DYN908 Design Project Brief
To view more information for this unit, select Unit Outline from the list below. Please note the teaching period for which the Unit Outline is relevant.
| Unit code: | DYN908 |
|---|---|
| Prerequisite(s): | 96cp of units completed in DE99 |
| Assumed Knowledge: | DYN900 |
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Timetable | Details in HiQ, if available |
| Availabilities |
|
| Domestic tuition unit fee | $3,216 |
| International unit fee | $4,452 |
Unit Outline: Semester 1 2025, Kelvin Grove, Internal
| Unit code: | DYN908 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Pre-requisite: | 96cp of units completed in DE99 |
| Assumed Knowledge: | DYN900 |
| Coordinator: | Richard Evans | richard.evans@qut.edu.au |
Overview
In this unit, students will focus on developing essential skills for creating effective design project briefs. The ability to craft a comprehensive project brief is vital in guiding the design process and ultimately achieving successful project outcomes. This unit provides students with the opportunity to master the art of communicating project goals, scope, and requirements to end-users and stakeholders effectively. Students will delve into the critical components of a design project brief and understand how to apply them to suit different design disciplines and contexts. The skills acquired in this unit are relevant to academic endeavours and real-world professional practices, equipping students for a range of design projects.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Analyse and explain the significance of a well-constructed design brief in guiding successful design projects.
- Create comprehensive design project briefs that define project goals, scope, resourcing, and requirements to meet the needs of end-users and stakeholders.
- Apply self-reflection, actively listen to stakeholder feedback, and effectively adapt and iterate design project briefs to ensure their relevance and alignment with project objectives.
Content
This unit provides a comprehensive exploration of the critical elements related to the formulation and communication of design project briefs. Students will gain insight into the purpose of a design brief and its role as a cornerstone for guiding design projects effectively. The unit introduces various approaches for crafting concise, yet detailed design briefs that align with project objectives and expectations. A core component involves defining scope and deliverables, giving students the ability to clearly articulate the boundaries and goals of design projects. Project budgets and resourcing are also addressed, equipping students with the skills to manage financial aspects and allocate resources efficiently. A significant focus is placed on fostering self-reflection, enhancing the ability to actively listen to stakeholder feedback, and adapting and iterating design briefs based on input and emerging project needs. This holistic approach to design project briefs aims to prepare students for the dynamic, multidisciplinary design projects they may encounter in both academic and professional contexts.
Within this context, the broad areas to be covered will include the following:
-
Understanding the Role of a Design Brief: This section delves into the fundamental purpose of a design brief and its significance in the design process. Students will grasp the essential role a well-crafted design brief plays in guiding design projects, setting clear objectives, and ensuring effective communication between project stakeholders.
-
Approaches to Formulate and Communicate a Design Brief: Students will explore various methods and techniques for creating and communicating design briefs. This encompasses both the development of textual content and visual elements within a brief. Through hands-on exercises and real-world examples, students will learn how to structure and present their design briefs effectively.
-
Defining Scope and Deliverables: Here, the focus shifts towards defining the scope and deliverables of design projects. Students will gain practical skills in outlining project boundaries, specifying project goals and outcomes, and managing expectations. The section also covers techniques for prioritising project elements.
-
Project Budgets and Resourcing: Financial aspects of design projects are addressed, with a focus on project budgets and resource allocation. Students will learn how to develop and manage budgets, allocate resources efficiently, and address potential resource constraints that may arise during project execution.
-
Methods for Self-Reflection and Adaptation: The unit emphasises the importance of continuous improvement through self-reflection and adaptation. Students will be introduced to methods for gathering stakeholder feedback, actively listening to project participants, and using this feedback to adapt and iterate on their design briefs to better meet project requirements and expectations.
By providing a strong foundation in these areas, this unit equips students with the skills and knowledge necessary to create effective design project briefs, an essential competency in the field of design.
The unit will also expose students to UN Sustainable Development Goal 9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation, and Goal 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.
Learning Approaches
In this unit, you will learn by engaging in the following learning approaches: (i) In-class based learning activities will be the core of the experience. Through these, you will actively practice and develop your skills in crafting effective design project briefs. The in-class activities will provide a hands-on environment to work on various aspects of a design brief, such as defining scope, setting objectives, and incorporating graphical and informational representations. (ii) Mini lectures will deliver foundational knowledge on the principles and elements of design briefs. They will introduce you to the core concepts, methodologies, and best practices related to crafting effective design project briefs.
