The Course: in brief

The Professional Master in Design Thinking and Innovation Management is intended to train professionals within the scope of the current innovation, sustainability, integrated mobility and digital services transformations, and their related production contexts. Through theoretical and project-based contents, meetings with industry professionals, and thanks to the valuable collaboration with ROAD - Rome Advanced District, the first technological innovation district for energy transition in Italy's Capital city, the students will acquire specialised skills in design thinking, innovation management, strategic communication and marketing.

Learning Objectives

To acquire design thinking skills with design as a mindset, and as a model for circular economy, keeping in mind innovation and creativity as pivotal points in order to develop products or processes that respond to complex external requirements.
 
To design integrated campaigns on digital platforms through the development of a strategic communication plan, also taking into account ethical issues linked to the use of AI as a communication medium.
 
To understand and manage the potential of innovation processes within complex organisations, exploring their different stages with an experimental and systemic approach.

Study Plan

PHASE 1 – Design Thinking

The first part of the didactic path focuses on the idea of design thinking and the acquisition of an analytical and design methodology, including both a systemic vision and a creative approach. The students will focus on the key phases of the process such as understanding the needs, conceiving creative ideas, experimenting and producing prototypes to interpret the new operational evolutions of companies and address the challenges of sustainability and ecological transition. Moreover, the course will offer an introduction to the technical, ethical and creative aspects of the possible impact that AI can have in transforming cities and their inhabitants' lives, also addressing the issue of the virtual replication of physical objects and real-world systems.

 

PHASE 2 – Innovation Management

In the second phase of the Professional Master's Course, the students will study the different activities related to the planning and implementation of project initiatives, thanks to the acquisition of theoretical tools combined with practical work and case studies. Both the analytical and creative dimensions of the different design phases of innovative products or services, from their conception to their launch on the market, will be investigated, together with the impact of the projects in transforming the lives of individuals, cities and societies. This phase is characterised by a deeply practical and laboratory-based approach. The students will also acquire the necessary strategies for the development of a brand identity through market analysis, understanding of the competition, mission and vision, hence establishing a solid basis for brand communication. At the end of this phase, an intensive workshop will take place in a Design Marathon format, where students will have the opportunity to devise projects starting from a real brief proposed by companies within the ROAD network.

 

PHASE 3 – Strategic communication and marketing

The last part of the educational path will address the fundamentals of communication, providing practical tools to create strong visual and digital content and focusing on the new challenges of digital and multichannel communication. Through the testimony of experts, case studies and practical work, the students will delve into how branded content is created, distributed and transformed, also analysing the activities related to the creation of digital products, today essential for both large companies and innovative start-ups. As a completion of the course, the students will present a paper explainin

Department: Design and Applied Arts

Area: Communication and Graphic Design

Duration: 4 months

Language: Italian

Campus: Rome

Formula: Hybrid Part Time

Our Faculty

Design and Applied Arts Department Head

Luca Poncellini

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Design and Applied Arts Department Head

Luca Poncellini

Luca Poncellini is an architect and a designer with a PhD in the History of Architecture and City Planning. As a partner in the architecture office Cliostraat until 2009, he has curated projects and has lectured in Italy and in several countries throughout the world. His works  have been exhibited at the Venice Biennale, at the Van Alen Institute in New York, at ETH in Zürich, at MAGA in Gallarate and at Triennale Milano. In 2008 he co-curated the retrospective exhibition Laszlo Hudec, in collaboration with the Hungarian Consulate in Shanghai. Since 2013 he has been the Course Leader of the MA in Interior Design. Between 2015 and 2019 directed the research lab and the project C-Park. Since 2019 he has been Design and Applied Arts Department Head.

Communication and Graphic Design Area Leader

Patrizia Moschella

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Communication and Graphic Design Area Leader

Patrizia Moschella

Sociologist of Cultural Processes, she graduated at Università Statale di Milano and has a PhD in Philosophy of Knowledge from the Planetary Collegium, Plymouth University (UK). She has collaborated with international research institutes (Università Statale di Milano, Eurisko, Doxa, RQ Qualitative Research, Synergia) and she participate in several interdisciplinary and interuniversity platforms for socio-cultural communication projects in collaboration with associations and institutions (Libera, Assessorato alle politiche sociali di Milano). Among her most recent publications: “Genealogia e Università. Profezia, Scenario, Utopia”, in A. Bianchi, G. Leghissa (edited by), Mondi altri (Mimesis, 2016). She has collaborated since 2004 with NABA, where she directs the Communication and Graphic Design Area and the BA in Graphic Design and Art, and she teaches Methodology of Research, Sociology of Cultural Processes and Future Scenarios (Brand Design specialisation).

NABA Communication and Graphic Design Advisor

Angelo Colella

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NABA Communication and Graphic Design Advisor

Angelo Colella

Graphic and Type Designer, he worked on art and design exhibitions with Gianni Colombo, Emilio Isgrò, Lucio Del Pezzo, Gabriele Basilico, Marcello Morandini, and Christoph Broadbent. He designed and coordinated brand identity for many companies as Fiam Italia, Gualtiero Marchesi, Société Genéralé, PPG Univer, Archema, Poliform, he also was the responsible of the Prague International Marathon image and Czech Federation Basketball image. He worked as Creative Design Director for important international companies as Publicis, Republic Lab, Ebs Design, Arnold World Wide (Havas Group), Milano AD (Carpe Diem Group). He is associated with ADI PDA and Type Director Club of New York. He collaborated with NABA since the Academy foundation, at first as lecturer of Graphic Design, then as Director of Communication and Graphic Design Department.

Professional Master in Design Thinking and Innovation Management Course Leader

Marco Guarna

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Professional Master in Design Thinking and Innovation Management Course Leader

Marco Guarna

Trained at INSEAD Paris, IMD Lausanne and HYPERISLAND Stockholm, Marco served as c.e.o. of EURO-ENGINEERING Italia, managing partner of DIGITAL MAGICS, the leading Italian startup incubator, and managing director of «magic wand – sustainability», the acceleration program for impact startups. Marco is currently a contract professor of   "Entrepreneurship & new ventures finance, cases and applications", at the Management Department of LA SAPIENZA University, in Rome. He is also the co-founder of DIATOMEA, the independent research center for sustainability and social impact.

Career Services

Il servizio Career Service & Industry Relations offre ai propri studenti un supporto e una guida nel passaggio dall’Accademia al contesto lavorativo: li accompagna nello sviluppo di strumenti utili all’autopromozione professionale e li segue nelle prime esperienze di contatto con il mondo del lavoro.

L’ufficio si occupa di sviluppare relazioni con le aziende per attivare convenzioni di stage, offerte di lavoro, progetti di interazione tra studenti e impresa fornendo un servizio continuativo di informazione e orientamento per tutte le attività legate alla carriera professionale.

Companies and institutions placement

NABA has developed strong relationships with leading companies which provide internships for NABA students.

Kick-off your career. Among the career opportunities:

  • Service designer

     

  • Sustainability manager

     

  • Circular economy manager

     

  • Innovation manager

     

  • ESG specialist

     

  • Communication and sustainability specialist

     

  • Corporate communication specialist