Description of the course
The course constitutes an introduction on IoT systems design. It builds knowledge and skills on designing an IoT system in a lab with a practical approach. Students develop hardware and software for a smart house. Design thinking is introduced in the analysis and definition of user requirements that lead to an innovative solution.
Description of the participants
This is a mandatory course in the Bachelor’s Program in Computer Engineering at International University. JVN researchers and lecturers were invited to present innovation building methods. The course was delivered in spring 2023 and was attended by 40 students.
Description of gamified design thinking activities
Students were required to design and develop an IoT system for a smart house. They developed an innovative user interface through which house inhabitantscan control diverse functions.
Students were divided into groups of 4 – 6 students and completed the course work in 6 sessions. Work was organized in the following ways:
Step 1. Defining context and basic requirements.
Students started their activities by engaging in team building exercises. They defined a team name and logo. Subsequently, they engaged in software application requirements analysis. To achieve this, students conducted interviews and engaged in brainstorming.
Step 2. Identifying must–have and nice-to-have features.
Students continued with requirements analysis by categorizing features in terms of how critical they are for customers. They engaged in immersion for insight generation and clarification of assumptions.
Step 3. Prototyping and modification.
Students developed a prototype IoT system based on the identified requirements. They used C or Python(r) programming languages to build a solution that demonstrated their ideas for the benefit of the class. Prototype presentations and follow-up discussions provided opportunities for students to better understand the course objectives.
