Enhancing Learning Influence with Product Development Simulation Game - PRODESIM

The importance of product development from a business point of view is both challenging to learn and teach in a university setting without the context of a real business environment. Turku University of Applied Sciences uses innovation pedagogy in its teaching practices, which on a practical level refers to an approach to learning and teaching that emphasizes working life skills. The automotive engineering and logistics degree program offers a course called Product development and Planning. In 2011 the course was altered to include teaching technology, a virtual environment where the product development skills obtained throughout the course are put into practice. Furthermore, the students are provided with an insight to the importance of the research and development activities in relation to profitability. The method applied was a product development simulation game called ProDesim.

Student feedback after the simulation aspect greatly supported the inclusion of a simulation based teaching approach. This paper presents the results of students’ feedback about the simulation game used during the Product development and Planning course. As a result of this encouraging feedback, the simulation game was included as a permanent part of the course from year 2012 onwards.

Proceedings of the 9th International CDIO Conference, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Cambridge, Massachusetts, June 9 – 13, 2013.