Course syllabus

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Course PM – 2025

 

Idea Evaluation 2025 (TEK219)

In Swedish: Idéutvärdering

 

160 hours (80 for LP3, 80 for LP4).

The course is offered by the department of Technology Management and Economics

 

Block B – Tuesday, Thursday EM(13 – 17); Fridays EM(13-15).

 

Examiner: Karen Williams Middleton (karen.williams@chalmers.se)

Additional primary teachers: Kristina Dobricic (dobricic@chalmers.se), Tobias Fredberg (tobias.fredberg@chalmers.se), Björn Frössevi; Christoffer Hermansson (chrihe@chalmers.se), Anna Holmberg Borkmann (anna.holmberg.borkmann@gu.se)

TECH: Kristina Hejdenberg Sedström (kristina.hejdenberg.sedstrom@chalmers.se);

CORP: Anna White (anna.white@chalmers.se)

Course Administrator: Carina Jogevik (carina.jogevik@chalmers.se)

 

Additional guest lecturers announced in the calendar/at sessions

Course Schedule

The course has a TimeEdit schedule block B, which has time allocations on Tuesdays 13-17 (academic quarter), Thursdays 13-17 (academic quarter), and Fridays 13-15 (academic quarter).  Exceptions are specific dates stated by Chalmers centrally on the academic year calendar schedule (ex. CHARM). The schedule for the course will be provided in TimeEdit with more specific details provided through the Canvas course page and calendar.  For example, specific schedules for presentations will be posted through Canvas.

Purpose

The aim of the course is to provide students with skills to prepare and conduct idea/project evaluations of early-stage entrepreneurial and innovative developments.  Idea and project development can occur independent of existing organizational structures or embedded within established organizations. All content provided has relevance to both contexts, though the utility of content may be both immediate, to the current case at hand, or for future use, such as the project work in the second year of MPBDP and beyond.  The course includes an EDI perspective, including a view on entrepreneurship as value creation, including not only economic, but also social and environmental value.  The course also will balance raising awareness of current normative space, for example operating within complex existing organizations and ecosystems, while also addressing means to enact change in or through these systems.

 

Only students who are admitted to the Entrepreneurship and Business Design program are qualified to take the course, due to the strong integration with the laboratory-based pedagogy of the program.

Learning outcomes

  1. Demonstrate knowledge and terminology about idea/project evaluation content and methodology
  2. Demonstrate developed skills in describing, analyzing and making decisions about an idea/project in regards to e.g. the artifact, the innovative and positional landscape, stakeholders, and contextual aspects
  3. Develop demonstrated skills in determining value visions around future areas of use, including customer, societal, business utility and potential.
  4. Develop demonstrated skills in formulating needs for further verification, including resource analysis, competence and regulatory requirements, and potential trade-offs
  5. Demonstrate ability to elaborate upon ethical as well as sustainable development aspects of idea/project evaluations, including how to relate professionally to different stakeholders in the entrepreneurial and innovative development process
  6. Demonstrate ability to teamwork on multiple levels, incorporating perspectives and motivations of engaged stakeholders
  7. Develop demonstrated skills in communication and presentation of idea/project feasibility and substantiation including academic communication.

Content

The course is structured around the components of the team and idea/project evaluation process with a special emphasis on sustainably framed entrepreneurial and innovative developments.

 

Themes dealt with include the following:

 

  • Framework for idea/project evaluation
  • Framework for collaboration
  • Evaluation mechanisms (sustainability, brand, technology)
  • Patent Innovation Engineering framework
  • Sustainable innovation and compliance
  • Scenario planning
  • Brand management
  • Impact investment
  • Relationship management and work dynamics
  • Stakeholder awareness and analysis
  • Competence requirements
  • Criteria development for decision making
  • Verification and reflective assessment of decisions

Organization

Part 1 (LP3): Team-based idea evaluation – tools and frameworks

Criteria for evaluating ideas build upon previous knowledge gained through the Business Creation Lab fall (LP 1 & 2). This includes, for example, TEVA, degunkification, freedom to operate, etc. as well as methodologies such as effectuation. These, and new evaluation criteria, such as sustainability analysis, patent innovation engineering, scenario planning, impact investment, etc. are used to position idea cases in a positive solution space, and present recommendation for next steps through a packaging approach.

 

Contextual analysis is conducted on ideas to raise awareness of the specific situated position in a technical university entrepreneurial ecosystem. This includes consideration of conceptual trade-offs relative to temporal and scale aspects of the developing innovation, as well as relational considerations in regards to associated regional actors (taking into account benefits, expectations, governance, constituents, compliance, etc.).

