LEARNING OUTCOMES
After successfully completing the course, the student is able to:
- Understand the principles of designing a product lifespan, and potential causes of not achieving the lifespan;
- Recognise business opportunities in product-life-extension.
Credits: 3
Schedule: 02.09.2024 - 06.06.2025
Teacher in charge (valid for whole curriculum period):
Teacher in charge (applies in this implementation): Mikko Jalas
Contact information for the course (applies in this implementation):
Gouen Park (goeun.park@aalto.fi) is the teacher for questions concerning course content. Weekly office hours on Mondays and Tuesdays from 14:00-15:00 https://doodle.com/bp/goeunpark/broken-1---tutoring
Mikko Jalas (mikko.jalas@aalto.fi) is the teacher for questions concerning eligibility, grades and credits
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:
On this course, students select one broken artifact, find out causes of the break-down, contrast this outcome with the intended product life time, and chart available repair services. In addition, they suggest re-design options for the product. In the course report, students cover following items of course work:
- Analyse the break-down using a framework of material, systemic and cultural brokenness.
- Analyse two of the following aspect of the case: The commercial aging and fashion- or version-cycles of the product; Product segmentation based on durability in this product category; Cultural/social expectations of the lifespan of this product; Design intention and technical testing parameters for durability; Safety-related limits for product-life-extension.
- Study the maintenance, reconditioning and repair options and the services available.
- Propose redesign options for product-life-extension.
applies in this implementation
Your first analytical task is to analyse why a product has been broken or become obsolescent. Helpful references for this task include this recent report for the EU Commission and a brief history of planned obsolescence by the Sierra Club.
The second item (Analyse two of the following aspects of the case) allows you to select aspects that appear relevant to your case product or that are of personal interest to you. Please make sure to cover and report separately at least two of the listed aspects. This work is intended to be a desktop study. This means that you are not expected to interview people or gather new data through fieldwork.
The commercial ageing and fashion — or version cycles of the product; Working with this aspect, you could, for example, document how (often) the product is being changed and whether it receives coverage that focuses on the novel aspects of the new product generation. You may also find existing data on the reasons why people replace their products, similar to the report on mobile phones on the My Courses page (Readings on consumer perspectives).
Product segmentation based on durability in this product category; Working with this aspect, you can do a little market survey and focus on how durability is presented by manufacturers. In some cases, you may find explicit claims about durability and expected life span, or e.g. business dimensions such available extended warranty periods.
Cultural/social expectations of the lifespan of this product; Working with this aspect, your focus is more on the side of the consumers or users. Different forms of social media can be a useful source of information. What shared understandings relate to the proper age and ageing of the product? When and how does the product become obsolete or beyond repair?
Design intention and technical testing parameters for durability; Working with this aspect is challenging. Ideally, you should be able to find out something about the design and testing process to get an understanding of the intention of the designer or manufacturer. For example, buildings in Finland are generally designed for a 50-year lifespan and infrastructures for 100 years. At the other end of the spectrum, products can be presented as single-use, disposable items. This information can be found in academic literature or so-called grey literature, which includes all kinds of reports and other sources that you think you can rely on. User instructions may also give insight into the design intention.
Safety-related limits for product-life-extension; In some product categories, there may be limits suggested by manufacturers. Such limits obviously can relate to safety gear, but they can also include other items that require or are recommended for periodic replacement. These aspects overlap with the aspects of design intention but come forward more formally. For example, fire extinguishers have both a required service cycle and a restricted container life span. Insurance companies may be involved in setting such limits to product longevity.
As the third item on the list, you are requested to study the maintenance, reconditioning and repair services available. This can include services provided by the original manufacturer or services provided by third-party actors who often operate more locally. You can also include a consideration of how your skills or networks would be helpful in maintaining or repairing the broken thing.
Finally, you are asked to propose redesign options for product life extension. You can use this section to consider and document ideas of improvement on a conceptual level. You do not need to include technical details of redesign proposals.
The syllabus will be updated during the two-year curriculum cycle, but once you start your project, please keep your focus even if the list of aspects is changed by the course teachers. Please self-enroll for the course and include in your report the date when you began working on your project.
Assessment Methods and Criteria
valid for whole curriculum period:
Report
applies in this implementation
Successful completion of the course requires that you submit a report that includes separate sections for all the required items. You may use images and drawings, but please also include a written part in all of the sections of your report. The expected length of the report is 2000 words.
- Introduce the breakdown you want to delve into using a framework of material, systemic and cultural brokenness.
- Analyse the breakdown from at least two relevant aspects from the list below and analyse each separately: 1) The commercial ageing and fashion- or version-cycles of the product; 2) Product segmentation based on durability in this product category; 3) Cultural/social expectations of the lifespan of this product; 4) Design intention and technical testing parameters for durability; 5) Safety-related limits for product-life-extension.
- Investigate the currently available maintenance, reconditioning, and repair options and the service regarding the breakdown.
- Propose redesign options for product-life-extension
Workload
valid for whole curriculum period:
Product analyses, market analyses.
Overall workload 3 ECTS = 81 h.
- Independent studying 75 h
- time to think 5 h
- Giving course feedback 1 h
DETAILS
Study Material
valid for whole curriculum period:
Provided in MyCourses
Substitutes for Courses
valid for whole curriculum period:
Prerequisites
valid for whole curriculum period:
FURTHER INFORMATION
Further Information
valid for whole curriculum period:
Teaching Language: English
Teaching Period: 2024-2025 Autumn I - Spring V
2025-2026 Autumn I - Spring VRegistration:
Registration in Sisu.