Unit Outline

In this unit, you will consider a range of ethical problems that are commonly encountered by design practitioners. This can include questions relating to borrowing and acknowledging the ideas and intellectual property of other designers, the impact of design activities on resources and the environment, and the possible influences and effects of design-led change on people and society in general. You will develop an awareness of ethical design practice, and learn to consider your own design practice and decision-making in the context of broad ethical considerations, such as gender equality, human rights and the ‘social contract,’ environmental responsibility, and fairness, honesty and transparency in commercial and client interactions.

Intended Learning Outcomes

As per the Assessment and Results Policy 1.3, your results will reflect your achievement against specified learning outcomes.

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


1.	Identify key ethical challenges for designers and design industries
2.	Differentiate between ethical and unethical design practice in a professional context
3.	Apply ethical practice in dynamic practice situations
4.	Reflect on how ethical awareness influences personal design practice

Requisites


REQUISITE TYPE	REQUISITES
Anti-requisite (mutual excl)	ZAD205

Alterations as a result of student feedback

To be determined.

How will I be Assessed?

For more detailed assessment information please see MyLO.

Assessment schedule


ASSESSMENT TASK #	ASSESSMENT TASK NAME	DATE DUE	WEIGHT	LINKS TO INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Assessment Task 1:	AT1: Essay: Copyright Conflicts	Week 4	30 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4
Assessment Task 2:	AT2: Making Ethical Decisions	Week 9	30 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4
Assessment Task 3:	AT3: Presentation: Expanded Ethics and Practice	Week 12	40 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4

Assessment details

Assessment Task 1: AT1: Essay: Copyright Conflicts

Task Description:

You will explore issues of intellectual property, and situations in which legal and ethical issues may come into conflict. You will respond to a case study that blurs the lines of ethical conduct and copyright. For this task, you are required to:
i) research the background of the case study
ii) identify the ethical issues (not just the legal issues)
iii) make a statement of position as a designer on how or why you would engage with the situation described in the case study, and under what circumstances.

Task Length:

Maximum 1500 words (with supporting images, diagrams, research and references)

Due Date:

Week 4

Weight:

30 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Evidence of research including a description of the relationships and significance of the example to a wider context	LO1, LO2
2	Identify and analyse ethical design issues and challenges	LO1, LO2
3	Communicate justifications and conclusions that critically reflect how ethics informs personal design practice	LO3, LO4

Assessment Task 2: AT2: Making Ethical Decisions

Task Description:

You have been approached by a manufacturer to rebrand their product, and to redesign the packaging, labelling and promotional material. However, there are some conflicting ethical issues surrounding this product, which makes accepting the commission difficult. Your task for this assessment is to decide whether or not you will take on this commission, and if so, under what terms. To complete this task you will need to:
(i) be informed of the pro's and con's of this product;
(ii) make a decision to engage or not to engage with the commission;
(iii) communicate that decision to the client.
You will write a response to the client that outlines your position on their brief, and the reasons behind your decisions.

Task Length:

Maximum 1500 words (with supporting images, diagrams, research and references)

Due Date:

Week 9

Weight:

30 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Identify and describe ethical issues and challenges	LO1, LO2
2	Demonstrate research that supports rationale and response to the client	LO1, LO2
3	Apply ethical practice and justify decision making for client communication strategy	LO3, LO4

Assessment Task 3: AT3: Presentation: Expanded Ethics and Practice

Task Description:

Many familiar products and services and the activities they enable, are now seen to have significant ethical implications. This is challenging for designers, and for the products and services they are called on to realise and promote.
Drawing on strategies from AT1 and AT2, you will collaboratively research and analyse a product/service category to inform ethical decision making in design practice.
Your task is to:
• Analyse examples with peers to identify key ethical issues;
• Propose design strategies for addressing a key ethical issue(s), and elaborate on how this could be the basis of a new design practice.

Task Length:

Group Presentation (50%) and Individual hand-ins (50%) Task Length: 3-8 minute group presentation (depending on class size) and maximum 20 pages PDF individual hand-in (including supporting images, diagrams, research and references) with 800 word limit. Breakdown Group Presentation (50%) Task Length: 3-8 minute group presentation supported by up to 10 slides. You will present to the class: • a chosen product/service and analyse this example with your peers to identify key ethical issues • propose design strategies for addressing a key ethical issue(s) Individual hand-ins (50%) Task Length: maximum 20 pages PDF individual hand-in (including supporting images, diagrams, research and references) Using the example that has been identified in your group presentation, you are to: • elaborate on the proposed design strategies from the group presentation, and how this could be the basis for developing a new kind of design practice. • reflect on the design and research process relating it to your individual contribution

Due Date:

Week 12

Weight:

40 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Apply ethical practice relating to identified issues and challenges	LO1, LO2, LO3
2	Evidence of collaborative research to differentiate between ethical and unethical design practice	LO2, LO3
3	Demonstrate critical thinking and its applicability to design practices	LO2, LO3, LO4

How your final result is determined

To pass this unit, you need to demonstrate your attainment of each of the Intended Learning Outcomes, achieve a final unit grade of 50% or greater, and pass any hurdle tasks.

Submission of assignments

Where practicable, assignments should be submitted to an assignment submission folder in MYLO. You must submit assignments by the due date or receive a penalty (unless an extension of time has been approved by the Unit Coordinator). Students submitting any assignment in hard copy, or because of a practicum finalisation, must attach a student cover sheet and signed declaration for the submission to be accepted for marking.

Academic integrity

Academic integrity is about acting responsibly, honestly, ethically, and collegially when using, producing, and communicating information with other students and staff members.

In written work, you must correctly reference the work of others to maintain academic integrity. To find out the referencing style for this unit, see the assessment information in the MyLO site, or contact your teaching staff. For more detail about Academic Integrity, see Important Guidelines & Support.

Requests for extensions

If you are unable to submit an assessment task by the due date, you should apply for an extension.

A request for an extension should first be discussed with your Unit Coordinator or teaching support team where possible. A request for an extension must be submitted by the assessment due date, except where you can provide evidence it was not possible to do so. Typically, an application for an extension will be supported by documentary evidence: however, where it is not possible for you to provide evidence please contact your Unit Coordinator.

The Unit Coordinator must notify you of the outcome of an extension request within 3 working days of receiving the request.

Late penalties

Assignments submitted after the deadline will receive a late penalty of 5% of the original available mark for each calendar day (or part day) that the assignment is late. Late submissions will not be accepted more than 10 calendar days after the due date, or after assignments have been returned to other students on a scheduled date, whichever occurs first. Further information on Late Penalties can be found on the Assessments and Results Procedure.

Review of results and appeals

You are entitled to ask for a review of the marking and grading of your assessment task if there is an irregularity in the marking standards or an error in the process for determining the outcome of an assessment. Details on how to request a review of a mark for an assignment are outlined in the Review and Appeal of Academic Decisions Procedure.