Print as pdf if you want a pdf! If you want a nicer printout, click off the browser's automatically added header and footer.
Blekinge Institute of Technology
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Revision: 1
Reg.no: BTH-4.1.14-0103-2026
Course syllabus
Creativity and Systematic Innovation
Creativity and Systematic Innovation
7.5 credits (7,5 högskolepoäng)
Course code: MT2604
Main field of study: Mechanical Engineering
Disciplinary domain: Technology
Education level: Second-cycle
Specialization: A1F - Second cycle, has second-cycle course/s as entry requirements
Language of instruction: English
Applies from: 2026-02-17
Approved: 2026-02-17
1. Descision
This course is established by Dean 2025-01-21. The course syllabus is approved by Head of Department of Mechanical Engineering 2026-02-17 and applies from 2026-02-17.
2. Entry requirements
Admission to the course requires taken course in Design Thinking.
3. Objective and content
3.1 Objective
The purpose of the course is to give students a deep understanding of creative processes, systematic innovation, and methods and tools for integrating creativity and systematic innovation into engineering product development.
Students will develop, use, and reflect on creativity and systematic innovation concepts to build solutions that address user needs. Students will be equipped to justify their choice of approaches and strategies for creative concept development to address specific product development challenges.
3.2 Content
Foundations and mindset
- Defining creativity, innovation engineering (radical vs. incremental innovation).
- Human factors: Psychological safety, building creative confidence, and identifying barriers like groupthink and cognitive biases.
Explorative processes
- Creative problem solving.
- Iterative development: Navigating pivots and expansive learning through experimentation and prototyping.
- Lateral thinking.
Systematic frameworks
- Structured creativity: Systematic inventive thinking (SIT) and TRIZ
- Integrating creativity in product-/service- development
Leadership and integration
- Facilitation of creative work: leading teams through the creative process
- Strategies for creative problem solving: choosing the right approach for product development challenges.
4. Learning outcomes
The following learning outcomes are examined in the course:
4.1. Knowledge and understanding
On completion of the course, the student will be able to:
- Explain the role of creativity and the various phases of creative processes within product and service development.
- Plan innovation projects by integrating both intuitive creative techniques and systematic innovation processes.
4.2. Competence and skills
On completion of the course, the student will be able to:
- Select and justify methods and tools based on an analysis of a given product or service challenge.
- Design and develop a bespoke tool for idea generation that addresses a complex development scenario.
- Lead and facilitate a creative workshop to guide a group toward concrete solution concepts.
- Apply Systematic Innovation methodology to systematically generate innovative solutions from existing resources.
4.3. Judgement and approach
On completion of the course, the student will be able to:
- Critically review innovation methods and determine their suitability for specific technical or market-related challenges.
- Evaluate and reflect on the outcome of a creative process and identify the need for further iterations or a change in methodology.
5. Learning activities
The focus is on providing participants with the knowledge and skills necessary to conduct product and service development using a creative approach.
The course includes lectures, exercises, student-led workshops, seminars, and a minor project.
Learning outcomes related to knowledge and understanding are primarily addressed through literature studies and video-recorded lectures covering central theories and concepts. These lectures include associated quizzes to provide rapid feedback and encourage reflection on the student's learning.
Learning outcomes related to skills and abilities are addressed through group exercises and the project. Here, students are given the opportunity to independently and practically apply theory—with recurring supervisory support—by executing creative methods in the early phases of product and service development. The exercises incorporate elements of Problem-Based Learning (PBL), in which students work individually or in groups on authentic problems related to the course content.
The application of theory is examined through an individual reflection.
Learning outcomes related to critical judgment and professional approach are integrated into the execution and leadership of projects and exercises. Students engage in active, critical dialogue within their own groups and with other teams. Reflection and discussion regarding project results and methodologies are central to developing these evaluative skills. Assessment is conducted through individual reflection and a collaborative group project report.
The course is built upon student-active learning, and achieving the learning outcomes requires active participation and collaboration. Therefore, all students are expected to participate in scheduled group sessions. If a student is unable to attend a session, they must notify the course coordinator in advance and complete a replacement assignment. This assignment corresponds to the content and activities covered during the missed session. Instructions and assessment criteria for the replacement task will be provided upon assignment.
Students maintain a continuous logbook of their activities, where they individually analyze and reflect on their learning in relation to the course objectives.
6. Assessment and grading
Modes of examinations of the course
| Code | Module | Credit | Grade |
| 2610 | Seminar | 2 credits | AF |
| 2620 | Portfolio | 2 credits | GU |
| 2630 | Written Assignment | 2 credits | AF |
| 2640 | Project | 1.5 credits | GU |
The course will be graded A Excellent, B Very good, C Good, D Satisfactory, E Sufficient, FX Failed result, a little more work required, F Fail.
The examiner may carry out oral follow-up of written examinations.
The information before the start of the course states the assessment criteria and make explicit in which modes of examination that the learning outcomes are assessed.
An examiner can, after consulting the Disability Advisor at BTH, decide on a customized examination form for a student with a long-term disability to be provided with an examination equivalent to one given to a student who is not disabled.
7. Course evaluation
The course evaluation should be carried out in line with BTH:s course evaluation template and process.
8. Restrictions regarding degree
The course can form part of a degree but not together with another course the content of which completely or partly corresponds with the contents of this course.
9. Course literature and other materials of instruction
Scientific articles and industrial case materials will be shared during the course.