Units

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Sample subject outline - Semester 2 2012

Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.

Rationale

Your understanding of industrial design will be enhanced by this unit, which focuses on exploring how culture influences product design and how people use products. It occurs in second year so you can relate your accumulated design experience to issues of culture and society.

Aims

The unit aims to introduce you to a wide range of socio-cultural factors implicit in everyday life, providing a global perspective on cultural diversity and its influence on how people perceive and use products - and the implications for designers.

Objectives

On completion of this unit you should be able to:

1. Understand and explain the theoretical bases of socio-cultural differences and its practical application to design process and practice.
   
2. Describe socio-cultural differences and international perspectives in product design and use, developing critical, creative and analytical thinking skills.
   
3. Undertake information retrieval and review in an advanced way, developing effective written and verbal communication in the area of socio-cultural issues in design.

Content

The major topics covered in this unit include:

• cultural implications of everyday human-artefact interactivity,


• the role of designer in responding to the manifestations of society including market forces, political determinants and socio-cultural relationships.

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

Teaching Mode: Hours per week: 3 hours
Lecture: 1 hour
Tutorial: 2 hours

The class sessions in this unit will be conducted in a three hour lecture/tutorial workshop format. Generally, the first hour will be as a lecture, with the second two hours as a tutorial/workshop session. However, this will vary from week to week, especially when there are guest lecturers.

Learning Approaches
The unit will consist of lectures, tutorial exercises and related projects. The relationship between practice and theory will be explored within small group discussions. In addition, you will be encouraged to access various sources of literature using a variety of retrieval approaches and to present your findings in oral and written terms.

Assessment

Your performance in the unit will be assessed through two assessments due at specified times in the semester: report and exam. The assessments will contribute to the overall summative grade for the unit and note that a late penalty applies to final submissions according to the Faculty rules.You will receive formative feedback on your progress in this unit, via tutorials through the semester and a criterion referencing approach.

Assessment name: Report
Description: Report - the aim is to understand the socio-cultural context of a specific product and implications for designers. There are three components: observation of users, PowerPoint presentation and a written report exploring socio-cultural differences in use/design of the target case study product and the implications for designers.
Relates to objectives: 1, 2 and 3
Weight: 45%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Group
Due date: Mid Semester

Assessment name: Quiz/Test
Description: End of semester 60 minute multi-choice test will focus on material from the formal lectures, presentations and readings (as specified in lectures)
Relates to objectives: 1
Weight: 55%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: End of Semester

Academic Honesty

QUT is committed to maintaining high academic standards to protect the value of its qualifications. To assist you in assuring the academic integrity of your assessment you are encouraged to make use of the support materials and services available to help you consider and check your assessment items. Important information about the university's approach to academic integrity of assessment is on your unit Blackboard site.

A breach of academic integrity is regarded as Student Misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties.

Resource materials

Where possible, electronic copies of notes will be provided on the Blackboard unit site. A list of books and reference materials will be on BB in the first week of the semester. Designated readings will be set for specific lectures, and many should be included in your assignments.


Additional Costs
Consumable costs typical of the preparation and presentation of project work are to be expected.

Risk assessment statement

In this unit you will undertake lectures and tutorials in studios, and lecture rooms; there are no extraordinary workplace and safety issues associated with this component. You are reminded to familiarise yourself with evacuation procedures operating in the buildings in which you attend classes and other associated study and with other procedures relating to your safety and the security of your possessions. For one assessment, you will be required to observe people interacting with products in a public space (behave professionally and discreetly when observing and photographing the environment). . Because your assessment involves the public, you will receive detailed instruction on your ethical and legal responsibilities, and appropriate health and safety behaviours.

Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of semester.

Last modified: 29-May-2012