Interdisciplinary Project X
Be creative, be bold, be wild – nothing is off-limits.
Work in an agile, interdisciplinary team for one semester and generate creative, user centered solutions with a strong social impact.
About
Work in an agile, interdisciplinary environment
You will work together with designers, architects or rocket scientists and learn tangible methods for project management following an agile process. Learn to make use of both your individual strengths and the benefits of collaborative teamwork. You will work in your team for 14 weeks in an iterative, agile and creative way, supported by a tutor.
Apply user-centered design methods
How can we create innovative solutions that are precisely tailored to the user? … Put the user first! With a user-centered design approach, you will work on creating innovative solutions that fulfill the identified user’s needs and desires. Therefore, you will iteratively work through the four phases of user-centered design and learn to apply different methods.
Follow a leitmotif that has social impact
The course will be provided with a leitmotif that addresses a social issue – a so called wicked problem. You will define your team topic within this leitmotif and elaborate on it during the course. Due to the individuality of the teams, at the end of the semester you will have generated all sorts of innovative solutions that address the leitmotif in different ways.
Approach
During the course you will follow a user-centered design approach. Most important fact about the process is, that it is not linear, but iterative. Therefore, you will walk through four types of iterations, each setting a different focus. The focus always lays on one of the following four phases: Explore, Ideate, Prototype or Evaluate.
Explore
Understand context by immersion and gain inspiration and empathy for the user. Don’t try to find a solution – discover the underlying problem. Apply methods like user interviews, analogous inspiration.
Ideate
Breaking out together, being creative and open minded to generate many ideas. Defer judgement – there are no bad ideas at this stage. Apply methods like brainstorming, the 6-3-5 method or storyboards.
Prototype
A prototype is a manifestation of an idea that allows stakeholders to interact with it and to explore its suitability. It essentially just needs one thing: a purpose. Apply methods like rapid or paper prototyping and role play.
Evaluate
Verify that users can use a product/service and that they like it – particularly if the design concept is new. Get early and regular feedback. Apply methods like Cognitive Walkthroughs, User Testing and Thinking Aloud.
Course Details
IDP-X is a course hosted by the TUM Chair of Ergonomics where students of different faculties work together in a creative, agile and iterative manner for one semester.
It will kick off before start of lectures with a two-day Creative Thinking workshop. Here you will get to know your peers, form a team and get first insights in both the user-centered design approach and agile project management. Please note, that the workshop takes place the week before the lecture period starts (see dates and deadlines below).
After completing the workshop you will be given a leitmotif or challenge to inspire you in the journey and start your own projects! During the semester you will meet once a week for a mixture of input sessions, milestone presentations and soft skills workshops. There you will be equipped further with theory and practical tools so you can develop your own ideas and grow as a team.
Each team works independently on its topic with the support of a tutor. You as a team are in charge of every decision made, so be ready to take your teamwork skills and creativity to the next level! Anything is possible, as long as it is new, it is true and it does matter.
Important Dates
Tuesdays 2 pm – 4 pm: weekly lecture
11/04 – 12/04: Creative Thinking Workshop (2 full days, mandatory)
08/05: Milestone I
04/06: Milestone II
25/06: Milestone III
16/07: Milestone IV
23/07: Final Presentation
29/08: Deadline Report
Who can participate?
Human Factors Engineering
Integration into your studies: The course is applicable to the compulsory IDP in the HFE curriculum (10 ECTS). Still, you have to apply via this website.
Application deadline: analogous to the IDP (Prof. Senner)
TUM School of Engineering and Design
Integration into your studies: The course is applicable to the Research Internship (Forschungspraktikum, 11 ECTS).
Application deadline: 26/03/2024
Department of Informatics
Integration into your studies: The course is applicable to the Interdisciplinary Project in an Application Subject (IDP, Interdisziplinäres Projekt in einem Anwendungsfach, 16 ECTS in sum with the additional subject “Human Reliability” in which you have to enroll by yourself).
Application deadline: 26/03/2024
TUM School of Management
Integration into your studies: As a student of Management/Management and Technology the course is positioned in the elective section of the curriculum (10 ECTS).
For students of Master in Consumer Science the course is applicable to the General Knowledge Module.
Application deadline: 26/03/2024
Department of Aerospace and Geodesy
Integration into your studies: The course is applicable to the Research Internship (Forschungspraktikum, 11 ECTS).
Application deadline: 26/03/2024
Your program isn’t listed here?
This doesn’t mean you can’t participate in the IDP-X.
However, you need to look for an applicable module by yourself. Of course, we are willing to help to get your study programm integrated into the IDP-X format.
The best way to do so is to reach out to us and tell us about your study program:
idpx.lfe@ed.tum.de
Application
Want to be a part of the IDP-X?
Send a short motivation (~200 words) and your CV to idpx.lfe@ed.tum.de or use the application form below. Tell us about your specific skills, why you want to be a part of the IDP-X and why you are an enrichment for the program.
Application Form
Team
Klaus Bengler
Professor at the Chair of Ergonomics
Rutuja Joshi
Background: I studied Mechanical Engineering in my Bachelor’s and Master’s. I have worked at an automotive OEM and since July 2022, I am a research associate at the Chair of Ergonomics. Along with this technical background, I also am a trained Bharatnatyam dancer.
Fun fact: I am a ‘multilingual’ – I can speak 4 languages.
Yuchen Liu
Background: Being a person who isn’t tired of chasing new things, I got a Bachelor’s in Safety Engineering and switched to Human Factors Engineering for a Master’s. I’m interested in Virtual Reality and am now focusing on using it to investigate human-vehicle interactions. Since May 2023, I’ve been working at the Chair of Ergonomics.
Fun fact:I can finish a 1000-piece puzzle in an afternoon.
Nicolas Nießen
Background: I’m your hands-on kind of person with a Bachelor’s and Master’s in Mechanical Engineering. I’ve been prototyping in various fields like medical engineering, 3D printing, robotics and drones – including the prototypes’ user interaction. I am part of the Chair of Ergonomics since 2022.
Fun fact: I can do a backflip.