Outline

Overview

In this unit, students confront the challenge facing truly pioneering companies which is to develop customer-centric products and services that are aligned with the company strategy. This unit recreates the intense, team environment of a business unit undergoing innovation. Students integrate the skills, knowledge and experience acquired throughout the MBA Program to bring a real prototype to market. The prototype may take the form of a product (software or physical) or service. Design thinking methodologies are applied to demonstrate understanding of the challenges facing strategy implementation. Students work in teams with tight milestones. To do this successfully, students must use the skills gained throughout the MBA program and critically reflect on the implications and impact of their learning.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Management Education
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	None
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	SMBA6201
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	No

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Christopher Murphy, christopher.murphy@sydney.edu.au

Assessment

The census date for this unit availability is 7 November 2025

Details
Criteria

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length	Use of AI
Written work	Program Essay This essay requires you to demonstrate both the depth and breadth of insights gained from your MBA studies, showing how knowledge, skills, and attributes developed throughout the program have been applied in practice.	25%	Week 05 Due date: 30 Nov 2025 at 23:59	2500 words	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Written work	Group product review This assessment requires your team to design, develop, and present a prototype that responds to a clearly articulated customer problem. The prototype may take the form of a product (software or physical) or a service.	30%	Week 05 Due date: 19 Nov 2025 at 09:00	3000 words	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Presentation	Group Presentation This assessment requires you to work in teams to deliver a professional presentation that demonstrates your ability to apply design-led strategy tools in an innovation context.	20%	Week 05 Due date: 19 Nov 2025 at 09:00	30 minutes	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Written work	Lean Design Essay The Lean Design Essay is an individual assessment that requires you to critically reflect on your personal learning journey through the design-led strategy process.	25%	Week 06 Due date: 26 Nov 2025 at 09:00	30 pages	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
= group assignment ?

Assessment summary

Group Presentation: In teams, students will present their innovation project to an assessment panel simulating a board-level audience. The presentation must define the customer problem, propose a practical and strategically aligned solution, and address implementation considerations. A Q&A session will follow the presentation.
Group Product Review: Teams will develop and present a prototype (product or service) in response to the problem identified in the capstone project. The prototype should demonstrate clear linkage to customer personas, show evidence of iteration and user testing, and present a novel approach to meeting the client brief.
Program Essay: An individual reflective essay requiring students to critically analyse their learning across the MBA program as a whole. The essay should demonstrate breadth and depth of insights, consider implications for professional and leadership development, and integrate reflection on ethics and sustainability.
Lean Design Essay: An individual reflective essay documenting the student’s journey through the design-led strategy process. The essay should capture key research methods, design pivots, and learnings, as well as the student’s individual contribution to team outcomes.

Detailed information for each assessment, including marking rubrics, is available 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	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an exceptional standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.
Distinction	75 - 84	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a very high standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.
Credit	65 - 74	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a good standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.
Pass	50 - 64	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an acceptable standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

You can use generative AI tools for open assessments. Restrictions on AI use apply to secure, supervised assessments used to confirm if students have met specific learning outcomes.

Refer to the assessment table above to see if AI is allowed, for assessments in this unit and check Canvas for full instructions on assessment tasks and AI use.

If you use AI, you must always acknowledge it. Misusing AI may lead to a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy.

Visit the Current Students website for more information on AI in assessments, including details on how to acknowledge its use.

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 University expects students to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

Our website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. This includes advice on how to avoid common breaches of academic integrity. Ensure that you have completed the Academic Honesty Education Module (AHEM) which is mandatory for all commencing coursework students

Penalties for serious breaches can significantly impact your studies and your career after graduation. It is important that you speak with your unit coordinator if you need help with completing assessments.

Visit the Current Students website for more information on AI in assessments, including details on how to acknowledge its use.

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 01	Kick-off program and team formation	Lecture (4 hr)
	Client briefing and problem statement	Lecture (4 hr)
	Refine customer problem definition and interviewing	Lecture (4 hr)
Week 02	Product prototyping	Lecture (4 hr)
	Prototype value proposition	Lecture (4 hr)
	Product-market fit	Lecture (4 hr)
Week 03	Product feedback	Lecture (4 hr)
Week 03	Communicating value	Lecture (4 hr)
Week 04	Finalise design and presentation, practice pitch	Lecture (4 hr)
Week 04	Final presentation and product review due	Lecture (4 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Lecture recording and attendance: Note that MBA classes held at the CBD Campus are not systematically recorded and 100% class attendance is expected for each unit of the MBA Program. If there are extenuating circumstances as to why you are not able to attend a particular class, please contact your unit coordinator as soon as possible, and also notify your group members (if the unit has a group work component).

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

All readings for this unit can be accessed through the Library eReserve, available on Canvas.

Maurya, A. 2012, Running Lean, Iterate from Plan A to a Plan that works, 2nd ed., O'Reilly Media, Inc, CA.

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. identify target customers for a new business
LO2. interview customers and get feedback on basic prototype businesses
LO3. work and communicate in a team to address business challenges.

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.

No changes have been made since this unit was last offered.

Additional information

Business School Policies

Disclaimer

Important: the University of Sydney regularly reviews units of study and reserves the right to change the units of study available annually. To stay up to date on available study options, including unit of study details and availability, refer to the relevant handbook.

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)

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

Additional information

Additional information

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

FMBA5013: Design-led Strategy: Business Capstone

Intensive October - November, 2025 [Block mode] - Castlereagh St, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

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

Additional information

Additional information

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links