Course syllabus for Prototyping with a frugal approach

Course syllabus adopted 2024-02-12 by Head of Programme (or corresponding).

Overview

  • Swedish nameAtt prototypa med begränsade medel
  • CodeTRA240
  • Credits7.5 Credits
  • OwnerTRACKS
  • Education cycleSecond-cycle
  • ThemeMTS 7.5 c
  • DepartmentTRACKS
  • GradingTH - Pass with distinction (5), Pass with credit (4), Pass (3), Fail

Course round 1

  • Teaching language English
  • Application code 97125
  • Open for exchange studentsYes

Credit distribution

0123 Project 7.5 c
Grading: TH		 7.5 c

In programmes

Examiner

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Eligibility

General entry requirements for Master's level (second cycle)
Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements above.

Specific entry requirements

English 6 (or by other approved means with the equivalent proficiency level)
Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements above.

Course specific prerequisites

In addition to the general requirements to study at advanced level at Chalmers, necessary subject or project specific prerequisite competences (if any) must be fulfilled. Alternatively, the student must obtain the necessary competences during the course. The examiner will formulate and check these prerequisite competences.

The student will only be admitted in agreement with the examiner.

Aim

The aim of the course is to provide a platform to work and solve challenging cross-disciplinary authentic problems from different stakeholders in society such as the academy, industry or public institutions. Additionally, the aim is that students from different educational programs practice working efficiently in global multidisciplinary development teams.

Learning outcomes (after completion of the course the student should be able to)

Valid for all tracks-courses
  • lead and participate in the development of new products, processes and systems using a holistic approach by following a design process and/or a systematic development process.
  • work in multidisciplinary teams and collaborate in teams with different compositions
  • show insights about and deal with the impact of architecture and/or engineering solutions in a global, economic, environment and societal context.
  • identify ethical aspects and discuss and judge their consequences in relation to the specific problem
  • orally and in writing explain and discuss information, problems, methods, design/development processes and solutions
Course specific:
  • explain the concept of frugal design/engineering and how it can be understood and used in an ideation- and prototyping process,
  • with a pre-defined task, manage an ideation- and prototyping process,
  • evaluate the process as well as the outcomes of the process throughout the prototyping, and
  • in different ways throughout the prototyping, communicate the process as well as the outcomes.

Content

This is a project-based course in which students practice physical prototyping as a common ground for a collaborative design process with a frugal approach (to do more with less).
The course is structured around three workshops and two presentation/communication exercises. The workshops are guided by the same design object (a pre-defined everyday object) but deal with different types of material, briefly explained as hard material, soft material, and combinations or merges. The prototyping workshops will be performed in appointed labs/workshops in the Fuse area.
The course is emphasizing on the design process and the development and exploration of ideas during sequences of physical prototyping.
Participating in this course will serve as a source for inspiration, as well as an opportunity to learn and experience alternative ways to develop ideas and designs.

Organisation

The course is run by a teaching team and the activities are mainly situated in some of the workshops  in the Fuse-area.
The project task is solved in a group. The course is supplemented by on-demand teaching and learning of the skills necessary for the project. The project team will have one university examiner, one or a pole of university supervisors and one or a pole of external co-supervisors if applicable.

Tracks-theme: Sustainable Production

The course is structured around practical workshops, textile, metal, 3D-printing, photo/film and sound.
The course is campus-based but digital meetings will occur.

Literature

Relevant literature is retrieved and acquired by the students as a part of the project.

Examination including compulsory elements

The examination will be the submissions of the prototypes together with the planning of design- and evaluation material. A smaller individual reflection is included in the final hand-in/examination.
If a student can’t participate in a moment of examination, a completion assignment or plan must be discussed with the examiner.


The course examiner may assess individual students in other ways than what is stated above if there are special reasons for doing so, for example if a student has a decision from Chalmers on educational support due to disability.