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The DIFUCH programme emphasises the development of skills such as critical thinking, inquiry problem learning and analysis. Challenges include making interdependent decisions while addressing real-time stakeholder problems in complex environments. Students will work collaboratively with cross national teams in an innovative, autonomous, and explorative learning environment.
Using practical techniques this module walks students through the steps necessary to deliver a social innovation project and gain vital employability skills. This module is suitable for undergraduates and postgraduates of all scientific areas. It will equip students with skills to creatively solve problems, manage, adapt, demonstrate commercial awareness and collaboration.
At the end of the course unit the learner is expected to be able to:
• To integrate, actively engage, collaborate, and contribute positively to multidisciplinary, multicultural, and transnational teams.
• To develop personal goal mapping and attainment in projects.
• To work as a team member, collaborate effectively and develop interpersonal relationships and negotiation skills.
• To develop innovative and creative solutions to the future challenges launched, with a value proposition for stakeholder partners.
• To execute the future innovation solutions responding in an effective way to the challenges and problems identified.
• To demonstrate communication skills, pitching in a clear, informed, and sustainable way the ideas and solutions developed.
Personal development and team building
Ideation and brainstorming
Empathy mapping
Value proposition development
Analysis and study of the selected challenge
Communications skills
Prototyping and solution validation
Commercial awareness and environmental scanning
Online active methodologies, based in lean design, design thinking and end to end problem design, based in future oriented approach.
Self- Assessment
Peer-Assessment
Stakeholder and facilitatory assessment
Brands have more and more touchpoints to their disposal to reach their customers and build a loyal clientele. In this course you will learn how brands can create a meaningful interaction and an extensive relationship with consumers. In this course students learn all about touchpoints and how to identify them. They will map them out in a customer journey. Students will learn how to manage affect, cognition and conation within the different touchpoints through insights of applied psychology. Hereby adding value for the customer as well as the brand by optimizing touchpoints so that potential customers can become loyal customers.
• Select a brand and explore the customer’s journey
• Explore and detailed analysis of the touchpoints, before, during and after use of the product, service or experience
• Identify ways to improve on the existing touchpoints. These changes should positively influence the customer’s attitude (their affect, cognition and/or conation). You can both heighten highlights or fix downsides. In addition, you need to conceptualize new touchpoints for the customer journey that match with the brand values
• Map everything in a carefully designed, clear visual overview.
Visual customer journey map + written report with analysis and substantiation. (PDF file, no minimum or maximum. Be thorough though.)
On successful completion of this micro-credential, a student will be able to:
• Find touchpoints for a brand, divide these into different stages, identify how the touchpoint is experienced by the customer, identify what the cognitive, conative or affective intent of the touchpoint is and assign the touchpoints to categories.
• Suggest improvements to existing touchpoints and conceptualize new touchpoints that fit the customer journey of the brand.
• Write an analysis of the original and improved customer journey
• Asynchronous, pre-recorded material.
• Resources including articles, case studies, videos.
• Self-directed learning.
Individual Project – 70% of your final mark.
Reflective Journal – 30% of your final mark.
– Zomerdijk, L. & Voss, C. (2010). “NSD Processes and Practices in Experiential Services”. Journal of Product Innovation Management. 28(1): 63–80.
– Stein, & Ramaseshan, 2016 Towards the identification of customer experience touch point elements May 2016Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services 30(2):8-19.
– Luxton, Reid, & Mavondo, 2015 . Integrated Marketing Communication Capability and Brand Performance October 2014Journal of Advertising 44(1):37-46.
– Ambrose 2011: Packaging the Brand: The Relationship Between Packaging Design and Brand Identity.
– D Victor Yocco Victor S. Yocco
– Design for the Mind:Seven Psychological Principles of Persuasion.
This course creates awareness for the exponential rate of change that is affecting society all over the world. Together we explore developments & innovations in Branding, Technology, and the use of Media and Design in this fast-changing world. You analyse how these changes create new opportunities for brands and interactions with customers and society.
