Interdisciplinary projects

Subject description

e subject is based on co-creation among students, companies, organisations and higher education institutions. In the beginning the students are acquainted with following topics: technological and business changes in the environment, digitalization, competences, project management methodology, project management, innovation and types of innovation, co-creation and methodologies for co-creation, design-thinking, intellectual property, teamwork, identification of opportunities and needs, industrial design and design for the environment, understanding of market economics and development, product management, content and the method of implementation. In the next step students prepare a project task. The content of the project work is multi-disciplinary, may be in all areas covered by UL; technological and non-technological content. The aim is that the group of students solve the project assignment and possibly make a working prototype. Students can use a common room, where they can exchange creative ideas and mutual assistance. In the project assignment representatives of companies and institutions, teachers and assistants participate as mentors.

Project topics can be initiated by students or professors of the course, students can also apply the theme from the laboratory, where they already work or use the theme of the company or organization. Before the start of projects, a list of possible project assignments will be available.

Each topic has a mentor and assistants. These can come from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering or any other faculty of University of Ljubljana. Mentor is a person who helps and at the end of an assessment proposes the assessment of the work done. Final product as well as the work and the progress done during the process are assessed.

In the case that the students themselves suggest a certain topic, they submit project descriptions (½ page) via the on-line form, topics should be approved by lecturers. In other cases, students choose one of the themes proposed by the companies, organizations or faculties.

Project work stages:

formation of student groups,
detailed comprehension of the project problem,
consultations with the supervisor from the company or institution and the faculty,
developmental and creative team work on solving the problem,
presentation of interim basic solutions to the faculty and the company or institution,
possibility of the actual realization of the solution to the problem (product prototype)
final presentation of the project problem solution.

The rating is made up of the following parts:

submission of a topic (online form)
implementation of the project (regular meetings with the mentor)
the complexity of the project,
result
presentation,
Image / web / video demo material.

The subject is taught in programs

Objectives and competences

The objective of the course is to train students to work creatively in multidisciplinary teams to solve complex project problems.

The competences students will gain are practical application of different already acquired specific professional competencies and their complementary application within group work.

Teaching and learning methods

Students get a basic knowledge of digitalization, competences, project management, design, opportunities identification, methodologies for project management, intellectual property, teamwork, innovation and types of innovation, methodology for co-creation, design-thinking. They are invited to workshops and lectures in entrepreneurship, project management, design, agile development etc. Students work with mentors from companies, organizations and faculties, students present their work, during the implementation of the project, students keep a record of the project, which contains all the information about the project.

Expected study results

After successful completion of the course, students should be able to:

explain work dynamics in multidisciplinary teams and principles of project work,
use the acquired knowledge for solving the project problems effectively,
use the acquired knowledge for communication within interdisciplinary team,
use the knowledge for solving the project problems within interdisciplinary team,
prepare public presentations of ideas and proposed solutions,
– evaluate the potential of an idea or a solution.

Basic sources and literature

K. Ulrich, S. Eppinger, Product Design and Development, McGraw-Hill, 2011
S. Berkun, Making Things Happen: Mastering Project Management, O'Reilly Media, Revised edition, 2008
E. Ries, The Lean Startup: How Today's Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses, Viking, 2011
C. Heath, D. Heath, Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die, Random House, 2007
O. Klaff, Pitch Anything: An Innovative Method for Presenting, Persuading, and Winning the Deal, McGraw-Hill, 2011