--- title: "Nine months of human-centred design." description: "How a SUGAR year works: four shared moments from October to June, who does what, the six-step method, and how students and universities join." url: "https://www.sugar-network.org/en/program/" lang: "en" --- # Nine months of human-centred design. A two-semester project course. Master students from business, design and engineering solve a partner's real challenge with field research, prototypes and user tests. ## One year, four moments Teams work on their brief all year. Four moments bring partners and the whole network together. - **Oct · Global Kick-Off** – End of October: the whole network meets at a partner university to start the year. - **Dec · Fall presentations** – Each university invites its corporate partners to the teams' first milestone. - **Mar · Winter presentations** – Three months on, partners return for their teams' second local milestone. - **Jun · SUGAR Expo** – In June, every team returns for a global showcase of final prototypes and proofs of concept. Glossary: Every week, a large group meeting (LGM) for input and reviews and a small group meeting (SGM) for coaching. ### The four moments in detail - **Oct:** To synchronise energies and gain momentum for the students and their corporate partner there is the Global Kick-Off held at one of our partner universities at the beginning of the 9-months journey. This is at the end of October. - **Dec:** Additional, each university organizes milestone presentations (fall & winter) to provide opportunities for feedback and discussions. - **Mar:** Every 3 months after the Global Kick-Off locally, the SUGAR universities invite their current corporate partner to join the presentation of their teams. - **Jun:** While in June, which is the end of the SUGAR year, all the project teams come back together for a global showcase of the finalised prototypes or proof of concepts. ### All 27 meetings, week by week - LGM 00: Interview Session (Paper bike · warm-up) - LGM 01: Introduction to Design Thinking (Paper bike · warm-up) - LGM 02: Kick-Off Paper Bike (Paper bike · warm-up) - LGM 03: Paperbike Launch (Paper bike · warm-up) - LGM 04: First Review of Paperbike (Paper bike · warm-up) - LGM 05: Final Paperbike AND Challenge Launch (Paper bike · warm-up) - LGM 06: Needfinding: Design Space Exploration (Design space exploration) - LGM 07: Deep dive Interview + Synthesis (Design space exploration) - LGM 08: Ideation + Silicon Valley Experience (Design space exploration) - LGM 09: Design Space Exploration Presentation + Personal Input (Design space exploration) - LGM 10: Critical Function and Critical Experience Prototyping (Critical function & experience) - LGM 11: Rehearsals for Fall Presentations (Critical function & experience) - LGM 12: Testing Input and Research Plan (Critical function & experience) - LGM 13: Dark Horse Kick Off (Dark horse) - LGM 14: Dark Horse Week 1 (Dark horse) - LGM 15: Dark Horse Week 2 (Dark horse) - LGM 16: Funky Prototype Launch (Funky prototype) - LGM 17: Funky Week 2 (Funky prototype) - LGM 18: Funky Prototype Presentation (Funky prototype) - LGM 19: Functional Prototype Kick Off (Functional prototype) - LGM 20: Functional Week 2 + Technical Implementation Input (Functional prototype) - LGM 21: Rehearsal Winter presentation (Functional prototype) - LGM 22: Part-X Prototype Kick Off (Part-X · hunting plan) - LGM 23: Hunting Plan (Part-X · hunting plan) - LGM 24: Video making and UX / UI design (Part-X · hunting plan) - LGM 25: Shark tank (Part-X · hunting plan) - LGM 26: Final prototype Kick Off (Final prototype) [Next dates](https://www.sugar-network.org/en/events/) ## Who does what Students, coaches and a corporate partner: three roles run every SUGAR team. - **Students build** – Typically six to eight master students per team. Teams from different universities, usually across countries. - **Coaches challenge** – Two coaches give every team feedback each week, plus input in the weekly LGM. - **Partners decide** – The corporate partner sets the problem statement and meets the team at each milestone. [Partner with us](https://www.sugar-network.org/en/partner-with-us/) ## The method: six steps, repeated Teams run the cycle again and again, each time closer to what users actually need. 1. **(Re)define the challenge** – Turn a wicked problem into one clear, open question with the partner. Good ideas come from good questions! Design thinking methodology applies for wicked problems, where neither the solution nor the path to get there are clear or visible. By defining a clear challenge we enable students and partners to work on real life problems and tackle their most wicked problems. 2. **Needfinding** – Interview and observe users in the field to find direct and indirect needs. In the needfinding phase we focus on early identification of direct and indirect customer needs. Design Thinking applies interviewing, observation and engaging techniques to explore the customer and stakeholder space. Insights and concrete observations from fieldwork are the results and therefore the requirements for a proper ideation phase. 3. **Synthesis** – Structure interviews and observations, then use frameworks to spot patterns and insights. The objectives of the synthesis phase are manifold: first, structuring interviews and observation. Second, analyzing the content and results. Third, applying frameworks in order to identify patterns and new insights. This phases’ output are condensed and compressed results and insights. Both give directions for the ideation and brainstorming phase. 4. **Ideation** – Go wide: generate many diverse ideas and build on each other's thinking. The ideation phase represents the process of “going wide” which enables to explore a broad solution space. Brainstorming and other creativity methods are used to generate a large quantity of diverse ideas. A strong focus lies on listening and building on each other’s ideas to leverage collective thinking. 5. **Prototyping** – Build hands-on prototypes so users can test ideas as early as possible. Prototyping is hands-on and therefore make ideas real and tangible. The goal is to make ideas and concepts as soon as possible testable for customers and other stakeholders. Furthermore, it helps to communicate ideas in the team and the company. 6. **Testing** – Test with users and stakeholders again and again, so failures show early. Permanent testing of ideas and prototypes with customers, users and other stakeholders. Testing helps to fail in early project stages and to involve the customer in your own ideation process. This phase is known for its steep learning curve for successful elements and early identification of failures. ### Why design thinking? It puts desirability next to feasibility and viability, so customers and users really want what gets built. ## One way in: your university You can't apply to SUGAR directly. You join through the SUGAR course at your member university. [Find your university](https://www.sugar-network.org/en/network/#universities) ### What they built - [BlueCore AI](https://www.sugar-network.org/en/projects/bluecore-ai-2025-26/) – Deep Blue Foundation (2025/26) - [Custhome](https://www.sugar-network.org/en/projects/custhome-2025-26/) – Deep Blue Foundation (2025/26) - [EGILA](https://www.sugar-network.org/en/projects/egila-2025-26/) – SAP (2025/26) - [Some teams founded a startup](https://www.sugar-network.org/en/partner-with-us/#startups) - [Is your university not a member yet?](https://www.sugar-network.org/en/program/#universities) ## Teach the course at your university Experienced members onboard you, with academic and organisational support through the full course. Ask about onboarding: contact@sugar-network.org How a course runs and what it takes, in two short videos. [Watch the videos](https://www.sugar-network.org/en/about/#video-tomas-gamboa) Bringing a brief as a company? [Partner with us](https://www.sugar-network.org/en/partner-with-us/)