Learning outcomes

Dutch-taught Master of Product Development

1. Based on research of the product context, the Master develops a vision for/on an innovative product and/or service idea, defines that idea and makes it concrete into an original, sustainable and and quality product solution taking into account form, use and technical aspects and the economic minimal requirements.

2. The Master applies the integral design methodology, draws up coherent design and entrepreneurial plans, manages their execution and adjusts when required. In function of the dynamic contexts and the feasibility of the product development and the marketing introduction processes, the Master justifies and defends the choices and decisions made.

3. The Master has insight in the changing societal and temporal context in an international perspective, can make these explicit and can independently integrate them in their own work in a sustainable way (economic, ecological, social, cultural, human and ethical aspects).

4. The Master can critically position their work in relation to current and international trends in product development and can creatively combine expertise in their own and the three adjoining disciplines - (economics, humanities and technology) - and apply these in an integrated way during the various phases of the design process.

5. The Master identifies opportunities for product development and potential stakeholders, having an eye for the changing societal, economic and technological contexts.

6. The Master can value the scientific models and research results of their own and the adjoining disciplines, select, use and implement these in their own research/process in product development and can execute scientific research that contributes to the development of new knowledge related to the design or their discipline.

7. The Master can independently design and execute adequate research (analysis, simulation and verification), to arrive at an operational product or service definition, to verify the critical aspects of the product development process and to check the feasibility of the design results.

8. The Master is collaboration-directed and can appropriately lead a multi-/interdisciplinary (international) team. The Master can also independently take on a role as regards content in which to apply and/or supervise creative techniques (diverging, converging and problem-solving).

9. The Master acts, as beginning professional and to a large extent autonomously, as bridge builder between different stakeholders in a product development process and collaborates with/participates in open innovation networks.

10. The Master has a strongly developed ethical awareness and checks the different solutions for design problems against this.

11. The Master has skills to visualize the design and the design process in different professional situations and to communicate appropriately to all involved with the product development process, both specialists and laymen.

12. The Master critically reflects on their own learning processes, their own and colleagues' design results and methods and can make the appropriate adjustments (among which independently detecting and filling gaps in knowledge). The Master participates meaningfully in (inter)national debates within the discipline.