Master modules

Artificial intelligence (AI) seeks to equip artificial systems with cognitive abilities such as learning, reasoning, and problem-solving. While AI is still an active field of research, more and more of the associated technologies are mature enough to find practical applications. While AI technologies bring a plethora of opportunities for the development of new products, they also come with unique challenges and limitations. Students who study this module develop an understanding of and practical experience with the core technologies in AI, including their opportunities, challenges, and limitations. This understanding goes deep enough to enable students to select and evaluate technologies for a given problem or project. In addition to technical considerations, this also includes an understanding of the ethical and legal implications, as well as environmental, social, and economic sustainability.

Qualification Objectives

Students who successfully pass this module are able to:

• Understand the field of AI and its main technologies
• Analyze AI technologies regarding their opportunities and limitations
• Select, evaluate and adapt suitable AI technologies for a given problem or product idea
• Evaluate the technical dimensions of AI applications
• Judge the ethical and legal implications of AI technologies
• Evaluate the environmental, economic, and social sustainability implications of AI technologies

Creating real-world digital products is a collaborative effort which requires a team of experts to work together effectively and efficiently. It generally requires a cross-functional team of experts making complex engineering decisions to build a product that takes business requirements, the regulatory environment, ethical and cultural considerations, as well as other external factors into account, all while retaining a user-centric perspective. In addition to engineering roles, product teams include people acting in roles that focus on orienting the team, for example by focusing on how the team works together, aligning the team’s priorities with those of the broader organization, and ensuring a user-centric experience. This module is about learning how to work together with engineers to develop a digital product.

Qualification Objectives

Students who successfully pass this module are able to:

Organize engineering teamwork:

• Apply common methods of organizing engineering work, such as Agile and/or Kanban
• Understand and apply methods of continuous delivery
• Enable and empower engineering teams to build digital products

Understand the engineering process of digital products:

• Understand and apply a/the software development lifecycle
• Distinguish amongst the various roles on a product team

Evaluate and translate between business requirements, user experience, and engineering solutions:

• Evaluating non-functional requirements of the product and its features such as privacy, security, availability, and interplay between business models and feature development
• Analyzing cost and complexity of various engineering solutions and trade-offs
• Making data-driven decisions about product development
• Analyze user experience design and feedback as a part of the feature definition process

Evaluate technological solutions in terms of legal, ethical, and cultural considerations:

• Understanding and evaluating potential social and ecological impact of a product
• Privacy & data protection attitude and law (locally, europe-wide, globally).

Software development constitutes the core element of the broader software engineering process. Whether software is constructed using generative AI technologies or by a team of engineers, proficient human developers remain indispensable to any software development project. In this module, students will learn the fundamental principles of programming. They will be introduced to industry professionals' tools and techniques. Additionally, they will
learn to adhere to best practices such as version control and debugging.

Qualification Objectives

Students who successfully pass this module are able to:

• Understand and use the basic features of programming languages
• Apply basic version control
• Use integrated development environments (IDEs)
• Debug and troubleshoot computer programs
• Understand programming-related terminology

Contemporary technologies are predominantly driven by software. Products are developed, and challenges are addressed through the integration of software and hardware technologies. In this module, students will explore a diverse array of technologies and software engineering methodologies. They will acquire the skills necessary to determine the most suitable approach for addressing specific problems. Additionally, students will be encouraged to critically assess the broader implications of various technologies on
individuals (such as customers and team members), society, and the environment.

Qualification Objectives

Students who successfully pass this module are able to:

• Choose the appropriate software or hardware technologies for a given product requirement and judge
  emerging technologies
• Understand and choose the appropriate software architecture for a given product requirement
• Understand and describe software and hardware interfaces, such as APIs
• Understand internet and networking-related technologies to build connected software
• Gather and evaluate technology-related data and make data-driven decisions
• Judge the ethical and legal implications of varying hardware and software technologies
• Evaluate the impacts on economic, environmental and social sustainability of varying hardware and
  software technologies
• Understand the role of open-source licensing in technological development

New technologies do not just open up potentials for new products and features, they also change the way people work in teams and organizations. Digitalization has shifted the strategic focus of entire industries and created new categories of products as well as work environments. With generative AI, strategies for products and operations are entering digitalization 2.0, even before version 1.0 has been completed.

