Module: Design Thinking & Creativity for Innovation

Module Specifications..

Current Academic Year 2023 - 2024

Please note that this information is subject to change.

Module Title	Design Thinking & Creativity for Innovation
Module Code	MT5205
School	DCUBS
Module Co-ordinator	Semester 1: Marty Reilly Semester 2: Marty Reilly Autumn: Marty Reilly
Module Teachers	Henrique Machado Barros
NFQ level	9	Credit Rating	5
Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

Coursework Only

Description

This module examines design thinking and provides students with an understanding of how creative and practical efforts can be leveraged to better frame problems and ultimately to adopt solution-focused practices. Design thinking encompasses novel approaches to analyse and assess how creative solutions can be applied to complex business problems across different industries and contexts. Workshops and practical sessions will be used to equip participants with the requisite lateral thinking skills that enable them to deploy and leverage established frameworks of design thinking. Participants will focus on the journey from ideation to prototype development, learn and understand the importance of empathy in product design, and develop skills in the framing and solving of both business and societal problems. These skills, which draw on many disciplines, will better equip participants to understand the process of journey mapping and to leverage appropriate methodologies to better solve customer problems. Additionally, the role of innovation teams and managing the innovation process across International boundaries will come under examination. A key focus of the module is on digital disruption, how technology is transforming industries and how this impacts the value proposition of existing goods and services. Case studies will be used to highlight best practices across the globe and to illustrate how creativity, co-creation and viability screening can be leveraged together to create tangible and profitable solutions.

Learning Outcomes

1. Deploy the tools of design thinking, including established approaches to the framing of problems.
2. Determine how design thinking principles can be applied within a wide variety of business and societal contexts.
3. Work as part of a collaborative team on a real-life business problem.
4. To understand the theoretical foundations of design thinking.
5. To be able to compare and contrast methods of design thinking with traditional approaches to innovation.
6. To develop an understanding of User experience (UX) and Consumer Experience (CX).

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full-time hours per semester
Lecture	22	Lectures, seminars and interactive workshops.
Fieldwork	25	Working as part of a team on a collaborative project.
Independent Study	30	Assigned readings
Independent Study	48	Study and synthesis of course materials and additional readings for individual assignment(s).
Total Workload: 125

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Indicative Topics:
An introduction to Design Thinking. User Experience and Consumer Experience. Converting ideas into Action. The framing of problems. Models & Frameworks of Creativity. Solution-focused thinking and digital disruption. Design thinking in different contexts.

Assessment Breakdown
Continuous Assessment	100%	Examination Weight	0%

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Course Work Breakdown
Group project	Group project to be advised by lecturer.	30%	n/a
Assignment	Individual assignment(s) to be advised by lecturer.	70%	n/a

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; 1 = A resit is available for all components of the module 2 = No resit is available for 100% continuous assessment module 3 = No resit is available for the continuous assessment component
This module is category 1

Indicative Reading List

Liedtka, J., & Ogilvie, T.: 2011, Designing for Growth: A Design Thinking Tool Kit for Managers,, Columbia Business School Publishing,
Brown, T.: 2009, Change by Design: How Design Thinking Transforms Organizations and Inspires Innovation, Harper Collins,

Other Resources

38427, 0, In addition to case studies, class discussions and debates, a number of readings will also be utilized from a variety of peer reviewed academic journals, eg, R&D Management, Technovation, Creativity and Innovation Management.,

Programme or List of Programmes

GDGM	Graduate Diploma in Global Management
MSGM	MSc Global Management (Dig. Disruption)

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