The learning approach aligns with the primary pedagogies and approaches of the course, providing a structured yet flexible environment for skill development that fosters creative thinking, problem-solving, and the application of theoretical knowledge in real-world scenarios. The overarching digital strategy of the course supports your learning by providing easy access to online modules and resources, enabling you to engage with content at your own pace.
Key Expectations:
- Regular attendance and active participation in-class and online learning.
- Timely completion of review tasks, particularly in preparing for studios.
- Actively seeking feedback from peers and instructors to enhance your design brief development skills.
- Adaptability in iterating your design briefs based on stakeholder feedback and changing project needs.
These learning approaches and expectations are designed to prepare you for the successful completion of the unit learning outcomes, ensuring you can effectively create well-structured and actionable design project briefs, a critical skill in the field of design. The learning approaches and the assessments are carefully integrated to provide a comprehensive learning experience, preparing you for the successful completion of these assessments and, ultimately, your advanced design project.
Some of the material you will need and details about the tasks that you will undertake will be found on the DYN908 Canvas site. You will need to regularly connect with this site to be kept informed of latest news and of weekly requirements of the unit.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
Feedback on learning and assessment in this unit is designed to be a supportive and constructive process. You will receive feedback through a variety of strategies to enhance your learning experience and improve your performance. These strategies include:
-
Collaboration: Throughout the unit, you will engage in-class activities where you will share your initial ideas for your design project brief with your fellow students. During these sessions, you will receive feedback from both your peers and the teaching team. This collaborative environment encourages you to view your class group as a learning community, facilitating discussions and the exchange of ideas for your design brief.
-
Assessment Task Descriptions and Marking Rubrics: At the beginning of the semester, detailed assessment task descriptions and marking rubrics will be provided for each assessment. These documents outline the specific criteria and standards by which your work will be evaluated. They serve as a guide, helping you understand what is expected in your submissions.
-
Marked Assessments: Each assessment you submit will be evaluated and marked by the teaching team against the predefined criteria and standards. The marked assessments will include feedback provided by the markers, highlighting areas of strength and areas that require improvement.
This feedback is an essential component of the learning process. It not only informs you of your progress but also provides valuable insights to enhance your performance in subsequent assessments. Furthermore, the feedback you receive is closely linked to the criteria and standards, offering a clear path for improvement.
As you progress through this unit, you should actively use the feedback to:
-
Reflect: Take the time to reflect on the feedback provided, considering both the positive feedback that reinforces your strengths and the constructive feedback that points out areas for development.
-
Iterate: Apply the feedback to refine and enhance your design project brief. Make necessary changes to address the identified areas of improvement, ensuring continuous growth and development in your work.
-
Engage in Discussions: Discuss the feedback with your peers and instructors during studio sessions and consultations. This collaborative dialogue can lead to a deeper understanding of the feedback and inspire innovative approaches to your design brief.
-
Inform Future Work: The feedback you receive in this unit is not only relevant to the specific assessment at hand but is also valuable for your future projects. It provides you with transferable skills that can be applied to other units and real-world design projects.
The feedback strategies are thoughtfully designed to promote your learning and empower you to excel in your design project brief. They align with QUT's policy and guidance on feedback, ensuring that the feedback process is constructive, timely, and directly linked to your ongoing learning and assessment opportunities.
Assessment
Overview
This unit employs a diverse assessment framework designed to measure your understanding and application of the principles and skills required to create effective design project briefs. These assessments are structured to provide you with a comprehensive evaluation of your ability to craft and communicate a project brief. Additionally, they assess your proficiency in defending and discussing the rationale behind your design brief. The assessments have been thoughtfully designed to align with QUT's assessment procedures, fostering your growth and development as a design strategist and communicator.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Design Brief Proposal
The first assessment task focuses on the written proposal of your design project brief. You are required to create a well-defined proposal that outlines key project elements. This proposal should incorporate graphical, informational, or other representations supported by both professional and academic justification. Whether you opt for the research-intensive or project-intensive pathway, this assessment mandates a thorough articulation of your design brief. The proposal, in essence, serves as the foundational blueprint for your design project.
