Course syllabus

Course-PM

TRA535 TRA535 Ideation for health tech lp1 HT26 (7.5 hp)

Course is offered by the department of Tracks

Contact details

Course purpose

The aim of the course is to develop skills in so-called called needs finding and ideation in health tech. More precisely, by observing and interacting at a given clinical environment at the Sahlgrenska University Hospital, formulating, by well-tuned brainstorming meetings and interacting with the stake holders at the hospital and generate a substantial list of clinical needs. That list will then be scrutinised, in an equally well tuned filtering process, after some iterations, down to ideally one need for each group. That need will be the concrete end-delivery.

Signature
This form (in Swedish) needs to be sign at the first lecture of each student in order to be able to observe procedures at the dermatology clinic.

Schedule

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The schedule of the course

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Day, time, place

Activity and content

Teachers

Guest

1

31/8, 13.15-17, TP-L22, Teknikparken

Presentation of the course, the literature, the teachers, the Biodesign process, and each other. Jenny and Johan will describe the IoT-part, including its history and vision. The student contract will be presented and distributed. Oliver and Torbjörn will run the show after that.

Torbjörn,
Peter, Jenny, Johan, Hana, ...

Oliver Aalami, (Vishnu, Aydin) digitally

2

1/9, 8-11.45, Sahlgrenska, Hjärtats aula, 5 at this map.

Some social activities to get to know each other, 8-8:45
The Innovation process of VGR, 8:45-11:00.
Discussions in groups, 11-11:45

Jenny Fjärding, Johan Olsson
Sandra Olsson

 

3

2/9, 8-12:00, Sahlgrenska, Lagerbladet

Service design in the public sector and needs analysis (Lecture by VGR/Sahlgrenska)

IMG_0050.jpeg, IMG_0054.jpeg, IMG_0057.jpeg

Ann Forsman Sjöberg, Rosanna Hansenäs, Jenny Fjärding

 

4

3/9, 7.45-11.45, Dermatology clinic, Sahlgrenska

Meeting point: Entrance, Gröna Stråket 16.

Any problems? Call Ebba: +46733166884

 

 

Ebba Wennberg

 

5

no activity

 

6

7/9, 13.15-15,  FUSE-lecture, SB3-L113

Crash course dermatology, Brainstorming basics revisited.

Ebba Wennberg, Torbjörn
Peter, 

 

7

7/9, 15.15-17, FUSE-groups, SB3-G54,55,56

Introduction, including safety, to the new space for quick prototyping at FUSE. Prototyping the need. 

Torbjörn 

Henrik Hörlin @FUSE 

8

10/9, 7.45-12, Sahlgrenska - hudkliniken

Meeting point: Entrance, Gröna Stråket 16

Needs analysis

Ebba

 

9

14/9, 13.15-17, FUSE-groups SB3-G54,55,56

Needs-finding (absurdly many)

Torbjörn Peter, Hana, Martin

 

10

17/9, 8.00-10, FUSE lecture, SB3-L113

Needs-screening

Torbjörn Peter, Hana, Martin

 

11

17/9, 10.00-12, FUSE-groups, SB3-G54,55,56

Needs-screening

Torbjörn Peter, Hana, Martin

 

12

21/9 13-17, FUSE-groups, SB3-L113, S37, S53, with the IoT-students

Chalmers students report and get feed-back from IoT-students. feedback on needs-analysis, and needs-screening. More iterations. And a Need-statement formulation.
Last hour will be dedicated to social activities to get to know each other better. That will seamless turn into an AW at the close by student union pub, JA Pripps, afterwards for those who want to join. (alco-free alternatives are of course encouraged) 

Torbjörn Peter, Hana, Martin

 

Ann, Jenny

 

13

24/9, 8-12, FUSE-lecture SB3-L113, with the IoT-students

MDR and other important regulatory processes. Lecture by VGR/Sahlgrenska

Ann Forsman Sjöberg, Jenny Fjärding; Torbjörn present

 

14

28/9, 13-17, FUSE-groups, SB3-G54,55,56

Visit to MHC's operating room at GoCo in Mölndal 

Torbjörn, Peter

 

15

1/10, 8-10, FUSE-lecture, SB3-L113

IP-introduction

Torbjörn

Urban Lind (Patent Attorney)

