Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
Design Thinking and Innovation Management
Other languages of instruction: Catalan, English
Teaching staff
- in-class: at the beginning and/or during class breaks
- back office: prior confirmation by email (rcolombari@uic.es)
Introduction
In an increasingly competitive business environment, technological innovation plays a fundamental role in enabling organizations to compete and survive (or even emerge). The ability to introduce innovative products and business models becomes essential not only to captivate and retain customers but also plays a crucial role in solving social and environmental challenges. In this constantly evolving context, it is imperative to equip future professionals with the relevant tools and perspectives to lead a transformation towards more innovative approaches focused on user needs.
The course "Design Thinking and Innovation Management" focuses on introducing theoretical frameworks and methodologies that enable a rigorous approach to the development of innovative ideas, whether in established business environments or in the agile ecosystem of startups. The pillars of the subject focus on the development of innovation (with the Design Thinking methodology, supported by lean startup concepts, to ensure customer focus, and rigorous development of impactful innovations) and its management (innovation dynamics, protection through patents, evaluation of the level of technological maturity, etc.).
The essence of the course will be mainly based on a practical approach, focused on a project that will use concrete tools for idea generation and problem-solving. The combination of the methodology and tools of design thinking and lean management of technological innovation will allow students not only to conceive innovative ideas but also to plan and execute projects in a concrete and effective manner.
Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme
- 26 - To comprehend and use the basic concepts of marketing and the main sectorial policies and understand the commercial environment in which these companies operate.
- 31 - To develop the ability to identify and interpret numerical data.
- 32 - To acquire problem solving skills based on quantitative and qualitative information.
- 33 - To be able to search for, interpret and convey information.
- 36 - To interpret quantitative and qualitative data and apply mathematical and statistical tools to business processes.
- 37 - To be able to apply managerial methods, tools and techniques.
- 39 - To acquire the ability to solve problems and make decisions based on relevant information, applying the appropriate methods and situating the problem within the organisation as a whole.
- 41 - To be able to descriptively summarise information.
- 42 - To be able to empirically analyse financial phenomena.
- 48 - To be able to identify the information needs in order to manage the main departments within organisations.
- 51 - To develop decision making skills.
- 52 - To develop interpersonal skills and the ability to work as part of a team.
- 53 - To acquire the skills necessary to learn autonomously.
- 54 - To be able to express one’s ideas and formulate arguments in a logical and coherent way, both verbally and in writing.
- 55 - To adopt good time management skills.
- 56 - To be able to create arguments which are conducive to critical and self-critical thinking.
- 59 - To skilfully use software and ICTs.
- 61 - To develop skills for adapting to new situations.
- 63 - To be able to analyse business related behaviour and decisions and evaluate them from an economic, social and ethical point of view.
- 64 - To be able to plan and organise one's work.
- 65 - To acquire the ability to put knowledge into practice.
- 66 - To be able to retrieve and manage information.
- 68 - To develop mechanisms that encourage sensitivity towards social welfare issues.
Syllabus
Technological Innovation Management
- Dynamics, paradigms, diffusion
- Product development phases, TRL (Technology Readiness Level)
- Protection of intellectual property
- Case studies of success and failure, strategies
Design Thinking and Lean Startup for customer-centric Innovation
- Identifying and defining current problems and solutions (PESTEL analysis, stakeholder analysis, moonshot thinking, customer personas, patent/sector analysis, etc.)
- Developing and defining innovative solutions (ideation techniques, SWOT analysis, multi-criteria analysis, value proposition, competitive advantages, etc.)
- Developing innovative business models: Traditional Business Model Canvas and Lean Canvas
Teaching and learning activities
In person
Given the practical nature of this course and in accordance with the business perspective, the teaching method combines theoretical readings and practical development, in teams of 4-5 students, of a project carried out through homework and in-class activities. The presentation sessions include presentations, questions and feedback, and the entire team must be present. In the classes, there will be a frontal part (theoretical concepts, methodologies, tools, video viewing, examples of practical cases, etc.) and a practical part (activities, exercises, project progress in the group with access to tutorials). Individual reports will also be made to reflect on the project in its phases.
