This course simulates real challenges in order to teach students two different methodologies to deliver meaningful solutions to challenge providers. This will allow students to address specific challenges with greater confidence.
In the challenge approach, understanding the problem is often considered half the way to its solution. We speculate that it’s even more than that: students are stimulated to gather information in creative ways, focusing on the problem without jumping to solutions. They will then pass on to the next phase (i.e. idea generation) once the problem, the stakeholder, the challenge and the methodology have been exhaustively analyzed.
However, we then take the opposite view: too much focus on the problem disperses energies and distracts from the main goal, i.e. developing meaningful solutions for the challenge provider. This approach stimulates students to be concrete and effective in the generation of ideas and projects.
We will also stress the importance of the final implementation of a sound action plan based on the information gathered in the first phase. Students will develop fields of play, or scenarios, where innovation is more likely to happen.