• Bold brands innovate in their way of communicating and interacting with consumers
• Current trends and learn about how to translate the findings into innovative concepts for Brands.
• Learnings and new insights and formulate final concept with a future vision for a brand to add value.
On successful completion of this micro-credential, a student will be able to:
•Analize and discussion of potential implications and opportunities for Visual Design, UI/UX Design, Media and Branding.
•Explore insights and ideas for future scenarios in an inspiring and convincing way, knows how to communicate clearly and can visualize the final future vision.
• Asynchronous, pre-recorded material.
• Resources including articles, case studies, videos.
• Self-directed learning.
Individual Project – 70% of your final mark.
Reflective Journal – 30% of your final mark.
– Brand-driven innovation. Strategies for development and design – by Eric Roscam Abbing
– Gartner Top Strategic Technology Trends: https://www.gartner.com/en/publications/top-tech-trends-2021
– Interactive visualisation of (future) tech developments: https://atelier.net/strativerse/
– Machine learning: Living in the age of AI: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJixNvx9BAc
– How AI will change video games: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPuYtHZud0o
– Future technology predictions & scenario’s (for inspiration): https://www.futureforall.org/future-technology-predictions.html
– Anyone can paint (GAN tool): http://nvidia-research-mingyuliu.com/gaugan/
– Produce art based on photos: https://deepart.io/
– Art gallery created by Artificial Intelligence: https://9gans.com
– Diminished reality: https://youtu.be/fq7oauciBdc?t=200
– When AI becomes creative: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZ7BnJb30Cc
– Unnatural selection documentary Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/title/80208910
Optional reading materialOptional reading material item options
– Homo Deus: https://www.bol.com/nl/p/homo-deus/9200000065120485/
– 21 Lessons for the 21st Century: https://www.bol.com/nl/p/21-lessons-for-the-21st-century/9200000088920732
– The inevitable: https://www.bol.com/nl/p/the-inevitable/9200000065210274/
This micro credential intends to explore, understand and critically analyze the organization’s assumptions, contributing to the development of new approaches that promote resilience in the face of disruptive change.
will map them out in a customer journey. Students will learn how to manage affect, cognition and conation within the different touchpoints through insights of applied psychology. Hereby adding value for the customer as well as the brand by optimizing touchpoints so that potential customers can become loyal customers.
• The Decision Challenge: Capacity Building for the Team Decision Making Process.
• The Change Challenge: Leading Formal Disruptive Change.
• The Challenge of Culture and Integration in New Work Models: Organizations in the Age of Digitization and Sustainability.
• The political challenge for change: networks and influence.
On successful completion of this micro-credential, a student will be able to:
• Reflect on and develop management and leadership skills in disruptive contexts.
• Have a critical perspective on the impact of disruptive change focusing on the adoption of new methods, knowledge and technologies within the organization.
• Demonstrate a critical and ethical awareness of how change impacts individuals, organizations and society and how a leader’s actions can support change.
• Understand the relationship between organizational change and organizational effectiveness.
• Understand how disruptive contexts affect future job skills and competence requirements and the need to incorporate them into the organization’s development.
• Understand change management and critically apply techniques for effective implementation of organizational change, with a focus on the future.
• Asynchronous, pre-recorded material.
• Resources including articles, case studies, videos.
• Self-directed learning.
Individual Project – 70% of your final mark.
Reflective Journal – 30% of your final mark.
– Cameron, E., & Green, M. (2019). Making Sense of Change Management: A Complete Guide to the Models, Tools and Techniques of Organizational Change. Kogan Page. https://books.google.pt/books?id=LX-5DwAAQBAJ
– Franklin, M. (2021). Agile Change Management: A Practical Framework for Successful Change Planning and Implementation. Kogan Page. https://books.google.pt/books?id=VporzgEACAAJ
– McCalman, J., Paton, P. R. A., & Siebert, S. (2015). Change Management: A Guide to Effective Implementation. SAGE Publications. https://books.google.pt/books?id=BMeICwAAQBAJ
The contents are structured in order of increasing complexity of concepts and themes, illustrated with examples, favoring those brought by the student himself from his work reality. The contents are organized into 4 items that complement each other in order to ensure the continuous and incremental development of skills and competences consistent with the learning objectives of the curricular unit.
