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DESN4002: Design Contexts

• Terms Taught: Michaelmas
• US Credits: 5
• ECTS Credits: 10
• Pre-requisites: None

Course Description

This module aims to:

• To provide students with a broad understanding of key moments in modern design history and the contexts in which these moments occurred.
• To introduce students to a range of designers from around the globe in both the discipline and practice of design.
• To explore design history through multiple cultural perspectives, enabling students to recognise the influence of colonialism on design narratives and appreciate diverse design traditions from around the world.
• To develop foundations for engaging thoughtfully and critically with design history and contexts.
• To build essential knowledge for considering the future of design in ever-changing contexts.
• To develop research skills in finding and engaging with relevant sources and constructing arguments.
• To provide opportunities for practising and developing verbal and visual communication skills.
• To build foundational academic writing skills relevant to design contexts.

Educational Aims

Upon successful completion of this module, students will be able to:

1. Describe key concepts, theories, and movements within design history and their relationship to design practice.
2. Identify and explain significant moments in modern design history, and the cultural, social, and technological contexts in which they occurred.
3. Recognise diverse global design traditions and discuss how colonialism has influenced design narratives and practices.
4. Apply basic research skills to locate, select, and use appropriate sources of information about design history and contexts.
5. Demonstrate effective communication about design history through verbal, visual, and written formats.
6. Reflect on collaborative working experiences with peers, identifying strengths and areas for development.

Outline Syllabus

This module explores how design both shapes and is shaped by diverse global contexts through an examination of key moments in design history. Through interactive lectures, practical activities, and critical discussions, students will investigate how design responds to challenges, drives innovation, and reflects societal change across different cultural settings.

The module begins by examining fundamental questions: What is design? What is history? What is design history? Students will then journey through significant design periods, movements, and practitioners from the Industrial Revolution to the Digital Age. Throughout this journey, particular attention will be given to exploring multiple cultural perspectives, highlighting contributions from historically marginalised traditions, and examining how colonial legacies have influenced design narratives and practices around the world.

Each week introduces different designers and contexts, encouraging students to consider design's evolving role in society, economy, and environment. Students will develop research skills to engage with these contexts meaningfully, learning to identify and use appropriate sources of information. The module concludes by revisiting definitions of design and design historyand considering the future of design and how it might continue to impact, inspire, and shape diverse global contexts.

Students will engage with various theoretical frameworks that inform design history, which may include perspectives on power and empowerment, decolonisation, and critical approaches to gender, race, and disability. These critical lenses will be integrated into weekly discussions and assessments, with students reflecting on collaborative experiences in pairs or small groups.

This module provides the theoretical foundation for all Level 4 modules, helping students situate their emerging practice within a broader, more inclusive understanding of design history. By recognising the diversity of influences that shape design, students will develop the knowledge and critical skills needed to make informed, culturally aware decisions in their own design work.

Assessment Proportions

This module explores design history through a combination of knowledge-sharing and applied learning activities. Teaching will be delivered through in-person lectures featuring diverse text, visual, and video materials that showcase global design traditions and perspectives. These are complemented by interactive seminars/workshops where students engage in individual, paired, and small group activities to deepen their understanding of design contexts.

Lectures introduce key concepts, designers, and historical movements, while seminars provide space to clarify these concepts and consider their relevance to contemporary design practice. Discussions will encourage students to examine multiple cultural perspectives and explore how various social, political, and colonial contexts have influenced design narratives and practices. The collaborative nature of many workshop activities mirrors professional environments, helping students develop teamworking skills while building research capabilities through guided activities on finding and evaluating appropriate sources.

The assessment strategy consists of two complementary components:

• Presentation (30%) – Students work in pairs or small groups to research and present on a key moment in modern design history and/or designer(s), developing verbal and visual communication abilities while demonstrating understanding of historical contexts.
• Individual Essay (70%) – Students write an essay linking historical design contexts with contemporary practice, demonstrating their ability to apply theoretical knowledge and develop academic writing skills.

