42040 Prototyping Design and Systems Studio
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Credit points: 6 cp
Result type: Grade, no marks
Requisite(s): 42700c Professional Learning Studio OR 42030c Technology Disruptors Studio
The lower case 'c' after the subject code indicates that the subject is a corequisite. See definitions for details.
Anti-requisite(s): 42703 Human-centred Design and Systems Studio
Description
The subject introduces different approaches to prototyping, drawing on problems identified from professional settings. Students practise ways of approaching complex problems in the global workplace.
Through exploration and integration of product design and system thinking approaches, students develop a range of prototypes to test and learn key insights for the development of their initiative. Students deep dive in a product design approach focusing on developing prototypes for testing products’ assumptions. They then take a system approach focusing on developing prototypes for testing interventions in the system underlying the problem space of their initiative. Students reflect on the two approaches and are invited to explore opportunities to apply these approaches in the context of their own professional context.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
Upon successful completion of this subject students should be able to:
| 1. | Adapt prototype product or services to meet business and end user requirements. (B.1) |
|---|---|
| 2. | Test assumptions to deliver intended business outcomes. (C.1) |
| 3. | Demonstrate a range of techniques for prototype development and testing. (D.1) |
| 4. | Provide constructive feedback in a collaborative team to ensure improved performance. (E.1) |
| 5. | Reflect on iterative learning process to align with professional development. (F.1) |
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
This subject also contributes specifically to the development of the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs):
- Socially Responsible: FEIT graduates identify, engage, and influence stakeholders, and apply expert judgment establishing and managing constraints, conflicts and uncertainties within a hazards and risk framework to define system requirements and interactivity. (B.1)
- Design Oriented: FEIT graduates apply problem solving, design thinking and decision-making methodologies in new contexts or to novel problems, to explore, test, analyse and synthesise complex ideas, theories or concepts. (C.1)
- Technically Proficient: FEIT graduates apply theoretical, conceptual, software and physical tools and advanced discipline knowledge to research, evaluate and predict future performance of systems characterised by complexity. (D.1)
- Collaborative and Communicative: FEIT graduates work as an effective member or leader of diverse teams, communicating effectively and operating autonomously within cross-disciplinary and cross-cultural contexts in the workplace. (E.1)
- Reflective: FEIT graduates critically self-review their own and others' performance with a high level of responsibility to improve and practice competently for the benefit of professional practice and society. (F.1)
Teaching and learning strategies
Students engage in active learning in collaboration with peers and learning facilitators including people from academia and industry.
Dialogic feedback is integral to the 3 hour per week studio. Students will prepare and deliver informal pitches every week as part of an iterative learning process. Giving, receiving, using and reflecting on feedback is critical part of learning in this studio. Written feedback is received at the end of final presentations.
Students (further) develop prototypes for a business transformation product or service. Working in small teams, students develop several prototypes in two stages. First, prototypes are built that reflect a complicated view of the situation where a solution to the problem can be developed. Prototypes will be built to test desirability, feasibility and viability of the solution as well testing the activation and acquisition of customers. In the second stage, students take a complex view of the situation where no solution exists. In this second stage students build prototypes to enact a change in the system. Students will compare and contrast the product driven approach with the systemic thinking approach to develop a deeper & practice-based understanding of when and how to prototype based on the nature of the situation. The final task is a personal reflection to ensure that students deeply embed the learning in their own professional context and personal development plan.
Content (topics)
- Learn Start up methods
- Safe to fail methods
- Prototypes to test product market fit
- Stakeholders management
- Cynefin framework
- Rich pictures
- Causal loops
- Nudges
- Reflective Practices
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Explore a range of prototyping techniques to test a product
| Intent: | Demonstration of skills in prototyping for testing stages of product development |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses the following subject learning objectives (SLOs): 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 This assessment task contributes to the development of the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs): B.1, C.1, D.1, E.1 and F.1 |
| Type: | Presentation |
| Groupwork: | Group, group and individually assessed |
| Weight: | 40% |
| Length: | 15 to 20 slides presented in the studio and submitted |
Assessment task 2: Complexifying the problem: exploring a range of prototyping techniques to design interventions in the system
| Intent: | Demonstration of skills in prototyping for testing interventions in systems using complex thinking approach. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses the following subject learning objectives (SLOs): 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 This assessment task contributes to the development of the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs): B.1, C.1, D.1, E.1 and F.1 |
| Type: | Presentation |
| Groupwork: | Group, group and individually assessed |
| Weight: | 40% |
| Length: | 20-minute presentation 15-20 slides, to be presented in class and submitted |
Assessment task 3: Personal reflection on the two approaches and how they might be used in your own professional practice
| Intent: | Demonstration of ability to reflect on the relevance of one’s own iterative learning process in contributing to growth of self-confidence in prototyping. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses the following subject learning objectives (SLOs): 5 This assessment task contributes to the development of the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs): F.1 |
| Type: | Reflection |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 20% |
| Length: | 1000 words |