The application context

The application context of the POPBL methodology within the Engineering Faculty of Mondragon University and in the field of prototyping has been focused on the Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering in Industrial Organisations. Concretely, on the POPBL 6, which aim is to analyse the technical and economic viability of a potential business opportunity; developing its prototype. Therefore, the project is based on three phases, which correspond to three major milestones arises:

 Defining the problem; the aim is to limit the problem, the market, competition rules, etc.

 Finding the solution; the aim is to define different approaches / alternatives to solve the problem objectively selecting one with which he will continue.

 Solution approach; the aim of this latest milestone is to carry out the selected solution, defining the expected results and developing the prototype.

In addition, there are 7 different subjects involved within the POPBL and specific learning outcomes are established for each subject (see Table 3). It is worth to be highlighted the last subject called POPBL, since this is not a real subject. Actually, this subject is used in order to measure the transversal skill acquired within the project, such as: the final report format, the prototype and the final presentation.

Table 3 Subjects involved in the POPBL 6 and its consecutive learning outcomes

Subject Learning outcomes

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Plan, organise and manage projects.

Know the basic problem of new product launches and identify appropriate performance modes for proper planning and management.

MARKETING Develop a marketing plan. ECONOMIC

ENGINEERING

Perform the approach of an investment project and develop its economic and financial evaluation.

INFORMATION SYSTEMS

Recognize the potential of Information Systems / Information Technology and Communications for the management of a company.

Integrating Information Systems / Information Technology and Communications assets in the enterprise architecture.

PEOPLE MANAGEMENT

Identify the main characteristics of the culture of a company in order to adapt and improve strategies and tools for an appropriate organization and management

CREATIVITY Identify business opportunities from key societal challenges for the medium / _{long term.} POPBL Use a methodology to solve a complex problem (know, understand and apply)

and collect it in a document.

3.2 The didactic method

relevant for them, since they work on real world’s situations and problems. Therefore, as well as turning knowledge acquired from the classroom into useful knowledge for solving the POPBL, they have to search for information in order to solve these real problems and generate their own deep knowledge so as to transfer to other areas.

In addition, the context through which the projects are developed allows the students to develop “three core competences”: i) technical skills that will help students on their future technical daily duties; ii) methodological knowledge focused on project planning and development; and finally, iii) “soft skills” in order to improve their integration at work, team working with colleges and customers, effective communication, problem solving, creativity, etc.

Regarding the different stages of the POPBL, Figure shows the sequence of the phases for its conception.

One of the key factors for the success of a POPBL approach is to connect it as much as possible to the real world, developing a scenario that simulate a real world situation. Concretely, regarding the Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering in Industrial Organisations all POPBL are defined by teachers. Thus, in order to be the closest possible to the real word the third course of the Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering in Industrial Organisations as established the prototyping as a core element of the POPBL. During the POPBL students might build a physical prototype so as to test assumptions on which the proposed solution has been built. In addition, the prototype works as a tool to integrate experiential learning (Nuldén & Scheepers, 1999) and move the industrial reality closer to the classroom.

It has to be highlighted that among the different types of prototypes (see Table ), students has worked on developing a visual, proof and presentation prototype. They were not able to a pre-production prototype. In addition, all this prototyping is “lean orientated” in order to achieve cost-efficient and accurate enough prediction of the solution proposed.

Table 1 Types of Prototypes

Types of Prototypes Description

Visual prototype This type of prototype conveys the overall shape and size of the product but _{does not usually prove the function of the idea.} Proof of concept prototype

A prototype that demonstrates the main functionality of the idea. This type of prototype will probably make use of ‘off the shelf’ components and is unlikely to look like the final product.

Presentation prototype This type of prototype combines the functionality of the product with the _{overall appearance.} Pre-Production prototype This type of prototype builds on the work of a presentation prototype by fully _{considering mass production manufacturing methods and production.} Figure 1 Activities done through the POPBL process, adapted from Val, Zubizarreta, and Justel (2006)

3.3 The agents

Agents involved in the application of this new approach are both, teachers and students. Besides, it has to be highlighted that the role adopted by teachers has several aspects:

 First of all, each subjects’ teachers develop their traditional role of educators transmitting the course contents through lectures. In these classes, students are provided with the basic theoretical knowledge of each discipline, to serve them as a basis for the project.

 In addition, these teachers are experts of these subjects and students can turn to them when they need technical support. The amount of time that each team of students can consume with each teacher- expert is limited to a predetermined amount at the beginning of the project. Project teams, if they wish to be treated, are required to request a meeting with the expert-teacher attaching an agenda of that meeting.

 Finally, teachers also take on the role of tutor. A tutor to each project team is assigned whose function is to guide students throughout the project, staying out of the technical difficulties. As mentioned above, these technical difficulties must be resolved with each subject-expert teacher.

Due to the change in the teachers’ role, students must behave differently from the traditional way. On one hand, the lectures provide them with the theoretical basis needed to carry out the project will serve to develop their knowledge about it; and on the other hand, each team has a tutor whose main role is to provide students with the necessary tools. Finally, the technical difficulties that arise during the project are solved with the help of the expert-teacher.