DESIGN 701 : Design Practices

Creative Arts and Industries

2024 Semester One (1243) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

A survey of current contexts, resources and networks to be applied in advanced design practice.

Course Overview

This course introduces students to design contexts, resources and networks, and their application. Applied design thinking is highly dependent on context or 'problem space' and these always present to us as unique. Therefore success in the application of design resources (tools, methods, processes and practices) requires a broad skill set of interpersonal and contextual understandings and a high degree of flexibility and adaptability. The theoretical and reflective components in this course challenge students to understand and position themselves and to develop critical perspectives on design thinking and it's methods; while selected design tools, methods, processes and practices are introduced, played with and critiqued. This course forms a bridge between the design research and project development introduced in DESIGN 700, and the prototyping and testing introduced in DESIGN 702 toward preparing students for their supervised research portfolio or thesis work.

Course Requirements

No pre-requisites or restrictions

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: People and Place
Capability 2: Sustainability
Capability 3: Knowledge and Practice
Capability 4: Critical Thinking
Capability 5: Solution Seeking
Capability 6: Communication
Capability 7: Collaboration
Capability 8: Ethics and Professionalism
Graduate Profile: Master of Design

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Develop a critical awareness of current design methods and their relationship to the current field. (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3 and 8.4)
  2. Develop the material, conceptual and contextual aspects of design practices. (Capability 2.1, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 5.1, 5.2, 6.1, 6.2, 8.1, 8.2 and 8.3)
  3. Develop advanced design skills that include a range of material, conceptual and contextual methodologies and understand how to apply these to design production. (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 3.2, 4.1, 5.2, 6.2, 7.1, 7.2, 8.1, 8.3 and 8.4)
  4. Understand how aspects of Tikanga relate to contemporary design practices (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 4.1, 5.1, 5.2, 6.1, 6.2, 7.1, 7.2, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3 and 8.4)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Reports 40% Individual Coursework
Workshops 20% Group Coursework
Project 5% Group Coursework
Project 35% Individual Coursework
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4
Reports
Workshops
Project
Project
A total grade of 50% or higher is required to pass this course.

Teaching & Learning Methods

This course will be delivered over 12 weeks in a Studio environment.

Studio time will be spent each week in various combinations of the following:

1. Lectures,  discussion, review and analysis of relevant theory, methodologies and methods in aspects of contemporary design based on readings and analysis of contextual case-based design problems. 

2. Facilitated project Support: working on the skills and methods required to complete various stages of individual and group assignment submissions with the support of teaching and technical staff. In particular these include: research, synthesis, writing, analysis of findings, presentation and practical design workshop activities.

3. Peer-to-peer and self-guided activities: working individually, in peer-support groups or in group activities, students will move their work forward in a semi self-directed manner.

4. Student presentation and critique of individual and group assignments, in-progress or formatively.


Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 150 hours in total on this course

For this course, you can expect:

10 hours of lectures.

10 hours of presentation and workshop participation.

60 hours of reading, reflection and analysis of course content.

70 hours of work on assignments.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is required at scheduled activities including tutorials and studios to complete components of the course. Lectures will be available as recordings. Other learning activities will not be available as recordings. The course will not include live online events. The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

Extensions of time to submit work will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis by the instructor.

Students are required to pass this course to continue in the MDes in Semesters 2 and 3.

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.

Part of this course may require additional resources. This may include specialised materials, tooling, hardware, or software. Where possible the programme will supply these items to students at cost price through the CAI shop, however, students also need to be prepared to source these items at their own expense.

Health & Safety

If necessary students will be inducted on safe practices in the FabLab workshop, and complete specific safe use training for relevant machinery and tools.

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.

Student feedback has been sought and will continue to be sought in shaping and developing further iterations of this course.

Other Information

Students will be contacted via their student email addresses. You are welcome to redirect these to a private email, but it is the responsibility of students to check these messages. Please note all communications from Canvas are automatically sent to student's university emails. Students must check Canvas regularly for updated information.

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 for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, 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.

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.  Requests for extensions of time must be submitted and approved using the online Extension of Time Application form available on Canvas:

https://www.forms.auckland.ac.nz/en/student/creative-arts-and-industries/design-programme-extension-of-time-application-form.html

Students should notify the Course Director/Course Coordinator of their situation as soon as practicable, and preferably before any due date. Notifications received after an assessment due date will be accepted, where this is reasonable, within the context of the course. If possible, students are encouraged to seek medical, counselling or other support from the most appropriate sources.

No extensions will be granted for problems such as accidentally erased computer files, which should always be prevented by keeping backup copies.


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 27/10/2023 01:59 p.m.