• Digital Transformation in Perspective
• Strategic view of digital disruption drivers Organisational view of how to transform into a digital and agile organisation
• Tools to facilitate the digital transformation
• The Digital Capability Benchmark
On successful completion of this micro-credential, a student will be able to:
• Define the scope of a digitization project applied to the trainee’s professional activity sector.
• Evaluate the success and failure factors of digital transformation, applied to the trainee’s professional activity sector.
• Audit digital transformation processes, applied to the trainee’s professional activity sector.
• Identify opportunities, changes and challenges of the digital transition.
Use good practice and benchmarking references in the area of digitalization to support decision-making and the definition of strategic management approaches.
• Asynchronous, pre-recorded material.
• Resources including articles, case studies, videos.
• Self-directed learning.
Individual Project – 70% of your final mark.
Reflective Journal – 30% of your final mark.
– Al-Turjman, F., Nayyar, A., Devi, A., & Shukla, P. K. (2021). Intelligence of Things: AI-IoT Based Critical-Applications and Innovations. Springer International Publishing.
– Samoilenko, S. v. (2022). Digitalization: Contexts, Roles, and Outcomes. CRC Press.
– Schallmo, D. R. A., & Tidd, J. (2021). Digitalization: Approaches, Case Studies, and Tools for Strategy, Transformation and Implementation. Springer International Publishing
The teaching and learning methodologies are consistent with the pedagogical model and with the learning objectives, which focus on the development of competences and skills to be applied in a real work context, which is promoted in the methodologies used throughout the UC and valued in the evaluation
• Innovation in Society
• Megatrends and future-oriented methodologies
• Innovation and Ideation for Impact: Design Thinking and Speculative Design
• Path to Impact
On successful completion of this micro-credential, a student will be able to:
• Apply strategic and ideation tools in the context of innovation, based on future megatrends
• Apply methods of design thinking, speculative design, among others, to propose human-centered and future-oriented approaches to solving current and future problems and challenges
• Identify and articulate potential ideas and solutions using various ideation processes and frameworks.
• Analyze and select approaches for prototyping and validating solutions for new or improved products and services.
Make informed and informed decisions about how to design for innovation.
• Asynchronous, pre-recorded material.
• Resources including articles, case studies, videos.
• Self-directed learning.
Individual Project – 70% of your final mark.
Reflective Journal – 30% of your final mark.
– Curedale, R. (2016). Design Thinking Process and Methods 3rd Edition. Design Community College Incorporated.
– Daim, T. U., Chiavetta, D., Porter, A. L., & Saritas, O. (2016). Anticipating Future Innovation Pathways Through Large Data Analysis. Springer International Publishing.
– Guillén, M. F. (2020). 2030: How Today’s Biggest Trends Will Collide and Reshape the Future of Everything. St. Martin’s Publishing Group.
– Harrington, H. J., & Voehl, F. (2020). Total Innovative Management Excellence (TIME): The Future of Innovation. Productivity Press.
– Millard, B. J. (2010). Future Trends from Past Cycles: Identifying share price trends and turning points through cycle, channel and probability analysis. Harriman House.
– Rose, D. (2015). Enchanted Objects: Innovation, Design, and the Future of Technology. Scribner.
– Tharp, B. M., & Tharp, S. M. (2022). Discursive Design: Critical, Speculative, and Alternative Things. MIT Press.
The purpose of this module is to introduce the student to the concept of lean business and to develop student knowledge to design and deliver effective workplace interventions to enable the systematic transfer of lean interventions in the standardised delivery of a product or service.
• Introduction to lean business, particularly lean manufacturing, practice or thinking.
