Semester Theme 4 / Semester Theme 4

Department of Technology and Innovation, Odense
Teaching activity id: PDXSET4-U1.
Teaching language: English.ECTS / weighting: 17 ECTS / 0.283 full-time equivalent.
Period: Spring 2015.Approved: 27-01-11.
Offered in: Odense.

Subject director:
Associate Professor Søren Jensen, Institut of Technology and Innovation.

Prerequisites:
None


Content - Key areas:
The project will deal with the development process from conceptual design of a given product idea to  detailed design. The student will learn how to handle a product development process with main focus on product structure, fitting to the product family, functionality,manufacturability,assembly, cost and other design f.X aspects .A product example from a real company will be examined and proposals made for  a redesign, which might improve the product features in accordance with the above mentioned action areas.  The  project is carried out in project teams . The composition of the teams should ensure that a variety of cultural and technical interests and qualifications are present on each team. The group should organize the project work themselves and agree with the supervisors on milestones reporting, presentations and meetings. The delivery of the project work should be a written report in accordance with the requirements stated by the supervisors.
To support the project work there will be courses in:

Product Development and Innovation 4
The aim of the course is to provide the student with an understanding of, how the product is modelled in a clear break down structure and exposed to a wide variety of requirements set by the changing life phase systems throughout its life cycle. The development team thus must prioritise requirement sets and model the development process according to the projects focus.
Based on the identification and analysis of life phase systems, the course proceeds to the presentation of the "Design for X" (DfX) methodology. Selected DfX methods are presented as examples, clarifying how development can be focused to optimise the products performance in specific life phases or quality dimensions.
The mapping of a product's life phases and their activities further allows a better understanding of the company's operational activities and their part in defining the augmented product.

Product Management
The objective of the course is to provide the student with detailed understanding of the management of products including pricing theory so that the student can to act as a qualified and competent dialogue partner with the company's new product management or as a key analyst in marketing. The goal of product management is to create a system whereby new products are developed, and existing products managed, by an individual (or team), whose primary responsibility is the business success of those products.


Learning outcomes:
The student successfully fulfilling the course objectives will be able to:
- Act as a coordinator for the project group in setting up a project formulation, a work break down structure, a phase plan with milestones, time schedules, following up on planes and be a leader and motivator of the group's collaborative efforts.
- Define a product model on basis of a break down structure into sub elements and hereby achieve a better understanding of a products architecture and how that impact on product planning and costs  
- Define and categorise design characteristics and relational properties of products
- Explain how development work can be focused using a "Design for X" methodology
- Apply DfX methods, such as "Design for Manufacturing" in his project work
- Understand the changing requirements imposed on products throughout their product life
- Identify, describe and analyse the product life of a product
- Define product management and explain the link between product, marketing and management
- Understand and characterise the product managers role and responsibilities especially focusing on the cross functional coordination tasks
- Identify, describe and analyse the link between customer analysis, product life cycles and product design considerations
- Set up and assess the market potential of a particular product
- Specify relevant pricing principles for a particular product
- Link new product decisions with marketing decisions
- Assess the consequences of end-of-life decisions especially focusing on recycling and new product management


Time of classes:
Spring


Form of instruction:
Teaching will be through lectures, tutorials, discussions and project work in teams. The lectures are to present the topics and will often be followed by discussions and tutorials to achieve a deeper understanding. The lectures will also serve as the theoretical background to the subjects, which will be studied in a more practical context during the project work. Company visits, external guest lecturers and problems based on real life tasks.


Examination conditions:
The complete portfolio (as summarized of the single portfolios for each course element) has to be approved by the supervisors in order to participate in the exam.


Evaluation
Individual oral examination, assessed according to the 7-point grading scale with external second examiner. There is given only one mark for the module, which is based on an overall assessment of the extent to which the student's performance or proficiency meets the requirements stated for the module as a whole.

The project:
To be able to participate in the project exam it is a condition that the written project report has been approved by the supervisors.

Product Development and Innovation 4:
The element is evaluated in the same session as the project, based on specific questions related to the individual portfolio as specified by the supervisors.

Product Management:
The element is evaluated in the same session as the project, based on specific questions related to the portfolio of this course element, as specified by the lecturer.


Comments:
Please note that this course is part of the 4th semester of the bachelor of engineering program in Product Development and Innovation. The educational concept "The Engineering Education Model of the University of Southern Denmark", which underlies the curriculum for your study program, is structured around the objectives for the study program, the semester and the module. Accordingly, you should, as part of your studies, keep informed on objectives stated in the relevant study level of the curriculum for your study program. In the overall assessment of the student's performance or proficiency at the oral examination, theories and methods, that are relevant for the project and its results, weigh app. 50% of the final examination result, whereas the examination of the other elements of the module weigh app. 50%.


Programmes:
Bachelor of Science in Engineering (Product Development and Innovation)
4. semester, mandatory. Offered in: Odense