DESIGN TO CHALLENGE. I2P (internship innovation project)

Register HERE

• This is a practical, hands-on program, based in challenge-based learning to solve real problems for society and companies.
• You will live a transformational experience in a multicultural atmosphere working in a multidisciplinary team (design, engineering, technology and business profiles).
• You will find in the course a qualitative leap in your approach to innovation projects and entrepreneurship, obtaining new competences and tools (technological, business…) to better assess the feasibility of your projects.
• You will obtain a Qualification issued by ESADE-EINA-UPC
• You will be able to demonstrate the value of design in innovation projects as well as in transdisciplinary teams as in a professional organization.
• You will also be trained in abilities to lead teams and foster their creativity as well as obtain transversal competences as teamwork, project management or effective communication, getting a better understanding of your soft skills.
• You will have the opportunity of counting with the support of experts in different areas of knowledge to move forward your project.
• You will be able to build a prototype to test your concept as well as present your project to a professional audience.

The course helps you to develop the following competences: 

Know how to apply previous acquired design knowledge in practice to develop an innovation project. 

• Improve your problem-solving abilities beyond your discipline boundaries 
• Identify, develop and assess opportunities to design for change and to create new businesses. 
• To lead work in an explorative project which requires constant reflection and adaptation to new information acquired 
• Ability to work and collaborate in a multidisciplinary team: understand what you and others can contribute as professional expertise. 
• Obtain new competences in other fields like innovation, business or technical issues. 
• To lead your own work in an independent, proactive manner 
• Ability to communicate clearly and argue for decisions made in an innovation project 
• Understand and manage key relationships within the organization 

By the end of the course, you should be able to: 

• Move from conceptual thinking to action (ideation-experimentation) 
• Design and carry out focused experiments that create new learning. 
• Validate your project under a holistic point of view 
• Work effectively in multidisciplinary teams 

The methodology is based on hands-on experiential challenge-based learning. This will be combined with lectures providing knowledge, frameworks and specific technical inputs for the work.  

The main emphasis is on learning through solving the given challenge and applying learned concepts. You’re expected to connect and utilize concepts and insights such as creative thinking, opportunity exploration, business models and innovation management, among others. 

You will work on a weekly basis, following a continuously revised project plan. Autonomous and team works is the basis of the course, enriched with a Kick-off and an Intermediate Intensive week as well as the continuous support from experts in 5 coaching sessions for each team. 

Each team will have a Project Manager, which is one of the team members. They will be selected prior to the start of the course. The call for being Project Manager is open to all students. The students selected will receive specific training and will be compensated with 1 ECTS extra. They will be also the referent point between the Team and the challenge company. 

This is a practical course, so we expect active engagement in the project work both and outside classes. 

This is a program for designers from any specialty looking to create real impact through their projects and complement their design background with entrepreneurial, innovation, technological and business competences to acquire a global vision.  

Would you like to apply your design and creative abilities to solve real challenges for companies and society in multicultural and multidisciplinary teams?  

Would you like to participate in a program where you will be learning while doing?  

Do you believe in design as a tool for change? Are you interested in social innovation? 

The course consists of four main modules: 

1. Intensive weeks which combine lectures, workshops and activities (kick-off week and mid-term intensive)  
2. Independent teamwork 
3. Coaching sessions  
4. Presentations (2 check points and the final presentation) 

Intensive weeks 

- Kick-off week: 

This week focuses on getting each team started with their challenge and project work. During the week, teams will go once through the full process of understanding the challenge to proposing and testing a solution. The objective is to give the team a kick- start to the project, create a shared understanding of what the project is about and establish a good starting point for the teamwork itself. 

The sessions of the Kick-off week include: 

• Workshop: Foundations for successful teamwork 
• Master Classes of methodologies and tools that you will use as part of your “innovation toolkit” as the followings: Google Sprint, Etnography tools, Lean Startup, Agiles, Design thinking. 
• Technical and technological disciplines capsules 
• Workshops and teamwork: preparing a project plan  
• Each team will also meet with the company representatives of their challenge during the week. 

Check Point presentation 1. On the last day of the kick-off week, you will have the first Checkpoint Presentations.  

- Mid-term intensive week: 

These sessions are focused on creating and testing prototype(s). The objective of this week is to create an idea, design a concept, build and create a prototype and present your insights. 

