Course syllabus

Design management 2
Design Management 2

IDEN40, 5 credits, A (Second Cycle)

Valid for: 2020/21
Decided by: PLED ID
Date of Decision: 2020-02-18

General Information

Compulsory for: MID2
Language of instruction: The course will be given in English

Aim

That the students develop their skills in strategic design management and are thereby able to communicate with a greater credibility in their dealings with the world of business.

Learning outcomes

Knowledge and understanding
For a passing grade the student must

- Have a solid knowledge in terms of key concepts in design management.
- Have a good knowledge of basic strategic analysis of companies - both internal and external aspects - with special focus on how this relates to design management and product strategies.

Competences and skills
For a passing grade the student must

- Be able to independently locate and utilize certain business information that in itself is not targeted as such to designers, and from this information identify design-related opportunities
- Be able to identify relevant issues and analyze a company's / organization's integration of design in its business and evaluate it, also through an independent application of the course literature.
- Be able to organize such an analysis and communicate the results independently and in a convincing manner.
- Be credible in terms of his/her handling of design management concepts and issues.
- At a deeper level be able to identify and discuss, with senior business persons, aspects of the company's strategic business development - especially those that may affect the designer’s own work - as well as contribute his/her own insights about the design management function in business and about design as a strategic resource.
- Be able to develop a design policy that illustrates how a company can integrate design into their strategic business development.
- Be able to argue for the industrial designer's role when developing and being a part of corporate strategy and business development.
- Successfully manage the challenges of working in groups to solve analytical problems and communicating these solutions to senior business people.

Judgement and approach
For a passing grade the student must

- in seminars, peer reviews and reports demonstrate ability to make informed decisions in the special field of interest and critically reflect on strengths, weaknesses and consequences of choices including ethical considerations.

- reflect the cultural mission, the ethical responsibility of the designer and a sustainable development of society

Contents

Corporate strategies and their relationship to design are discussed from different perspectives with the help of guests, business cases, case-based teaching methods and textbooks. 'Design management' is defined as the management and responsibility for the company's strategic, tactical and operational approach to (and use of) design as a resource.

Examination details

Grading scale: TH - (U,3,4,5) - (Fail, Three, Four, Five)
Assessment: The grades given are based on completed group assignments and group projects, oral presentation and submission of the group assignment material. All parts have to be approved and completed within specified time frames. If necessary, the execution of a self-analysis / self-evaluation of the student's own work may be necessary.

The examiner, in consultation with Disability Support Services, may deviate from the regular form of examination in order to provide a permanently disabled student with a form of examination equivalent to that of a student without a disability.

Admission

Admission requirements:

The number of participants is limited to: 35
Selection: For Technical Design students, the selection is done randomly.
The course overlaps following course/s: IDEA70

Reading list

Contact and other information

Course coordinator: Carl Lidgard, Carl.Lidgard@design.lth.se
Course homepage: http://www.ide.lth.se