Studying Interdisciplinary Product Innovation and Creation as a Product Designer
After 4 years of designing digital products, I’ve seen for myself how much difference a great Product Manager can make. Working with exceptional PMs, I noticed they had a rock-solid foundation in business, tech, UX, and people skills - the areas I knew I needed to improve in. I decided it was time to level up my own expertise, so hopefully someday I’ll be like them.
Why this master's programme
Living in the Nordics has always been my dream.
That got me interested in exploring Master’s programmes in Nordics. I compared the best options, and the Interdisciplinary Product Innovation and Creation (IPIC) programme at the University of Oulu immediately became my top choice, and here is why:
- It’s in Oulu, a major tech city in Finland. Turns out, I didn't just pick a nice Nordic city; I picked a Northern European tech city. Oulu is a genuine hub for wireless and digital technology, with a lot of startup companies, and also excellent universities.
- A curriculum that matches my goals. This program is a perfect fit. I was really excited to see that the courses are so practical and built around real-world projects, even including months of hands-on work with real companies.
- Internships and company collaborations. A huge plus is that the mandatory courses include real work with companies. This isn't just a paid job; it's a massive chance to build connections, work on impactful products, and boost my CV.
With all that, how could I not apply to this programme? 😆 I was really hoping to get accepted!
First impressions
As I’m finishing my second period in the programme, here are some of my first impressions:
A great place to grow.
The environment here supports us in reaching our fullest potential. Teachers encourage meaningful discussions, invite guest lecturers to share their real-world insights, and create a culture of sharing feedback with one another. Sometimes, they even let us step in as keynote speakers during their lectures.
Exploring many interdisciplinary fields.
Creating an outstanding product means looking at it from many perspectives. This program encourages us to think out of the box and connects us with students and experts from different fields.
Learning to find the “why” and back it up for a strong reason.
In one course, Product Development, the teacher impressed me a lot with a discussion about comparing between “Solving Problems” and “Understanding User Needs”.
This is a never-ending debate in the UX field, and I personally prefer the second one. The teacher gave us a case study and asked us to analyze which approach was better and to find the reasoning behind it.
In the end, we all agreed that “Understanding User Needs” is the stronger approach because it allows us to capture the real needs and discover multiple problems, not just one.
As a product designer with experience building many digital products, I believe the beginning of this programme has already sharpened my skills, expanded my network, and prepared me to make impact in the industry, whether in product design role or product management role, in Finland or anywhere in the world.
To be honest, I’m really grateful for the surroundings of this kind of environment.
For product designers and product enthusiasts, this programme is the opportunity you’ve been waiting for. Jump in and make it yours; we are waiting for you guys! 😁
About the author
Halo, Afif from Indonesia here! I'm outdoorsy. Running, cycling, and swimming in Oulu’s nature feels absolutely addicted to me. I’m also a night owl and can’t skip hunting for the aurora whenever it’s dancing in the sky!