BAS5550 · Designing impactful change projects

Overview

Addressing the world’s greatest challenges requires change in both human behaviour, and the systems that support this behaviour. For any problem there are dozens of good ideas of what might work, but there are far fewer examples of well-designed and effectively implemented solutions. The difference is often in the detailed design - how exactly will this good idea be translated into real-world impact? This unit takes a deep dive into not only identifying and designing solutions but how these solutions are implemented and how to ensure they align with ethical practice. You will explore intervention functions, connecting design with evidence to increase design effectiveness, apply frameworks to prioritise intervention design, use co-design methods to incorporate multiple stakeholder perspectives and discuss techniques such as human centered design and prototyping to progress ideas and solutions. You will gain an overview of ethical principles and their role in intervention design and implementation. You will learn from change practitioners and researchers, with the opportunity to apply this learning to an existing professional challenge or a provided case study.

Offerings

Assessment

The Handbook does not list a final examination among the assessment items. That is not a guarantee there is none.

Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.

Requisites

The Handbook lists no prerequisite, corequisite or prohibition for this unit.

Learning outcomes

1. Demonstrate an understanding that designing solutions requires a consideration of a range of constraints, emerging challenges, and perspectives;
2. Select appropriate intervention types to support change;
3. Apply methods, frameworks, and collaboration techniques to co-design and prioritise interventions for further collective development, prototyping, and implementation planning;
4. Collaboratively create and deliver an implementation plan for a chosen intervention;
5. Reflect on the ethical implications of intervention design and implementation and the ethical principles that underpin influencing change.

Workload

In total, you can expect to commit a total of ~144 hours of independent and collaborative work across the teaching period. This unit will be delivered over an intensive period of 6 weeks in Winter. In weeks 1-5 you will be expected to complete 24 hours of learning, which includes: • One 2.5 hour online workshop; • 12 hours of asynchronous online learning, and • 9.5 hours of independent study towards assignments. In week 6 you will be expected to attend: • a three-day experiential on-campus Masterclass at the Clayton campus.

Student experience, not official rules. Nothing here changes what the Handbook says.