In this module, students take a strategic perspective on the integrated challenges and potentials of technologies for products and operations, with an emphasis on generative AI. The experience gained in this module enables students to implement technology-related strategies in organizations of any size, while taking a holistic view on product opportunities and the people and processes involved in their creation.

Qualification Objectives

Students who successfully pass this module are able to:

• Create strategies for operationalizing AI within the organization.
• Apply agile methodologies to manage technology and product operations effectively.
• Evaluate and apply AI techniques to optimize operations and improve efficiency.
• Apply and evaluate market analysis and testing techniques to inform strategic decisions.
• Apply and evaluate competitor analysis methods to gain insights and maintain a competitive edge.
• Create clear value definitions to guide strategic planning and resource allocation.
• Apply, create and evaluate strategies for leveraging AI in technology operations within organizations.
• Create and evaluate technology strategies for AI-driven products and services.

In today's world, team building, effective leadership, and entrepreneurial acumen are key elements driving innovation and organizational success. This module focuses on leadership, organizational development, and entrepreneurship. It offers unique opportunities to engage with the perspectives taken by successful founders and industry leaders. This includes non-hierarchical leadership philosophies and holistic views on teamwork and collaboration. In this module, students gain the experience they need to take on the role of an entrepreneurial technology leader in any organization, and to build highly performant teams driving the creation of valuable technology solutions for customers and other beneficiaries.

Qualification Objectives

Students who successfully pass this module are able to:

• Understand and apply principles of teamwork and collaboration to foster a productive work environment.
• Evaluate various leadership styles to adapt to different situations and team dynamics.
• Evaluate and apply self-leadership techniques to enhance personal effectiveness and growth.
• Understand and apply leadership skills within a team setting to guide and motivate others.
• Evaluate leadership strategies to drive business success and organizational growth.
• Evaluate leadership strategies to drive the success of technology solutions and growth of the organization.
• Understand and apply innovations in leadership based on emerging technologies, such as generative AI.
• Understand and evaluate the key steps and considerations involved in starting a startup/innovation project
  from a technological perspective.
• Evaluate and apply advanced entrepreneurship concepts to navigate complex challenges.
• Understand and evaluate specific strategies for launching and growing a startup.

At a time when digital transformation and customer-centric adoption of emerging technologies are critical, marketing strategies and business models must evolve continuously to stay competitive. Building economically sustainable business models requires hypothesis-driven optimization methods and fast iteration cycles. Digital marketing strategies and tactics must work to constantly refine the positioning of their products in an ever-changing market of customer expectations. This module provides a holistic understanding of the intersection between digital marketing and business model development. Students gain the experience they need to create successful business models and digital marketing strategies that match the technological foundations of their products and vice versa. They explore the utilization of emerging technologies, especially generative AI, to assist in optimizing business models and digital marketing strategies at the pace required by markets and societal and environmental contexts.

Qualification Objectives

Students who successfully pass this module are able to:

• Analyze and create effective positioning strategies to differentiate the company's offerings.
• Apply and evaluate digital marketing techniques to optimize marketing efforts and ROI, utilizing generative
  AI.
• Apply and evaluate omnichannel strategies to provide a seamless customer experience across channels.
• Understand and apply hypothesis-driven approaches to design innovative business models.
• Analyze and create robust business models to assess the viability of new ventures, based on an in-depth
  understanding of economics.
• Apply and evaluate techniques for operationalizing business models, utilizing generative AI technologies.
• Create and evaluate digital marketing strategies matching the technological foundations of the company’s
  products.
• Analyze and iterate business models from the perspective of technology strategies and architecture.

