Rapid Prototyping and Innovation

The topics include, but are not limited to:
-Software innovation
-Supporting software innovation
-Identifying high value innovation
-Return on investment
-Rapid prototyping tools
-Principles of rapid prototyping
-Communication
-Organisation
-Preparation
-GameJams / hackathons - idea generation and prototyping
-Prototyping in context
-Value chains
-Getting innovation to market
-Review and analysis of intense development cycles
-Post mortems
-After action review
-Accurate performance evaluation and feedback

After successfully completing the program, students will possess the following:
Knowledge
-Understand the process of rapid prototyping given severe time limitations
-Understand at least two different rapid prototyping tools
-Recognise situations or behaviours that limit innovation


Skills
-Are able to analyse a problem quickly and generate innovative solutions, which can be prototyped
-Are able to plan the development of a prototype within limited time
-Are able to select features which can be implemented quickly
-Demonstrable skill in developing a prototype to demonstrate an innovative idea
-Are able to present the results of a prototyping session orally
-Are able to conduct an after-action review of the innovation and prototyping process to identify strengths and weaknesses of their innovation processes

General competence
-Improvement in the ability to work in a diverse team
-Improved confidence in the ability to create innovative content
-Understanding the value of other disciplines in the development of innovative solutions

The majority of learning will occur during development sessions. There will also be
-Lectures
-Presentations
-Group work
-Project work
-Supervision

Further information:
This course is focused on rapid prototyping in a very time limited situation.  The course requires the development of an idea, and a prototype of that idea within a period of 48 to 72 hours. The course requires the student to participate in three rapid prototyping sessions during the course. These can be selected from: Idea24, Game Jams (local or organised elsewhere), Hackathons, The Gathering Creative Ticket, NFI Game play, or other events which support the process of rapid prototyping with extreme time pressure. These intense development cycles are supported by lectures introducing the principles and tools of rapid prototyping, and by review sessions focused on analyzing the development cycle and fostering reflection processes to learn as much as possible from each session.