Learning Objectives / Competencies:
The aim of the module is to learn innovation skills and build a "personal innovation strength" for "green" companies, focusing on the penetration of the innovation method of Design Thinking. Master students are able to apply Design Thinking to a real-life practical topic in the context of the Green Economy and to collaborate constructively and productively with others in a team (also using modern digital tools).
After completing the module, students will be able to:
- Professional competence: The master students recognize the importance of innovation competencies for their roles / functions in companies. They learn to better assess themselves personally in terms of their strengths / weaknesses, to behave empathically and constructively in a group, and to transform a group into an effective team. Using the method of design thinking, they use these skills to successfully work on a "real case" for a company and develop an innovation concept. This enables them to successfully apply design thinking.
- Methodological competence: Various test procedures for describing, observing and evaluating personality, learning type and competence level are applied, as well as the Design Thinking method. In addition, digital tools such as Slack or Trello are used to support teamwork in a contemporary way. The "real case" is constantly accompanied by a trainer/lecturer with feedback.
- Self-competence: The master students learn to create their own ideas for the development of products and services via the "process of ideation" in the context of design thinking. They manage their time independently to create a result that they present in companies and work self-organizing in their teams.
- Social competence: Through intensive collaboration in creative/interaction spaces, as well as lecturers who come from the field of "training", the master's students are brought into a constant exchange with each other. They learn to rely on one another, to support each other, to define team roles and to present together.
Contents:
- Innovation competencies:
- Competence & Competence Management as a Key Factor of a Green Innovator / Intrapreneur
- Self-image and external image of the green innovator / intrapreneur
- Communication competence: self-presentation and communication in "difficult / conflictual" situations
- Team competence: rules of the game and roles and how can results be achieved together?
- Personality competence: empathy and emotional intelligence; dealing with colleagues and customers in the project
- Presentation competence Transporting results from the innovator / intrapreneur to the customer
- Design Thinking: Innovation competence in application
- The success factors (actors / 5 phases or process)
- The transfer (real case in collaboration with a company).
- Design thinking and service design approach, methods and tools to generate effective user-centered (digital or physical) products and product/service systems
- Research and analysis: design/user research (quantitative, qualitative) such as user interviews, fly-on-the-wall observation, surveys, cultural testing, context analysis, personas, storyboards, customer experience charts, mapping techniques for design services, point-of-view/design challenge.
- Ideation and co-creation: designing a co-creation workshop (reg. actors, tools, setting, process), creativity methods, advanced brainstorming, user co-creation methods, evaluating ideas, visual thinking techniques (sketching and workshop prototyping).
Teaching and learning methods:
- Workshops with innovation trainers in creative spaces
- Short presentations and interactive role plays
- Group work on a "real company case"
- Coaching-based project work on a "real company case
- Presentation of project results to specialists and executives of a company
- Professional project report in modern design
Value of the grade in the final grade of the master's degree (master's certificate): 6 / 90
Literature:
- Lewrick, M.; Link, P.: The Design Thinking Playbook: Mindful Digital Transformation of Teams, Products, Services, Businesses and Ecosystems, Wiley, 2018
- Lewrick, M.: Design Thinking and Innovation Metrics: Powerful Tools to Manage Creativity, OKRs, Product, and Business Success, Wiley, 2023
- Brown, T.: Change by Design, Revised and Updated: How Design Thinking Transforms Organizations and Inspires Innovation, 2019
- Jørgensen, S.; Tynes Pedersen, L.J.: RESTART Sustainable Business Model Innovation, 2018
- Schneider, N.R.: Ecopreneurship: Business practices for a sustainable future, De Gruyter, 2022