MGN599 Innovation in Practice


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Unit Outline: Semester 2 2026, Gardens Point, Internal

Unit code:MGN599
Credit points:24
Pre-requisite:MGN532
Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of the teaching period.

Overview

Fostering an innovation culture and developing innovation capabilities, including human centered design, are fast becoming strategic imperatives for many organisations in order to keep up with the pace of change. Whether adopting a first-to-market or fast follower approach, organisations are recognising the importance of increasing maturity levels in capability to respond to market changes and disruption to their existing business. In this capstone unit you will use human centered design to work through a real world business problem to identify and develop disruptive ideas, but to also facilitate the process of research informed innovation. Participating in real-world practices, you will gain skills and expertise that you can apply to a wide range of business opportunities and challenges, in roles which are internal or external to the business.

Learning Outcomes

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

  1. Identify and research opportunity-driven ideas or problem-driven solutions for an organisation. [HO 2.1, 2.2]
  2. Work effectively in a team to design and execute an innovation project including facilitating innovation design workshops for a real-world organisational context, demonstrating social impact and ethical practice. [HO 2.2, TS 4.2, SE 5.2]
  3. Effectively communicate and test ideas and concepts - written and verbal - to an executive management team. [PC 3.1, 3.2]
  4. Develop effective stakeholder management, team leadership, socially responsible and reflective practice capabilities. [TS 4.1, 4.2, SE 5.2]

Content

Topics to be covered include:

  • Digital Economy
  • Facilitating innovation processes
  • Structured / rapid ideation
  • Critical / design thinking
  • Action research
  • Disruptive Business models
  • Collaborative & change mindsets
  • Iterative prototyping and testing
  • Persuasively communicate concepts and implementation strategies
  • Develop business and people strategies

QUT Business Capabilities (Postgraduate)

The content and assessment in this unit are aligned to a selection of the following set of QUT Business Capabilities, also known as Assurance of Learning Goals (AoLs). Developing these capabilities will assist you to meet the desired graduate outcomes set at QUT and equip you with the knowledge and skills to succeed in your chosen career.

Knowledge & Technical Skills (KS)
1.1 Demonstrate and apply integrated and advanced discipline and professional practice knowledge, including knowledge of relevant research principles and methods.
1.2 Apply technical, technological and technical research skills to organise and interpret discipline knowledge, including theory and practice, to investigate business issues.

Higher Order Thinking Skills (HO)
2.1 Critically investigate real world business issues and problems drawing on analysis, evaluation and synthesis of discipline knowledge, including theory and practice.
2.2 Exercise creativity and intellectual independence and make informed decisions and judgements in planning, designing, and executing strategic and research-based responses to address real world issues and problems.

Professional Communication (PC)
3.1 Use information literacy skills and communicate effectively and professionally in written forms and using media appropriate for diverse purposes, contexts and audiences.
3.2 Use information literacy skills and communicate effectively and professionally in oral forms appropriate for diverse purposes, contexts and audiences.

Teamwork & Self (TS)
4.1 Exercise self-reflection and accountability in applying knowledge and skills for own learning and effective practice.
4.2 Apply teamwork knowledge and skills for effective collaboration across a range of complex activities and contexts.

Social, Ethical & Global Understanding (SE)
5.1 Demonstrate and apply knowledge of ethical and legal principles and practices of business in critically analysing and effectively responding to complex business issues.
5.2 Demonstrate and apply knowledge of socially responsible behaviour in analysing and addressing business issues and critically reflect on the responsibilities and impacts of organisations in national and international business contexts.

Learning Approaches

This unit focuses on learning through engaging in authentic experiences. Students will be:

  • applying research skills to real-world challenges and opportunities
  • participating in, developing, and facilitating innovation sprints
  • developing, prototyping, testing, and iterating ideas
  • communicating ideas and showcasing developed concepts
  • delivering industry-quality reports

The facilitator(s) will scaffold and facilitate a blended learning environment focused on the application of theoretical concepts and proven­ processes in real-world scenarios. Students will be engaged in collaborative workshops, hands-on creative problem solving, co-creating and co-facilitation whilst successfully developing the skills required to drive innovation efforts within business contexts. This course will be delivered via collaborative workshops. Workshops will be recorded and uploaded for future download via the Canvas site, however, the group work involved in the semester means class attendance and engagement is more beneficial than watching a recording.  

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

Students will receive feedback in various forms throughout the semester which may include:

  • Informal: worked examples, such as verbal feedback in class, personal consultation
  • Formal: in writing, such as checklists (e.g. criteria sheets), written commentary
  • Direct: to individual students, either in written form or in consultation
  • Indirect: to the whole class

Assessment

Overview

Academic Honesty

QUT is committed to maintaining high academic standards to protect the value of its qualifications. To assist you in assuring the academic integrity of your assessment you are encouraged to make use of the support materials and services available to help you consider and check your assessment items. Important information about the university's approach to academic integrity of assessment is on your unit Canvas site. A breach of academic integrity is regarded as student misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties.

