DGN1520 · Social media for design analysis and communication

Overview

In this unit you will explore how social media platforms influence the way design is conceived, communicated, and consumed. Through critical analysis of visual and textual content, you will examine how online imagery both reflects and shapes design trends, cultural narratives, and public perception of design. You will learn how to identify and evaluate formal, thematic, and experiential patterns within large sets of social media images, considering issues such as bias, authenticity, and cultural context. The unit will introduce you to methods for sourcing, curating, and presenting design concepts for diverse online audiences, using platform-specific strategies to communicate effectively. You will also consider the ethical implications of working with social media content and develop strategies for engaging critically with emerging digital tools, including AI-assisted synthesis. By the end of the unit, you will be able to integrate insights from social media into your own design process, creating work that is both contextually informed and visually compelling.

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. Analyse how social media platforms shape the production, representation, and reception of design;
2. Curate and present design concepts for different social media audiences using appropriate strategies, while critically evaluating the reliability, biases, and cultural implications of social media content;
3. Synthesise insights from social media analysis to inform design decisions and narratives;
4. Collaborate with peers to develop and refine digital content that communicates design ideas effectively;
5. Apply ethical and professional considerations when collecting, using, and sharing design imagery online;
6. Reflect on the evolving role of social media in design practice, and identify strategies for ongoing critical engagement with emerging platforms and technologies.

Workload

12 hours per week including 3 contact hours plus 9 hours of independent study, or equivalent.

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