In this design orientated module students will work on projects within the arena of speculative design, design fiction, and design futuring. Applying Research Through Design (RTD) techniques and processes as a methodology for conducting extended design explorations. Students will undertake activities aimed at exploring visual, tactile and spatial qualities of designs and new design materials and technologies applied to the digital products realm. Learning and applying interaction and visual gestalts, human factors, and ergonomic and spatial design techniques to exploratory prototype designs. This will include discussion and exploration of speculative and futuring techniques, aligning design processes with technical constraints and consideration of application scenarios of current and future technologies.

Qualification Objectives

Students who successfully pass this module are able to:

• Understand the application of and conduct extended projects exploring future use scenarios. Including but not limited to prototype ideation and generation, evaluation and documentation, communication and dissemination and project management.
• Understand and apply common ideas and techniques from areas of the speculative, future and exploratory
  design arena
• Select and apply appropriate methodologies and techniques for generation, utilization and evaluation of
  prototypes of differing fidelities
• Understand, investigate and evaluate new technological innovations
• Evaluate and apply different materials, materialities and technologies as they may apply to the exploration
  of prospective future design scenarios.
• Understand and describe common visual and cognitive gestalts as they apply to interactive digital systems.
• Compare and evaluate different modalities and forms of interfaces as they apply in a technological context.
• Evaluate and apply different materials, materialities and technologies as they may apply to the exploration of prospective future design scenarios.
• Identify and apply future technology aligned with the state of the art in interfaces and interaction styles.

This course aims to equip students with the skills and knowledge to lead design-oriented services. Students will build a holistic perspective of leading with design, where decision-making involves balancing conflicting interests of different natures, including users’ needs and expectations, business strategies, and technological and operational constraints.

Students will address the core values of the service being designed, stakeholders’ constraints, usability and accessibility of touchpoints, and feasibility of the service from both technical and business perspectives, fostering a risk-taking culture to produce impactful design solutions that drive both profit and social value.

Technology students will explore variations and evaluate the feasibility of services in light of technological choices that could enhance the value of the service for users and leverage the business strategy.

To exercise decision-making and empathy-building with users and stakeholders, students will engage in user-centred design activities alternating their role as the design leader or role-playing as different stakeholders and users, critically adding constraints and questioning the validity and efficiency of others’ service.

Qualification Objectives

Students who successfully pass this module are able to:

• Understand and apply design methods and tools, including user journey maps, stakeholders’ constraints
  and blueprint
• Identify, address and prioritize conflicting interests and constraints that influence decision-making in a
  service design, with a particular focus on the impact of technological choices
• Conceive and evaluate variations of a service, elaborating on opportunities and challenges associated with
  different technological choices
• Plan and facilitate design workshops with a focus on integrating technological insights and solutions,
  enhancing the technical robustness of design outcomes.
• Create, communicate, and evaluate prototypes considering different technological strategies to enhance
  design features and innovation.

Students who undertake this module will explore the transformative role of design in fostering social innovation and sustainability. The role of the designer has shifted to being a facilitator and catalyzer of the creative process, helping to bring ideas to fruition by working collaboratively with various stakeholders (Manzini, 2015) within a local context.

They will develop and apply technology-supported co-design methodologies to effectively engage stakeholders and users in the design process. This approach prepares students to act as facilitators and catalysts, leveraging technology to create impactful solutions that address local and global challenges.

Qualification Objectives

Students who successfully pass this module are able to:

• Understand and articulate the principles of design for social innovation.
• Critically analyze the role of design in addressing societal challenges.
• Prototype context-specific sustainable design solutions that respond to local issues (within a global context).
• Critically and constructively evaluate the collaborative design work of peers through a human/user experience lens.
• Apply diverse ways for creative problem-solving with a design mindset
• Understand and apply Human-centered design in a social innovation context
• Reflect on the ethical and practical implications of design interventions in diverse social contexts.
• Evaluate the social impact of technology-enhanced design solutions, considering stakeholder engagement.
• Develop and apply technology-supported co-design methodologies to engage stakeholders and users effectively in the design process.