For those opting for the research-intensive pathway, this entails a research proposal outlining the design research question, purpose, aims, significance of the research, and a brief literature review. For those opting for the project-intensive pathway, this entails a project proposal outlining aims, scope, actions, resourcing and timeline.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Assessment: Oral Presentation
The second assessment task hones your oral communication skills. For this task, you will produce a video presentation of your design project brief. This presentation may include visual materials such as PowerPoint slides. The presentation evaluates your ability to effectively communicate and convey the key elements of your design brief, simulating a real-world scenario where you would need to engage with stakeholders and present your project's objectives and requirements.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Assessment: Viva Voce
The final assessment task entails a viva voce process that follows on from your presentation. During the viva voce, a panel consisting of the lecturer/tutor, an external industry stakeholder, and a fellow student will engage in a supportive discussion with you. This process assesses your knowledge of the context, design rationale, and evidence presented in your design brief. It is designed to evaluate your ability to engage in constructive dialogue, defend your design brief, and address questions and suggestions in a collaborative manner.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.
The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.
You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.
Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Resources
You will be provided with a number of required readings that will be accessible via the Canvas site and/or the QUT Library. You will also have access to a range of software applications and online tools and platforms.
The unit Canvas site will provide a central repository for digital resources as well as documentation on unit housekeeping. You are expected to both review the unit Canvas site and check your QUT student email account at least daily.
Risk Assessment Statement
All commencing CIESJ students are required to complete the mandatory CIESJ Student HSE (Health, Safety and Environment) Inductions.
There are no extraordinary risks associated with the learning and teaching activities in this unit.
Course Learning Outcomes
This unit is designed to support your development of the following course/study area learning outcomes.DE99 Master of Design (Strategic Design)
- Demonstrate and apply advanced and holistic knowledge as it relate to contemporary issues, challenges and opportunities in Strategic Design
Relates to: Design Brief Proposal, Oral Presentation, Viva Voce - Apply innovative, systematic practices and approaches to plan, lead, deliver and manage Strategic Design projects in a way that connects multi-stakeholder requirements with real-world outcomes
Relates to: Design Brief Proposal, Oral Presentation, Viva Voce - Demonstrate ethically and socially responsible judgement and decision making, recognising the importance of personal accountability, acumen and reflective practice when working in individual and collaborative modes
Relates to: Design Brief Proposal, Oral Presentation, Viva Voce - Assess, integrate, and champion sustainable practices in the context of Strategic Design, demonstrating a commitment to environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and economic viability
Relates to: Design Brief Proposal, Oral Presentation, Viva Voce - Develop a nuanced understanding and sensitivity of the international landscape by synthesising diverse cross-cultural, economic, and geopolitical perspectives for effective Strategic Design leadership and approaches
Relates to: Design Brief Proposal, Oral Presentation, Viva Voce - Demonstrate an ability to research and apply established theories and plan and execute a substantial research project, cultivating and communicating designerly thinking
Relates to: Design Brief Proposal, Oral Presentation, Viva Voce
Unit Outline: Semester 2 2025, Kelvin Grove, Internal
| Unit code: | DYN908 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Pre-requisite: | 96cp of units completed in DE99 |
| Assumed Knowledge: | DYN900 |
| Coordinator: | Richard Evans | richard.evans@qut.edu.au |
Overview
In this unit, students will focus on developing essential skills for creating effective design project briefs. The ability to craft a comprehensive project brief is vital in guiding the design process and ultimately achieving successful project outcomes. This unit provides students with the opportunity to master the art of communicating project goals, scope, and requirements to end-users and stakeholders effectively. Students will delve into the critical components of a design project brief and understand how to apply them to suit different design disciplines and contexts. The skills acquired in this unit are relevant to academic endeavours and real-world professional practices, equipping students for a range of design projects.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Analyse and explain the significance of a well-constructed design brief in guiding successful design projects.
- Create comprehensive design project briefs that define project goals, scope, resourcing, and requirements to meet the needs of end-users and stakeholders.
- Apply self-reflection, actively listen to stakeholder feedback, and effectively adapt and iterate design project briefs to ensure their relevance and alignment with project objectives.
Content
This unit provides a comprehensive exploration of the critical elements related to the formulation and communication of design project briefs. Students will gain insight into the purpose of a design brief and its role as a cornerstone for guiding design projects effectively. The unit introduces various approaches for crafting concise, yet detailed design briefs that align with project objectives and expectations. A core component involves defining scope and deliverables, giving students the ability to clearly articulate the boundaries and goals of design projects. Project budgets and resourcing are also addressed, equipping students with the skills to manage financial aspects and allocate resources efficiently. A significant focus is placed on fostering self-reflection, enhancing the ability to actively listen to stakeholder feedback, and adapting and iterating design briefs based on input and emerging project needs. This holistic approach to design project briefs aims to prepare students for the dynamic, multidisciplinary design projects they may encounter in both academic and professional contexts.
