Design for Social Innovation module (DJ31050)

Increasingly Product Designers are tasked with developing design responses to challenging issues. These cover social, ethical, political, technological and environmental issues.

The module is research driven. You will expand your technical or digital making skills with design and systems thinking. You will learn to produce insightful and innovative designs that show awareness and understanding of socio-cultural impact.

What you will learn

In this module you will:

• address a set brief with an external problem holder
• research and reflect on contemporary and historic product design
• use ‘Research-through-Design’ and design thinking methods. You will use these to explore problems and engage experts and users in your work
• explore physical and digital outcomes for design concepts
• engage systems thinking to show how your concept can have impact
• make a resolved prototype. This will can be tangible or digital products, services and experiences
• use CAD (computer aided design), graphic design software and photography. Using these you will learn to professionally communicate your concept

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

• show understanding of Product Design across social, ethical, political, technological and environmental contexts
• use advanced ‘Research-through-Design’ methods, including user research, to inform and drive your concepts
• present a coherent range of concepts across 2&3D formats following a clear design process
• apply specialist Product Design technical or digital skills, techniques, practices and materials. You will be able to do so meaningfully through designing and producing prototypes
• produce well-contextualised final products, articulating their relevance and anticipated impact(s)

Assignments / assessment

• coursework (100%). This will include:
  • a series of physical and digital deliverables. These will be related to specific learning outcomes
  • portfolio submission on completion of the module
  • an individual or group presentation
  • written contextual and critical reflection

You will also be supported by one-to-one tutorials and group crits.

This module does not have a final exam. 

Teaching methods / timetable

• Lectures with related demonstrations. These will demonstrate design and prototyping methods
• Workshops. These will provide you with practical hands-on experience. You will get to work on design methods, prototyping and thinking-through-making
• Talks from invited speakers. This will be experts from industry
• Tutorials and crits. You will discuss and share work with staff and peers. This is an opportunity for you to gain supportive feedback on projects in progress
• Project work which may include some group work or activities