STUDY PROGRAMME
Design

AFAM CODE
ABLE69

DISCIPLINARY AREA
Marketing e management

DISCIPLINARY FIELD
Introduction to cultural marketing

CREDITS
6

APPROACH
Theoretical

This course provides future designers with the basic tools to commercialize their ideas, understanding the logics of marketability and offer prototyping. Whether they need to present a product-system to a company, to start a micro production chain, or to devise a design-oriented enterprise activity, understanding theneeds of prospective clients and offering them realistic solutions is key to strategic planning. From marketing surveys to the necessary techniques and styles to support the presentation of ideas to potential investors (institutions, business angels, the entire web), through the building of business models and the understanding of business plans, contemporary designers will be given the necessary tools to put their projects into solid economic perspective.

The programme consists of one single module, which grants 6 CFA credits.

Successful students will be able to:

• Market their ideas

• Understand marketability and offer prototyping logics

• Set up the planning of design-oriented businesses

• Create and understand business models

• Introduction to business economics

• The role of design in innovation (product as a service)

• Business modelling

• Business planning

• Thinking as a start-up

• Market research

• Marketing & management - innovation strategies

• Raising funds

• Project communication: pitch the investor!

The programme focuses on theoretical courses.

Students will take part in the following activities, which may vary depending on the different topics covered:

• Classroom lectures

• Debates, presentations, peer assessment

• Use of tutorials, videos or other media tools

• Exercises and revisions

• Individual study and research

Assessment tools may include:

• Oral exams

• Graded exercises/revisions

• Exercises or projects

• Completion of comprehensive projects

• Submission of exercises, projects or research works

Further details about the exams will be provided by the professors.

• Martin, R.L. (2009) Design of Business: Why Design Thinking Is the Next Competitive Advantage, Mcgraw-Hill Professional.

• Osterwalder, A. & Pigneur, (2009) Business Model Generation - A Handbook for Visionaries, Game Changers & Challengers, Zürich: Self Published.

• Verganti, R. (2009) Design Driven Innovation, Etas Libri.

Many of the recommended sources, together with additional material, are also available online on MyNaba, in the Library section.

Books and resources might be requested or suggested by the professors.