Topic outline

  • General

    This is the MyCourses page for course CS-E4900 User-Centered Methods for Product and Service Design (5 ects).
    During autumn 2020 the course can be taken completely remotely/online.

    Course starts on Monday 7.9.2020 at 14:15 with an online Zoom lecture
    https://aalto.zoom.us/j/61182579031 (We will use this same Zoom as long as we do not get bombed)

    Participation in the first lecture is compulsory to be admitted to the course.

    There are no prerequisites for this course.

    Participation to all lectures and workshops is strongly advised.

    Students that have this course as an elective in their degrees (among others IDBM, USchool, ISM) are encouraged to attend the course.


    Learning objectives:

    • To be able to explain and apply methods for usability research emphasising
      • methods for user research in the beginning of the user-centred design process in gathering user requirements for development
      • tools and methods for analysing qualitative data
    • To be able to search for relevant scientific publications.
    • To be able to write academically and reference properly.


    The course has two main activities:

    1 ) Read through the provided materials (+1 of your own choosing) on user research methodology and write a reflective essay. After writing the essay you must also read and peer review three of your fellow students' essays.

    2) In groups of 3-4 students to:
    • Conduct a small observation and interview field study
    • Analysing your findings on series of workshops and present your results as your final pitch