Curricula

Objectives

The object of the course
In which way great inventions and innovations are created? What kind of a creative process is behind of a new concept, product, service or business? Concept Lab is a course where you will become acquainted with different phases and tools concerning creative concept development process. Concept cases within the course covers real life company cases and/or they can handle some topical real-life phenomena. Future is a concept now.

Course competences
Business competence
Ethical competence
Internationalisation and communications competence
Learning and information management competence
Entrepreneurship, innovation and working community competence

The learning objectives of the course
During this course you will be acquainted with of concept development work, learn to create a concept description and take responsibility in team work and performance. You are able to determine basic aspects, abstracts and tools inside concepting process.

Content

The Concept Lab process consists of three parts:
1. research of the phenomena under study / research for new concept ideas,
2. development of a concept idea using creative methods
3. evaluating created concept idea

All three parts will be accomplished within the framework of the student learning workshop and are supported by course activities. The students will work in teams to carry out the analysis and planning necessary to ideate a novel concept and complete a concept description.

As an example, students can conduct research on how an organization could develop new kinds of relations to its target audience and potential new survival concepts for the future.

The project teams will be responsible of developing their selected concept, as well as perform all the related managerial tasks. The teams will also evaluate the performance of their project together with clients (when relevant) and teachers and present their concept description outcome as well as their learning process to the whole team.

Further information for students

Exchange students: 5 (BIT)

Evaluation scale

0-5

Evaluation criteria, satisfactory (1-2)

Sufficient (1): You will complete all required tasks but show 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.

Satisfactory (2): You will have some understanding of the key concepts and 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.

Evaluation criteria, good (3-4)

Good (3): You will understand 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.

Very good (4): Your 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.

Evaluation criteria, excellent (5)

Excellent (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 shows 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.

Prerequisites

This course is focused for the all JAMK degree programmes and e.g. exchange students but it can be included in various study modules (like diplomas or any other life-long-learning modules).

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