 

For the CORP-track, an additional perspective addressed is to consider how medium to large organizations’ work with internal and external ventures in relation to the core activities of the respective organization. For the TECH-track, an additional perspective addressed is the different path trajectories of university researchers. Ideas are evaluated through workshops, tool application, and presentation/feedback sessions.

 

Team dynamics are observed and evaluated to facilitate team development, including venture team formation. Additional emphasis on testing different roles and responsibilities in a embedded team setting prepares students for future project work. Groups cooperate through combined peer-team to peer-team constellations to observe and provide feedback on the ideas being evaluated as well as team process and dynamics, including gaining insight into own working methodology within a team.

 

Part 2* (LP4): Track specific evaluation processes:

Feedback and insights from tool application in LP3 are incorporated into the learning throughout LP4. For the CORP-track, tools and frameworks are to be iterated as the work continues on the cases initiated in LP3, with additional focused workshops and consultation; for the TECH-track, learning is applied to evaluation of the future Encubation cases and stakeholder assessment, with additional frameworks and scoping for due diligence.

 

CORP: Teams continue project work, with further deepening of knowledge towards the evaluated idea, connected to specialized workshops. Iterations give new insight into contextual aspects influencing the potential trajectories of the idea, as well as prioritized actions for best fit within the sponsor organization. Consultative feedback loops, either peer to peer or with faculty, are used to nuance the evaluation process and support learning. Teams present their final evaluation at the end of LP4, and deliver a recommendation report to the sponsor organization.

 

TECH: Teams evaluate ideas in order to select which will be incubated during the 2nd year of the masters program. Teams develop their own team specific evaluation criteria for decision making. Pre-vetted ideas are introduced in 30-to-45 minute sessions, where teams assess interest relative to own criteria. For each idea, one or two student teams will be responsible for organizing initial questions and constructive comments, as well as delivering a summarization of information and answers presented. Sessions are supported with consultations with incubator staff as well as around specific subject areas, such as brand management. Once all ideas are presented, teams determine and substantiate their preferences in written documentation. Once teams and ideas are matched, teams evaluate next steps in preparation for incubation year. NOTE: it is important to check-in with the canvas schedule on a regular basis, as presentation sessions and background material will be updated there relative to the in-flow of vetted ideas.  This is dynamic because of coordination with the idea providers' schedules relative to the course schedule.

 

Schedules are provided in Canvas.

*This section is subject to slight revision up to the 2 week period prior to LP4 start.

Examination (LP3)

General criteria for passing:

  • Pass on the case evaluation assignment (including oral presentation)
  • Pass on individual contribution report (as part of case evaluation)
  • Pass on the PIE assignment
  • Pass on the value proposition assignment
  • Pass on individual assignment (survey)
  • Participation in peer to peer sessions
  • Presence on mandatory scheduled events

 

The course is pass/fail.

 

For presentations, everyone in the team should be prepared to present upon request of the course leader (to assure proper integration and involvement of everyone in a team in the different presentation assignments).

Examination (LP4)

General criteria for passing:

  • Participation in peer to peer sessions
  • Presence on mandatory scheduled events
  • CORP: Pass on case evaluation assignment (including oral presentation)
  • TECH: Pass on idea evaluation criteria assignment
  • TECH: Pass on case preparation and summary for assigned case(s)

 

The course is pass/fail.

 

For presentations, everyone in the team should be prepared to present upon request of the course leader (to assure proper integration and involvement of everyone in a team in the different presentation assignments).

 

More specific information regarding LP4 deliverables will be provided latest 2 weeks prior to LP4 start.

Course Evaluation

The course will have several student course representative(s) for the TECH and CORP respectively. They act as eyes and ears of the student group and communicate with the course faculty. During and after the course they will participate in meetings with the faculty. Notes from these meetings will be published on canvas.

 

At the end of the course an online questionnaire will be sent out to all course participants. In order to have useful course feedback it is important that everyone respond to the questionnaire, and direct feedback relative to their specific track.

Course Development

The course has been expanded from 7,5 cr to 15 cr.  The main structure is similar to previous versions, but additional material has been incorporated to address critical perspectives regarding regulation and financing as well as explorative value visions.  Additional emphasis has also been placed on providing consultation support as the ideas are evaluated. 

Course literature

Alänge and Lundqvist (eds.) (2016) Sustainable Business Development, compendium Chalmers University of Technology, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg Sweden.

