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Unit of study_

DESN9002: Designing for the Digital Revolution

Semester 1, 2020 [Block mode] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

This unit focuses on how the emergence of new technologies has revolutionised the way companies interact and build relationships with customers. In this unit, students explore the concept of 'the channel'. Traditionally, customer relationships have been managed via a push approach in communication, mainly 'what can we sell customers?', with the hope of cultivating customer loyalty. The unit explores the emotional understanding of customers and the impact this has on how they feel about a product, service or business. Students learn how exploring and analysing customers' emotional understanding can drastically alter their engagement, behaviour and purchasing preferences. The unit therefore aims to extend students' understanding of how this rapidly-evolving landscape has changed the way digital channels are designed, monitored and managed. In this unit, digital channel strategies and relationships are examined, and useful concepts for designing digital engagements are detailed. The unit encompasses customer-centric design approaches as well as techniques such as scenario building, forecasting and backcasting to explore possible futures.

Unit details and rules

Unit code DESN9002
Academic unit Design Lab
Credit points 6
Prohibitions
? 
None
Prerequisites
? 
None
Corequisites
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator Karla Straker, karla.straker@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Tutorial quiz In Class Exam
In Class Exam
20% Week 07 1 hour
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2
Assignment Affected organisational essay
Written assessment
40% Week 09 2000 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO3 LO4
Presentation Presentation
Presentation
5% Week 11 Max 10 Minutes
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO5 LO4 LO3 LO2
Assignment group assignment Design project report
Design Report
35% Week 11 No minimum or maximum length and open fo
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO5 LO4 LO3 LO2
group assignment = group assignment ?

Assessment summary

  • Exam: The objective of this quiz is to test your knowledge and understanding of topics related to designing for the digital revolution as well as the theory introduced in this unit.
  • Affected organisational essay: Students will individually use the affected framework as described in the required text for the course to deconstruct an organisation and their corresponding strategy. This report will be generated based on desktop research conducted on the organisation. This information will then be used to interpret and map the digital design actions of this firm.
  • Design project report: In groups, students will create their own digital stagey and digital channels for a hypothetical company that will be provided to them at the end of the intensive teaching period. This will need to be innovative and novel, and utilise the theory and tools taught during the intensive period. 
  • Presentation: An in-class presentation of the design project. The presentation should focus on any part of the development process that was insightful or had a significant impact on the final solution. This presentation should be of adequate professional quality to convince a top organisation to fund such a new strategy. Such a design outcome will be pitched to the organisation in the final 5th day of the intensive

Detailed information for each assessment 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 04 Introduction to designing for the digital revolution Lecture (8 hr)  
Week 05 Part 1: affecting customers Lecture (8 hr)  
Week 06 Part 2: affective companies Lecture (8 hr)  
Week 07 Part 3: affective strategy Lecture (8 hr)  
Week 11 1. Presentations/pitch session to industry partner; 2. Feedback and subject conclusion Lecture (8 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 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

Wrigley, C & Straker, K. (2018). Affected: Emotionally Engaging Customers in The Digital Age. John Wiley & Sons.

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. understand the digital landscape surrounding threats to innovation
  • LO2. plan a strategic digital strategy for such oncoming threats
  • LO3. identify customer emotive drivers and design a digital strategy based on these accordingly
  • LO4. understand the complexities and methods of utilising design within a business context
  • LO5. use various design-based research approaches and methodologies to pitch a successful digital strategy.

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.

Main change include changing from 2 intensive class per week, to having 1.

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.