| CODE | MRK5019 | ||||||||||||
| TITLE | Experience-Driven Product and Service Design | ||||||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course | ||||||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 7 | ||||||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 5 | ||||||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Marketing | ||||||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | methodologies, and best practices in designing innovative products and services that align with strategic management goals and enhance customer experience. You will gain in-depth knowledge of design thinking, customer-centric design processes, and the strategic role of innovation in creating value for both businesses and consumers. Throughout the unit, you will engage with essential tools, including customer journey mapping, prototyping, and service blueprinting, while exploring how emerging trends and technologies influence the design landscape. By integrating theory with hands-on practice, this study-unit equips you to develop effective, competitive, and sustainable design solutions that support customer-focused strategies across various industries. Study-Unit Aims: The study-unit aims to provide you with a thorough understanding of product and service design principles and practices within the context of strategic management and customer experience. You will develop the ability to apply design thinking methodologies, create customer-centric solutions, and implement innovative design strategies in real-world business scenarios. By navigating the end-to-end process of product and service design, this unit enhances your skills in ideation, prototyping, user experience, and integrating design with marketing strategies. Ultimately, it prepares you to contribute effectively to competitive and sustainable design solutions across diverse industries. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: LO1: Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of key principles and theories in product and service design, and their relevance within strategic management and customer experience. LO2: Distinguish between product and service design processes, explaining their unique and overlapping elements and how each contributes to value creation for customers and organizations. LO3: Critically analyse the role of design thinking and innovation in shaping customer-centric products and services, assessing their impact on business outcomes. LO4: Evaluate the effectiveness of customer journey mapping, prototyping, and testing as essential stages in the design process, and their influence on achieving design goals. LO5: Identify and examine emerging trends and technologies in product and service design, such as sustainability, digital transformation, and user experience (UX) design, and appraise their implications for future design strategies. LO6: Develop and justify customer-centric design strategies that incorporate innovative solutions, reflecting a deep understanding of both market demands and sustainable practices. LO7: Create and present a strategic design plan for a product or service that integrates theoretical knowledge, practical methodologies, and current industry trends, demonstrating advanced problem-solving and strategic thinking skills. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: Develop and Apply Customer Personas and Journey Maps: Create detailed customer personas and journey maps to design customer-focused strategies that enhance engagement and satisfaction. This skill includes the ability to interpret customer insights and use them to inform design decisions. (This objective builds on LO1 and LO4, emphasizing practical skills in understanding and visualizing customer journeys.) Construct and Refine Prototypes for Customer-Centric Solutions: Design, build, and iteratively test prototypes for products and services, using feedback to enhance concept functionality and alignment with customer needs. This skill encourages adaptability and continuous improvement in the design process. (This aligns with LO4 and LO7, applying theoretical knowledge in prototyping and testing.) Collaborate Effectively in Multidisciplinary Teams: Work cohesively within teams to ideate, develop, and present design solutions, demonstrating skills in communication, collaboration, and project management to achieve shared objectives. (This corresponds to LO3 and LO7, translating knowledge into practice through teamwork and communication.) Evaluate Product and Service Design Impact in Business Contexts: Critically assess the effectiveness of design solutions in real-world business environments, leveraging analytical and problem-solving skills to determine how design contributes to strategic goals. (This objective is grounded in LO3 and LO6, focusing on the critical analysis of design strategies and outcomes.) Adapt Design Thinking to Diverse Business Contexts: Transfer design thinking and customer-centric methodologies across different industries and sectors, demonstrating versatility and the ability to apply concepts in various business scenarios. (This skill complements LO5, LO6, and LO7, reinforcing adaptability and practical application in diverse contexts.) Integrate Emerging Trends and Technologies into Design Strategies: Identify and incorporate relevant trends, such as sustainability, digital transformation, and user experience, into design practices, ensuring that solutions remain competitive and aligned with current market dynamics. (This builds on LO5, focusing on the skill of staying informed and responsive to industry shifts.) Communicate Design Concepts and Strategic Insights Clearly: Present design strategies and prototypes effectively to stakeholders, articulating the value of customer-centric solutions in a way that enhances understanding and engagement. (This supports LO7, emphasizing clear communication and persuasive presentation of design concepts.) Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts: Luchs, M., Swan, S., & Griffin, A. (Eds.). (2016). Design thinking: new product development essentials from the PDMA (1st edition). Wiley. [Available via the Library: https://hydi.um.edu.mt/permalink/356MALT_INST/7tps1/alma993726877903956] Reason, B., L酶vlie, L., Flu, M. B., & Lai, W. (2016). Service design for business: a practical guide to optimizing the customer experience (W. V. Leeuvan, Ed.; 1st edition). Wiley. [Available via the Library: https://hydi.um.edu.mt/permalink/356MALT_INST/7tps1/alma993726908903956] Supplementary Readings: Christensen, C. M. (2016). The innovator鈥檚 dilemma. Harvard Business Review P. [Available via the Library: https://hydi.um.edu.mt/permalink/356MALT_INST/7tps1/alma993472516603956] Norman, D. A. (2002). The design of everyday things. Basic Books. [Available via the Library: https://hydi.um.edu.mt/permalink/356MALT_INST/7tps1/alma990001451370203956] Further books, articles and other resources may be shared as required. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | ||||||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Franco Curmi |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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