Content, progress and pedagogy of the module

The purpose of this module is to provide students with advanced knowledge and methods to interact with users and involve them in a process of co-design and participation. In this module, exercises and theoretical reflections will also be proposed to analyse and evaluate design action on innovation in specific social contexts. The students will learn to use methods and techniques from different disciplinary contexts and adapt them in order to stimulate and support users’ participation and the interpretation of their needs, behaviour and attitudes in relation to their social and cultural context.

Learning objectives

Knowledge

Students who complete the course module will obtain:

• knowledge about the potential of methods and tools deriving from different disciplines for the development of a design process
• knowledge about theories and practice of innovation in social contexts
• extensive knowledge about participatory design and co-design theories and methodological approach
• knowledge about the relevance of participatory design approach on specific applications of services in the public and private sector

Skills

Students who complete the course module will be able to:

• apply advanced knowledge about user-, human-, and planet-centred techniques to support users’ co-creation and participation
• apply specific methods and tools to engage with users and support their participation, also by developing prototypes that simulate and provide evaluation elements on user interaction and participation
• evaluate the social-technical implications of design intervention in social contexts

Competences

Students who complete the course module will be able to:

• plan and develop user-, human-, planet-oriented design activities in relation to a specific design task and context 
• plan and facilitate the involvement and the participation in the design process of multiple actors

Type of instruction

See general description of the types of instruction described in § 17.

Exam

Exams