FSD1-IC75 Ideation and Concept Development

FSD1-IC75 Ideation and Concept Development

  • Course description
    • Course Code
      FSD1-IC75
    • Level of Study
      5.1
    • Program of Study
      Service Design
    • Credits
      7.5
    • Study Plan Coordinator
      Marna Haskins
Teaching Term(s)
2025 Autumn
2026 Spring
About the Course

The course introduces central ideation and planning concepts, processes, and tools relevant to service design and focuses on turning key insights into tangible services. Candidates are provided with the knowledge and practice to develop individual skills to plan, facilitate, and carry out human-centred ideation based on the needs of selected target groups or project briefs.

Students learn how to expand the field of opportunities to create a user or client concept and solution. The course introduces techniques to ideate beyond alternatives and ensure that diversity and multiple perspectives are part of the concept creation. Students also learn how to evaluate and validate each idea and possible solution in light of real client or user needs to ensure that their best option is chosen.

The course presents methods and tools to create personas, scenarios, and role plays. Candidates are also trained in relevant presentation techniques. The course builds on competence from the previous course in Research and Insights.

The course aims to enable candidates to identify and build on key insights and findings to develop possible solutions to problems. Through different practical ideation methods, candidates will be trained to consider and discuss different ways to find the best solution for user and client needs. The course is well situated for teamwork and collaboration, so candidates will be encouraged to carry out ideation and planning workshops in smaller teams with fellow students.

Course Learning Outcomes
Knowledge

The candidate:

  • has knowledge of various ideation methods and techniques used in service design to generate innovative ideas and concepts.
  • has knowledge about how to translate key insights from user research into actionable and tangible service ideas that address user needs.
  • has knowledge of how personas, scenarios, and roleplay are used in service design as tools to empathise with users and envision their interactions with service concepts.
  • has knowledge of the importance of ideation and planning with a focus on user needs in developing human-centred solutions.
  • has knowledge of how one’s own innovative and creative mindset is applied to generate novel service concepts and solutions that meet user needs.
Skills

The candidate:

  • can study user research findings and identify issues based on the insights to plan and organise further ideation, concept development, and planning processes.
  • can apply the skills required to create new and innovative service concepts that align with user needs, business goals, and organisational capabilities.
  • can apply practical skills in planning, conducting, and analysing user and context testing in service development, ensuring human-centred refinement of services.
  • can apply individual skills in storyboarding and visualising service concepts, making them accessible and engaging for stakeholders and team members.
  • can apply presentation and storytelling skills, enabling the communication of service concepts and ideas persuasively to diverse audiences.
General Competence

The candidate:

  • has knowledge of the human-centred design perspective used in creating personas, scenarios, and roleplay to empathise with and advocate for users throughout the service design process.
  • has competence in collaborative teamwork, ensuring communication and alignment with multidisciplinary teams in service concept development.
  • masters adaptability and iteration in refining service concepts based on user and context testing.
Learning Activities

Digital Learning Resources
The learning management system (LMS) is the primary learning platform where students access most of their course materials. The content is presented in various formats, such as text, images, models, videos or podcasts. Each course follows a progression plan, designed to lead students through weekly modules at their own pace. Exercises and assignments (individual or in groups) are embedded throughout the courses to support continuous practice and assessment of the learning outcomes.

Campus Resources
In addition to the digital learning resources, campus students participate in physical learning activities led by teachers as part of the overall delivery.

Guidance
Guidance and feedback from teachers support students' learning journeys, and may be provided synchronously or asynchronously, individually or in groups, via text, video or in-person feedback.

Assessments
Form of assessmentGrading scaleGroupingDuration of assessment
Course Assignment
Pass / Fail
Reading List

Teaching materials, reading lists, and essential resources will be shared in the learning platform and software user manuals where applicable.