Swedish name: Design och näringsliv
This syllabus is valid: 2011-08-29 and until further notice
Course code: 5ID140
Credit points: 15
Education level: Second cycle
Main Field of Study and progress level:
Industrial Design: Second cycle, has only first-cycle course/s as entry requirements
Grading scale: Two-grade scale
Responsible department: Umeå Institute of Design (UID)
The aim of the course is to situate the industrial design profession in a larger business context, in order for the student to better understand how to communicate the own skills and the relevance of design practice and design thinking in situations internal as well as external to the design field. The student should develop the own understanding of the roles of industrial designers in the development of products and services as well as in the development of organisations and companies. Focus in this course is on relating the professional roles of the industrial designer to project management and how to work successfully in teams and groups. Areas covered are the historical and current roles of the industrial designer, project management, group dynamics and working in project teams, basics in marketing and business related to entrepreneurship and starting up a company. Throughout the course, students work with cases or projects that link the theoretical and practical parts of the different sub-courses, in order to situate students knowledge and promote reflection upon the own learning as well as group development. The course is structured in five sub-courses: Sub-course 1. Project management and group dynamics, 3 credits The sub-course introduces the basics of group dynamics, how groups develop and how teams work in relation to tasks, social aspects, communication, results and innovation. Included are basics on organisational theory and structure, and how this affects ways of working. Related to this is how the roles of industrial designers can function in different groups, and in different project management situations. The sub-course is examined through active participation in education and through oral and written exercises or assignments. Sub-course 2. Marketing and business basics, 3 credits. The aim of the sub-course is to introduce the students to structures, work flows, mechanisms and rhetorics in business and marketing in public and private sectors. Focus is especially on areas related to design in order for the students to understand ways of professional work and expressions in these areas in order to be able to communicate efficiently and strategically from the designers point of view. During the sub-course, the student is introduced to decision making processes, basic marketing practices, segmentation models, and how these are related to strategic and practical decisions that affect designers. The sub-course is examined through active participation in education and through oral and written exercises or assignments. Sub-course 3. Entrepreneurship, 3 credits The sub-course provides an overview of what the student needs to know and do in order to start up and run a business, from idea management and intellectual properties to business plans, documentation etcetera. Teaching includes topics such as different forms of business enterprise, paying tax and business insurance, getting started with marketing, long term competitive advantages and IPR, how to finance and expand a business, international trading, SWOT analysis, trend analysis, creative analysis and target group definition. The sub-course is examined through active participation in education and through oral and written exercises or assignments. Sub-course 4. The role of the industrial designer, 3 credits The sub-course gives an overview of the history of industrial design, starting in the 1850s and with focus on social context, ideas and styles in Western Europe and USA. Special attention is given to the roots of the industrial design profession, and to ideals and expectations related to it. A study is made of how consultancies, companies, design educations and other institutions relevant to the establishment of the design profession understand and express the essence of the designer role today and tendencies for the future of industrial design and the roles of designers. The examination consists in the submission of a written essay, active seminar participation and submission of other required writtendeliverables. Sub-course 5. Professional design communication, 3 credits. The aim of the sub course is that the student shall analyse and compare how design problems, design processes and design concepts are communicated through different media and in different situations: in exhibitions, in oral presentations and in digital and printed materials. The student shall as part of the examination of the sub-course carry out an individual public presentation of the own portfolio in a professional design context, and reflect on the preparations made as well as the presentation situation itself. Examination also through submission of a written reflection paper, active participation in seminars and public exhibition of a portfolio.
After completing the course, the student shall be able to: - account for basic theories on how groups work and develop, and relate this to own experiences and learnings in project and group work. - reflect on key factors for conducting successful design projects, and relate this to factors internal to design and the role of the designer in project management as well as external factors such as company structures, business plans, marketing strategies and economy. - account for processes and requirements for setting up company and running a business, and demonstrate skills in formulating possible future business opportunities for industrial designers. - account for the main styles and traditions in industrial design history, and reflect on the historical roles and ideals connected to the current and future industrial design profession in relation to different types of professional design contexts and to the students own experience of design. - demonstrate professional skills in presenting herself/himself as a designer, in English, in public and professional situations, utilising adequate presentation techniques and visual materials in adapting the presentation to audience and situation, and reflect on the presentation process and result as a whole.
For admission to the course, students must hold a BA degree in industrial design, or the equivalent. Proficiency in English equivalent to Swedish upper secondary course English B. (IELTS (Academic) with a minimum overall score of 6.5 and no individual score below 5.5. TOEFL PBT (Paper-based Test) with a minimum score of 575 and a minimum TWE score of 4.5). TOEFL iBT (Internet-based Test) with a minimum score of 90 and a minimum score of 20 on the Writing Section). Admittance to the course is administrated locally at UID. The selection of applicants is based on portfolio and interviews with special regard to innovative and creative skills and personal motivation and maturity.
Teaching methods include lectures, seminars, tutoring, practical assignments, and project work. Students work both individually and in groups with assignments and projects. Education is carried out in English.
Examination is carried out orally, visually and in writing, individually and in groups, in the forms of project presentations, submission of visual assignments, texts and reports, seminars, and active participation in seminars and teacher led education of assessing character. After completing the course, one of the grades Fail (U) or Pass (G) is awarded the student. Students receive a grade of either Pass (G) or Fail (U) for each assignment and sub-course as for full course. In order to obtain credit for the course, all sub-courses and assignments must be completed with a minimum grade of Pass, and the project assignments which includes applications of skills and knowledge from all sub-courses must also be completed with a minimum grade of Pass. For the grade Pass, the student must be present for mandatory education, hand in required deliverables and complete all examinations. For students who have not obtained the grade Pass, other examination sessions will be arranged. A student who for two consecutive examinations for the same course or sub-course has not been passed, has the right to have another examiner appointed, if there are no special reasons against this (Higher Education Ordinance chapter 6, 22 §). The request for a new examiner shall be made in writing to the Department board of Umeå Institute of Design. Academic credit transfer Equivalency credits for this course can only be given if it can be shown through transcripts and course plans that a similar course has been passed, and after the course responsible and director of single subject courses have evaluated and approved the students individual level of skills and knowledge.
The literature list is not available through the web. Please contact the faculty.