Students will receive individual written feedback on their coursework and presentation. Selected seminars will provide developmental feedback opportunities before final submission.

This module provides the theoretical foundation for all Level 4 modules, helping students situate their emerging practice within a broader, more inclusive understanding of design history and contexts.

DESN4005: Design Sprints

• Terms Taught: Lent/Summer
• US Credits: 5
• ECTS Credits: 10
• Pre-requisites: None

Course Description

This module aims to:

• Equip students with the knowledge and experience of how to respond to different types of design briefs in short timeframes. By completing multiple short projects in this module, students will grow confidence in their own creative practice, and this will help them address larger projects in later parts of the programme.
• Provide a space for experimentation and controlled failure. Students will learn what works for them through trial and error – and the failures along the way will be as, if not more, important than the successes in understanding how to develop and articulate design proposals.
• Develop foundational visualisation skills essential for communicating design ideas effectively across various contexts.

Educational Aims

Upon successful completion of this module, students will be able to:

1. Apply divergent and convergent thinking techniques to rapidly respond creatively to a variety of design briefs within short timeframes.
2. Demonstrate foundational visualisation methods and tools to effectively communicate design ideas and concepts.
3. Recognise and describe how design is influenced by different contexts in their creative responses.
4. Apply techniques for design iteration and experimentation, viewing setbacks as learning opportunities.
5. Document and reflect on their design process, decisions and development using appropriate visual and written techniques.
6. Demonstrate creative confidence in responding to design challenges through rapid ideation, prototyping, and problem solving.

Outline Syllabus

The module will comprise ten one-week-long design projects spread across the 11 teaching weeks. Each week, students will be given a design brief and asked to respond with a design proposal, which will be reviewed in a weekly exhibition and seminar to discuss the lessons learnt.

The content of the weekly design briefs will be intentionally varied but will include projects that require students to design graphics, prototype physical and/or digital products and services. The questions and themes the students will be asked to consider in this module and associated seminars and reviews will include:

• How should they begin a design project?
• How should they break down a design brief to develop initial direction?
• How can they use design precedent to support their creative direction?
• How much 'research' do they need to conduct to support and inform their ideas?
• How and when can they utilise abstraction to develop concepts?
• How can they quickly iterate on designs to develop and enrich ideas?
• How can they evaluate their ideas in this process?
• How can they identify the most interesting and impactful parts of their ideas?
• How can they effectively visualise and communicate their design proposals?
• How can they think laterally and generate creative ideas?
• How far can you push an idea before it becomes absurd?
• What are the common thematic threads connecting the various directions they have pursued in projects, and what does this suggest about them as designers?
• What is their style? How can they find their creative voice?
• How can they best structure and manage their time on short projects?
• How long will different tasks take?
• How might they integrate emerging technologies to improve their creative workflow?
• How can they consider different contexts that might influence their design decisions?

Assessment Proportions

Each week, students will receive rich formative feedback and be encouraged to reflect on their designs and progress as a group. There will be one formal assessment at the end of the module, which will be evaluated on a pass/fail basis to encourage students to fully embrace the creative exploration of rapid projects without being constrained by traditional grading concerns, which can inhibit creative risk-taking.

Weekly teaching involves reviewing designs produced from the previous week and discussing the strengths and weaknesses of both output and process. A key strategy is treating individual projects as somewhat 'disposable' - rather than spending weeks on a single project with all grades tied to its success, we will celebrate each weekly sprint as an entry in a collective design diary. This fosters an environment where students can celebrate failures alongside successes, supporting growth and learning.

The studio environment encourages peer learning and creative exchange, with weekly exhibitions creating a culture of sharing, critique, and reflection. This mirrors professional design practice, where designers frequently present work-in-progress for review. The rapid-sprint format builds valuable time management skills and helps students develop confidence in making decisions under time constraints.

