89110 Higher Orders of Design

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject handbook information prior to 2023 is available in the Archives.

UTS: Design, Architecture and Building: Design
Credit points: 6 cp

Subject level:

Postgraduate

Result type: Grade and marks

There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.

Description

This subject introduces students to designing inclusively for current and future sociocultural contexts. Students are introduced to key principles of Inclusive Design to help them skillfully interpret the various contexts within which designs are encountered, engaged with, experienced, or consumed.

In the first six weeks of the subject, students are led through a series of progressive principles to acquire a deep understanding of designing for social diversity and are introduced to complex considerations of designing with rather than for people. Students test their inclusive design literacy through a series of engaging weekly activities.

In the second six weeks of the subject, students expand their understanding of inclusive design by working on an inclusive design project with a client from the disability sector. Building on key insights from the first part of the subject, students consider a real life context where designs can reform or improve the present and make way for designs that can help enable more system-wide transitions. Students learn how to intervene responsibly in social diversity and complexity and enhance their understanding of how to design for those whose voices are not often heard.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:

1.	Create rich accounts of the socio-material consequences and significance of design, in ways that can inform inclusive designing.
2.	Explain the significance of a range of concepts and processes drawn from the scholarly and professional practices of Inclusive Design.
3.	Communicate findings and insights from work that recognises the socially constructive power of design representations.
4.	Demonstrate active listening by constructively critiquing design research presentations and responding to the work of peers with clear and thoughtful feedback.
5.	Develop speculative design propositions reflecting an understanding of critical nature and responsibility of designing.

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)

This subject also contributes to the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes:

Advocate for the power and responsibility of designing (A.1)
Co-create shared value propositions that benefit all stakeholders (A.2)
Communicate using a wide range of media and techniques (C.1)
Design for and with, and enable designing by, diverse stakeholders (I.1)
Formulate novel yet significant design research questions (R.2)

Contribution to the development of graduate attributes

The term CAPRI is used for the five Design, Architecture and Building faculty graduate attribute categories where:

C = communication and groupwork

A = attitudes and values

P = practical and professional

R = research and critique

I = innovation and creativity.

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs) are linked to these categories using codes (e.g. C-1, A-3, P-4, etc.).

Teaching and learning strategies

The subject is delivered online and combines workshop and seminar components. Students will engage in presentations, discussions and activities in which they demonstrate their understanding of the concepts presented. These activities will be complemented by independent student reading and ongoing engagement with the contexts of inclusive design and design futuring.

OPELA and Language Development Tutorials

An aim of this subject is to help you develop academic and professional language and communication skills in order to succeed at university and in the workplace. To determine your current academic language proficiency, you are required to complete an online language screening task, OPELA (information available at https://www.edu.au/research-and-teaching/learning-and-teaching/enhancing/language-and-learning/about-opela-studen [or a written diagnostic task].

If you receive a Basic grade for OPELA [or the written diagnostic task], you must attend additional Language Development Tutorials as scheduled in order to pass the subject. These tutorials are designed to support you to develop your language and communication skills.

Students who do not complete the OPELA and/or do not attend 80% of the Language Development Tutorials will receive a W (result Withheld) grade. This grade can be lifted when students complete a Language Development Intensive (LDI) or Language Development Online (LDO).

Content (topics)

Inclusive Design

Recognising diversity
Inclusive Design principles and processes
Systems thinking
Reflective practice
Inclusive co-designing

Inclusive Design Project

Critical Design
Social Design
Ethical Design
Socially Responsible Design
Universal Design

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Inclusive Design Journal

Intent:

Engagement with class content and readings: analysis and critical reflection

Objective(s):

This task addresses the following subject learning objectives:

1, 2, 3 and 4

This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.):

A.1, A.2, C.1 and R.2

Type:

Journal

Groupwork:

Individual

Weight:

40%

Criteria linkages:

Criteria	Weight (%)	SLOs	CILOs
Demonstrated ability to analyse and synthesis complex ideas	30	1	R.2
Ability to reflect on the relevance of a theoretical argument to design	30	2	A.1
Clarity, accuracy, eloquence and professionalism of communication	30	3	C.1
Demonstrated commitment to ethical acknowledgement of sources and the work of others	10	4	A.2

SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Assessment task 2: Inclusive Design Insights Presentation

Intent:

Demonstrate capacity to translate what you have learned into a practice context

Objective(s):

This task addresses the following subject learning objectives:

1, 2, 3 and 4

This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.):

A.1, A.2, C.1 and R.2

Type:

Presentation

Groupwork:

Individual

Weight:

10%

Criteria linkages:

Criteria	Weight (%)	SLOs	CILOs
Demonstrated ability to analyse and synthesis complex ideas	30	1	R.2
Ability to reflect on the relevance of a theoretical argument to design	30	2	A.1
Clarity, accuracy, eloquence and professionalism of communication	30	3	C.1
Demonstrated commitment to ethical acknowledgement of sources and the work of others	10	4	A.2

SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Assessment task 3: The future of ageing

Intent:

Develop critical perspectives on designing for disability

Objective(s):

This task addresses the following subject learning objectives:

1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.):

A.1, A.2, C.1, I.1 and R.2

Type:

Report

Groupwork:

Individual

Weight:

50%

Criteria linkages:

Criteria	Weight (%)	SLOs	CILOs
Area(s) of critical focus demonstrate perceptive engagement with key class content, readings and activities, as well as additional primary and secondary research.	20	1	R.2
Ability to develop critical argument and reflect on the relevance and significance to design.	30	2	A.1
Future speculation and diegetic prototype demonstrates critical engagement with key concepts, informed by class content, readings and additional research.	30	5	A.2
Clarity and professionalism in the experiential communication of future speculation, and articulate its significance in relation to critical perspective on design	10	3	C.1
Demonstrated commitment to ethical acknowledgement of sources, work of and with others, and recognition of self-positionality.	10	4	I.1

SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Minimum requirements

Regular attendance of and participation in classes, and successful completion of all tasks.
The DAB attendance policy requires students to attend no less than 80% of formal teaching sessions (lectures and tutorials) for each class they are enrolled in to remain eligible for assessment.

It is a requirement of this subject that all students complete OPELA. Students who received a Basic grade in the OPELA are required to attend 80% of the Language Development Tutorials in order to pass the subject. Students who do not complete the OPELA and/or do not attend 80% of the Language Development Tutorials will receive a W grade.

Required texts

Set readings will be made available online and from the UTS library.