User understanding (5 cr)

Objective

This course is connected to Research and development expertise (5 ECTS credits).

You can observe your environment and gather information about the right service environments from the field with different methods.
You can study and identify the users' needs and take them into account in your design.
You can examine and analyse a product or service in relation to its purpose and make improvement proposals.

Content

General content
- How do you identify the users' needs and preferences?
- How to involve users in the planning so as to ensure that the purpose of the product or service is taken into account?
- How to align the ergonomics and usability of the product to its purpose of use?
- How do you design a product or service which is suitable for the user and matches the spirit of the time?

Evaluation

Students can
- use professional vocabulary and concepts and show their information-based know-how.
- use the basic techniques of searching information in specific situations.
- carry out individual tasks.
- take customers, users and target groups into consideration.
- use the key models, methods, software and techniques of the professional field under guidance.
- work as team members.
- observe the ethical principles of the professional field in their actions.

Course material

https://www.ttl.fi/en/
The Measure of Man and Woman: Human Factors in Design Revised Edition by Henry Dreyfuss Associates (2001)

Study forms and methods

Scheduled track:
Teaching organized according to timetable, in addition to working order share of the independent work as agreed.

Independent track:
The learning process that has been integrated into the work will be possible if in your assignments you can develop the know-how that has been mentioned in the objectives and contents of the study module. Contact the teacher of the study module before the beginning of the study module in good time to determine it
• is the learning process that has been integrated into the work possible in your own assignment
• what kind evidence you are able to give from your know-how
• witch parts of the study module you have to participate in teaching

Blended track:
Contact the teacher

RDI and work-related cooperation

-

Timing of exams and assignments

Schedule will be presented in Learn.

Student workload

5 cr x 27 h = 135 h

Evaluation scale

1-5

Assessment criteria, approved/failed

-

Assessment methods and criteria

Learning exercises and the student's self-reflection.
Based on: contents, plane of exercises and the student's own estimate of the learning.
Active participation and approved assignments
Excellent (5), Good (4-3), Satisfactory (2-1) Fail (0)