Studio course (24 credits)

Consumer insight is about learning to think with consumers or users in mind. Consumer sociology understands people within a framework of economic, cultural and social resources.

Industrial designers are now facing new challenges in relation to achieve good and relevant user insight. Previous it existed clear consumer categories and audience segments, and product and services could be developed in relation to these. The traditional target groups belong to the past. Factors such as age, sex, income and geography is no longer the defining factors. To better understand the consumer designers need solve problems with a larger reference base and more sophisticated insights. The requirement for relevance and innovation are sharpened.

Do you really know who you are designing for and what they want?

The course focuses on reviewing and discussing examples of good and bad concepts, where the end user loyalty is the measure of success.

The course aims to help participants to develop the service and / or product concept with high relevance and which meet a real need in a real market.

The term 'concept' can be understood as "... a coherent idea that is translated into a logically consistent system that provides users increased quality" (translated from Mary E. Bora).

• Course participants will gain an understanding of products and services relevant in today's market.
• Participants will gain insight into current consumer power and consumer demands for convenience.
• Students will gain insight through the course of the premises exists for how products and services is understood and applied.
• Course participants will gain an increased conceptual understanding.
• Participants in this course will increase their understanding of the visual language used in product and service design.

Lectures, small assignments and a final submission.

The course will be divided into two main phases:

Phase A consists of four steps:

• Step 1: Finding an object or service that is widespread, but that has some significant weaknesses that limit the usefulness, validity and application.
• Step 2: Analysis of the object or service's potential for improvement.
• Step 3: Students will choose three ways to improve the item / service.
• Step 4: Students will select it from the three different methods for improvement are best.

Phase B  consists of creating a concept for a new service or a new product that meets a real need in a real market. Students will use this knowledge and insight they have acquired in the course and crown their own work by developing and presenting its "design for others".

The student’s ability to deliver a service or product concept that can supply a real need in a real marked will be the primary subject of the evolution. 

Students have to attend 90 percent of the lectures, workshops and evaluation ad discussions, and it is compulsory to attend 80 percent of all other activities at the course.

An internal censor will process the evaluation.

At the start of the course all other information regarding evaluation criterias and the dates for delivering concept will be official.

The exam form is pass/fail, following the Regulations governing the Masters studies at AHO, § 6-14.

Mandatory reading:

Gold, R. (2007). The plenitude: creativity, innovation, and making stuff. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press.

Maeda, J. (2006). The laws of simplicity. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press.

Recommended reading:

Ted talks: David Poge, Maeda, more - www.core77.com