Unit Outline

This unit explores our designed worlds, the dynamic relationships between design, designers, culture, and society, examining how design shapes and is shaped by social contexts. Students will investigate how design functions as both a mirror reflecting cultural values and a catalyst for social change. The unit challenges students to consider their own agency as designers and to critically evaluate the ethical implications of design decisions across diverse cultural contexts.

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 and describe the fundamental relationships between design, designers, culture, and society using appropriate design terminology and concepts.
2	Analyse and interpret how design both reflects cultural values and influences social change through examination of historical and contemporary case studies.
3	Apply critical feedback skills within creative projects.
4	Evaluate the ethical implications of design decisions across diverse cultural contexts and articulate personal reflections on their emerging role as designers.
5	Apply principles of design grammar to organise and compose design artefacts.

Alterations as a result of student feedback

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:	Design Analysis - design context map	See the MyLO site for the due date	25 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO5
Assessment Task 2:	Learning Journey Map & Personal Design Manifesto	See the MyLO site for the due date	35 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO5
Assessment Task 3:	Design Relations	See the MyLO site for the due date	40 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5

Assessment details

Assessment Task 1: Design Analysis - design context map

Task Description:

Weeks 1-11 sprint exercises.

Task Length:

Multipage PDF

Due Date:

See the MyLO site for the due date

Weight:

25 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Sprints are highly resolved with appropriate detail, finish and fidelity through the use of appropriate design tools, techniques and practices.	LO1, LO2, LO5
2	Apply professional visual communication strategies and techniques to present a design project	LO2, LO3, LO5

Assessment Task 2: Learning Journey Map & Personal Design Manifesto

Task Description:

Design Relations Learning Journey Map and a Personal Design Manifesto that together reflect on their development throughout the unit. This final piece asks students to synthesise insights from case studies, workshops, design interventions, and ethical reflections into a cohesive narrative and forward-looking statement of their design values and intentions.

Task Length:

Due Date:

See the MyLO site for the due date

Weight:

35 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Map: Shows thoughtful insight into personal growth, challenges, and shifts in design thinking throughout the unit.	LO1, LO2
2	Map: Uses creative, clear, and engaging visual strategies to represent their learning journey.	LO5
3	Map: Demonstrates how peer, tutor, or self-assessment feedback was meaningfully integrated into the development of the learning journey map or related design work.	LO3
4	Includes accurate references to unit content (e.g., workshops, case studies, frameworks) and aligns them meaningfully with personal insights.	LO1

Assessment Task 3: Design Relations

Task Description:

There are two parts to this assignment.
Task 1: requires you to select one of the four focus areas (Design as Cultural Mirror, Design as Social Catalyst, Speculative & Critical Design or Sustainable & Circular Design) and undertake a case study of your choice.
Task 2: Using your learning from the case study, apply this to the redesign of a chair.

Task Length:

Due Date:

See the MyLO site for the due date

Weight:

40 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Effectively analyses the selected case study using appropriate design terminology and critical frameworks; identifies key cultural, ethical, and social dimensions.	LO1, LO2
2	Proposes a chair redesign that is imaginative, culturally relevant, and socially responsive; rationale clearly links design decisions to insights from the case study.	LO4, LO5
3	Evaluates the ethical implications of the redesign and reflects on their role as a designer within diverse cultural contexts.	LO4
4	Presents ideas clearly and professionally through visual and written formats; uses appropriate design language and structure.	LO3, LO5
5	Accurately format and cite all sources used in the project according to APA 7th edition guidelines. This includes in-text citations and the reference list.	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.

Academic progress review

The results for this unit may be included in a review of your academic progress. For information about progress reviews and what they mean for all students, see Academic Progress Review in the Student Portal.

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.