Outline

Overview

Design is constantly being challenged by new digital technologies, of which artificial intelligence (AI) is the most recent. In this unit you will use strategic design approaches and critical thinking to learn from previous technological challenges to design and society, to see what can be learned to help prepare for future digital design challenges. By examining previous design challenges as well as contemporary ones, you will gain insights to help you focus on how digital technologies have revolutionised design and the society that we design for. By engaging with practical design challenges, you will study how designers and organisations have responded to previous digital challenges, how this influences design today, and how you can learn from them to prepare for future challenges from the digital revolution. In short, you will be learning from the past, and the present, to help prepare for the future of design.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Design Lab
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	None
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Adrian Wong, adrian.w@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Adrian Wong, adrian.w@sydney.edu.au

Assessment

The census date for this unit availability is 31 March 2025

Details
Criteria

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Attendance	Attendance (tutorials) Students are required to meet a minimum attendance of 90%. Students who do not meet this threshold, and who have approved special consideration, may be offered the opportunity to sit an alternative assessment to qualify to pass this unit.	0%	Multiple weeks	Week3, Week4, Week6, Week7 and Week 10
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Digital Transformation Critique Written report	40%	Week 05 Due date: 04 Apr 2025 at 22:59	Max 1800 words excl refs, appendix
Outcomes assessed:
Presentation	Poster Exhibition and Presentation Poster Exhibition & In-class Presentation	25%	Week 10 Due date: 05 May 2025 at 10:00	2 hrs exhibition; 6-8 mins presentation
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Digital Transformation Strategy Proposal Written & Visual Report	35%	Week 11 Due date: 16 May 2025 at 23:59	Max 25 pages: excl refs, appendix
Outcomes assessed:
= hurdle task ? = AI allowed ?

Assessment summary

Assessment 1: Digital Transformation Critique (40%)

Assessment 2: Poster Exhibition and Presentation (25%)

Assessment 3: Digital Transformation Strategy Proposal (35%)

Attendance: Students should be present and engaged in their learning during classes. Late arrival/early departure will be deemed as an absence. Students who do not meet the minimum 90% threshold, who have approved special consideration may be offered the opportunity to sit an alternative assessment to pass this unit.

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 guide to grades.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

Except for supervised exams or in-semester tests, you may use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessments unless expressly prohibited by your unit coordinator.

For exams and in-semester tests, the use of AI and automated writing tools is not allowed unless expressly permitted in the assessment instructions.

The icons in the assessment table above indicate whether AI is allowed – whether full AI, or only some AI (the latter is referred to as “AI restricted”). If no icon is shown, AI use is not permitted at all for the task. Refer to Canvas for full instructions on assessment tasks for this unit.

Your final submission must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of automated writing tools or generative AI, and any material generated that you include in your final submission must be properly referenced. You may be required to submit generative AI inputs and outputs that you used during your assessment process, or drafts of your original work. Inappropriate use of generative AI is considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

The Current Students website provides information on artificial intelligence in assessments. For help on how to correctly acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the  AI in Education Canvas site.

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.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

Penalties for late submission of work and related policies are included in the Resolutions of the University of Sydney School of Architecture, Design and Planning, which are available at https://www.sydney.edu.au/handbooks/architecture.html It is your responsibility to familiarise yourself with these policies. Applications for special consideration must be lodged online at https://www.sydney.edu.au/students/special-consideration.html

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.

Learning support

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.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 03	From Analog to Digital: The Origins of the Digital Revolution	Block teaching (3 hr)
Week 03	Mapping Innovation: Understanding Technology Adoption in Design	Block teaching (4 hr)
Week 04	Designing Value: Business Models and Digital Strategy	Block teaching (3 hr)
Week 04	Cobras and Butterflies: The Pitfalls of the Digital Revolution and How To Move Beyond Shareholder Primacy	Block teaching (4 hr)
Week 06	AI in Design: Creativity and Collaboration with Machines	Block teaching (3 hr)
Week 06	Web 3.0 and Beyond: Digital Ownership, NFTs and Blockchain	Block teaching (4 hr)
Week 07	Designing for the Metaverse: VR and the Future of Immersive Spaces	Block teaching (3 hr)
Week 07	Connected and Inclusive: AR, IoT, and Accessible Design	Block teaching (4 hr)
Week 10	Exhibitions and presentations	Block teaching (7 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Please refer to the Resolutions of the University School: http://sydney.edu.au/handbooks/architecture/rules/faculty_resolutions.shtml

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

Readings will be available on Canvas.

Learning outcomes

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.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

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 design 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
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

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

Changes to learning activities - Topic for each week. Adjusted A2 and A3 from group work to individual assessment submissions. Added a poster exhibition in A2 for students to share their work with peers. Redistributed assessment weightings: A2 increased from 20% to 25%, and A3 decreased from 40% to 35%.

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.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

DESN9002: Designing for the Digital Revolution

Semester 1, 2025 [Block mode] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links