Overview

Through this unit students will collaborate across fundamentally different disciplines with the purpose of designing innovative, research-led solutions for complex, real-world problems. In teams, students will evaluate and compose appropriate research methods, creative problem solving and design innovation processes. Students are expected to engage in projects with high levels of self-direction, personal responsibility and commitment to inclusive teamwork philosophies.

Requisites

Prerequisites
DDD80012 DFM Toolbox: Innovation and Interdisciplinary Collaboration 1

Rule

Enrolment in a postgraduate degree.

Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Semester 1
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
03-March-2025
01-June-2025
Last self-enrolment date
16-March-2025
Census date
31-March-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
24-April-2025
Results released date
08-July-2025

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

  • Evaluate and apply research methods to understand, re-frame and inform creative problem solving for a complex problem
  • Construct different prototyping innovation techniques to explore design ideas that blend technical, human and economic considerations
  • Effectively contribute to an innovation culture through inclusive decision making, open mind-set and empathetic approaches to collaboration activities
  • Produce tangible design ideas that create value within project constraints and timelines
  • Justify project outcomes effectively at different stages of project development using a range of communication techniques
  • Implement appropriate project management and communication tools for collaboration

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
Face to Face Contact (Phasing out)
Studio		3.00 12 weeks 36
Specified Learning Activities (Phasing out)
Various		5.00 12 weeks 60
Unspecified Learning Activities (Phasing out)
Independent Learning		4.50 12 weeks 54
TOTAL150

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULO's
Project 1Group 30 - 40% 2,4,5 
Project 2Group 40% 1,2,3,4 
ReflectionIndividual 30% 3,6 

Content

  • Topics may include:
  • Innovation culture, low hierarchy, mind-set and language
  • Prototyping techniques for creative problem solving
  • Divergent and convergent thinking
  • Interdisciplinary teamwork and self-awareness
  • Innovation tools and design thinking processes
  • Co-creation, empathy and inclusive collaboration approaches
  • Iterative design development and user testing processes
  • Low hierarchy and project management practices
  • Value proposition and business model canvas tools
  • Ethical and responsible conduct
  • Design research strategies
  • Professional project documentation and presentation techniques

Study resources

Reading materials

A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.