In practical terms, the reviewing of design produced from the previous week will be achieved in two separate sessions run on the same day. Session one, will be a studio / crit session, whereby students showcase their designs, provide brief verbal presentations, and receive questions. Session two, will be in a seminar setting whereby we collectively reflect on the works produced, and the new project brief is presented and discussed.

The final submission comprises a sketchbook showcasing process and thinking throughout the module, and a formal portfolio presenting the ten projects produced. Assessment criteria evaluate evidence of experimentation, quality of visualisation, application of creative thinking techniques, understanding of the design process, quality of documentation, and consideration of different contexts in design responses. These formats allow students to demonstrate not only final outputs but also their development journey across the module.

DESN5001: Interaction and Experience Design

• Terms Taught: Michaelmas
• US Credits: 5
• ECTS Credits: 10
• Pre-requisites: None

Course Description

This module aims to:

• Develop students' understanding of the principles and practices of interaction and experience design within the contexts of digital and physical products, services, and systems
• Foster practical skills in creating intuitive, engaging, and effective interactive experiences through user-centred design methods
• Cultivate critical awareness of responsible design practices that consider social, ethical, and environmental implications of interactions
• Enhance students' abilities to test, evaluate, and iteratively improve design solutions based on user feedback and evidence
• Build students' capacity to communicate design decisions and concepts effectively to diverse audiences
• Establish connections between theoretical frameworks and practical application in a variety of interaction contexts

Educational Aims

Upon completion of this module, students will be able to:

1. Critically analyse interactions between people and products, services, or systems by applying appropriate theoretical frameworks and design principles.
2. Apply user-centred design methods to develop solutions for real-world interaction design challenges, demonstrating divergent and convergent thinking in the development of interactive experiences.
3. Apply creative experimentation techniques to integrate diverse perspectives and user needs into the prototyping and development of interactive experiences, recognising failure as a learning opportunity and demonstrating the ability to adapt design approaches based on feedback.
4. Evaluate design proposals through appropriate testing methods, critically reflecting on feedback to inform improvements at different stages of development.
5. Critically evaluate how interaction design decisions impact user experience, accessibility, and broader contexts, demonstrating how interaction design can respond to cultural, social, ethical, and environmental challenges.
6. Communicate design concepts and decisions effectively through appropriate visual, verbal, and written means.

Outline Syllabus

This module explores the field of interaction and experience design through a balance of theoretical frameworks and practical application. The content is structured to progressively build students' understanding and skills throughout the module.

Students will first examine foundational principles of interaction design, including understanding users, contexts of use, and the broader implications of design decisions. Drawing from human-computer interaction, cognitive psychology, and design theory, students will explore how people interact with digital and physical interfaces and environments.

Building on this foundation, the module introduces various user-centred design methods for research, ideation, and testing. Students will learn techniques for gathering user insights, analysing needs, and translating findings into design opportunities. They will explore the relationship between aesthetics, functionality, and usability in creating meaningful interactions.

The module places significant emphasis on prototyping as a thinking and communication tool. Students will practice creating low-fidelity prototypes (sketches, paper prototypes, storyboards) and progress to higher-fidelity interactive prototypes as appropriate for their design context. Students will learn to evaluate their designs through peer feedback and, where feasible, lightweight user testing methods.

Throughout the module, students will engage with case studies showcasing diverse applications of interaction design across websites, mobile apps, physical products, and service systems. They will consider how design choices influence accessibility, inclusivity, and sustainability, developing a responsible approach to design practice. Contemporary issues such as AI integration, data ethics, and sustainable interaction design practices will be explored to ensure students understand current professional challenges.

By synthesising theoretical knowledge with practical skills, students will develop their ability to create interactions that are not only functional and engaging but also ethically sound and beneficial to people, planet, and economy.

