87012 VC Project: Research Through Design

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a 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.

UTS: Design, Architecture and Building: Design
Credit points: 6 cp
Result type: Grade and marks

Requisite(s): 87731 VC Design Studio: Narrative, Form and Time AND 87443 VC Project: Typography in Context AND 87009 VC Design Studio: Visualising Experience

Description

In the first part of this subject, students are led through a series of research approaches, methods and processes, drawn from design scholarship and professional design practice. This sequence of activities, undertaken both in studio workshops and independently at home, will enable students to apply research insights to their own practice, and develop a standpoint in relation to their future practice.

The key focus of this subject is the necessity for students to be able to articulate the way in which they have used and documented research within specific projects, and to communicate a unique standpoint that reflects their values and professional ethics. This is a key factor in student employability and transition to industry. Therefore, in the second part of the subject students are led through strategies for articulating a how research is embedded in their practice, as presented within a professional visual communication design portfolio that also communicates their unique standpoint.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:

1.	Critically apply a range of research methods, processes and approaches to their design practice
2.	Using a research through design approach, develop a manifesto/position statement that communicates their unique standpoint as a designer
3.	Design a portfolio that communicates that clear standpoint, to a professional standard
4.	Demonstrate an understanding of academic and professional ethics, copyright and appropriate acknowledgement of intellectual property
5.	Demonstrate professional standard of visual, oral and written presentation skills for research, critical documentation of process, and design outcomes.
6.	Self-direct your learning experience, through time management and reflective practice.

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)

This subject also contributes to the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes:

Establish and develop a sustainable, informed and ethical position towards social and cultural issues. (A.1)
Communicate ideas effectively in a variety of ways, including oral, written and visual. (C.3)
Create designs that respond to their context in formally or conceptually innovative ways. (I.1)
Independent development of high level technical and craft skills for the production, presentation and documentation of work. (I.3)
Awareness of and/or engagement with the local and global design community. (P.2)
Understanding of academic and professional ethics, copyright and appropriate acknowledgement of intellectual property. (P.3)
Independently engage in self-directed learning and select and apply appropriate methodologies specific to the project. (P.4)
Demonstrate knowledge of design history and theory and to place creative practice within a historical and theoretical framework. (R.4)
Reflect and engage in self-critique and critical thinking. (R.5)

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

The subject is delivered in weekly sessions, one day per week. The face-to-face program includes lectures, workshops, studio sessions. An industry relevant portfolio is developed through engagement in 'real world' research methods. Skills in collaboration are developed through formal and informal group work.

Lectures establish the theoretical and conceptual frameworks; deliver briefings on task requirements; provide interactive opportunities that build a community of practice with guest speakers, panel sessions and discussions.

Weekly studio sessions will give you the opportunity to discuss questions about the subject content with your peers and with an expert studio leader, to collaborate on activities directly relevant to key ideas and to develop your skills as a design practitioner.
Students will be given opportunities for peer-to-peer feedback throughout the semester to support independent learning. ln this way, studio sessions will provide you with the opportunity to take ownership of the ideas encountered in preparatory reading, research
and the lectures. Your studio leader will facilitate discussion and offer expert insight and direction where needed, but as students you are primarily responsible for the mood of the studio session.

Students are expected to commit 10-12 hours per week to each 6-credit point subject.
This includes contact hours. The 6-9 hours remaining each week are for the completion of preparatory activities and assessment tasks.

Preparatory Activities
Each week before class, you will complete a series of activities that relate to the subject.
These are included in the weekly outline. Before leaving the studio, you will write an 'action list' of tasks you need to complete before the next studio session and assign times in your personal weekly planner to complete these tasks. You may be asked to reflect on how you managed these tasks with your learning group or studio leader in the following studio session.

Lecture and Studio Etiquette
Lectures and studio sessions provide important opportunities for you to move out of digital environments. Mobile phone and laptop use can be distracting to those around you. Digital devices can interfere with face-to-face communication. You will be given
explicit information about situations where limited use of these technologies might be appropriate.

Content (topics)

Design research methods
Strategies for visualisation information
Approaches to qualitative design research
Problem reframing
Rapid ideation

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Design Manifesto

Intent:

In studio sessions and through independent (homework) tasks, you will be introduced to a range of Research through Design methods and approaches. You will use these methods and approaches to critique a set of historical and contemporary design manifestos, as well as to investigate an area of professional practice you aspire to work in. You will visualise and/or materialise your insights (what you learn from your critique and research) through design practice: image making, mapping, information visualisation, motion graphics, interactive experiments.

Then, based on insights from your research, you will write and design a manifesto that communicates an idea or opportunity related to the area of professional practice you aspire to work in.

This work will be compiled in an annotated portfolio for submission. See the Canvas site for detailed instructions on what to include and how to submit.

Objective(s):

This task addresses the following subject learning objectives:

1, 2, 4, 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.1, C.3, I.1, P.3, P.4 and R.4

Type:

Portfolio

Groupwork:

Individual

Weight:

60%

Criteria linkages:

Criteria	Weight (%)	SLOs	CILOs
Capacity to critique design manifestos using appropriate research methods and approaches	25	1	R.4
Correct attribution of design precedents and citations of scholarly references, in the annotated portfolio	10	4	P.3
Capacity to communicate a key idea or opportunity for a specific area of design practice	30	2	A.1
Professional standard of written expression and grammar in annotated portfolio.	10	5	C.3
Professional standard of visual presentation of your annotated portfolio, including typographic detailing and information hierarchy	15	5	I.1
Capacity to self-direct your learning process, including meeting weekly deadlines and participating in studio activities and conversations	10	6	P.4

SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Assessment task 2: Design Portfolio

Intent:

You will design and produce a professional design portfolio, showcasing:
* Three projects that show what you can design,
* One project with a 'process story' that reveals how you design, and
* A selection of smaller experiments that you created in subjects such as Narrative Form and Time, Visualising Experience, Emergent Practice, electives or your own independent work, which demonstrate your critical thinking, research and material experimentation skills. These can be 'tests' or 'experiments' rather than finished projects. See Canvas site for detailed instructions on what to include and how to submit.

Objective(s):

This task addresses the following subject learning objectives:

2, 3, 4, 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.):

C.3, I.3, P.2, P.3, P.4 and R.5

Type:

Portfolio

Groupwork:

Individual

Weight:

40%

Criteria linkages:

Criteria	Weight (%)	SLOs	CILOs
Design of a professional standard portfolio, including typographic detailing and information hierarchy.	30	3	I.3
Ability to follow submission guidelines, including submitting all components of the folio to specified size and formats	10	4	P.3
Clear and concise critical annotations in portfolio, appropriate for an industry audience	20	5	C.3
Clearly articulated personal standpoint, communicated through short bio and annotations of your work	20	2	R.5
Oral presentation of folio to professional standard	10	5	P.2
Capacity to self-direct your learning process, including meeting weekly deadlines and participating in studio activities and conversations	10	6	P.4

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.