Within this context, the broad areas to be covered will include the following:
-
Understanding the Role of a Design Brief: This section delves into the fundamental purpose of a design brief and its significance in the design process. Students will grasp the essential role a well-crafted design brief plays in guiding design projects, setting clear objectives, and ensuring effective communication between project stakeholders.
-
Approaches to Formulate and Communicate a Design Brief: Students will explore various methods and techniques for creating and communicating design briefs. This encompasses both the development of textual content and visual elements within a brief. Through hands-on exercises and real-world examples, students will learn how to structure and present their design briefs effectively.
-
Defining Scope and Deliverables: Here, the focus shifts towards defining the scope and deliverables of design projects. Students will gain practical skills in outlining project boundaries, specifying project goals and outcomes, and managing expectations. The section also covers techniques for prioritising project elements.
-
Project Budgets and Resourcing: Financial aspects of design projects are addressed, with a focus on project budgets and resource allocation. Students will learn how to develop and manage budgets, allocate resources efficiently, and address potential resource constraints that may arise during project execution.
-
Methods for Self-Reflection and Adaptation: The unit emphasises the importance of continuous improvement through self-reflection and adaptation. Students will be introduced to methods for gathering stakeholder feedback, actively listening to project participants, and using this feedback to adapt and iterate on their design briefs to better meet project requirements and expectations.
By providing a strong foundation in these areas, this unit equips students with the skills and knowledge necessary to create effective design project briefs, an essential competency in the field of design.
The unit will also expose students to UN Sustainable Development Goal 9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation, and Goal 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.
Learning Approaches
In this unit, you will learn by engaging in the following learning approaches: (i) In-class based learning activities will be the core of the experience. Through these, you will actively practice and develop your skills in crafting effective design project briefs. The in-class activities will provide a hands-on environment to work on various aspects of a design brief, such as defining scope, setting objectives, and incorporating graphical and informational representations. (ii) Mini lectures will deliver foundational knowledge on the principles and elements of design briefs. They will introduce you to the core concepts, methodologies, and best practices related to crafting effective design project briefs.
The learning approach aligns with the primary pedagogies and approaches of the course, providing a structured yet flexible environment for skill development that fosters creative thinking, problem-solving, and the application of theoretical knowledge in real-world scenarios. The overarching digital strategy of the course supports your learning by providing easy access to online modules and resources, enabling you to engage with content at your own pace.
Key Expectations:
- Regular attendance and active participation in-class and online learning.
- Timely completion of review tasks, particularly in preparing for studios.
- Actively seeking feedback from peers and instructors to enhance your design brief development skills.
- Adaptability in iterating your design briefs based on stakeholder feedback and changing project needs.
These learning approaches and expectations are designed to prepare you for the successful completion of the unit learning outcomes, ensuring you can effectively create well-structured and actionable design project briefs, a critical skill in the field of design. The learning approaches and the assessments are carefully integrated to provide a comprehensive learning experience, preparing you for the successful completion of these assessments and, ultimately, your advanced design project.
Some of the material you will need and details about the tasks that you will undertake will be found on the DYN908 Canvas site. You will need to regularly connect with this site to be kept informed of latest news and of weekly requirements of the unit.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
Feedback on learning and assessment in this unit is designed to be a supportive and constructive process. You will receive feedback through a variety of strategies to enhance your learning experience and improve your performance. These strategies include:
-
Collaboration: Throughout the unit, you will engage in-class activities where you will share your initial ideas for your design project brief with your fellow students. During these sessions, you will receive feedback from both your peers and the teaching team. This collaborative environment encourages you to view your class group as a learning community, facilitating discussions and the exchange of ideas for your design brief.
-
Assessment Task Descriptions and Marking Rubrics: At the beginning of the semester, detailed assessment task descriptions and marking rubrics will be provided for each assessment. These documents outline the specific criteria and standards by which your work will be evaluated. They serve as a guide, helping you understand what is expected in your submissions.
-
Marked Assessments: Each assessment you submit will be evaluated and marked by the teaching team against the predefined criteria and standards. The marked assessments will include feedback provided by the markers, highlighting areas of strength and areas that require improvement.
This feedback is an essential component of the learning process. It not only informs you of your progress but also provides valuable insights to enhance your performance in subsequent assessments. Furthermore, the feedback you receive is closely linked to the criteria and standards, offering a clear path for improvement.
As you progress through this unit, you should actively use the feedback to:
-
Reflect: Take the time to reflect on the feedback provided, considering both the positive feedback that reinforces your strengths and the constructive feedback that points out areas for development.
