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Unit of study_

DECO4200: Advanced Project Design Studio

Semester 2, 2023 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

This studio offers a context for students to apply design, technical and creative methods to the production of high-quality group work, with a strong focus on the development of high-impact portfolios. The studio allows students from the advanced studies stream to apply methods and principles of human-centred design in the context of new product development, and to engage with new technologies for interactive product design. Assignments will take the form of domain-specific group projects, allowing students to develop proficiency in the area of design most relevant to individual students. The unit will provide students with the skills to investigate and integrate advanced technologies into the design of objects with embedded information content and interactivity.

Unit details and rules

Unit code DECO4200
Academic unit Design Lab
Credit points 12
Prohibitions
? 
DECO3200
Prerequisites
? 
DECO1012 and DECO2200
Corequisites
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

No

Teaching staff

Coordinator Callum Parker, callum.parker@sydney.edu.au
Tutor(s) Dawei Zhou, dawei.zhou@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Assignment Final prototype and documentation
Prototype, report, and video
35% STUVAC
Due date: 10 Nov 2023 at 23:59
Multiple Deliverables
Outcomes assessed: LO2 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Assignment Concept Proposal and presentation
Proposal
20% Week 05
Due date: 28 Aug 2023 at 23:59
30 Pages
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO7
Presentation User Testing Fair
User testing fair
15% Week 08
Due date: 20 Sep 2023 at 23:59
During Week 8 tutorial and studio
Outcomes assessed: LO2 LO7 LO5 LO4
Assignment Mid-Semester report
Prototype and report
30% Week 09
Due date: 02 Oct 2023 at 23:59
40 Pages
Outcomes assessed: LO2 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7

Assessment summary

  • Concept Proposal: A mix of primary and secondary research will be conducted to explore the problem outlined in the design brief. Students need to form groups and create a concept proposal document.
  • Mid-semester testing report​: The primary aim of this assessment is to develop your prototyping and user evaluation skills. Building on Assessment 1, each group will follow an iterative process to explore and develop their design concept into a working prototype. The outcomes of this phase are the results from a series of experiments, prototypes and user evaluations.
  • Final prototype and documentation​: Building on findings from the previous phase, in this phase students need to finalise their prototype and create documentation to accompany it. Students are encouraged to continue iterating and improving their design in this phase.
  • User Testing Fair: This is an in-class session where each team sets up their latest prototype and invites their peers, mentors and tutors to participate in user testing. It is an opportunity to gather user evaluation data. Students will need to have a test protocol ready.

 

Detailed information for each assessment item can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

Work of outstanding quality, demonstrating mastery of the learning outcomes assessed. The work shows significant innovation, experimentation, critical analysis, synthesis, insight, creativity, and/or exceptional skill.

Distinction

75 - 84

Work of excellent quality, demonstrating a sound grasp of the learning outcomes assessed. The work shows innovation, experimentation, critical analysis, synthesis, insight, creativity, and/or superior skill.

Credit

65 - 74

Work of good quality, demonstrating more than satisfactory achievement of the learning outcomes assessed, or work of excellent quality for a majority of the learning outcomes assessed.

Pass

50 - 64

Work demonstrating satisfactory achievement of the learning outcomes assessed.

Fail

0 - 49

Work that does not demonstrate satisfactory achievement of one or more of the learning outcomes assessed.

For more information see sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website  provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.  

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 Studio Time Studio (3 hr) LO3 LO4 LO7
Welcome and Introduction to Brief Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Introduction Tutorial (2 hr)  
Week 02 Studio Time Studio (3 hr) LO3 LO4 LO7
Case Study - Conceptualising Problems Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO3
Group Forming/Research Planning Tutorial (2 hr) LO1 LO7
Week 03 Studio Time Studio (3 hr) LO3 LO4 LO7
Creating Tangible Research Outcomes Lecture (1 hr) LO4 LO5
Advanced Data Collection Tutorial (2 hr) LO1 LO5
Week 04 Studio Time Studio (3 hr) LO3 LO4 LO7
Case Study - Accessibility Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO5
Reframing your Problem Tutorial (2 hr) LO1
Week 05 Studio Time Studio (3 hr) LO3 LO4 LO7
A1 Presentations Tutorial (2 hr) LO7
Week 06 Studio Time Studio (3 hr) LO3 LO4 LO7
From Concept to Prototype and the Messiness In Between Lecture (1 hr) LO4
Organising the “Messiness” Tutorial (2 hr) LO1 LO3 LO5 LO7
Week 07 Studio Time Studio (3 hr) LO3 LO4 LO7
Industry Panel: How Small Ideas Can Make Big Impact Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO3 LO5 LO7
Prototype Check In/Report Writing 101 Tutorial (2 hr) LO6 LO7
Week 08 Studio Time Studio (3 hr) LO3 LO4 LO7
User Testing Fair Tutorial (2 hr) LO5 LO7
Week 09 Studio Time Studio (3 hr) LO3 LO4 LO7
What’s Next? Lecture (1 hr)  
How to Add Value to Your Documentation Tutorial (2 hr) LO6
Week 10 Studio Time Studio (3 hr) LO3 LO4 LO7
Guest Lecture: Tom from Metaboly Lecture (1 hr)  
Prepare your Idea for Commercialisation Tutorial (2 hr)  
Week 11 Studio Time Studio (3 hr) LO3 LO4 LO7
Industry Panel: Portfolio Critiques Lecture (1 hr)  
Portfolio Critiques Tutorial (2 hr) LO6 LO7
Week 12 Studio Time Studio (3 hr) LO3 LO4 LO7
Life Beyond Your Degree Lecture (1 hr)  
Open class time to continue working on the assessment Tutorial (2 hr)  
Week 13 Studio Time Studio (3 hr) LO3 LO4 LO7
Preparation time for final presentation Tutorial (2 hr)  

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 12 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 240-300 hours of student effort in total.

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. assess the requirements of a design problem
  • LO2. identify which methods for ideation, prototyping, and evaluation to use at what stage of a project
  • LO3. apply ideation and design methods for developing solutions that synthesise insights from a need-finding process
  • LO4. prototype designs that address complex problems through innovative ideas
  • LO5. evaluate the performance and experience of a design solution
  • LO6. reflectively document and present process and designed solutions
  • LO7. work effectively in teams and in an interdisciplinary context.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Streamlined the assessment items, lectures, and tutorials. Added user testing fair as an assessable deliverable.

Additional costs

There might be additional costs in the course depending on the design project.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.