a design related field.

Course materials

Buijs, J.A. (2012) The Delft Innovation Method: A Design Thinker's Guide to Innovation. 1st edition Boom Lemma, ISBN: 978-94-90947-47-7

Cagan, J. & Vogel, C.M.; (2002). Creating Breakthrough Products: Innovation from Product Planning to Program Approval, Prentice Hall. ISBN 0-13-969694-6 (Selected chapters)

Calabretta, G., Gemser, G., & Karpen, I. (2016). Strategic Design: Eight essential practices every strategic designer must master. Bis publishers.

Osterwalder, A., & Pigneur, Y. (2010). Business model canvas. Self published. Last.

Whittington, R. (2003). What is Strategy- and does it matter? 2nd edition, Cengage Learning EMEA, UK. ISBN: 978-86152-377-8

Subject areas

  • Design Strategies
  • Design Methodology
  • Entrepreneurship

Contact information

Course coordinator

Department with academic responsibility

Department of Design

Examination

Examination

Examination arrangement: Work
Grade: Letter grades

Re-sit examination - Autumn 2025

Work
Weighting 100/100 Duration 1 semesters Exam system Inspera Assessment

Ordinary examination - Spring 2026

Work
Weighting 100/100 Duration 1 semesters Exam system Inspera Assessment