89024 Design Studio: Figuration
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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: 12 cp
Result type: Grade and marks
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Description
This subject provides an opportunity to undertake a self-led design research project in relation to a live industry project around using design methods to understand the future of workplaces (office environments) and worker cultures being undertaken with an Australian development company. Students are introduced to the case study, provided inspiration on a range of possible research questions and methods, and are able to determine the inquiry they lead in the subject. Students create a profesisonal design research brief and then respond to this brief with research findings or design solutions. Students are provided with individual feedback and mentoring in relation to their project and participate in peer feedback and discussion with the other students. Students also complete an individual reflection about their role as a designer and their ability to influence future issues such as this one.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:
| 1. | Demonstrate a professionally advanced level of research utilising relevant primary and secondary techniques. |
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| 2. | Investigate systems of organisation, and spatial/material/visual languages appropriate to design medium and user experience. |
| 3. | Demonstrate a capacity for flexible thinking in relation to iterative and creative design concept development. |
| 4. | Demonstrate alertness to, and care for, the human and/or environmental impact of the design. |
| 5. | Demonstrate sensitivity in selection, use and application of media. |
| 6. | Demonstrate an ability to experiment and critically analyse, refine, synthesise and process ideas to a stage of realisation and presentation, evidenced through iterative process work. |
| 7. | Demonstrate an ability to effectively communicate, actively share, and dialogically develop design ideas. |
| 8. | Communicate design propositions with confidence and clarity, demonstrating a professional level of written, visual and oral presentation skills. |
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
This subject also contributes to the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes:
- Value for the designer's role as a responsible global citizen, including alertness to the impact of design on environmental ecologies and issues of social justice (A.1)
- A commitment to ethical acknowledgement of sources and the work of others (A.2)
- Professional attitude to clarity, accuracy and effectiveness of communication (C.1)
- Capacity for perceptive concept development (I.1)
- Ability to critically appraise, develop or redirect design ideas (I.2)
- Possession of a developed aesthetic sensibility (P.2)
- Possession of craft skills appropriate to the discipline (P.3)
- Ability to analyse and synthesise complex ideas (R.2)
Contribution to the development of graduate attributes
Design Studio: Figuration encourages student learning directed to develop graduate attributes. The course content, learning strategies and assessment structure is explicitly designed with these attributes in mind.
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
This studio aims to develop your skills in independent/self directed/negotiated research and practice. It provides an opportunity to develop and integrate conceptual and practical skill sets, and focuses on the completion of a self-determined and self-generated project. The studio prioritises learning outcomes in: research, critical thinking, creativity, judgment, technical mastery, problem solving and conceptual thinking. The emphasis is on independent/self directed/negotiated projects which are supported by tutorials and group critiques. Work will be evaluated based on aesthetic and conceptual qualities, innovative approaches to the medium, and overall effort.
Each week, in class, you will present design project work to your studio leader and peers. In class you will participate in discussion of all the work presented. Your role in providing feedback to your peers, and in opening yourself to feedback on your own project, will help you to develop good judgment in relation to design development, as well as prepare you to work effectively in design teams in professional practice. During the week, between classes, you will need to significantly develop your project for further presentation, drawing upon ongoing research as well as on the feedback provided in class.
Content (topics)
- Futuring methods in design
- Developing design research briefs
- Exploring relevant design methods and methodologies
- Undertaking qualitative and quantitative design research
- Understanding themes and design inspiration from qualitative research data
- Developing design solutions and recommendations
- Testing and prototyping ideas
- Crafting professional design reports and presentations
- Reflecting and planning for your own design future
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Design Research Brief
| Intent: | Clarify the focus of your research work using the form of a professional design brief. | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Objective(s): | This task addresses the following subject learning objectives: 1, 3, 5 and 8 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, I.1 and R.2 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Type: | Report | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Groupwork: | Individual | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 30% | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Length: | The brief should be between 1500 – 2500 words (3-5 pages of writing, although professional layout should increase the number of pages to allow for section breaks and white space). | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Criteria linkages: |
SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes |
Assessment task 2: Design Research Outcomes
| Intent: | Effectively communicate your design research outcomes to the client. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Objective(s): | This task addresses the following subject learning objectives: 3, 4, 5, 6 and 8 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, A.2, C.1, I.1 and I.2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Type: | Report | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Groupwork: | Individual | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 50% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Length: | The report should be between 2000 – 4000 words (4 – 8 pages of writing) The professional layout should increase the number of pages to allow for section breaks and white space. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Criteria linkages: |
SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes |
Assessment task 3: Reflective statement
| Intent: | Develop a greater of awareness of your skills and level of influence as a designer | ||||||||||||
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| Objective(s): | This task addresses the following subject learning objectives: 2 and 7 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.): P.2 and P.3 | ||||||||||||
| Type: | Essay | ||||||||||||
| Groupwork: | Individual | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 20% | ||||||||||||
| Length: | Aim for this to be 1000 – 1500 words long (2 – 3 written pages). | ||||||||||||
| Criteria linkages: |
SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes |
Minimum requirements
Full attendance is expected. If you are unwell or unable to attend, an explanatory email must be sent to the subject coordinator prior to class. Attendance on task presentation days is compulsory. If you are unable to complete your task on time, or you are unable to attend a task presentation, an eRequest asking for Special Consideration must be submitted via your Student Portal.
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
Recommended reading varies depending upon the particular studio selected. Refer to your studio leader for details.