Overview

This unit extends learnings from DDD80012 DFM Toolbox: Innovation & Interdisciplinary Collaboration 1 and aims to provide students the opportunity to collaborate with different disciplines to design innovative, research-led solutions for complex, real-world problems. Working under supervision of academic staff, student teams will apply critical thinking to solve problems provided by external partners. Students are expected to operate with high levels of self-direction, personal responsibility and commitment to inclusive teamwork.

Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Date Semester 2
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
04-August-2025
02-November-2025
Last self-enrolment date
17-August-2025
Census date
31-August-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
19-September-2025
Results released date
09-December-2025

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

  • Rationalise and apply relevant theoretical concepts and research methods to understand, re-frame and inform creative problem solving for a complex problem
  • Apply different prototyping innovation techniques to develop design solutions that balance technical, human and economic considerations
  • Support innovation culture through inclusive decision making, open mindset and empathetic collaboration
  • Create tangible design proposals within time constraints and rationalise the value and innovation of the response to a problem
  • Justify project outcomes effectively at different stages of project development using a range of communication techniques
  • Rationalise and implement appropriate project management and communication tools for collaboration
  • Apply relevant stakeholder management techniques

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Activity Type Activity Total Hours Number of Weeks Hours Per Week
On-campus Studio 36 12 weeks 3
Specified Activities Various 60 12 weeks 5
Unspecified Activities Various 54 12 weeks 4.5
Total Hours: 150 Total Hours (per week): 12.5

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULO's
Reflection Individual/Group  30%  3,6 
Project Presentation Individual/Group  20%  4,5,7 
Project Individual/Group  50%  1,2,4,5,7 

Content

  • Innovation and design thinking tools and processes
  • Prototyping techniques
  • Iterative design development and user testing processes
  • Value proposition and business model canvas tools
  • Design research methods
  • Innovation culture, mindset and language
  • Divergent and convergent thinking
  • Interdisciplinary teamwork and co-creation
  • Ethical and responsible conduct
  • Project management practices
  • Professional project documentation and presentation techniques
  • Stakeholder management techniques
  • Graduate Attribute – Communication Skills: Verbal communication
  • Graduate Attribute – Communication Skills: Communicating using different media
  • Graduate Attribute – Teamwork Skills: Collaboration and negotiation
  • Graduate Attribute – Digital Literacies: Information literacy

Study resources

Reading materials

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