Dumont, G. (2024). Evaluating the Credibility of Entrepreneurs' Impact Promises in Early-Stage Impact Investing. Entrepreneurship Theory & Practice, online: 1-31.

Keller, K. L., Brexendorf, T. O., and Bayus, B. (2015). Understanding the interplay between brand and innovation management. Journal of the Acad. Marketing Science, Vol. 43:548–557

Keller, K. L. (1993) Conceptualizing, measuring, and managing customer-based brand equity, Journal of Marketing, Vol. 57(1) pg. 1

Petrusson, U. (2016) Research and Utilization. University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.

EDI Workshop material (provided through Canvas)

Sustainability Atlas

Additional literature provided on canvas.

Useful information: https://www.iprhelpdesk.eu/library  (ex. FAQ, Fact Sheets)

 

Contact information

For questions regarding the course please use canvas.

Schedule 2025 LP4

2025-03-25 13-17 LP4 Intro (Joint) & Workshop (TS) CORP: Teamwork     TECH: Idea Partner Profiles Vasa 7; Vasa 6 (15-16)
2025-03-27 13-17 Joint Workshop Relationship Management Vasa 7
2025-03-28 17:00 DELIVERABLE TECH: Evaluation Criterias  
2025-03-28 13-15 Track Specific Workshop CORP: Indivdiual Check-ins/Project work   TECH: Case Evaluation Criteria CORP KS32; TECH KS41
2025-04-01 13-17 Track Specific Workshop CORP: Individual Check-ins/project work   TECH: Presentation Idea    CORP Sal B; TECH Vasa 7
2025-04-03 13-17 Track Specific Workshop CORP: Individual Check-ins/project work   TECH: Presentation Idea    TECH: Vasa 7  
2025-04-04 13-15 Consultations   Vasa 6
2025-04-08 13-17 Track Specific Workshop CORP: Guest lecture Johanna Stämpfli TECH: Presentation Idea    CORP Sal B; TECH Vasa 7
2025-04-10 13-17 Track Specific Workshop CORP: Intro to Strategy and Structure  TECH: Presentation Idea    CORP: TBD TECH: Vasa 7  
2025-04-11 13-15 Brand Management case work   Vasa 6
    EASTER EASTER  
2025-04-24 13-17 Track Specific Workshop CORP: Organizational Development   TECH: Presentation Idea    CORP Sal B; TECH Vasa 7
2025-04-25 13-15 CORP half-way presentations   FL51
2025-04-29 16-18 Venture Launch   Veras Gräsmatta
2025-04-29 13-16 Track Specific Workshop CORP: Project work   TECH: Presentation Idea    TECH: Vasa 7
2025-05-01   LABOR DAY    
2025-05-02   Self Study day Self Study day  
2025-05-06 13-17 Track Specific Workshop CORP: Project Work                        TECH: Presentation Idea    Vasa 7
2025-05-08 13-17 Joint Workshop Sociotechnic CORP: Vasa 7
2025-05-13 13-17 Project work Project work Vasa 7  
2025-05-15 13-16 Brand Consultations Schedules  Vasa 7
2025-05-15 17:00 DELIVERABLE TECH: Project Matching Survey  
2025-05-16 13-15 Track Specific Workshop CORP: SGC Veras Gräsmatta
2025-05-20   Joint then Track Specific Workshop CORP: Team presentation TECH: Project distribution Vasa 6, VASA 7
2025-05-22   Track Specific Workshop CORP: Project work    TECH: Venture Talks Vasa 7
5/23/2025 13-15   TECH: Venture Talks  
2025-05-27 13-17 Joint Workshop   Vasa C
2025-05-28 8-12 and 13-17 Presentations CORP: Case presentations TECH: Venture pitches Vasa C
2025-05-29     Ascension Day - Holiday  
2025-05-31 17:00 DELIVERABLE    
  schedule Track Specific Workshop TECH: Team talks Special schedule
2025-06-03   CORP Partner Day    

 

 

KWM Karen Williams Middleton, lecturer, examiner                  

KD     Kristina Dobricic, lecturer, course assistant

TF      Tobias Fredberg, lecturer

BF     Björn Frössevi, lecturer

CH     Christoffer Hermansson, lecturer

AHB   Anna Holmberg Borkmann, lecturer

KHS   Kristina Hejdenberg Sedström, track coordinator TECH

AW    Anna White, track coordinator CORP

 

 

Course summary:

Date Details Due