Assessment Proportions

This module adopts a learning-by-doing approach where theoretical concepts are immediately applied through practical projects. Weekly sessions begin with interactive lectures introducing key concepts, followed by studio workshops where students apply these concepts through individual and collaborative activities. The teaching strategy balances structured guidance with student-led exploration, encouraging critical thinking and creative problem-solving.

Assessment Strategy

Assessment is constructively aligned with the learning outcomes, designed to reflect professional interaction design practice while ensuring students demonstrate both practical skills and critical thinking. The module comprises one summative assessment:

Reflective Design Portfolio (100%), which is comprised of 2 parts:

1. Designed Output. Students develop and present a prototype that demonstrates the application of interaction design principles and user-centred approaches. The prototype should effectively communicate the intended user experience and demonstrate appropriate application of design principles. Students can focus on either digital or physical interactions (or a hybrid approach) for their prototype.

2. Students document their entire design process and critically reflect on their work. The portfolio demonstrates research, ideation, development work and evaluation of the interaction(s), while the integrated reflection (around 750 words) evaluates personal learning, ethical considerations, and professional development.

Overall, this assessment evaluates technical execution, creative problem-solving, and the quality of interaction design decisions as well as the students’ ability to articulate design decisions, contextualise work theoretically, and critically evaluate outcomes against user needs and broader contexts.

The module emphasises a participatory approach to design, where students learn to consider diverse user needs, cultural contexts, and ways of knowing, encouraging more inclusive and socially responsive design practices. Digital tools and platforms enhance the learning experience, while physical prototyping ensures students develop versatile skills. Technical, creative and communication skills are supported through structured studio sessions, allowing students to develop capabilities relevant to professional practice. Formative feedback through peer critiques, tutor feedback on works-in-progress, and group discussions supports students in developing critical faculties throughout the module.

DESN5002: Insight-led Design

• Terms Taught: Michaelmas
• US Credits: 5
• ECTS Credits: 10
• Pre-requisites: None

Course Description

This module aims to:

• To develop proficiency in applying creative approaches, tools, and research methods to address design challenges grounded in real-world contexts.
• To explore qualitative and quantitative research approaches for generating meaningful insights through engagement with people, data, and secondary sources.
• To cultivate analytical skills for transforming research findings into actionable design opportunities and creative propositions.
• To introduce participatory methods and workshop facilitation techniques for collaborative insight generation and design development.
• To integrate emerging technologies, including AI, as tools to enhance the insight generation and creative exploration process.
• To foster the development of creative design responses that effectively translate insights into meaningful concepts, strategies, and narratives.
• To encourage critical reflection on both design processes and collaborative working practices in insight-led design projects.
• To balance analytical research with creative practice in developing design solutions that are insightful, innovative, and socially engaged.

Educational Aims

Upon successful completion of this module, students will be able to:

1. Apply appropriate qualitative and quantitative design research methods to collect meaningful data.
2. Analyse research data to generate valuable insights for design development.
3. Apply analytical techniques to translate design research data into a series of insights and creative propositions that address real-world contexts.
4. Develop creative design responses that effectively address insights derived from research, demonstrating both divergent and convergent thinking.
5. Critically reflect on the collaborative design process, including workshop facilitation, participatory methods, and personal learning experiences.
6. Visually present research findings clearly and persuasively.

Outline Syllabus

This module explores insight-led design through three interconnected strands: finding, understanding, and creating. Students will develop the critical skills needed to move systematically from research to insight to innovative design solutions. Through practical exercises and studio-based projects, they will apply theoretical knowledge to real-world design challenges that demand both analytical rigour and creative thinking.

