85813 Design Advocacy
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particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source
of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.
Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.
Credit points: 6 cp
Result type: Grade and marks
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Description
Learning to clearly and convincingly communicate what design is and why it is of value to non-designers is a complex task. In this subject, students learn how to articulate and demonstrate the value of their designs and themselves as a designer to a range of audiences. This includes understanding the stakeholder ecosystems or communities of practice relevant to a design project and identifying opportunities to communicate and influence within that. Students work with their studio mentors to identify a range of realistic opportunities to advocate for their designs which will form their assessment briefs. They participate in workshops to hone their communication and presentation skills to respond to these briefs, creating a range of valuable artefacts to support their Honours projects.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:
| 1. | Understand and seek to influence design industry practices |
|---|---|
| 2. | Effectively communicate the meaning, context and significance of your design project |
| 3. | Undertake critical analysis of stakeholder ecosystem through design research methods |
| 4. | Actively participate in a peer-based design community of practice |
| 5. | Demonstrate cultural and ethical sensitivity to project communication |
| 6. | Apply engaging and highly refined visual and verbal communication skills to the production of project artefacts/assets |
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
This subject also contributes to the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes:
- Practice cultural awareness and demonstrate an understanding of and commitment to social and ecological sustainability and just transitions. (A.3)
- Communicate ideas clearly and confidently across various tasks in professional, creative and research contexts. (C.2)
- Ability to communicate across various platforms and draw understanding from diverse contexts. (C.3)
- Apply refined technical knowledge and skills to research-led design practice. (I.4)
- Ability to produce outcomes that contribute to and advance disciplinary knowledge. (P.3)
- Understanding of and engagement with global design industry practices, marketing and frameworks. (P.4)
- Independently employ a range of qualitative and practice-led research approaches relevant to design practice and or postgraduate study. (R.1)
- Develop, analyse and synthesise complex ideas that are academically informed and well-reasoned. (R.4)
Contribution to the development of graduate attributes
The term CAPRI is used for the five Design, Architecture and Building faculty graduate attribute categories where:
C = communication and groupwork
A = attitudes and values
P = practical and professional
R = research and critique
I = innovation and creativity.
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs) are linked to these categories using codes (e.g. C-1, A-3, P-4, etc.).
Teaching and learning strategies
Students will engage in interdisciplinary workshops to share ideas and learn a range of new techniques to understand audiences, communicate, advocate and influence. In between the workshops, they will practice techniques and develop their chosen advocacy projects in disciplinary tutorials.
Content (topics)
Workshop content will include:
- Pitching to student peers and seeking feedback and allies
- Stakeholder ecosystems and communities of practice relevant to your projects
- Systems diagramming
- Influencing and advocating for change within your field
- Preparing for design exhibitions
- Documenting projects through photographs and videos
- Project illustrations
- Crafting effective stories for professional bios
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Set the context and plan for your design advocacy projects
| Intent: | Set the context, rationale and plan for your advocacy projects and seek feedback on your chosen project drafts | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This task addresses the following subject learning objectives: 1, 2, 3 and 4 This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.): C.3, I.4, P.4 and R.1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Type: | Report | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Groupwork: | Individual | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 40% | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Criteria linkages: |
SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes |
Assessment task 2: Final design advocacy projects
| Intent: | Complete your final advocacy project artefacts | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This task addresses the following subject learning objectives: 1, 5 and 6 This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.): A.3, C.2, P.3 and R.4 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Type: | Portfolio | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Groupwork: | Individual | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 60% | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Criteria linkages: |
SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes |
Minimum requirements
The DAB attendance policy requires students to attend no less than 80% of formal teaching sessions (lectures and tutorials) for each class they are enrolled in to remain eligible for assessment.
Required texts
Readings, where appropriate, will be povided in class.