This module immerses students in the dynamic process of digital product development through collaboration based on the Double Diamond Framework. Forming diverse teams to create their own digital product, students gain a holistic understanding of digital product development, covering desirability for users, technical feasibility, market viability as well as economical, social and environmental sustainability and regeneration.

Based on a critical analysis of customers, market, external factors and competitors they identify a unique selling proposition (USP). This is used as a foundation to create a product concept and to define an MVP that stands out.

The hands-on experience fosters innovative thinking, strategic planning, effective communication, and cultivates a user-centric mindset that is invaluable in any professional setting. These skills enable students to create successful
products in any role or industry.

Qualification Objectives

Students who successfully pass this module are able to:

• Understand the various roles involved in product development and the Double Diamond Framework.
• Analyze customer needs, market conditions, external influences, and competitors to identify a unique
  selling proposition (USP).
• Evaluate user needs, technical feasibility, financial requirements, impacts on social and environmental
  sustainability, as well as the market potential of a product idea.
• Create a cohesive product concept collaboratively.
• Apply essential tools and methodologies to define a user-centric Minimum Viable Product (MVP).
• Create a well-structured pitch deck to present key findings of the analysis, the product concept and the definition of the MVP.

This module prepares students for conducting independent research in the context of a thesis. This includes academic standards and academic writing as well as fundamental premises of scientific inquiry. Working toward those competences, students need to understand what knowledge is, and how it is created and organized. This includes fundamental questions of the theory of science as well as research methodology and the use of state of the
art tools and methods for secondary and primary research.

Qualification Objectives

Students who successfully pass this module are able to:

• Produce academic writing at an adequate level for a masters thesis
• Organize thoughts and findings in a structured way
• Understand questions of rationality, truth, and scientific inquiry
• Understand research methodology and terminology
• Systematically find, evaluate and systematize state-of-the-art research
• Utilize appropriate research tools and technology

This module confronts students with the world outside their field of study, especially where that world is directly or indirectly affected by their work. It focuses on the impact and cultural context, as well as anthropological and ethical implications of digital technology, product design and management. In order to achieve this focus, the
module must essentially work interdisciplinarily and includes basic ideas from philosophy, psychology, economics, political science, law and digital policy making.

In an era where fundamental social change is and can be driven by digital technology, it is essential to both understand those technologies, as well as the non-technological world they interact with. Students need to understand, for example, distributed ledgers and financial market regulations, software infrastructure and its
geopolitical implications, or large language models and the human condition.

The one competence this module ultimately educates for is making good judgements. Good judgment requires knowledge as well as thinking. This defines the mode of teaching, the expectations to self-study, as well as assessment.

Qualification Objectives

Students who successfully pass this module are able to:

• understand current digital technologies and judge their impact on society
• understand basics of digital policy and regulation
• understand systemic contexts of decision-making and related suffering in the world
• understand more about human psychology, politics and society, esp. in relation to their professional fields
• understand how to work with concepts on a most general level (="thinking"), including argumentation,
  structure, and clarity.
• increase Self-awareness and Self-understanding

The Master Thesis Module enables students to do independent research with a single, in-depth research project. It enables students to demonstrate an ability to use advanced concepts and to apply material learnt in other components of the degree programme. Part of the deliverables has to be a thesis on master level, but the module can also include substantial work in the form of a project. If the module includes such work, all work and learning
achieved by the student must be documented in a way that allows reliable assessment. Projects are chosen from staff suggestions or are developed from the student's original idea.

Qualification Objectives

Students who successfully pass this module are able to:

• conduct an in-depth exploration of advanced concepts in their field of study
• carry out independent work on a substantial individual research project, including prioritization of different
  components of the project, as well as prioritizing the project as a whole against other work
• systematize and communicate results of an in-depth research project