• Finding: Research Methods for Data Generation - Students will apply appropriate qualitative research methods to generate meaningful design data. Emphasis is placed on workshops, focus groups, design ethnography, and shadowing as primary research approaches. They'll learn to design effective research activities and select methods appropriate to specific contexts. Students will also explore how emerging technologies, including AI, can enhance research capabilities, analysing the strengths and limitations of different approaches for gathering valuable design insights.
• Understanding: Analysis and Insight Development - This strand introduces analytical techniques that transform research data into valuable design insights. Students will practice affinity mapping, text coding, visualisation techniques, and peer-led analysis. Through collaborative activities, they'll recognise that this translation process is a creative act requiring both analytical skills and imaginative thinking. They'll develop critical abilities in selecting appropriate analytical methods and translating findings into actionable design opportunities.
• Creating: Design Development from Insights - Students will explore how insights inspire innovative design solutions, moving beyond simplified design process models like the 'Double Diamond.' They'll practice collaborative sketching, provocative prototyping, scenario development, and challenge reframing to develop their own distinctive approaches to translating research insights into meaningful concepts and design narratives. Throughout this strand, students critically reflect on both their creative process and collaborative experiences.

The module balances individual work with collaboration, developing not only design-specific capabilities but also broader graduate attributes, including critical thinking, teamwork, and professional communication—preparing students for both employment and advanced study at Level 6.

Assessment Proportions

This module is taught through weekly studio sessions that combine short lectures with practical group exercises, in a single session. This approach supports students in developing the research, analytical, and creative skills outlined in the module learning outcomes.

The workshop structure encourages hands-on experience with qualitative research methods data analysis techniques, and creative processes for translating insights into design responses. The varied workshop activities accommodate different learning preferences, with visual, verbal, and experiential components integrated throughout.

Students work in groups of 4-5 to mirror professional design practice and develop collaborative skills. This teamwork is essential to the learning experience and allows students to engage with diverse perspectives in research and analysis activities. Throughout the module, students are encouraged to critically reflect on both the design process and their collaborative experiences.

Assessment Strategy:

• Group Review Presentations (formative) – Students present their research methods and initial findings, demonstrating their ability to apply appropriate research techniques and begin analysing data.
• Group Annotated Portfolio (70%) – Documents the complete design journey from research methods, application, data analysis, and insight generation through to creative outcomes. This assesses students' abilities to apply research methods, analyse data, and develop design responses.
• Individual Reflection (30%) – Critically examines personal learning, collaborative experiences, and changing perspectives through the module, directly assessing critical reflection skills.

The module includes formative checkpoints to support student progress throughout the module. These provide opportunities for peer feedback and tutor guidance before final submission.

DESN5004: Design for Sustainability

• Terms Taught: Lent/Summer
• US Credits: 5
• ECTS Credits: 10
• Pre-requisites: None

Course Description

The DESN5004 Design for Sustainability module aims to:

• Develop students' critical understanding of sustainability principles and their application within contemporary design practice.
• Enable students to explore how design can address complex environmental, social, and economic challenges.
• Foster the ability to critically consider diverse stakeholder needs, business requirements, and sustainability goals in design solutions.
• Encourage students to produce creative designs that challenge mainstream capitalist thinking by embodying alternative ecological, social, and technological needs and perspectives.
• Enhance students' capacity to communicate sustainability-focused design processes and outcomes to diverse audiences.
• Encourage students to develop their professional identity as designers with a sustainability mindset.

Educational Aims

By the end of this module, students will be able to:

1. Critically analyse how sustainability frameworks and principles inform contemporary design practice and decision-making processes.
2. Apply appropriate sustainability principles and methods to address real-world design challenges through research-informed approaches.
3. Evaluate the social, cultural, environmental, and economic impacts of design decisions in both local and global contexts.
4. Develop design solutions that critically consider user needs, business goals, and sustainability considerations.
5. Synthesise diverse perspectives and research findings to create innovative approaches to sustainability challenges.
6. Communicate sustainability-focused design processes and outcomes using appropriate visual and written techniques for different audiences.

Outline Syllabus

This module introduces students to sustainability as a crucial consideration in contemporary design practice. Through a combination of theoretical exploration and practical application, students will develop the knowledge and skills needed to integrate sustainability principles into their design process.

