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Unit of study_

DESN9100: Major Project Strategic Design

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

This unit requires the application of design strategy methods and theory to address a real-world problem. Students will have the opportunity to advance their design strategy skills by exploring a complex problem and designing and implementing a design-led strategy in response. The unit will explore design principles, tools and methods that can be implemented to influence strategic decision and direction. Students will learn how to initiate, lead and manage design strategies in their own organisations and gain a deeper understanding of design strategy in a practical organisational setting. Each week, students will be challenged through evaluation and critique by the teaching staff and student cohort to help progress their project. The unit will culminate in a final presentation where students will present their final strategy design.

Unit details and rules

Unit code DESN9100
Academic unit Design Lab
Credit points 12
Prohibitions
? 
None
Prerequisites
? 
None
Corequisites
? 
DESN9003
Assumed knowledge
? 

DESN9001 and DESN9002

Available to study abroad and exchange students

No

Teaching staff

Coordinator Rohan Lulham, rohan.lulham@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Assignment Learning and reflective journal
Individual journal
40% Multiple weeks
Due date: 29 Oct 2023 at 23:59
400-600 words each
Outcomes assessed: LO3 LO4
Assignment group assignment Design Research Report
Group report
25% Please select a valid week from the list below
Due date: 04 Sep 2022 at 23:59

Closing date: 18 Sep 2022
15 - 25 pages plus appendices
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3
Assignment group assignment Final Design Report and Presentation
Group report and presentation
25% Please select a valid week from the list below
Due date: 30 Oct 2022 at 23:59
15 - 25 pages plus appendices
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Assignment Project reflection
Individual reflection
10% Week 13
Due date: 05 Nov 2023 at 23:59
400-600 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3
group assignment = group assignment ?

Assessment summary

Learning and reflective journal: Students will document their learning and experience in the unit in a reflective journal. At weeks 3, 6, 9 and 12 each student will submit a journal entry where the reflection includes responding to a number key questions. 

Design Research report: Students in teams will consider, research and develop insights relevent to their innovation and strategic challenge. Each team will document their research findings and analysis in an engaging research report that frames potential opportunities.

Final design report and presentation: Student teams will produce and present a final report that clearly communicates the value of your proposed design concept or strategy.  Your design concept will be supported by the insights from your strategy testing and validation activities, and will include a clear framework for ongoing development and implementation. The document will be presented to the client in week 13.

Final reflection: In this reflection students will discuss their experiences and personal learning specific to the major project. This will include a reflection on how they understand strategic design and/or design innovation practice, and its value in different organisational and community contexts.

More 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 01 Lecture: Innovation and strategy. Tut: Positionality; Good and bad design Lecture and tutorial (6 hr) LO1
Week 02 Lecture: processes, practice & methods. Tut: Briefing and project planning Lecture and tutorial (6 hr) LO2
Week 03 Lecture: Considering & exploring (Audit). Tut: Context mapping, Interviewing Lecture and tutorial (6 hr) LO1 LO2
Week 04 Lecture: Insights and diagnostics. Tut: Desirability, feasibility, viability, sustainability Lecture and tutorial (6 hr) LO2
Week 05 Lecture & tutorial: Intent and Framing propositions. Lecture and tutorial (6 hr) LO1 LO2
Week 06 Lecture & tutorial: Presenting for engagement and feedback Lecture and tutorial (6 hr) LO2 LO3
Week 07 Lecture: Doing Design. Tutorial: Interim client presentations Lecture and tutorial (6 hr) LO4
Week 08 Lecture & tutorial: Formulating and testing ideas Lecture and tutorial (6 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4
Week 09 Lecture and tutorial: Criticality & optimism Lecture and tutorial (6 hr) LO2
Week 10 Lecture and tutorial: Futuring and other methods Lecture and tutorial (6 hr) LO3 LO4
Week 11 Lecture: Project report formats. Tutorial: In-class presentations Lecture and tutorial (6 hr) LO3 LO4
Week 13 Final client presentatations Presentation (6 hr) LO1 LO3

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. understand the difference between good and bad strategy and design
  • LO2. develop ability to use design methodologies to inform a strategy diagnostic and problem formulation
  • LO3. develop ability to apply a strategic design framework to drive strategy formulation
  • LO4. develop ability to use design methodologies to co-design strategy recommendations and action plans.

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.

Third time unit is running. Some small changes and updates to the assessment type and format.

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.