Design 3 - Human Centered Design & Innovation

This course provides basic knowledge in complex problem solving in design through a human-centered design process (HCD) and approach to innovation of new products and services. HCD is a problem-solving process in which people (users and stakeholders) play a central role and are involved as collaborators throughout the design process. This helps to ensure that products and services are tailored to their needs and preferences. The course combines theoretical learning with project work, including starting from a real complex problem and innovating a user-tested product or service. This means that the participants in the course apply what they learn through lectures directly in real problem solving, and that emphasis is placed on how to work with the effect or impact of the design being developed, and to learn how designers can contribute to innovation and change.

The course will provide an introduction to basic design methods in HCD, with a focus on critical thinking and complex problem solving. This includes practical application of the HCD framework, methods and tools such as double diamond, contextual inquiry, empathy, user interviews, affinity mapping, personas and scenarios, ideation, concept development, prototyping and testing. The course is rooted in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG), with a particular focus on improving health and welfare, sustainable development of inclusive and sustainable services, and promoting innovation. This course is taught in English as it is open to international exchange students.

After completing the course, students should be able to:

Knowledge:

• Use human-centered methods to identify challenges and opportunities for innovation
• Involve end-users and stakeholders and jointly identify challenges and co-create improvements
• Apply methods related to the HCD process, including double diamond, ethnographic analysis, problem framing, affinity mapping, concept development, prototype development and testing.
• Work in teams, design criticism and colleague learning.

Skills:

• Use the HCD process to solve complex problems and innovate new solutions such as digital products and services.
• Use design methods and toolsets effectively.
• Develop software skills in digital prototyping and visualization tools such as Figma and Miro.

General qualifications:

• Have hands-on experience with HCD, critical thinking, complex problem-solving, and innovation.
• Take an experimental attitude to iteratively discover and test what is valuable, feasible, and viable.

The course is based on project-based learning. The teaching is highly interactive, and includes one-on-one mentoring, encourages peer learning, group work, and hands-on experience solving complex design problems in real life.

• A main project will provide students with practical experience with the main topics, which are related to, but not limited to, topics for strategic areas at NTNU, the Department of Design, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals
• Compulsory lectures will present theory and methods that can be applied directly in the project.
• Compulsory individual and group supervision and peer review will guide the students through the development work.
• Compulsory lecture seminars - The course literature will be discussed in student-run literature seminars. This facilitates flipped learning and "flipped classrooms."

This course is offered to incoming exchange students and will be taught in English if necessary.