IDN2120 · Designing for sustainability

Overview

This unit introduces the foundational principles of sustainability theory and sustainable design practices, fostering the mindset shift designers need to create interventions that drive meaningful social innovation. You will learn through hands-on projects that address real environmental and societal issues - both local and global - using interdisciplinary methods and tools such as human-centred systems thinking, ethnographic research, systems mapping, case study analysis, and prototyping. These projects will span various impact areas and align with the Sustainable Development Goals, leading to the design of outcomes such as artefacts, product-service-systems, experiences, and environments within broader systems. Throughout, you will refine your ability to address complex challenges, engage with stakeholders, and collaborate with peers to empower communities and promote equity and inclusion.

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

Requisites

Learning outcomes

1. Identify, analyse, and interpret the key characteristics of sustainability;
2. Develop the ability to work effectively in interdisciplinary teams, leveraging diverse perspectives to enhance sustainable design solutions;
3. Apply empathetic design methodologies to create solutions that are deeply informed by the needs and contexts of the communities served;
4. Create and prototype innovative design solutions that drive meaningful social change and address real-world challenges;
5. Assess the social impact of design solutions, including how they influence communities and contribute to social equity and inclusion.

Workload

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

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