• Describe and classify strategies for using social media to develop a start-up relevant to a given project
• Describe and develop co-creation capabilities mentioned in the course literature
• Identify possibilities for creating quick and inexpensive prototypes/minimum viable products to test and evaluate ideas
• Identify and evaluate methods for community building and management mentioned in the course literature and show ability to apply these to praxis
• Demonstrate the above through analysis of the engagement in a project centred on the digital platform YouTube

Course content and structure

In this course, we investigate the process of community building, both internally in the organization and externally among customers and other stakeholders, ecosystem development and user-involvement as growth strategies. During the course we also advance the necessary skills related to co-creation and to identifying possibilities for generating value for groups of people.  We learn to translate knowledge of these processes into practice by applying them to the development of a YouTube channel and other online platforms.

Because the cost of creating and testing a new YouTube channel is low, working with YouTube offers a unique opportunity for students to gain practical experience with innovation processes involving quick, iterative prototyping and co-creation. Because YouTube is inherently a community-based platform, working with YouTube also offers students an opportunity to gain practical experience with community building and user involvement. Creators of YouTube channels, such as, Crashcourse, Epic Rap Battles of History, Good Mythical Morning, and Will It Blend?, have achieved both fame and economical success by creating novel entertainment or educational concepts and by building a community around their products.

The course will unfold over six weeks, with 4- to 5-hour sessions meeting once a week. After being introduced to relevant business models and to co-creation skills, students will form teams and engage in processes of user involvement and ecosystem expansion. Using different approaches to community building, they will develop their brand and product over time, refining their business model in relation to their growing community.

The course is well suited for students who do their internship at Copenhagen School of Entrepreneurship (CSE) but can be attended by all.

The Studio, the team studio or the new second floor between these two would be the best room for this course. Other rooms will work as well - as long as it is not a lecture hall where students cannot move their chairs. 

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