Concept LabLaajuus (5 op)

Osaamistavoitteet

Concept Lab is a learning environment enhancing students capabilities to conduct user-centered research and design in a multi-discipline, multicultural context. Students engage to hands-on innovation work developing novel service, product or business concepts for their own business idea and/or for a local or global company.
In addition to this, students are studying Design thinking as blended learning and offered an opportunity to participate to seminar afternoons where inspirational topics are processed through lectures and workshops. Concept Lab acts as a basis for pre-incubation or proof-of concept phase and aims to educate out-of-box thinking capable, co-creative and networked professionals with methods rooting from design thinking, concept development and innovation processes. Students grow understanding of concept development work, create a concept development plan and take main responsibility of their teams work and performance. Concept development teams consist of 2-8 multi-disciplinary students with more than ten nationalities and all teams have access to concept development coaches from different fields to support the group process and guide towards suitable methods depending on a case. Concept development projects come from various fields and thus support students understanding of their own field in the context of surrounding disciplines.

Sisältö

This unit of study consists of two parts: Design thinking blended learning part during weeks 1-5 and Innovation project during weeks 6-13. The students will work individually for the Design Thinking part and will work in teams to carry out the innovation projects. For example research on how an organisation could develope new kind of relations to it´s target audience and maybe new survival concepts for the future.
The project teams will produce and market their product, as well as perform all the related managerial tasks. The teams will also evaluate the performance of their project together with clients (if any) and teachers.

Esitietovaatimukset

Thorough understanding of project management and project processes, completed basic studies of own field

Arviointikriteerit, tyydyttävä (1)

Exceptional (5): Student is able to demonstrate a capability in creating and managing a
concept development project in an autonomous manner. The learning diary as well as
the exam show analytical skills and personal growth in terms of understanding the
phenomena around concept development and skills required to complete it
successfully. The concept plan created is based on thorough research and is well
justified. The outcome of the plan is new in a defined context, has business potential
in a defined target group and is well justified. The learning diary contains deep analysis
and reflection (personal input to the topic) for all covered topics. All mandatory tasks
are completed in time with a high quality standards by structure, referencing, content,
outlook and presentation. Presentations are found to be useful by the peers.
• Excellent (4): Students performance is primarily exceptional, but in some fields the
quality of the work, timely task completion, depth of analysis or research or materials /
presentations created lack justification, finalization or content. All tasks are completed
and the overall performance is high what comes to materials, presentations and
reflection.

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• Good (3) Student demonstrates understanding of the main concepting processes and
methods and the outcome of mandatory tasks is of a reasonable standard. There may
be some lacks in formatting, finalizing or accuracy of planning, but the research and
reflection of the concept development work done demonstrates clear understanding of
the key topics covered. All tasks are completed.
• Satisfactory (2) Student demonstrates some understanding of the key concepts and has
all tasks completed, primarily in time. There may be some flaws with content and
formatting as well as presentations and the level of reflection is shallow not
demonstrating a deep understanding of the methods and concepts covered.
• Poor (1):Student completes all required tasks but demontrates only little
understanding of the key topics covered through materials created and reflection.
Presentation is not well prepared and does not add much value to peer students.