The module begins by establishing foundational knowledge of key sustainability frameworks such as circular economy, cradle-to-cradle design, and systems thinking. Students will critically examine how relevant frameworks have evolved and how they inform current design practice. This theoretical grounding will then be applied to analyse case studies of sustainable design across different contexts and disciplines.

Building on this understanding, students will explore methods for assessing sustainability in design and learn to navigate the often competing demands of different stakeholders while maintaining a commitment to environmental and social responsibility.

Throughout the module, students will apply their learning to design projects that address real-world sustainability challenges. These projects will require students to balance practical constraints with sustainability goals, developing solutions that are both viable and responsible. Students will be encouraged to consider diverse perspectives, including those from non-Western traditions and historically marginalised communities, to develop more inclusive approaches to sustainability.

The module culminates in students developing and presenting sustainability-focused design proposals that demonstrate their ability to integrate theoretical understanding with practical application. Through this process, students will develop not only technical skills but also the critical thinking and ethical awareness needed to become responsible design practitioners.

The learning sequence will progress from understanding foundational concepts to applying them in increasingly complex and self-directed ways, building toward the assessment points. Regular formative feedback opportunities will support students in developing their ideas and approaches.

Assessment Proportions

The module’s teaching, learning and assessment strategy employs a blended learning approach which supports students in developing both critical thinking about sustainability concepts and practical skills in applying these to design challenges. Weekly lectures introduce key sustainable design concepts, theories, and case-studies. These are complemented by studio sessions where students apply these concepts through practical design processes and collaborative work. The studios provide opportunities for hands-on exploration of sustainable materials, methods, and approaches. During the module, students will engage with real-world sustainability challenges, enabling them to develop their ability to critically consider competing demands while prioritising environmental and social responsibility. A special presentation session will allow students to share their developing ideas and receive feedback from peers and tutors. This will serve as a valuable formative checkpoint before students finalise their projects.

The module’s assessment strategy is designed to evaluate students' theoretical understanding, practical application, and critical analysis capabilities, as follows:

Reflective Design Portfolio (100%) - This substantial assessment documents the entire design process from research through to the final outcomes. The portfolio format enables students to demonstrate the application of sustainability principles in practice, showing how they have navigated complex design decisions while considering environmental and social impacts. The reflective element requires students to critically evaluate their design choices against sustainability criteria.

DESN5005: Speculative Design

• Terms Taught: Lent/Summer
• US Credits: 5
• ECTS Credits: 10
• Pre-requisites: None

Course Description

This module aims to:

1. Introduce students to speculative design approaches and their role in anticipating future implications of emerging technologies.
2. Develop students' ability to critically engage with how design both shapes and can anticipate potential futures.
3. Support students in developing futures literacy as outlined by UNESCO, enabling them to use the future to better understand the present.
4. Enable students to apply systemic and human-centred perspectives when exploring the social and environmental impacts of emerging technologies.
5. Foster students' ability to create engaging design artefacts that facilitate meaningful discussions about future possibilities.
6. Develop students' communication skills through presenting complex futures to different audiences.
7. Enhance students' research capabilities through analysing weak signals from diverse sources.

Educational Aims

Upon successful completion of this module, students will be able to:

1. Analyse speculative design approaches in relation to affirmative design, identifying connections with related fields such as Critical Design, Design Fiction, and Radical Design.
2. Apply systemic and human-centred perspectives to investigate potential social and environmental implications of emerging technologies through speculative design methodologies.
3. Evaluate established and emerging weak signals to develop plausible futures for technological development and adoption.
4. Synthesise research findings from diverse sources, research papers, prototypes, and fictional representations to inform evidence-based speculative design concepts.
5. Create effective communication through design artefacts that engage stakeholders with complex future scenarios.
6. Demonstrate skills in reflecting on feedback to enhance project outcomes.

