Topic outline

  • Assignments

    Course work (as well as evaluation) consists of session-related independent assignments (30% of grade evaluation), group work on conceptual design (30%), and a personal learning diary (40%) which needs to cover the topics assigned in the course syllabus. The assignments are listed below and in the course schedule.


    • URL icon
      Calculate carbon footprint with SITRA's lifestyle calculator (before session 2) URL

      • Test your own carbon footprint with SITRA's lifestyle calculator at https://lifestyletest.sitra.fi/
      • You do not need to submit anything else than the your score at the  at https://flinga.fi/s/FQH5S2W . The whiteboard prompts also a question of whether you think your footprint is big or small. Please use this option to think how we think of entitlement and a fair share of carbon emission budget.
      • DL see the course schedule

    • Assignment icon
      Find labels and product standards for sustainability (before session 3) Assignment
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      • Search for and select two labels for sustainability,  preferably from different areas / of different type.
      • Find out who has created and issues the label, and what criteria it has.
      • Upload as a single file with two label images / logos and the explanation texts to MyCourses by session 3.


    • Assignment icon
      Sustainability - Meanings and messages (before session 4) Assignment
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      Products and services communicate sustainability with different means. Labels and product standards are formalized and often quantified 'proofs' of sustainability. However, visual and textual means can also indicate sustainability in less formalized ways. For this exercise you should search for representations of sustainability that are interesting, surprising, unconventional and perhaps also controversial. Semiotics is a study of meanings, language and communication. You can find inspiration for this exercise by watching this video   

       and from reading Susan Vihma's text in the reading list. She e.g. distinguishes iconic, indexical and symbolic meanings attached to products.  

      Exercise: Select one product/service that communicates sustainability effectively, interestingly or in a contraversial way. Submit a single file before session 4 with needed images and short paragraph (appr 200words)  of what you think is going on in terms of communication and meanings related to sustainability.


    • Assignment icon
      Assessment and redesign exercise (sessions 5-8) Assignment
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      Part 1 (after session 6 on Fri 10.5.): Select a topic for the exercise and begin research on its sustainability impacts

      • Pick a topic for exercise (product/material/service-system; See session 5 slides)
      • Identify main materials, processes, stakeholders
      • Identify major sustainability issues and impacts along the life phases

      Part 2 (after session 7, Mon 13.5.): Redesign ideation – suggest improvements

      • Redesign your focus product/system/material use
      • Reflect on improvements (materials, processes, system)

      Produce a poster and pitch talk (for session 8 on Fri 17.5.): Communicate sustainability improvements

      • Produce a poster (PDF) to communicate results, and upload here by end of Thursday (16.5.)!
      • Two options for the layout:
        1) Landscape layout with one page, with topic, assessment and redesign on right 
        2) Landscape layout with two pages, with topic and assessment on first page and redesign on the next one
      • Include your main findings as text and add also some images (see session 6 & 7 slides for an example)
      • Prepare and present max 3 min pitch for session 8 (Fri 17.5.), introducing the selected topic and itse justifications, main sustainability concerns, and suggested redesign with sustainability improvements
      • Check your group and classroom for presentation sessions from the announcements!

    • Group work - conceptual design case:

      The course includes group work on a small conceptual design case around the sustainabilility aspects of three areas of materials use: Plastics, Concrete, and Biomaterials. See the linked PDF's for more information on the three material themes.

      Your group work starts by filling your personal preference on the material to work with (after session 8). You can also indicate if you would like to be placed in a group using Finnish as the working language.

      Group work is conducted during sessions 9-13. Groups will be assigned based on your preferred theme.

      • Groups perform research on selected material
      • Groups produce a design concept idea with selected material/context
      • Interim check & tutoring on Monday 27.5. (groups produce few slides)
      • Final deliverables check on Friday 31.5. (only in Zoom)
      • Final presentations on Monday 3.6. - three parallel sessions (according to announcement before sessions) (groups produce final presentation, 15 min) 

    • Assignment icon
      Group work interim check (DL Mon 27.5.) Assignment

      The aim of the project work in groups is to develop a design, service or communication concept around the sustainabilility aspects of three areas of materials use: Plastics, Concrete and Biomaterials.

      For the interim check, the groups agree with tutor on slots for the session, and they need to prepare a few slides presentation of their idea (pp, pdf), We have 3 parallel sessions (based on themes) to manage the number of groups.

      Name your file: group number_project name_ideas
      Upload your presentation here by Monday       27th of May noon.

      Schedule for Monday tutoring sessions TBA

      (No evaluation)

    • Assignment icon
      Group work results - final presentations (DL Mon 3.6.) Assignment

      The aim of the project work in groups is to develop a design, service or communication concept around the sustainabilility aspects of three areas of materials use: Plastics, Concrete and Biomaterials.

      For the final deliverable, the groups need to prepare presentation slides of their design concept (PPT, PDF), and present it (15 min. presentation + 5 min. discussion / group). We have 3 parallel sessions (based on themes) to manage the number of groups.

      Name your file: group number_project name_final
      Upload your presentation here by Monday       3rd of June noon (one group member uploads)

      Presentation has to include: Name of the concept, team members, selected waste stream, selected approach, target group/users, arguments for the sustainability, proposed solution(s). Don't include too much text, and keep your message clear. And the presentation time is strict.       You are supposed to follow the whole session. 

      Schedule for Monday final presentations (3.6.) TBA

      Evaluation: Idea and informativeness (concept development), clarity (communication), argumentation (sustainability).

    • Learning diary:

      The assignments also include a personal learning diary, that consists of roughly week-based reflections that are each around one page long texts plus possible images and sketch . Altogether the learning diary should be 5-7 pages (1600 to 2000 words in English) in length. It will be submitted at the end of the course, but each entry should be made on weekly basis (except during the group work on weeks 5-6).

      Please note that the choice of language for the diary can be either English, Finnish, or Swedish.

      Weekly reflections:

      • Reflection 1 (week 1): Where do you see change coming from – regulation, business & design, consumers & values, science & technology
      • Reflection 2 (weeks 1-2): What level is most important? How are levels connected?
      • Reflection 3 (week 2):  Think about your own product choice and those of the fellows students. What/how and how they communicate about sustainability? What is greenwashing in visual language?
      • Reflection 4 (week 3): How comprehensive is the view Granta Edupack gives on sustainability challenges.
      • Reflection 5 (week 4): What kind of feedback did you get on your redesign presentation? Did the audience understand your idea?
      • Reflection 6 (week 7): How did your group work turn out? Why? How would you improve the concept? Consider also other groups' outcomes, what was most interesting in them?
      • Finalize your learning diary: Structure your diary according to reflection questions 1–6. Try to also cover how your thinking has changed during the course when editing and finalising your reflections.


    • Assignment icon
      Submit your learning diary Assignment
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