DESIGN 200 : Design Methods and Processes 2

Creative Arts and Industries

2023 Semester One (1233) (30 POINTS)

Course Prescription

A studio-based course in which students learn new design methods and technologies. Students also develop customised design strategies in response to real-world challenges. By working on a detailed case study, students learn to address issues that affect local communities. Students present their design solutions, learn to pitch design concepts, and evaluate potential outcomes.

Course Overview

DESIGN 200 is a core second-year paper within the BDes programme that builds on the fundamental design processes, tools and research methods introduced in DESIGN 100, DESIGN 101 and Design Electives. DESIGN 200 is a required course for all Design and Design Conjoint students.

DESIGN 200 is an intermediary course that broadens the lens from understanding 'self' to 'community', from applying physical to digital techniques and identifying micro-scale opportunities for macro-scale impact. This course subsequently operates as a stepping stone towards advanced level papers where students can confidently self-direct their projects in both individual and team contexts equipped with physical, digital and strategic skills.

By completing this course, students will become confident in putting forward a design strategy, formulate a hypothesis, prototype and validate designs from a position of critical inquiry. Processes learnt in this course will form an integral part of the student's journey towards professional practice.

Topics and activities include:

  1. Design methods and strategies: The semester will begin with an introduction to various design strategies, vocabulary, implementation and context of use.
  2. Prototyping technologies (digital): Students will experiment and familiarise themselves with digital prototyping tools in the format of short design sprints.
  3. Design brief: Students will learn to formulate a design brief that identifies relevant technologies, processes and metrics for success.
  4. Prototyping and testing: Students will take an iterative design approach to test rapidly and validate various design options in relation to self-derived criteria.
  5. Design proposal: Operating in teams, students will ideate, prototype, document and pitch a design solution that is grounded in a real-world scenario.   

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: DESIGN 100, 101

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice
Capability 2: Critical Thinking
Capability 3: Solution Seeking
Capability 4: Communication and Engagement
Capability 5: Independence and Integrity
Capability 6: Social and Environmental Responsibilities
Graduate Profile: Bachelor of Design

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Demonstrate ability to use key methodologies and design tools and to apply these in design research and development contexts. (Capability 1.1, 2.3, 4.1 and 4.2)
  2. Demonstrate ability to frame and reframe a design question based on observation and evidence. (Capability 2.2, 2.4, 3.1 and 3.3)
  3. Demonstrate ability to iteratively develop a design project while documenting process and its evolution through successive prototypes. (Capability 5.1, 5.3, 5.4, 6.1 and 6.2)
  4. Demonstrate ability to critically reflect upon process while working in a local design context. (Capability 2.1, 3.2 and 4.3)
  5. Demonstrate ability to present a project and to provide critical peer review. (Capability 3.3, 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Assignment 1 - Digital experiments 20% Individual Coursework
Assignment 2 - Project brief 10% Group & Individual Coursework
Assignment 3 - Design project 70% Group & Individual Coursework
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4 5
Assignment 1 - Digital experiments
Assignment 2 - Project brief
Assignment 3 - Design project

Teaching & Learning Methods

This course will be delivered over 12 weeks in a Studio environment. Studio sessions will be led by a team of design experts who will provide lectures and lead activities.

For the weekly studio and tutorial session, you can expect activities such as project workshops, industry demonstrations, and feedback sessions. Students are expected to attend studio & tutorial sessions every week as each session has been designed to equip students with the necessary skills to complete all assessment activities to receive a passing grade. Any further engagement in workshops and feedback sessions will contribute to achieving higher than a passing grade. 

Pass requirements :
The minimum pass grade for this course is 50%, averaging across all prescribed assessments. A formal submission for each assessment is also required to pass the course else the student will be allocated a DNC (Did Not Complete).

Late submissions :
Any work submitted after the due date and without an approved extension will be treated as overdue and will incur an automatic reduction of 10% per day it is overdue. After a period of 10 days, the assignment will receive a DNC (Did Not Complete) allocation. In unforeseen circumstances, the student can apply for an extension.

Extensions :
Where a student faces unavoidable personal circumstances (e.g. illness or a death in the family) that mean the student is unable to submit a component of coursework, they may apply for an extension. The student must apply no later than five days before the due date of the assignment. In case of extreme difficulty closer to the assignment deadline contact your course coordinator directly. Extension forms and further details will be provided on the canvas page for the course.

No extensions will be granted for problems such as accidentally erased computer files, which should always be prevented by keeping backup copies. When an extension is granted, students are expected to submit evidence of work in progress on the original assignment due date to demonstrate what has been completed up to that date. 
 

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 30 point course, and students are expected to spend 25 hours per week involved in each 30 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect 6 hours of contact time per week comprised of :

  • 1-hour lecture.
  • 2 hours of tutorial time focused on the development of technical competencies within the context of a project.
  • 3 hours of studio time for collaboration, critique and discourse to progress your project.

The remainder, 19 hours are comprised of 2 hours of workshop or self-directed technical upskilling, 2 hours of preparatory reading and 15 hours of work on self-assessed study such as assignments, technical research and folio development.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is required at studio and tutorial sessions to complete components of the course. Lectures will be scheduled in advance and announced to students via Canvas. Guest lectures will be recorded and disseminated subject to the guests' approval. 

Other learning activities, including studios and tutorials, will not be available as recordings. The course will require students to participate in online forums involving group discussions and share studio outputs.

The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

BYOD - students enrolled in a Bachelor of Design or Design conjoint degree should come to class with their own laptop and software. This is so students will have the core learning tools available in and outside of class. It also means students can increase their independence and have better control of a professional device to stimulate creativity and simplify their design process. 

Working with a personal laptop during the Design degree will prepare students for the realities of working as a designer after graduation. The highly recommended, recommended, and minimum specifications for a laptop are listed here: 
https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/creative/current-students/courses/design/courses-design-bring-your-own-device.html

Sketch pad and drawing materials: It is good practice to be able to quickly record ideas through writing and sketching, as well as collecting and pasting items found that are relevant or inspiring. 

Online folio: Students will continue to develop their online folios and maintain them throughout their course.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Assignment 1 - Digital experiments will now be available as a multi-choice, where students can choose which experiments they would like to pursue based on their interests and, in turn, also reduce workloads.

Assignment 2 (general) : Minor Miro board amendments / optimizations for clarity.

Assignment 2 - Part 1 (group): Considerations of the groups' Kawa and Tikanga will be considered as part of the brief development alongside guest lectures from subject matter experts. This will build on fundamentals covered in DES101 into action-orientated outcomes.

Assignment 2 - Part 2 (group): Further coaching will be provided to students in "project management" and "user group testing" roles.

Other Information

Course coordination & contact:
Krishna Duddumpudi
krishna.duddumpudi@auckland.ac.nz

If a student wishes to contact the course coordinator by email, be sure to include the course code 'DESIGN 200' in the subject field. Without this, the email may be missed.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the University Website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course students may be asked to submit coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.

Published on 02/11/2022 01:42 p.m.