Outline Syllabus

This module explores how speculative design can anticipate and shape potential futures, with particular focus on the societal and environmental implications of emerging technologies. The module is structured around the following areas:

Theoretical Foundations

• Historical development of speculative design approaches and their relationship to critical design.
• Distinctions between speculative, critical, and affirmative design practices.
• Key practitioners and influential projects in the field of speculative design.

Research Methods for Future-Focused Design

• Systematic research methods for identifying and analysing weak signals.
• Exploring sources such as patents, research papers, and prototypes.
• Analysing fictional representations of technology futures in media (films, books, games).

Speculative Design Process

• Developing design responses that explore points of technological domestication.
• Examining social, ethical, and environmental implications of potential futures.
• Creating plausible yet provocative future scenarios.

Communication Strategies

• Designing artefacts that effectively communicate speculative futures to diverse audiences.
• Considering how design shapes perception and engagement with complex future scenarios.
• Developing visual, material, and narrative approaches to future storytelling.

Collaborative Practice

• Working in teams to develop richer, more diverse perspectives on potential futures.
• Integrating feedback into the iterative design process.
• Presenting and defending speculative propositions.

Throughout the module, students will reflect on design's role in anticipating and potentially guiding technological development toward more thoughtful futures, addressing UNESCO's emphasis on futures literacy as a core skill.

Assessment Proportions

The module follows a studio-based approach to learning and teaching, emphasising practical exploration alongside theoretical understanding. Each teaching week includes:

Structured Teaching Sessions:

• A one-hour lecture per week introduces key concepts, methods, or examples related to that week's focus
• An afternoon studio feedback session (2 hours) where students present their progress and receive formative feedback from tutors and peers

Independent Studio Work:

• Between the structured sessions, students work independently in the design studio facilities to research and develop their projects.
• Students are encouraged to experiment with different approaches to speculative design, taking creative risks in a supportive environment.

Formative Assessment Strategy:

• Weekly critique sessions provide regular formative feedback on work in progress
• Students maintain reflection logs to track their development, identify areas for improvement, and document key learning points
• Mid-module presentations allow for more comprehensive feedback before final submission

Technology Integration:

• Students will engage with relevant digital tools for futures research, scenario visualisation, and prototyping
• Where appropriate, students will critically explore how emerging technologies could be used in speculative design processes

Assessment Strategy:

The module is assessed through a single submission (100%), consisting of two parts:

1. A Reflective Design Portfolio (75%) documenting the entire design process, capturing research, development, and critical reflection
2. A minimum of three artefacts (physical or digital) that demonstrate the ability to materialise speculative concepts into engaging, provocative forms (25%). The online submission should include a list of all artefacts and high-resolution versions of digital artefacts while physical artefacts should be handed in to tutor.

This integrated assessment approach emphasises the important relationship between research, reflection, and final artefacts in speculative design practice.

DESN6003: Design Leadership

• Terms Taught: Lent/Summer
• US Credits: 5
• ECTS Credits: 10
• Pre-requisites: None

Course Description

This module aims to:

• Equip students with a deep appreciation for the transformative role of design within organizations and society.
• Foster a strategic mindset, preparing students to collaborate effectively with both designers and non-designers on complex societal and business challenges.
• Explore diverse design and innovation processes, helping students to gain the confidence to navigate them with clarity and purpose.
• Encourages an understanding of the broader challenges and opportunities that arise in managing design for environmental sustainability, interdisciplinary teamwork, and inclusivity.
• Strengthen essential competencies that extend beyond design itself so that students will sharpen their critical, analytical, evaluative, and reflective thinking skills.
• Enhance their problem-solving abilities while mastering self-organization, project management, and effective communication—ensuring they are well-prepared to lead and influence in diverse professional settings.

