Unit Outline

Do you have a sustainability idea you'd love to bring to life through a community initiative, business, social enterprise or similar? Would you like to develop it using design thinking tools in a safe, supportive, and collaborative environment?

In this unit, you will integrate understandings of sustainability with Bruce Mau’s ‘design thinking’ principles, to empathise, define, ideate, prototype and test your ideas to plan a successful sustainability initiative. This unit cultivates collaborative, hands-on learning through weekly live seminars and interactive discussion boards. Each week, students apply design thinking tools and concepts to their own ideas, building a structured yet flexible framework that supports creativity and progress.

To deepen insight and spark innovation, students explore real-world projects—including inspiring examples from past cohorts. By grounding learning in practical application, peer interaction, and lived experience, the unit offers a dynamic environment for shared exploration and reflective growth. Students will emerge from the unit with a project idea ready to launch and a business model canvas and project pitch ready for investors or a grant application.

Note that this unit includes an 'assurance of learning' task which necessitates that that students record short videos of themselves explaining unit concepts to verify their learning. For this task, students must have access to a camera and microphone so staff can see and hear them in the recording. This task must be completed for a student to pass the unit.

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	Construct your ideas through questioning and synthesis of information
2	Evaluate a project by refining questions, gathering feedback and reflecting on improvements
3	Develop a realistic plan of action by synthesising information, including self, peer, unit content and the academic literature

Requisites


REQUISITE TYPE	REQUISITES
Anti-requisite (mutual excl)	XBR102

Alterations as a result of student feedback

This unit has undergone significant changes in 2026 due to student feedback. These changes include a new title and unit description, revised depth and order of content and adaptation for generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI). Assessment Task 1 has been significantly changed to address both feedback and 'assurance of learning' needs for the University. Discussion Boards have been changed to ensure more tailored and consistent feedback. Finally, the 'Real World Examples' interview series has been updated with new case studies of local sustainability initiatives.

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:	Value proposition canvas quiz	Week 6	30 %	LO1, LO2
Assessment Task 2:	Discussion posts	Week 10	30 %	LO1, LO2, LO3
Assessment Task 3:	Project proposal final report	Refer to Assessment Description	40 %	LO1, LO2, LO3

Assessment details

Assessment Task 1: Value proposition canvas quiz

Task Description:

In this timed, online quiz, students will be assessed on their understanding of the components of the value proposition canvas and the content from the first unit Module. Student will submit videos of their responses to two quiz questions so as to meet the criteria of an 'assurance of learning' task.

Task Length:

Approximately 30 minutes

Due Date:

Week 6 (12/Apr/2026)

Weight:

30 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Construct your ideas by synthesizing information	LO1
2	Evaluate a project using a value proposition canvas	LO2

Assessment Task 2: Discussion posts

Task Description:

A major part of design thinking is to get ideas out of your own head and get feedback. We are using the MyLO Discussion Boards as a kind of innovation lab where you can post drafts and seek and receive input from your peers. This Assessment Task provides the evidence that you have been engaging with this process.

Task Length:

No more than four A4 pages (not including references and appendix) evidencing your engagement with your peers through the Discussion Boards

Due Date:

Week 10 (10/May/2026)

Weight:

30 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Explain project components using unit concepts and content	LO1, LO2, LO3
2	Reflect on the impact of academic and other sources of information on project development.	LO1, LO2, LO3
3	Apply unit concept and tools to give your peer feedback.	LO1, LO2, LO3

Assessment Task 3: Project proposal final report

Task Description:

Project proposal final report: present your final project idea covering all aspects of your project, and your design thinking jouney.
Project overview: Pitch your project idea by providing details for all sections of the Business Model Canvas.
Design thinking journey: This section will demonstrate your progress in the unit and how you have applied design thinking to arrive at your project idea.

Task Length:

No more than six pages in total, although references and appendices are outside this limit.

Due Date:

Refer to Assessment Description (24/May/2026)

Weight:

40 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Justify your final project design, evidencing continuous revision and refinement by applying unit concepts, feedback and rigorous evidence.	LO2, LO3
2	Interpret evidence from your data collection phase to explain your idea.	LO2, LO3
3	Reflect on the impact of design thinking on your project development	LO1, LO2

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.

Note that Assessment Task 1 is a Lane 1 Assurance of Learning Task and will require you to record short videos of yourselves explaining unit concepts to verify your learning. For this task, you must have access to a camera and microphone so staff can see and hear you in the recording. This task must be completed for you to pass the unit.

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.