2024 Faculty Courses School of Environment and Society Undergraduate major in Transdisciplinary Science and Engineering
System Design & Impact Assessment
- Academic unit or major
- Undergraduate major in Transdisciplinary Science and Engineering
- Instructor(s)
- Takehiko Murayama / Shigeo Nishikizawa / Kultip Suwanteep
- Class Format
- Exercise (Face-to-face)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 5-6 Thu
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- TSE.C204
- Number of credits
- 010
- Course offered
- 2024
- Offered quarter
- 3Q
- Syllabus updated
- Mar 17, 2025
- Language
- English
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
For applying science and engineering methods for resolution of social issues, it is important to design systems considering issues and needs, after quantifying the relevant merits, demerits and risks. It is also required to take into account decision-making and acceptance of various stakeholders such as beneficiary, regulation authorities and industries, design appropriate technologies and system. Students learn methodologies on system design and assessment in transdisciplinary science and engineering fields with specific cases.
Course description and aims
Students will be able to;
1) explain the concepts on sustainability, environmental loads, social acceptance of technologies, risk evaluation and management
2) acquire the ability to design and evaluate the above items which include quantitative approach
3) apply those methods to specific systems
Keywords
Sustainability, social acceptance, risk evaluation, communication
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
Mainly conducted on lecture and group-work bases.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | (Understanding of system/Design method) Characteristics of social system, relevant aspects to policies, and diversity of decision-making systems | understand overall structure of this class. |
| Class 2 | (Design method) Framework of assessment, the concept of evaluation, Evaluation in views of systems efficiency and effectiveness | understand how systems are dealt in this class, and arrange structured issues relevant to interesting systems. |
| Class 3 | (Assessment framework) procedure of systems analysis, Findings of issues, date collection, and structuring/ Design with alternative consideration (including participation method) | understand design method on alternatives and stakeholders involvement |
| Class 4 | (Specific aspect of assessment) Diversity of evaluation methods 2 (Environmental impact assessment, LCA etc) | understand viewpoints common in assessment methods |
| Class 5 | Exercise 1) Group-work for a social system: Findings of problems and issues | understand how to discuss on problems and issues for a specific system |
| Class 6 | Exercise 2) Group-work for a social system: Structuring of problems and issues/ Consideration of alternatives | understand problem structuring and how to consider alternatives. |
| Class 7 | Exercise 3) Group-work for a social system: Evaluation and selection of alternatives/ Presentation | understand evaluation of alternatives and selection of suitable ones, and make presentation. |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
will be provided the information during the course.
Reference books, course materials, etc.
will be provided the information during the course.
Evaluation methods and criteria
Students' score is based on evaluation of achievement for each class (40%), group presentation(30%) and final report (30%).
Related courses
- TSE.C202 ： System Design Project
- TSE.C203 ： Social Design Project
- ZUS.P301 ： Operating Systems
- TSE.C201 ： Introduction to Transdisciplinary Science and Engineering
Prerequisites
None required.