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Unit outline_

IDEA9106: Design Thinking

Semester 1, 2022 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

This unit of study provides an overview of a human-centred approach to the design of products and systems. It introduces students to design thinking and how it can be productively applied to different design situations. The theoretical concepts, methods and tools for the key stages of interaction design are covered including user research, ideation, prototyping and user evaluation. It provides students with the principles, processes and tools for working collaboratively on design projects in studio. Students learn to build empathy with users, identify and reframe the problem space, develop value-driven design concepts and persuasively communicate design proposals with an emphasis on the user experience through visual storytelling. This unit is a foundational core unit in the Master of Interaction Design and Electronic Arts program.

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 Joel Fredericks, joel.fredericks@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s) Joel Fredericks, joel.fredericks@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Assignment A1: Design Thinking Case Study
A1: Design Thinking Case Study
20% Week 04 Video submission. 1 min recording.
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2
Assignment group assignment A2: Human-Centred Research Report
A2: Human-Centred Research Report
30% Week 07 25 pages
Outcomes assessed: LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Assignment group assignment A3:Design Pitch Presentation
A3:Design Pitch Presentation
10% Week 12 10 mins
Outcomes assessed: LO5
Assignment group assignment A4: Design Proposal Report
A4: Design Proposal Report
40% Week 13 40 pages
Outcomes assessed: LO2 LO3 LO5 LO6
group assignment = group assignment ?

Assessment summary

  • A1: Design Thinking Case Study: Students will research one design thinking process or method and demonstrate its application through two examples. 
  • A2: Human-Centred Research report: Human-centred research should be conducted to understand the target users’ perspectives on the problem space outlined in the design brief. This should be supplemented by background and literature research. The aim is to devise a set of user needs and requirements that can be later used as a basis for ideation.
  • A3: Design Pitch Presentation: Groups will present their iterative design process and final design solution. Groups will receive critiques and feedback for their A4 report. 
  • A4: Design Proposal Report: Groups will submit their final design proposal, which will outline the iterative design process, user testing and justification for final design solution. 

Detailed information for each asssessment 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

When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

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.

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

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

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 Introduction to Design Thinking part 1 Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO4
Interactive tutorial activity: Design ethics – responsible choices in the practice of design Form groups of 3 people (This will be your group for Assessments 2-4) Tutorial (2 hr) LO1 LO4
Week 02 Introduction to Design Thinking part 2 Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4
Interactive tutorial activity: Visual thinking with sketching and sketch-noting Tutorial (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Week 03 User research part 1 Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4
Interactive tutorial activity: Interview skills and interpreting data with affinity diagrams Tutorial (2 hr) LO1 LO3 LO4
Week 04 User research part 2 Lecture (1 hr) LO2 LO6
Interactive tutorial activity: Writing a research plan and assigning group tasks Tutorial (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Week 05 Visual representation part 1 Lecture (1 hr) LO2 LO3
Interactive tutorial activity: Creating value driven personas Tutorial (2 hr) LO3 LO6
Week 06 Visual representation part 2 Lecture (1 hr) LO3 LO4
Interactive tutorial activity: Skills for in-person and video presentations Tutorial (2 hr) LO2 LO3
Week 07 Idea generation part 2 Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3
Interactive tutorial activity: Mindmapping and brainstorming Tutorial (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3
Week 08 Idea generation part 2 Lecture (1 hr) LO3 LO4
Interactive tutorial activity: Idea generation methods: Extreme characters, Scenarios, Storyboards Tutorial (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3
Week 09 Prototyping Lecture (1 hr) LO4 LO5 LO6
Interactive tutorial activity: Prototyping in iterative design Tutorial (2 hr) LO5 LO6
Week 10 Design evaluation Lecture (1 hr) LO3 LO4
Interactive tutorial activity: Usability testing and Think-aloud Protocol Tutorial (2 hr) LO5 LO6
Week 11 Guest lecture - TBC Lecture (1 hr) LO1
In-class studio time (working on A3/A4) Tutorial (2 hr) LO5 LO6
Week 12 Design pitch presentations Lecture (1 hr) LO5
Design pitch presentations Tutorial (2 hr) LO5
Week 13 Drop-in session All tutorial classes will have an open drop-in session for A4 advice and support Lecture (1 hr)  
Drop-in session All tutorial classes will have an open drop-in session for A4 advice and support Tutorial (2 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

Tomitsch, M., Borthwick, M., Ahmadpour, N., Cooper, C., Frawley, J., Hepburn, L.A., Kocaballi, A.B., Loke, L., Núñez-Pacheco, C., ‎ Straker, K., ‎Wrigley, C. (2021). Design. Think. Make. Break. Repeat. A Handbook of Methods (revised edition). BIS Publishers, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

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. appreciate the role of design thinking in traditional and cross-disciplinary contexts
  • LO2. select and apply human-centred interaction design methodologies, methods and tools
  • LO3. generate ideas, concepts and designs, informed by user and background research, to innovate interactive technology solutions to complex problems
  • LO4. be aware of design processes and cognition in collaborative, inter-disciplinary teams
  • LO5. apply persuasive oral/visual communication techniques for design communication to specific audiences
  • LO6. discuss and critique designs from a professional perspective.

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.

The assessment guideline was reviewed and refined.

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.