87010 VC Design Studio: Socially Responsive Design

Description

Socially Responsive Design has evolved over the past 2 years. Projects are larger and more fully refined than previous years and a higher percentage of final work used in the real-world. With a stronger emphasis on client collaboration and design leadership, students are taught how to run briefing workshops with their clients.

Teamwork, professionalism and a human-centred approach to design form the basis of this subject. As members of design teams, students take part in live projects, responding to the needs of a community-based organisation as their client and developing outcomes inspired by research in a contemporary global context. This subject allows students to refine their design practice and learn to work collaboratively at a professional level. Typical project work includes team and project management, client briefings, empathy research, user testing and product sourcing and specification. Design projects are developed iteratively, regularly critiqued in peer groups and assessed through a series of formal presentations to the client and peer group.

This subject is offered at a crucial time in the third year of the course where the general focus is on the design profession. It provides students with an authentic work experience in which they develop ethical values and socially responsible attitudes as part of becoming a professional designer. The subject involves working with a wide range of 'not-for-profit' community organisations, providing design assistance where limited funding would normally disallow it.

Typical availability

Spring session, City campus