• Appraise training needs, methods and strategies.
• Problem solving and critical thinking.
• Risk assessment.
• Skills assessment and skills development.
On successful completion of this micro-credential, a student will be able to:
• Communicate the phases of a standardised training process.
• Appraise the needs at job and individual level.
• Determine the learning styles, training methods and strategies that influence training design options.
• Apply core competencies to deliver an effective training event as part of a lean .
• Develop the skills to build teams and manage diversity effectively.
• Asynchronous, pre-recorded material.
• Resources including articles, case studies, videos.
• Self-directed learning.
• Self-directed technique: a detailed plan is provided detailing what and when material should be covered. Interventions are scheduled through the process for students to raise concerns/pose questions.
Individual Project – 70% of your final mark.
Reflective Journal – 30% of your final mark.
– “Lean Enterprise Institute.” www.lean.org
– “Lean Learning Centre.” www.leanlearningcentre.com
– “The Lean Enterprise Academy.” www.Leanuk.org
– “Allaboutlean.” www.allaboutlean.com
–https://www.cipd.ie/news-resources/practical-guidance/guides
– “Lean Enterprise Institute.” www.lean.org
– “Lean Learning Centre.” www.leanlearningcentre.com
– Hunt, J.M. and J.R. Weintraub. The Coaching Manager: Developing Top Talent in Business. 3rd. UK: Sage Publications, 2016.
– Miller, L. The Lean Coach: Developing the Habits of Continuous Improvement. US: Miller Management Press, 2016.
– Rother, M. and G. Aulinger. Toyota Kata Culture: Building Organizational Capability and Mindset through Kata Coaching. US: McGraw Hill Education, 2017.
– Wilson, C. Performance Coaching: A Complete Guide to Best Practice
– Coaching and Training. 2nd. UK: Kogan Page, 2014.
The purpose of this module is to introduce the student to the concept of teamwork in an organisational setting and examine the strategies that can be used to build successful teams. As organisations are becoming increasingly more diverse the issues of promoting positive diversity and managing negative diversity in teams are also examined.
• Introduction to the different types of teams in organisation in particular SDWT’s and virtual teams.
• Selecting team members.
• Strategies for building teams effectively and overcoming team problems.
• Theories of workforce diversity.
• Strategies for promoting positive diversity and managing dysfunctional diversity.
On successful completion of this micro-credential, a student will be able to:
• Comment on the different categories of teams in organisations.
• Critique the strategies which can be used to successfully build a team.
• Interpret the problems associated with developing and managing teams.
• Consider the different types of diversity that can occur within a team/organisation.
• Develop the skills to build teams and manage diversity effectively.
• Lectures.
• Experiential exercises.
• Case Studies.
• Self-directed techniques.
Individual Project – 70% of your final mark.
Reflective Journal – 30% of your final mark.
– “CIPD.” http://www.cipd.co.uk
– “Positive Diversity.” http://www.positivediversity.com/
– Barak, M. Managing Diversity: Toward a Globally Inclusive Workplace. 3rd ed. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, 2014.
– Brock, S., P.J. McAliney and C.H. Ma. “Toward more practical measurement of teamwork skills.” Journal of Workplace Learning. (2017): 124-133.
– Eduardo, S., S. Ramon and J. Passmore. The Wiley-Blackwell Handbook of the Psychology of Team Working and Collaborative Process. USA: Wiley, 2017.
– Knights, D. and V. Omanovic. “(Mis)managing diversity: exploring the dangers of diversity management orthodox.” Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal. (2016): 5-15.
– West, M. Effective Teamwork: Practical Lessons from Organizational Research. Oxford: Wiley Blackwell, 2012.
– Harvey, C. and J. Allard. Understanding and Managing Diversity: Readings, Cases and Exercises. 6th ed. New Jersey: Pearson, 2015.
The purpose of this module is to introduce the student to marketing, market research and competitor analysis. Key aspects of business planning including the Business Model Canvas will also be included.
