Understanding Values

Understanding value(s) is a mandatory course which provides bachelor students with fundamental knowledge about the notions of value(s) and what they mean for a broad range of stakeholders. They will learn to identify the values that are important for all stakeholders involved in a new product-service system. They will learn to map-out these values, but also to analyse and explain possible tensions. Specifically, students will learn to understand how a value proposition can create value for the intended users, and how the organisations involved in putting this design on the market can capture economic value or revenue and therefore be viable. Importantly, students will learn to look at the consequences and externalities of a design. Societal and ecological value(s) will be scrutinised with a view to minimise harm and possibly increase benefits for indirectly affected stakeholders. In order to attend to value tensions emerging in design projects, students will get knowledge to better reflect on design decisions and outcomes using different ethical lenses. Eventually, students will be able to explain value flows in complex systems and to make a more desirable value proposition for all stakeholders.

Through theoretical lectures and application in cases from practice in group projects, students will each week acquire knowledge, methods and skills that will enable them to incorporate ethics and stakeholder value(s) into their design process. The knowledge acquired in Understanding Values and the individual code of ethics that students will craft during the course will be relevant for all design projects in following courses as well as in a design career.