Students may be required to attend campus or an assessment centre for the purposes of assessment, regardless of the attendance mode for the unit.

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Innovation Sprint Presentation

An innovation sprint is a short period of time where you focus on creating new ideas and solutions for a real-world client. In assessment one, you will work in teams to present your definition of the client problem/opportunity and the design principles for proposed solution(s), which factor in socially responsible practice. You will provide a peer assessment on your and the team's collaboration. The group mark is worth 20%, with the individual peer assessment worth 10%. 

Formative or Summative:Formative and Summative

Business Capabilities (AoL goals): HO (2.2), PC (3.2), TS (4.2), SE (5.2) 

Weight: 30
Length: 20 minutes
Individual/Group: Individual and group
Due (indicative): Week 6
Related Unit learning outcomes: 1, 2, 3, 4

Assessment: Innovation Sprint Report

An innovation sprint is a short period of time where you focus on creating new ideas and solutions for a real-world client. In assessment two, you will work in teams to prepare a written report detailing the entire innovation sprint process, research findings, and proposed solution(s), which factor in socially responsible practice. The report will include prototypes/minimum viable products of the proposed solution(s). The group mark is worth 30%, with the individual peer assessment worth 20%. 

Formative or Summative: Formative and Summative

Business Capabilities (AoL goals): HO (2.1), PC (3.1), TS (4.2), SE (5.2)

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Weight: 50
Length: 3,000
Individual/Group: Individual and group
Due (indicative): Week 13
Related Unit learning outcomes: 1, 2, 3, 4

Assessment: Reflection

Students will reflect on teamwork during the process and on their future practice as a socially responsible professional.

Formative or Summative: Summative

Business Capabilities (AoL goals): PC (3.1), TS (4.1), SE (5.2)

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Weight: 20
Length: 800 words
Individual/Group: Individual
Due (indicative): Week 13
Related Unit learning outcomes: 3, 4

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

There is no prescribed text for this unit. All required materials will be available on Canvas.

Risk Assessment Statement

This unit requires you to work with your team from weeks 2-13 of the semester. Accordingly, students enrolling in this unit are expected to consistently engage with team discussions and equitably contribute to the work produced by the team. If you know that you will be absent from classes and/or be unavailable to liaise (digitally) with your team for a prolonged period of the semester (i.e. due to work commitments, travel plans, etc.), please consider taking this unit in a semester that you can more equitably commit your time to working with others for completing assessment.

Beyond the above consideration for the team-based nature of the unit, there are no out-of-the ordinary risks associated with this unit. You should, however, familiarise yourself with evacuation procedures operating in the buildings in which you attend classes and take the time to view the Emergency video.

Standards/Competencies

This unit is designed to support your development of the following standards\competencies.

QUT Business Capabilities (Postgraduate)

HO (2.1): Critical Analysis

Relates to: ULO1, Innovation Sprint Report

HO (2.2): Independent Judgement and Decision-Making

Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, Innovation Sprint Presentation

PC (3.1): Professional Communication (Written)

Relates to: ULO3, Innovation Sprint Report, Reflection

PC (3.2): Professional Communication (Oral)

Relates to: ULO3, Innovation Sprint Presentation

SE (5.2): Global Social Responsibility

Relates to: ULO2, ULO4, Innovation Sprint Presentation, Innovation Sprint Report, Reflection

TS (4.1): Self-Reflection and Accountability

Relates to: ULO4, Reflection

TS (4.2): Teamwork Knowledge and Skills

Relates to: ULO2, ULO4, Innovation Sprint Presentation, Innovation Sprint Report

Course Learning Outcomes

This unit is designed to support your development of the following course/study area learning outcomes.

BS11 Master of Business

  1. Demonstrate and apply knowledge of socially responsible behaviour in analysing and addressing business issues and critically reflect on the responsibilities and impacts of organisations in national and international business contexts.
    Relates to: ULO2, ULO4, Innovation Sprint Presentation, Innovation Sprint Report, Reflection
  2. Critically investigate real world business issues and problems drawing on analysis, evaluation and synthesis of discipline knowledge, including theory and practice.
    Relates to: ULO1, Innovation Sprint Report
  3. Exercise creativity and intellectual independence and make informed decisions and judgements in planning, designing, and executing strategic and research-based responses to address real world issues and problems.
    Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, Innovation Sprint Presentation
  4. Use information literacy skills and communicate effectively and professionally in written forms and using media appropriate for diverse purposes, contexts and audiences.
    Relates to: ULO3, Innovation Sprint Report, Reflection
  5. Use information literacy skills and communicate effectively and professionally in oral forms appropriate for diverse purposes, contexts and audiences.
    Relates to: ULO3, Innovation Sprint Presentation
  6. Exercise self-reflection and accountability in applying knowledge and skills for own learning and effective practice.
    Relates to: ULO4, Reflection
  7. Apply teamwork knowledge and skills for effective collaboration across a range of complex activities and contexts.
    Relates to: ULO2, ULO4, Innovation Sprint Presentation, Innovation Sprint Report