-
Iterate: Apply the feedback to refine and enhance your design project brief. Make necessary changes to address the identified areas of improvement, ensuring continuous growth and development in your work.
-
Engage in Discussions: Discuss the feedback with your peers and instructors during studio sessions and consultations. This collaborative dialogue can lead to a deeper understanding of the feedback and inspire innovative approaches to your design brief.
-
Inform Future Work: The feedback you receive in this unit is not only relevant to the specific assessment at hand but is also valuable for your future projects. It provides you with transferable skills that can be applied to other units and real-world design projects.
The feedback strategies are thoughtfully designed to promote your learning and empower you to excel in your design project brief. They align with QUT's policy and guidance on feedback, ensuring that the feedback process is constructive, timely, and directly linked to your ongoing learning and assessment opportunities.
Assessment
Overview
This unit employs a diverse assessment framework designed to measure your understanding and application of the principles and skills required to create effective design project briefs. These assessments are structured to provide you with a comprehensive evaluation of your ability to craft and communicate a project brief. Additionally, they assess your proficiency in defending and discussing the rationale behind your design brief. The assessments have been thoughtfully designed to align with QUT's assessment procedures, fostering your growth and development as a design strategist and communicator.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Design Brief Proposal
The first assessment task focuses on the written proposal of your design project brief. You are required to create a well-defined proposal that outlines key project elements. This proposal should incorporate graphical, informational, or other representations supported by both professional and academic justification. Whether you opt for the research-intensive or project-intensive pathway, this assessment mandates a thorough articulation of your design brief. The proposal, in essence, serves as the foundational blueprint for your design project.
For those opting for the research-intensive pathway, this entails a research proposal outlining the design research question, purpose, aims, significance of the research, and a brief literature review. For those opting for the project-intensive pathway, this entails a project proposal outlining aims, scope, actions, resourcing and timeline.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Assessment: Oral Presentation
The second assessment task hones your oral communication skills. For this task, you will produce a video presentation of your design project brief. This presentation may include visual materials such as PowerPoint slides. The presentation evaluates your ability to effectively communicate and convey the key elements of your design brief, simulating a real-world scenario where you would need to engage with stakeholders and present your project's objectives and requirements.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Assessment: Viva Voce
The final assessment task entails a viva voce process that follows on from your presentation. During the viva voce, a panel consisting of the lecturer/tutor, an external industry stakeholder, and a fellow student will engage in a supportive discussion with you. This process assesses your knowledge of the context, design rationale, and evidence presented in your design brief. It is designed to evaluate your ability to engage in constructive dialogue, defend your design brief, and address questions and suggestions in a collaborative manner.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.
The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.
You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.
Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Resources
You will be provided with a number of required readings that will be accessible via the Canvas site and/or the QUT Library. You will also have access to a range of software applications and online tools and platforms.
The unit Canvas site will provide a central repository for digital resources as well as documentation on unit housekeeping. You are expected to both review the unit Canvas site and check your QUT student email account at least daily.
Risk Assessment Statement
All commencing CIESJ students are required to complete the mandatory CIESJ Student HSE (Health, Safety and Environment) Inductions.
There are no extraordinary risks associated with the learning and teaching activities in this unit.
Course Learning Outcomes
This unit is designed to support your development of the following course/study area learning outcomes.DE99 Master of Design (Strategic Design)
- Demonstrate and apply advanced and holistic knowledge as it relate to contemporary issues, challenges and opportunities in Strategic Design
Relates to: Design Brief Proposal, Oral Presentation, Viva Voce - Apply innovative, systematic practices and approaches to plan, lead, deliver and manage Strategic Design projects in a way that connects multi-stakeholder requirements with real-world outcomes
Relates to: Design Brief Proposal, Oral Presentation, Viva Voce - Demonstrate ethically and socially responsible judgement and decision making, recognising the importance of personal accountability, acumen and reflective practice when working in individual and collaborative modes
Relates to: Design Brief Proposal, Oral Presentation, Viva Voce - Assess, integrate, and champion sustainable practices in the context of Strategic Design, demonstrating a commitment to environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and economic viability
Relates to: Design Brief Proposal, Oral Presentation, Viva Voce - Develop a nuanced understanding and sensitivity of the international landscape by synthesising diverse cross-cultural, economic, and geopolitical perspectives for effective Strategic Design leadership and approaches
Relates to: Design Brief Proposal, Oral Presentation, Viva Voce - Demonstrate an ability to research and apply established theories and plan and execute a substantial research project, cultivating and communicating designerly thinking
Relates to: Design Brief Proposal, Oral Presentation, Viva Voce