Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Course Description
This class is designed to help graduate students in the ATEC program learn how to do primary
discovery research that uncovers significant ideas and opportunities in a dynamic and complex
world of possibilities. Students will learn how to evaluate data, select ideas that have the greatest
potential, and construct robust scenarios to describe and define a balanced value proposition.
This course will help students learn how to approach research in a holistic way that yields insights
about what is desirable on the part of users, what is possible from the standpoint of technologies,
and what is valuable to the business enterprise that will ultimately invest, develop and build the
new products and services.
Students will select and pursue research in an area of interest, either as teams or individually,
following a scheduled outline that will include collaborative discussions and brainstorming
sessions to help everyone evaluate, expand, and explore the possibilities. The course will
conclude with a final report and presentation for each of the research projects.
Course Requirements
• Attendance to all classes is important, especially during creative work sessions
• All assignments need to be completed on time and in a professional manner & retained in
an active personal reference file or notebook
• All students need to participate individually and as a contributing member of the class
• In addition to the assignments below there will be other helpful handouts and references
to relevant materials
Grading Procedure
Because this course’s emphasis will be on providing the student with an awareness and
understanding of Design Research methods and practices through experience, it is very important
that students participate individually and collectively to insure that everyone has a successful
leaning experience. Therefore, students will be evaluated on attendance, participation in class,
assignments, and the quality and quantity of work completed from week to week. Assignments
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will be discussed throughout the course, with specific requirements spelled out. See grading
breakdowns at the end of this document.
Classroom Conduct
• Students are to focus their attention on the subjects at hand in the classroom, i.e., lectures,
presentations, discussions, and teamwork sessions and set aside all other activities.
• All open communication (talking) should be relevant to the subject at hand and have
value to the class as a whole.
• Competitiveness between students and teams will be friendly and encouraging at all
times.
• All other rules of behavior will be discussed and agreed to by the class on the first day.
9/05 Class 3 Discussion: Brief Q&A about everyone’s subject & early understanding
Lecture/Discussion: Design Custom Research Tools – Primary Research
Assignment #3: Develop research plan; email to instructor for feedback and start
primary field research. Be prepared to share early findings at next class.
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Assignment #6: Select best idea and draft a one page scenario description – email
to instructor for feedback
10/24 Class 10 Lecture/Discussion: Trial Balloons & Conversations – Outreach for Allies
Assignment #10: Identify and build a target list of benefactors who might
become part of your ‘value web’, i.e., parties who can help you realize your
proposition, such as investors, technology providers, and business partners, etc.
and email to instructor for feedback.
Grading Scale
A 91-100 Excellent
B 81-90 Above Average
C 71-80 Average
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D 61-70 Poor
F 00-60 Failing
Grading Weights
60 Points Assignments (12 at 5.0 points each)
10 Points Select & Read a new book on subject related to study project
30 Points Final Report & Presentation
Attendance & Tardy Policy – Attendance is mandatory. Lack of attendance will affect your grade
because absences will not only leave holes in understanding of the lesson contents but also
degrade the benefit to other students in regard to discussions and work sessions. Coming to class
late or leaving early will also be counted as absences without prior approval from the instructor.
Excessive absences can result in grade penalty or even failure of the course; three unexcused
absences will result in an adjustment in the final grade down by one level (ex. ‘A’ down to a
‘B’).