Please note! Course description is confirmed for two academic years, which means that in general, e.g. Learning outcomes, assessment methods and key content stays unchanged. However, via course syllabus, it is possible to specify or change the course execution in each realization of the course, such as how the contact sessions are organized, assessment methods weighted or materials used.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

After completing the course successfully, student are able to

  • apply human-centred design, systems thinking and behavioural design as a problem-solving approach for policy-level project briefs
  • analyse collected information and extrapolate critical conclusions that inform concrete actions and systemic change
  • identify and evaluate types of design intervention that stakeholders could implement to leverage change
  • frame and communicate processes and proposals verbally, visually, and in writing to multiple disciplines, sectors and the public
  • facilitate participatory environments with stakeholders with different agendas and in multidisciplinary teams

Credits: 12

Schedule: 27.02.2023 - 31.05.2023

Teacher in charge (valid for whole curriculum period):

Teacher in charge (applies in this implementation): Nuria Solsona Caba

Contact information for the course (applies in this implementation):

CEFR level (valid for whole curriculum period):

Language of instruction and studies (applies in this implementation):

Teaching language: English. Languages of study attainment: English

CONTENT, ASSESSMENT AND WORKLOAD

Content
  • valid for whole curriculum period:

    Period IV:
    – Role of design in government and policy-making
    – Fieldwork with qualitative research methods with users and stakeholders 
    – Research analysis with systems thinking
    – System map visualisation 

    Period V:
    – Leverage points and design interventions in the context of policy design
    – Behavioural-based design interventions  
    – Communication of project proposals with storytelling and scenarios

Assessment Methods and Criteria
  • valid for whole curriculum period:

    Assessment is done continuously by course teachers based on:

    Participation in contact teaching sessions (including 80% attendance unless otherwise agreed in advance with teacher in charge ; attendance is mandatory for the first day of class, for the mid-review and Final Show) 

    Individual and group work, including management and completion of assignments

    Communication of work-in-progress (blogs)

    Final presentations and final report 

    In addition, teachers will take into account feedback from commissioners on:

    Quality of project outcomes

Workload
  • valid for whole curriculum period:

    The course is 12 ECTS. This equals aproximately 320 total hours of work, or 27 hours per week, which is roughly 3.5 full working days per week. Therefore, students should not take another big course at the same time. Tentative distribution of student workload below.

    • 72h Contact teaching (lectures, group presentations, peer-to-peer learning)
    • 71h Reflection time
    • 43h Independent reading (selected articles, video lectures, group discussions) 
    • 90h Independent project work in teams
    • 43h Project communication and final delivery (final presentation, blog, final report)
    • 1h Course evaluation

DETAILS

Substitutes for Courses
Prerequisites
SDG: Sustainable Development Goals

    11 Sustainable Cities and Communities

FURTHER INFORMATION

Further Information
  • valid for whole curriculum period:

    Teaching Language : English

    Teaching Period : 2022-2023 Spring IV - V
    2023-2024 Spring IV - V

    Enrollment :

    Registration for courses: Sisu. Maximum 24 students, up to 15 places from Creative Sustainability and 9 places open from other programmes. The order of priority in student selection is: 1) Creative Sustainability master students, 2) Creative Sustainability minor students, 3) CoID students (Service Design track)

    To apply for the course all students need to fill out an additional application form that checks some basic prerequisite knowledge for the course.

    Priority order to courses is according to the order of priority decided by the Academic committee for School of Arts, Design and Architecture, https://www.aalto.fi/en/services/registering-to-courses-and-the-order-of-priority-at-aalto-arts