DYB102 Impact Lab: Society and Systems

Unit Outline: Semester 2 2024, Kelvin Grove, Internal

Overview

This unit addresses methods of social impact design and the ways in which these approaches can contribute to transformational social and community focused change. In it, you experience how design approaches and tools can be applied to complex social and community-based challenges. In a context where design can foster inclusion and act as a disruptor and driver for positive change you as a designer, alongside your design peers, have the collective potential to lead or make a better future. Framed around real world challenges; and in partnership with community, government and/or industry partners; you will engage with transdisciplinary design-led participatory entrepreneurial strategies to address key issues within one or more communities. This will develop skills valuable in designing for social impact. This impact lab focuses on people, to foreground the importance of keeping the human condition at the heart of design practice which enables solutions aimed at social change.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

1. Identify the components, connections, and relationships in complex everyday experiences, contexts and/or socio cultural challenges and evidence using introductory design approaches and tools
2. Employ interdisciplinary strategies and collaborative design methods to sensitively explore and respond to community and/or social challenges
3. Create a foundational career capabilities portfolio reflecting meaningful collaboration between practice and community-based challenges.

Content

Learning Approaches

This unit takes an active learning approach, with weekly studios until week 6 and a 2.5 day design intensive usually undertaken in week 6. The approach to learning and teaching fosters collaboration and inquiry into real world problems fostering openness, and transformational positive change attributes. The unit fosters attributes of empathy, resilience and openness, through an experiential learning and teaching approach, contextualised by a community partner/industry organisation. This unit builds personal connections and collaboration opportunities with your peer design community in the School of Design and the wider community/industry network. Learners will be encouraged to document project outcomes and approaches with the view to progressively developing a graduate professional portfolio of their design work. Team dynamics will be explored.

One example for the approach to learning and teaching for this unit may include connection with a number of not-for-profit community partners to present to the learners their key issue/s facing their organisation. Determined by the community partner/s, the key issues for exploration could potentially include areas such as: avenues to decrease domestic violence, approaches to reduce skin cancer, or ways of strengthening family and community life including cultural inclusion. In interdisciplinary teams learners will propose design concepts/prototypes to the partner addressing potential agency, access and action in response to the community or social issues. Depending on the partner, site field trips may occur. Connection to Indigenous community partners will be fostered.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

Formative feedback will be given at key times during the semester, including during studios, to foster the development of problem-based learning projects. Opportunities for peer review will be an essential part of the educational experience. Where feasible direct industry community partners feedback will be facilitated.

SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT

Feedback for summative assessment will depend on the intentions and structure of the project as formulated by the relevant project supervisor.

Project Leaders for each project will provide detailed assessment requirements prior to the commencement of the semester.

Assessment

Overview

Assessment for this unit is Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory and involves both formal and informal components, and group and individual elements. Project Leaders for each project will provide detailed assessment requirements prior to the commencement of the semester.

Unit Grading Scheme

S (Satisfactory) / U (Unsatisfactory)

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Design approaches and tools

Assessment: Design Intensive

Assessment: Foundational Career Portfolio

Academic Integrity

Students are expected to engage in learning and assessment at QUT with honesty, transparency and fairness. Maintaining academic integrity means upholding these principles and demonstrating valuable professional capabilities based on ethical foundations.

Failure to maintain academic integrity can take many forms. It includes cheating in examinations, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, and submitting an assessment item completed by another person (e.g. contract cheating). It can also include providing your assessment to another entity, such as to a person or website.

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.

Further details of QUT’s approach to academic integrity are outlined in the Academic integrity policy and the Student Code of Conduct. Breaching QUT’s Academic integrity policy is regarded as student misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Requirements to Study

Requirements

• For general security, safety and wellbeing, students should review HiQ Safety and security
  
• Access to KG, Z10 or GP, J Block workshops requires completion of a Workshops safety induction
  
• Access to studios requires completion of a KG studios induction
  
• Student projects that may involve medium or high risk, or off campus projects, require a formal risk assessment

All students and staff who access campus buildings and facilities are required to complete the Tier 1 General Health and Safety Induction. This must be completed online. Additional safety inductions may be required for this unit.

Costs

Consumable costs, typical of the preparation and presentation of design project work are to be expected in accordance with the course costs. Allowance for travel costs and incidentals should be made in the event of a field trip.

Resources

Resource Materials

Software

The main software applications used in this unit are:

• Microsoft Powerpoint
• Microsoft Word 
• Adobe Creative Suite 
• Miro 

Other

To enable your full participation in the virtual learning environment, for example, participating in online activities and engaging with online learning materials, you will need access to a reliable computer with an internet connection, webcam, headset and microphone, as well as a learning environment where you are able to fully participate undisturbed when required.

