Interdisciplinary and User-Centered Problem Solving with Design Thinking, 7.5 credits

Students must have a minimum of 60 (ECTS) credits. Proficiency in English equivalent to English B/English 6.

The overall goal of this course is for students to work in teams, together with students from other professions and disciplines to address societal challenges.

Upon completion of the course, the student is able to:

• address a societal challenge and identify an underlying problem within it for a specific target group
• develop, plan and evaluate innovations working with methods of Design Thinking
• use creative techniques such as prototyping and visualization of concepts and ideas through sketches and models.
• integrate own approaches into the collaborative work of an interdisciplinary team
• communicate the work on and results of innovation projects to partners, selected target groups and society.

The course is offered in collaboration with municipalities, other public actors, or industry within the region.

Students work on a project basis with the aim of solving a practical social issue (challenge) through using design methodology and organizing innovation partnerships across different fields of knowledge. The projects will be based on real-life social challenges provided by external partners.

We will use design thinking as a holistic learning approach, which focuses on experience and reflection in interdisciplinary project teams. The teams will develop innovative solutions for their challenge with the aim to create a lasting benefit and value for a specific target group they identified.

User centered design methodology and creative team work processes will be used to ideate on, develop and evaluate solutions and organize team work.

The course consists of workshops, seminars and presentations of project work. Project work is done in inter-professional groups, using Design Thinking as a method. 

The course will be examined by a written report, the presentation of the innovation project and an individual reflective assignment.

Attendance at workshops, seminars and presentations is mandatory. The course director assesses if and, in that case, how absence can be compensated. Before the student has participated in all mandatory parts or compensated absence in accordance with the course director's instructions, the student's results will not be registered in LADOK.

The course has been cancelled.

Language of instruction: English