Product and Process Design

This course is about design innovation, creativity, and doing design. The focus is on learning to design and design processes. The concepts of product design are addressed from a multidisciplinary perspective that includes opportunity determination through inspiration, ideation, and implementation using design thinking framework. The classroom segment of the course focuses on the aspects of imagining future products and processes, Design Thinking and the Product Design Process.

ME55300

Credit Hours:

3

*Currently this course is restricted to MSME students only.

Learning Objective:

The course is targeted towards understanding product development and design process. We emphasize a learning by doing. You will
  1. Apply tools and frameworks from class
  2. Learn to think and ideate with constraints
  3. Apply your existing knowledge and
  4. Improve team work, communication, and project design-management skills.

In doing so you will recognize critical elements in product development strategy; understand aspects of conceptual design and design innovation; and to work in real world product development environments to integrate product and business aspects.

Description:

This course is as much about design thinking and learning as it is about design innovation, creativity, and doing design. The concepts of product design are addressed from a multidisciplinary perspective that includes opportunity determination through inspiration, ideation, and implementation using a design thinking framework.

The classroom segment of the course focuses on the aspects of Design Thinking and the Product Design ProcessYou will first be introduced to the powerful habit of Design Thinking that will transform the way you will develop products, services, and processes. Next we start delving deeper into topics of product design beginning with Problem (opportunity) Identification and Evaluation. Here, you will be introduced to elements of value engineering, empathy-based design, blue-ocean strategy etc. for identifying and assessing product opportunities for new products and services. Further, we move on to the topics of Concept Generation/Conceptual Design through the topics of Visual Thinking, Brainstorming, SCAMPER etc. concluding with methods of Concept Selection and Prototyping. The methodologies covered in the course will refine your ability to identify product opportunities and develop superior technical & economical product concepts for that opportunity, enabling globally competitive products and services.

In addition to the elementary topics of product design, you will also learn the significance of creativity & Innovation, product platforms & architectures, and business & service models in the design of successful products. The mode of instruction and learning is ensured to be hands-on, interactive with hand-picked case-studies and articles from the Harvard Business Review (HBR). Further, there will be workshops and guest lectures from eminent industry experts to bolster concepts learned in the class.

Fall 2023 Syllabus
Welcome Video

Topics Covered:

  • Product Development Process
  • Design Thinking
  • Exploring the Design Spaces
  • Product Planning Methods
  • Product Opportunity Identification
  • Value Engineering and Value Analysis
  • Product Opportunity Understanding-
    • Market Research Techniques
    • Value Mapping
    • Functional Decomposition
    • Lean-QFD
  • Concept Generation:
    • Visual Thinking
    • Storyboarding
    • Brainstorming
    • SCAMPER
    • Morphology
  • Concept Selection and Decision Making
    • Morphology
    • Weighted Matrix
  • Innovation and Creativity
  • Product Platforms and Product Architectures
  • Business Models
  • Business Model Generation and Design
  • Environmental Issues: Sustainability and Circular Design
  • Internet of Things (IoT), Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) and Collaborative Intelligence
  • Fast and High-Fidelity Prototyping Techniques

Prerequisites:

BS in Engineering or consent of instructor. Students with a strong interest in products and design; industry experience a plus.

Applied / Theory:

70 / 30

Web Content:

Past project examples.

Homework:

There will be 12 homework assignments

Projects:

There will be one semester-long group project. You will be working in multidisciplinary teams to apply the product design tools learned on a specific design problem chosen by your team. The multidisciplinary team (consisting of typically 4-5 members) will be formed by the coaching team to ensure diversity and superior design thinking, collaboration, creativity, and innovation. The final deliverables of the group project will include
  1. comprehensive product definition with either (or both) a physical or a digital prototype
  2. classroom presentation
  3. design report and
  4. product video.

Exams:

None.

Textbooks:

Reference Books:

There are not prescribed textbooks for this course. The following reference books will aid in enhancing your understanding of the course material.
  1. The Design Thinking Playbook: Mindful Digital Transformation of Teams, Products, Services, Businesses and Ecosystems by Michael Lewrick, Patrick Link, and Larry Leifer, ISBN: 978-1119467472. (Approximate Cost: Paperback $22.35/Rent $19.17)
  2. Value Proposition Design: How to Create Products and Services Customers Want by Alex Osterwalder, Yves Pigneur, Greg Bernarda, Alan Smith, Trish Papadakos (designer) ISBN-10: 1118968050 (Approximate Cost: Paperback $20.99)
  3. Product Design and Development [Sixth Edition] by Karl T. Ulrich and Steven D. Eppinger, ISBN: 978-0078029066. (Approximate Cost: Hardcover $94.26/Rent $32.22)

Harvard Business Review (HBR) Case Study Articles:

Required to Purchase ($8.95 Each)

Other Requirements:

Students should expect to spend 7-8 hours weekly invested in the class beyond viewing class lectures.

ProEd Minimum Requirements:

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