Program Overview

Program Overview

The Master's Programme in Techno-Anthropology is offered at Aalborg University, with the module "Technological Innovation and Design" being a key part of the curriculum.

Module Description

Technological Innovation and Design

The aim of this module is for students to acquire experience with the application of theoretical and methodological knowledge, skills, and competencies within the Techno-Anthropological repertoire to qualify the development or evaluation of an innovation process for design of a technology or a specific product.

Learning Objectives

Knowledge

• Present theories of the interplay between innovation strategies and technology development, product design, and product evaluation by selected actors/user groups.
• Present theories and methods for analysis of the cultural or institutional context of technological product innovation in a technology domain.
• Present ethnographic or interventionist research methods of relevance to a specific technology design, product development, or product evaluation.

Skills

• Draft a plan for how either an ethnographic study or an intervention study with an arranged situation of user involvement (e.g., a design game) may contribute to technology or product development or product evaluation.
• Independently develop and carry out a qualitative study design that can contribute with knowledge relevant to the development or evaluation of an innovation process for design of a technology or a specific product.
• Develop a technology domain-specific controversy mapping as input to the problem analysis.
• Develop a plan for facilitation and documentation of a design process.

Competences

• Reflect on how ethnographic and interventionistic approaches may facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration in technology and/or product design, development, or evaluation within a technology domain.
• Reflect on potential controversies and ethical dilemmas that may arise during product development or implementation.

Exam Details

Exams

• Name of exam: Technological Innovation and Design
• Type of exam: Oral exam based on a project
• ECTS: 15
• Assessment: 7-point grading scale
• Type of grading: External examination
• Criteria of assessment: The criteria of assessment are stated in the Examination Policies and Procedures.

Module Facts

• Danish title: Teknologisk innovation og design
• Module code: TBITANK16201
• Module type: Project
• Duration: 1 semester
• Semester: Spring
• ECTS: 15
• Language of instruction: English
• Empty-place Scheme: Yes
• Location of the lecture: Campus Aalborg, Campus Copenhagen
• Responsible for the module: Lars Botin, Lars Bo Henriksen

Organisation

• Study Board: Studyboard for Techno-Anthropology and Sustainable Design
• Department: Department of Planning
• Faculty: Technical Faculty of IT and Design

Curriculum

The module is part of the Curriculum for The Master's Programme in Techno-Anthropology, offered in both Aalborg and Copenhagen.