87900 Critical Practice: Project
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Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.
Credit points: 24 cp
Result type: Grade and marks
Requisite(s): 87008 Critical Practice: Theorisation AND 87933 Critical Practice: Experimentation
Description
In this subject, students extend their self-directed research and experimental design processes from the previous session, leading to the development and presentation of a refined design response. Outcomes may be realised in any media and may take the form of a designed object or process, a portfolio of experiments, an extended piece of critical writing, or a combination of these three.
Students are mentored to undertake critical analysis, synthesis and reflective evaluation as the intellectual basis of their working methodology. Students are required to independently define and address issues relating to appropriate use of technology and production processes, user testing, production scheduling and project management, and the appropriateness of design form to communicative intent. Assessment is undertaken by a panel of academics advised by external practitioner-researchers.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:
| 1. | Effectively communicate the meaning, context and significance of a self-directed design project |
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| 2. | Develop a topic of inquiry and respond to it through critical practice and scholarly research |
| 3. | Develop an original visual language appropriate to the specified project aims and context, through an iterative design process |
| 4. | Constructively interpret and respond to feedback |
| 5. | Apply highly refined craft skills to the production and documentation of a design artefact or experience |
| 6. | Develop an understanding of design contexts (social, cultural, political, design practice) through qualitative and practice-led research |
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
This subject also contributes to the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes:
- Recognise adaptability as a key skill in design practice (A.2)
- Present critical arguments about how research informs and drives design practice (C.1)
- Challenge design conventions through scholarly research and investigative practice (I.1)
- Develop advanced knowledge and skills through self-directed reflective practice (P.2)
- Independently employ a range of qualitative and practice-led research approaches that are relevant to professional design practice and/or postgraduate study (R.1)
Teaching and learning strategies
This subject consists of weekly collaborative studios, supported by a lecture series and a workshop series.
Studio sessions provide an opportunity to receive critical feedback on your project from the studio leader and your peers, in order to help you manage your self-directed design practice. You will be encouraged to manage your studio feedback using strategies explored in the previous semester, such as user testing scenarios, participatory prototype testing, feedback sprints and soft pitches. During the semester, two formal presentations to a panel of three people – your studio leader, a UTS staff member and an external design professional – will provide further opportunity for critical feedback to help develop your project. Progress will also be documented and shared online via platforms such as Slack or Miro.
Content (topics)
Development of a significant research-led design response, through studio-based self-directed learning.
Dissertation which articulates the theoretical and social context of the design response.
Presentations of iterative stages of the design process to industry professionals and scholars.
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Project Pitch
| Intent: | Students each have five minutes to pitch their proposed design response to studio peers, studio leaders and external guests. The presentation should cover: A) The topic/question/issue that the proposed design responds to, and the contexts that it is situated within. For example: a problem or process within design practice; a social or political issue; a theoretical position or text. What is the project about, how does it relate to the world, who else has produced written or design work in response to this topic, issue or design process? B) A detailed account of research methods and design processes that will be used to inform and realise the design response. What will the project be, how will you make it? Where have you sourced content, or how have you generated content? The spoken presentation should be supported by visuals (PDF, Powerpoint, Keynote, etc), including documentation of design experiments and precedents. Any quotations or sourced images must be cited using the APA referencing format. Students must also submit a one page project pitch, including a detailed timeline that shows how they plan to complete the project within the allocated time. | ||||||||||||||||
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| Objective(s): | This task addresses the following subject learning objectives: 1, 2 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.1, I.1 and R.1 | ||||||||||||||||
| Type: | Presentation | ||||||||||||||||
| Groupwork: | Individual | ||||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 10% | ||||||||||||||||
| Criteria linkages: |
SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes |
Assessment task 2: Design Response
| Intent: | Students present a near-final iteration* of their design response to their studio leader and an external guest. This formal presentation is an opportunity to receive critical feedback on the near-final project, in order to make final revisions and improvements before the final production of folio/exhibition quality work. Presentation Format Students will have 10 minutes to present to the panel, followed by 10 minutes for questions and feedback from the panel. Please prepare and practice presentations to keep to the time limit. Presentations can be in any format (Powerpoint, Keynote, PDF) and a copy of the presentation slides must be submitted before the presentations begin. *Students will liaise with studio leaders to determine what degree of production is appropriate for this presentation, based on individual projects. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Objective(s): | This task addresses the following subject learning objectives: 1, 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.1, I.1 and P.2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Type: | Design/drawing/plan/sketch | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Groupwork: | Individual | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 40% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Criteria linkages: |
SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes |
Assessment task 3: Project Documentation
| Intent: | Students will document their design response and the research/design process underpinning it, in a way that is widely sharable. This may take the form of a short video/motion graphics piece, a web page, an interactive PDF or a print-based process book/folio. It must include a clear rationale outlining the context of the work as well as the research methods and design processes involved. It may include experiments or writing from any subject in the honours year. Please see the Critical Documentation Guidelines to help structure this documentation. This documentation should be appropriate for both industry and scholarly audiences. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Objective(s): | This task addresses the following subject learning objectives: 1, 2, 3, 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.2, C.1, P.2 and R.1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Type: | Portfolio | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Groupwork: | Individual | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 50% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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.