89173 Organisational Design

Description

Designers work in and for organizations but are often unaware of the field of Organizational Design. This subject introduces designers to different forms of organization, examining the how and why of each. Students learn how the material practice of design can be used to create, sustain and transform organizations with different cultures, purposes and outcomes. The subject begins with anthropological and sociological understandings of collective action and ways of organizing cooperation. There is a focus on the modern idea of ‘the firm,’ now ‘the corporation,’ first in systems of industrial production, and then in post-industrial economies demanding Lean and Agile operations. Students research the ways in which organizations manage their employees, and speculatively redesign those organizations to achieve the same outcomes but with different workplace activities and qualities.

Typical availability

Autumn session, City campus