The classes will be a combination of workshops and special capsules, including: 

• Ideation techniques  
• Prototyping techniques 
• Test with users, feedback and insights 
• Iteration to move forward the project and its implementation. Business canvas model 

Check Point presentation 2. On the last day of the mid-term intensive week , all teams will present their prototypes and results from testing with all the stakeholders.  

Independent weekly teamwork  

Outside of the two intensive weeks, teams carry out independent teamwork, based on the project plan prepared in the kick-off week and advice provided by the coach.  

Coaching sessions 

Each team has their own project coach, whose objective is to support and guide the team throughout the course. The coach will also attend the final presentation and provide feedback on the final deliverables. 

Each coaching session is a one-on-one session with the coach and lasts one hour around. This means that both teams working on the same challenge will have their own, separate coaching session. There are four rounds of coaching during the course. The coaches are experienced practitioners working in the field of innovation. 

Each team is also supported by a technical coach, his/her goal is to provide advice and guidance regarding the feasibility and prototyping of the technical approach. Technical coaches are experts from UPC in the relevant field of the challenge. 

Final presentation 

The final presentation will take place on the end of May at the company of the challenge.  

Also, for the final presentation, we will organize a rehearsal session where you will receive feedback from the coaches and the faculty. 

Final Project Deliverable 

1. Final presentation slide deck  
2. Video 
3. Prototype or demo of the solution  
4. Brochure 
5. Written final report  

Javier Nieto Cubero

Founder and partner at OVICUO DESIGN. Teacher and researcher at EINA. Coordinator of Innovative Initiatives at EINA, University Center of Design and Art (UAB).

More than 20 years of experience in the development of new products, services and brands in different roles as Product Director, Design Director or Interim Manager of Innovation in companies of various sectors and profiles (agencies, SMEs or large corporations). He co-directs the strategic design consultancy OVICUO DESIGN, specialized in the Health & wellness, Workspaces and Retail fields from a perspective based on research methodologies for the strategic approach, creative and design processes and with a focus on the user experience / client.

PhD candidate in Business Administration and Management from the UPC. Executive Development Program at IESE. Master in Transportation & Design Management from the Politecnico de Milano. Materials Engineer from UPC and Technical Engineer in Industrial Design from UVa.

Oriol Ventura Rodà

Industrial designer, PhD in design and co-founder of Ovicuo Design BCN. Graduated in Fine Arts specialized in design from the University of Barcelona and the Politecnico di Milano. His area of knowledge is focused on the field of Work spaces where he has developed several interior design and furniture projects, aimed at improving and adapting the work and educational context. Currently his research activity proposes New models of space for non-healthcare activity of medical

teams and collaborates with the innovation and user experience department of the Sant Joan de Déu Hospital in Barcelona. He teaches the Degree in Design at EINA, the Official Master of Research in Art and Design and coordinator of the Master in Design and Product Editing.

Nanita Ferrone

Nanita combines imagination, business modelling and investment to develop innovative and sustainable projects. Nanita has led projects and multi-cultural teams in more than 20 countries. Diverse industry experience includes the education, finantial, retail, tourism, health, third and public sectors. She is an Innovation and Design Thinking lecturer at the ESADE Entrepreneurship Insitute. She holds an MBA from the University of Cape Town (South Africa). She is a LEGO SERIOUS PLAY Method facilitator.

Juan David Valencia Mendieta

Masters Degree in Innovation and Entrepreneurship and Electronics Engineer. Working experience in IT consultancy for 5 years in different industries. High motivation for innovation and creativity. Experience in multi-cultural environment with projects managed in 6 countries. High leadership skills with capabilities of leading and helping groups achieving their goals in an inclusive way. Active listener, conflict solver along with the technical skills complement each other for an integral profile.

• 5-6 companies/organizations launching 5/6 challenges (social innovation, editorial, farma, health…)  
• Interdisciplinary teams (6-8 postgraduate students each from design, engineering, technology and business profile) with 1 Project Manager per team  
• 10/12 teams. 2 teams will be working on the same challenge.  
• 1 Innovation coach to guide the process (professionals with 10+ years of experience)  
• Faculty from the 3 schools delivering seminars on multiple topics to help the process 

The final grade is calculated as follows:  

The process: 50%. Coaching sessions (20%), Checkpoint 1 (10%), Checkpoint 2 (20%).  

The outcome: 50%. Final solution (20%), Final presentation (15%), Final report (15%).