Evaluation systems and criteria
In person
The points will be distributed across several activities as follows:
50% group project (GP)
20% continuous assessment, 5% for each phase of the DT; the following are assessed:
- intermediate presentations
- quality of in-class work
- attendance and individual proactivity in in-class exercises
30% final presentation; the following are assessed:
- ability to implement feedback throughout the phases
- correct use of all concepts covered in class
- quality of the presentation
The final grade for this section may increase or decrease depending on individual contribution, as recognized by the professor (class observations, attendance data, etc.) and through peer-to-peer evaluations, in which group members assess the contribution of their peers:
- individual GP grade PG(ind) = group GP grade in case of neutral contribution
- increase up to GP(group) × 1.5 in case of very positive contribution
- reduction down to GP(group) × 0.5 in case of very negative contribution
Minimum required to pass the course: 4/10 in PG(ind)
20% attendance and participation in class (AP)
15% Attendance (A)
- 1 point (+0.5%) per hour of class attendance (up to 30 points, corresponding to 30 total hours, i.e., 15 classes of 2 hours each)
- points are awarded for presence in the classroom: justified absences do not increase this grade
- during practical sessions, the professor may assign 0% if there is zero contribution to group work
- maximum of 2 hours (equivalent to 1 class) of unjustified absence allowed
- attendance is taken twice per class, so being present for one hour and leaving during the second (or arriving for the second hour) counts as 1 hour of absence
- 2 hours of unjustified absence (eq. 1 class): formal warning
- 3 hours of unjustified absence (eq. 1.5 classes)*: -0.5 in final grade
- 4 hours of unjustified absence (eq. 2 classes)*: -1.0 in final grade
- 5 hours of unjustified absence (eq. 2.5 classes)*: -1.5 in final grade
- 6 or more hours of unjustified absence (eq. 3 classes)*: no exam and second sitting
* absences are justified for reasons accepted by the Faculty (not driving lessons, etc.)
** absence in the first class is justified due to the enrolment change period
5% Active participation (P)
- 1 point (+0.5%) per positive intervention/contribution in class (up to 10 points)
30% final exam (EF)
- open-ended questions and multiple-choice tests on content covered in class and applied to the project
- minimum required to pass the course: 4/10 in the exam
Up to +0.5 extra bonus (B)
- extra achievements, evaluated case by case; examples:
- participation in the Startup Pioneer Program
- collaboration with research groups and patent inventors
- development of prototypes/apps, etc.
- participation points (P) exceeding 10 are also added here
Final Grade* = 0.5 × PG(ind) + 0.2 × AP + 0.3 × EF + B
* if the minimum requirement in any section is not met, the final course grade will be the lower of 4.0 or the weighted average.
Second sitting:50% Exam (EF2)
- open-ended questions and multiple-choice tests on class content applied to the project
- required to pass the course: 5/10 in EF2
50% Individual Project (PI)
- creation and presentation from scratch of a new project similar to the one done in class; the same project (or another group’s project) cannot be resubmitted
- required to pass the course: 5/10 in PI
- maximum possible grade: 7/10
- if the average between EF2 and PI is higher than 7, the final grade will be capped at 7 (UIC regulation)
- If a student cannot attend a session due to force majeure (medical or family emergency), they must inform the professor at least 24 hours in advance. A justified absence does not exempt the student from submitting assignments due on that date.
- Leaving the classroom before the end of the class is disruptive; students must obtain permission beforehand or at the beginning of class if absolutely necessary. Entering late is also disruptive; entry is allowed during the first 15 minutes of each of the two-hour session (the professor may register an absence for lateness).
- All activities will be assessed based on both content and presentation. High quality and punctual submission are expected; late submissions will lose points (one point per day late).
- Mobile phones are strictly prohibited during assessment activities. If a student uses a mobile device or similar during an assessment (unless explicitly allowed), they will be expelled and receive a grade of 0. The same applies in cases of plagiarism in any submission or exam.
- UIC regulations apply to any aspect not covered above.
Bibliography and resources
- Maurya, Ash. Running Lean. Cómo iterar de un plan A a un plan que funciona. Universidad Internacional de La Rioja, 2014, 978-84-16125-09-8
- Osterwalder, Alexander, and Yves Pigneur. Business model generation: a handbook for visionaries, game changers, and challengers. John Wiley & Sons, 2010.
- Ries, Eric. The Lean Startup: How Today's Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses. New York: Crown Business, 2011.