Educational Aims

Upon successful completion of this module students will be able to…

1. Strategically articulate the value of design leadership to diverse stakeholders, demonstrating professional readiness through persuasive communication tailored to different contexts and audiences.
2. Critically evaluate different approaches to design and innovation processes, formulating and defending a personal position that demonstrates advanced understanding of contemporary design leadership challenges.
3. Create and justify bespoke design processes and strategies for organisations that effectively address contemporary design issues.
4. Develop design strategies by synthesising diverse perspectives through systems design thinking and position them within broader organisational, social and environmental contexts.
5. Demonstrate leadership capabilities that balance creative risk-taking with professional viability in real-world design applications.

Outline Syllabus

This module is divided into three interconnected parts, each designed to deepen students’ understanding of design leadership, equipping them with necessary mindsets, practical approached and a personalised approach as future design leaders.

Part 1 – Mindsets sets the intellectual foundation for design leadership, examining its evolution, principles, and application across different contexts. It will start with an introduction to design leadership, such as the history of design management and emergence of design leaders, levels of design application, and vision setting and strategic decision-making in organisations, and cover design thinking, its approaches, wider adoption in management and social sciences, and limits, and systems thinking, outlining the ‘big picture’ of innovation, models of innovations and transitions, backcasting approaches, and design supportive models. By the end of part 1, students will develop critical perspectives on design leadership, enabling them to navigate complex design challenges

Part 2 – Practices shifts the focus to hands-on application, equipping students with practical aspects of leading design initiatives and fostering innovation. This part will cover crafting design visions for organisations and creating design briefs for projects; various design and innovation process models widely utilised in different organisations; developing sustainable, design-led businesses using design tools such as business model canvases, service design methods, and networked value creation; modes, forms and levels of collaboration in design, including co-design, participatory design, social innovation and open innovation; and inclusivity in design in terms gender equality, intersectionality, and different problem-solution framing approaches. By the end of part 2, students will gain practical tools, methods and approaches essential for guiding impactful design initiatives.

Part 3 – Realisation will focus on self-reflection and leadership development, enabling students to define their personal design leadership mindset and approach to strategic design practice, as future design leaders and agents of change. They will identify their own standpoint as a design leader, clarifying their role in shaping change, analyse the practical implications of their design vision, including decision-making strategies and implementation, apply their leadership approach within real-world contexts, integrating it into strategic organisational frameworks, and explore how their leadership translates into tangible design outcomes, demonstrating their ability to influence innovation, sustainability, and business success.

Assessment Proportions

The Design Leadership module employs a dynamic and interactive learning approach, combining structured teaching with independent exploration to develop students' leadership skills, strategic thinking, and practical expertise in design.

• Lectures will provide foundational knowledge of the value of Design in organisations and society, with key concepts and frameworks that underpin effective design leadership.
• Workshops will engage students in hands-on activities, promoting collaborative problem-solving and real-world application of design leadership principles through individual and group exercises.
• Guided independent study will empower students to explore design leadership concepts in greater depth through self-directed research, readings, and practical exercises.
• Feedback sessions will provide formative feedback on assessments from tutors and peers and will foster a culture of critical evaluation, enabling students to refine their design leadership approach based on constructive critique.

As a capstone module in the BA Design programme, Design Leadership specifically develops graduates' abilities to position themselves professionally and articulate their unique value proposition as design practitioners, directly contributing to the programme's emphasis on professional excellence and global citizenship.

There are two assessments in this module, emphasising both conceptual understanding and practical execution:

1. ‘Your Approach to Design Leadership’ Infographic: Students will visually communicate their unique perspective on design leadership in an engaging and structured infographic format. Students will be assessed on clarity, creativity, depth of analysis, and effective communication.
2. Reflective Design Portfolio ‘Your Design Leadership Approach in Action’: Building upon their previous assessment, students will develop a reflective design portfolio that demonstrates their design leadership approach in practice, using a major project of theirs as a case study. Assessment will focus on depth of reflection, strategic thinking, and professional communication.

Together, these assessments will ensure that students articulate, visualise, and apply their approach to design leadership, demonstrating readiness to lead design innovation in real-world contexts.