• Generation of entrepreneurial ideas
• Introduction to the marketing mix
• Marketing research and competitor analysis
• Marketing tactics
On successful completion of this micro-credential, a student will be able to:
• Identify, research and develop an entrepreneurial idea.
• Create a strategic business plan using Business Model Canvas.
• Develop a marketing plan.
• Present and defend ideas and plans.
•Asynchronous, pre-recorded material.
•Use of Sim Venture Validate software
•Resources including articles, case studies, videos.
•Self-directed learning.
Individual Project – 70% of your final mark.
Reflective Journal – 30% of your final mark.
– Blank, F. and B. Dorf. ..The Start-Up Owners Manual. US: K&S Ranch Publishing, 2012.
– Blank, S. “…Why the lean start-up changes everything.” Harvard Business Review. (2013): ..
– Brown, T. “…Design Thinking.” Harvard Business Review. (2008): ..
– Pink, D.H. …A Whole New Mind. UK: Marshall Cavandish Internatoinal, 2012.
– Ries, E. The Lean Startup. 1st. USA: Penguin, 2011.
– Clow, K. and D. Baack. Integrated Advertising, Promotion, and Marketing Communications. 6th Edition. New York: Prentice Hall, 2014.
– De Pelsmacker, P., M. Geuens and J. Van den Bergh. Marketing Communications: A European Perspective. 5th Edition. London: Prentice Hall, 2013.
– Fill, C. Marketing Communications: Brands, Experiences and Participation. 6th Edition. London: Prentice Hall, 2013.
During a semester you will formulate and work on personal goals for professional development. Goals could be improving specific professional skills (21st century skills) and/or content based professional skills like working on a lean six sigma project
• Formulate your learning goals
• Make an action plan to work on these goals
• Apply the plan: research and/or practice
• Present the outcomes (the form is free, suitable for the skills learned)
On successful completion of this micro-credential, a student will be able to:
• Showing authenticity
• Being flexible
• Being driven
• Connecting and applying knowledge
• Being entrepreneurial
• Connecting people
• Having self-knowledge
• Asynchronous, pre-recorded material.
• Resources including articles, case studies, videos.
• Self-directed learning and coachi
Individual Project – 70% of your final mark.
Presentation and Discussion with Assessors – 30% of your final mark,
– Ilies, V. I. (2018). Strategic personal branding for students and young professionals, Cross-cultural Management Journal, 10, 43-51.
– Megginson, D. & Whitaker, V. (2010). Continuing Professional Development. London: Chartered Institue of Personnel and Development, 2nd edition.
During a semester you will be doing research and/or performing a self-formulated practical assignment about 1 or 2 of the Sustainable Development Goals
• Research on the internet about the SDG’s
• Choose 5-7 SDG’s and writing an in-depth text (3 A4) based on the research
• Choose 1 or 2 subjects and design a plan of approach
• Apply the plan: research and/or practice
On successful completion of this micro-credential, a student will be able to:
• Showing authenticity
• Being flexible
• Being driven
• Connecting and applying knowledge
• Being entrepreneurial
• Connecting people
• Having self-knowledge
• Asynchronous, pre-recorded material.
• Resources including articles, case studies, videos.
• Self-directed learning and coaching.
Individual Project – 70% of your final mark.
Reflective Journal – 30% of your final mark.
– Adams, B. & Judd, K. (2016). 2030 Agenda and the SDGs: Indicator framework, monitoring and reporting, Global Policy Watch, 10, 1-5.
– Jiménez-Aceituno, A., Peterson, G.D., Norström, A.V., Wong, G.Y. & Downing, A.S. (2020). Local lens for SDG implementation: lessons from bottom-up approaches in Africa, Sustainable Science, 15, 729-743.
– Schmidt-Traub, G., Kroll, C., Teksoz, K., Durand-Delacre, D. & Sachs, J.D. (2017). National baselines for the Sustainable Development Goals assessed in the SDG Index and Dashboards, Nature Geoscience, 10, 547-556.