Topic outline

  • Course overview: Learning objectives, content and assessment

    • Coursework consists of pre-assignment, participation in weekly sessions, group work, design evaluation, and learning diary.
    • Participation in the course requires completing a pre-assignment (instructions will be given in the first session).
    • Students who complete the pre-assignment will be divided into groups of 3-5 students
    • Weekly in-class sessions consist of guest lectures, introduction of a design problem, and solution presentations by student groups
    • The weekly live sessions introduce innovative operations management and unsolved problems related to the innovation
    • Between sessions students will work individually and in their group
    • Each student group develops a solution to one design problem introduced by a guest lecturer
    • Each student evaluates one proposed design solutions of student groups.
    • In addition, the course comprises seven self-study modules on innovation management (Pre-recorded lectures and other learning materials).
    • Grading is based on the pre-assignment, participation in weekly sessions, group work, design evaluation, and weekly learning diaries, and summarizing diary.

    Learning Objectives:

    (1)Translate improvement opportunity (technology) to operational designs (operations management)
    (2)Gain insight into potential uses of emerging technologies for new and better ways of operating (innovation in operations)
    (3)Become familiar with different innovation management perspectives and begin applying them in real-life innovation problems (innovation management)

    Learning activities:

    The course is built around a number of implemented or proposed innovative solutions in operations management. These innovative solutions are presented by invited guest lecturers from industry and leading research groups. Together with guest lecturers students identify a new design problem for which further innovation is needed. In small groups students develop a proposal for an improved solution which is then presented to the whole class and evaluated.

    The course starts with students reading the introductory materials and returning a pre-assignment.

    Design assignment are conducted in a group. Each group develops one design, and discusses all peer group designs.

    Each student evaluates an initial design.

    Individual learning diaries are submitted each week.

    Assessment Methods and Criteria:

    Students are required to have completed the individual pre-assignment to join the groups for developing design proposals.

    Overall assessment based on individual pre-assignment, participation in the teaching sessions, group’s design, evaluation of peer group’s designs proposal, and the learning diaries.

    Study Material:

    Guest lecturer's presentation material.

    Student groups' design presentations.

    Video lectures on innovation management.

    Research articles providing students with useful tools and theoretical frameworks for problem framing, design proposal development and evaluation.

    Responsible teacher: Jan Holmström

    Workload:

    Total 134h (Pre-assignment 16h; weekly in-class sessions 30h; independent weekly study and learning diaries 36h; recap and summarizing learning diary 14h; Group work on design problem 30h; providing peer feedback and self-evaluation of design proposal 8h)