Design Futures

Unit Code: HDG633

Credit Points: 12.5 Credit Points

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> Teaching Methods
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> Aims & Objectives
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Related Course/s:

Aims & Objectives:

This unit challenges participants to understand the increasingly intangible, virtual and convergent nature of contemporary societies, including the way emerging technologies continue to shape future lives. The unit challenges participants to imagine the future of design in response to changing social, cultural and economic trends, environmental pressures, technical possibilities, and business practices. Students will be encouraged to engage in futuristic scenarios.

The unit provides strategies by which to help students understand the future challenges in design and to develop effective strategies to contribute to the successful development and application of emerging technologies. Projects undertaken in the unit will consider how design can inform and inspire the development of new products, systems and services using new technologies to deliver social, environmental and economic advantage. Projects undertaken may include:

• scenario development and narratives for future design
• futures/foresight concepts, methodologies and mapping tools
• emerging technologies
• design as a system
• application of smart technologies/solutions
• strategic innovation
• simulation and visualisation methods
• social and cultural contexts, especially design in a networked society.

Teaching Methods:

Teaching is conducted in a student-centred studio environment, through lectures, group discussions, site visits, demonstrations and critiques. Students present their work to the group at the end of each project.

Assessment:

100% project work. Assessable work comprises discussed design deliverables, documented evidence of contextual research, concept development, design process and rationale, plus the appropriate application of software. Project briefs clearly define conceptual parameters, detailed design deliverables, assessment criteria, presentation formats and due dates but students are responsible for actively participating in this process to develop independently conceived projects and a sound understanding of assessment requirements. Formative feedback is given throughout the semester to allow students to develop their work for final submission. Assessment occurs at the end of the semester and is based on the submission of a body of design work as specified in project briefs.

Content:

This unit aims to introduce students to the relationship between new technologies and design and the potential for its impact on “design” project outcomes. In this unit, students will:
• Engage in an investigative studio project
• Develop and extend individual projects which engage directly with the themes articulated for this unit of study
• Explore the relationship between a broader vision of research and design practice
• Articulate the unit of study project outcomes and themes through a well-developed and well-structured design solution.

Reading Materials:

P. M. Asaro, Transforming Society by Transforming Technology The Science and Politics of Participatory Design, Urbana, University of Illinois Press, 1996
John M. Carroll (ed), Scenario-Based Design Envisioning Work and Technology in System Development, New York, John Wiley and Sons, 1995
R. Cooper, M. Press, The Design Agenda: A Guide to Successful Design Management, New York, John Wiley & Sons, 1995
Brenda Laurel (ed), Design research: methods and perspectives, Cambridge, Mass., MIT Press, 2003
Industrial Design Society of America, Design Secrets: Products: 50 Real-Life Product Design Projects, Rockport Publishers, 2001
Donald Norman, The Design of Everyday Things, Cambridge, The MIT Press, 1998
Norman, D, The Design of Future things, BasicBooks, 2007

Students may be given a reading list and ongoing readings for discussion over the course of the semester. These readings will constantly change to reflect the topics discussed in the Design Research Studio.