Risk Assessment Statement

For risks associated with using campus buildings or facilities, refer to the Tier 1 General Health and Safety Induction. This must be completed online along with the CI WIL Placement modules and associated Quiz.

The unit may include local site visits and/or field excursions. Appropriate risk assessments will be developed commensurate with CIESJ requirements.

Where substantial computer-based work is required, particularly in the case of fully online students, you are recommended to take regular rest breaks when engaging in prolonged computer-based work, and ensure that your workstation is set up for optimal comfort to prevent strain or injury. 

Further information can be found on the unit Canvas site. 

Course Learning Outcomes

DE43 Bachelor of Design

1. Recognise the consequences of design and its impact on the world, with respect to open, ethical and inclusive core design values acknowledging global, cultural and / or indigenous contexts.
   Relates to: ULO1, Design approaches and tools
2. Communicate coherently, independently and/or collaboratively using a range of media to convey and share design knowledge and ideas to diverse audiences in a range of contexts.
   Relates to: ULO3, Foundational Career Portfolio
3. Use transdisciplinary methods to effectively work in diverse teams to address real-world challenges.
   Relates to: ULO2, Design Intensive
4. Employ iterative approaches for open, collaborative and experimental design solutions using an entrepreneurial mindset.
   Relates to: ULO2, Design Intensive
5. Exercise self reflection, resilience, adaptability and self-direction and leverage failure in order to unlock new ideas, approaches, and ways of doing and knowing.
   Relates to: ULO2, ULO3, Design Intensive, Foundational Career Portfolio
6. Identify and challenge biases and demonstrate respect for personal and professional integrity, and cultural and social differences.
   Relates to: ULO2, Design Intensive
7. Independently demonstrate an ethical, sustainable and holistic approach to design, that critically considers impact.
   Relates to: ULO2, ULO3, Design Intensive, Foundational Career Portfolio

DE45 Bachelor of Design - International

1. Recognise the consequences of design and its impact on the world, with respect to open, ethical and inclusive core design values acknowledging global, cultural and / or indigenous contexts.
   Relates to: ULO1, Design approaches and tools
2. Communicate coherently, independently and/or collaboratively using a range of media to convey and share design knowledge and ideas to diverse audiences in a range of contexts.
   Relates to: ULO3, Foundational Career Portfolio
3. Use transdisciplinary methods to effectively work in diverse teams to address real-world challenges.
   Relates to: ULO2, Design Intensive
4. Employ iterative approaches for open, collaborative and experimental design solutions using an entrepreneurial mindset.
   Relates to: ULO2, Design Intensive
5. Exercise self reflection, resilience, adaptability and self-direction and leverage failure in order to unlock new ideas, approaches, and ways of doing and knowing.
   Relates to: ULO2, ULO3, Design Intensive, Foundational Career Portfolio
6. Identify and challenge biases and demonstrate respect for personal and professional integrity, and cultural and social differences.
   Relates to: ULO2, Design Intensive
7. Independently demonstrate an ethical, sustainable and holistic approach to design, that critically considers impact.
   Relates to: ULO2, ULO3, Design Intensive, Foundational Career Portfolio

DV43 Bachelor of Design

1. Recognise the consequences of design and its impact on the world, with respect to open, ethical and inclusive core design values acknowledging and working in global, cultural and indigenous contexts.
   Relates to: ULO1, Design approaches and tools
2. Communicate coherently, independently and/or collaboratively using a range of media to convey and share design knowledge and ideas to diverse audiences in a range of contexts.
   Relates to: ULO3, Foundational Career Portfolio
3. Use transdisciplinary methods to effectively work in diverse teams to address real-world challenges.
   Relates to: ULO2, Design Intensive
4. Employ iterative approaches for open, collaborative and experimental design solutions using an entrepreneurial mindset.
   Relates to: ULO2, Design Intensive
5. Exercise self reflection, resilience, adaptability and self-direction and leverage failure in order to unlock new ideas, approaches, and ways of doing and knowing.
   Relates to: ULO2, ULO3, Design Intensive, Foundational Career Portfolio
6. Identify and challenge biases and demonstrate respect for personal and professional integrity, and cultural and social differences.
   Relates to: ULO2, Design Intensive
7. Independently demonstrate an ethical, sustainable and holistic approach to design, that critically considers the impact and the policy context.
   Relates to: ULO2, ULO3, Design Intensive, Foundational Career Portfolio