16

1/10, 10-12, FUSE-groups SB3-G54,55,56

Pre-prototype ideation brainstorming

Torbjörn

 

17

5/10, 13-17, FUSE-groups SB3-G54,55,56

Iterations

Torbjörn

Special guest: Cecilia Hahn-Berg, Strategist Life Science at Sahlgrenska 

18

8/10, 8-12, FUSE-groups SB3-G54,55,56

Visit to MHC's operating room at GoCo in Mölndal 

Torbjörn Peter,

 

19

12/10, 13-17, SB3-L113

War stories

Torbjörn

 

Lars Mattsson, SVP Enterprise Development at Getinge

Andreas Phager (Medfield & E2)

Bengt Bern (Innovator)

Hana 

20

15/10, Sahlgrenska dermatology, 8-11.45

Needs finding presentation and a second look

 Ebba (Torbjörn)

 

21

19/10, 13-17, FUSE SB3-L113, S37, S53

"User test" - preparation together with IoT students before Friday

Torbjörn Peter, Hana, Martin, Ann, Jenny

 

22

22/10, 8-12, Sahlgrenska, Stammen

Presentation for stake holders at Sahlgrenska, with the IoT-students

Ann Forsman Sjöberg, Jenny Fjärding, Torbjörn Peter, Hana, Martin

 

23

29/10, 8-12, FUSE-final presentation, Kemi-L42, with the IoT-students

Ideation Presentation at FUSE on the ideation process, alternative needs, why the final need was chosen and ideas how to (hypothetically) technically attack the chosen need

Torbjörn Peter, Hana, Martin, Ann Forsman Sjöberg, Jenny Fjärding

Oliver Aalami, physically or digitally

 

Course literature

The main reference literature will be:

  1. Biodesign: The Process of Innovating Medical Technologies, 2nd edition, Zenios et al, 2015. (This book will also be provided on loan in one copy for each group from TRACKS.)

  2. Hidden WOMBAT: How Executives Innovate Without the Waste of Money, Brains, and Time, Kinsella and Barlett, 2023. (Unfortunately, STORE could not get it.)

On top of that, the teaching team will provide relevant digital literature and links when suitable.

Course design

We will address concept such as: design thinking; the biodesign method, a given medical area such as dermatology, or orthopaedics, for example; fundamentals of intellectual properties; and medtech regulation frameworks; health economics, ethical principles for medical treatment; innovation strategies; brain storming techniques; prototype manufacturing in silico and in vitro.

The organisation is unique in the sense that it is a tight collaboration with a clinical specialist program called Innovation and Technology given at Sahlgrenska. Those students will have a special role in each group both being a proper member but also as a link to the hospital as an "interpreter" and "stakeholder". In addition, we will also take advantage of our close interaction with the Biodesign program at Stanford with their long-time developed strategy and philosophy, including specific exercises and processes.

Learning objectives and syllabus

Learning objectives:

    • critically and creatively identify and/or formulate advanced architectural or engineering problems
    • lead and participate in the development of new products, processes and systems using a holistic approach by following a design process and/or a systematic development process
    • work in multidisciplinary teams and collaborate in teams with different compositions
    • orally and in writing explain and discuss information, problems, methods, design/development processes and solutions.

with special focus on:

  • discuss insightful the general health area of interest chosen by teaching team (that is supposed to differ each year) from a: biological-, health-, clinical-, logistical, and health economic-perspective
  • critically observe and comment a clinical environment including its processes
  • lead constructive brain-storming activities
  • lead effective filtering processes in order to find the "best" need or idea among in set of candidates.

 

Link to the syllabus on Studieportalen:

https://www.chalmers.se/en/education/your-studies/find-course-and-programme-syllabi/course-syllabus/TRA535/?acYear=2026/2027

Examination form

Each group will be evaluated with respect to their:

  • total need list, including its motivation
  • the final need statement, including its motivation
  • their suggested solution path, including its arguments
  • their final preliminary prototype (physical or digital)
  • their written report of the work, conclusion and suggested future path
  • their two oral final presentations, both at Sahlgrenska, for the stakeholders, and at Chalmers.

In addition, individual grades will be given in an analogous way as the bachelor thesis' grades are individualised.

The course examiner may assess individual students in other ways than what is stated above if there are special reasons for doing so, for example if a student has a decision from Chalmers about disability study support.

Course summary:

Course Summary
Date Details Due