COL3002 · Collaborative design studio 5

Overview

In this final Collaborative Design Studio, you will transition from a participant to an active design leader, applying your skills to real-world projects that have the potential for ongoing impact. Through a thematic line of inquiry, you will explore complex challenges across social, cultural, environmental, technological, and economic contexts, focusing on how design activism can address global challenges. You will manage collaborative design processes, acting as both facilitator and decision-maker, as you work closely with stakeholders to co-create meaningful solutions. The unit emphasises advanced design research techniques, which you will use to generate prototypes, refine concepts, and implement final design outcomes that positively impact the communities you are connected to. Throughout the semester, you will also mentor peers, helping guide them through the collaborative design process. By integrating stakeholder feedback, applying reflexive practices, and leveraging your professional skills, you will deliver solutions that embody the values of social justice, sustainability, and ethical responsibility, preparing you for a professional career in design.

Offerings

Assessment

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

100% in-semester assessment

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

Requisites

Learning outcomes

1. Build advanced design research skills to examine complex social, cultural, environmental, and technological challenges, preparing for application in real-world design contexts;
2. Lead collaborative design projects, using design tools, prototyping, and stakeholder feedback to refine impactful design solutions;
3. Combine insights from diverse perspectives, research, and stakeholder feedback to create polished design outcomes that address both real-world and speculative challenges;
4. Reflect on your growth as a designer, considering how your role within collaborative projects influences outcomes and relationships with stakeholders;
5. Show a commitment to ethical, sustainable, and socially responsible design practices that address global challenges and benefit communities;
6. Develop adaptability and resilience by reflecting on feedback and continuously improving your design practice through iterative processes.

Workload

24 hours per week including 6 contact hours plus 18 hours of independent study, or equivalent.

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