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DI104-15 Service Design with UX for Social Impact

Department
Design Studies
Level
Undergraduate Level 1
Module leader
Adela Glyn-Davies
Credit value
15
Module duration
10 weeks
Assessment
100% coursework
Study location
University of Warwick main campus, Coventry
Introductory description

Service and UX design rapidly expanding industries which increasingly are demanding versed designers who can contribute to impactful solutions from an interdisciplinary perspective. As such designers who can navigate complexity and embrace digital conceptualisation are more sought after than ever. Regardless if we look towards the education sector, NHS, banking, the immigration system or local government, the demand for ethical and considered design is at an all time high. This module will introduce students to the distinct yet overlapping disciplines of Service and UX Design from a digital development angle. Student will be learning about common and emerging research and processes from the industry through live brief which will guide their learning journey form research concept to realisation. The module will challenge students to use design methods to conceptually and visually capture the social paradigm of designing and how to navigate the needs of diverse groups who might have been at mismatch in current systems. Students will be developing and proposing an UX digital or hybrid solution to a service problem.

Module aims

To explore how designing happens within a social context, and how designs are deployed socially. We will consider different forms of social organisation and how we respond in our designing to achieve designs that fit with the needs of people, stick for a worthwhile length of time, spread to new people and applications, and grow our collective capability for further designing. We will consider how to spot and address inequalities and biases in designing, and how to decolonize design through pluralist designing.

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

Intro to UX and Service Design - navigating life through the micro/ meso and macro.
How to research with and for people? The social paradigm of designing.
Navigating bias - design mismatch and current UX / Service landscapes.
Problem framing - the Social Design paradigm.
UX / Service process and digital sense-making.
Proposal, Pitch and Showcase.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

  • Understand diverse Design Thinking processes related to UX and Service Design.
  • Understand how to research and design for people with diverse needs.
  • Understand how designing happens in social contexts.
  • Understand the role of bias and inequality in design.
  • Describe and critically evaluate designs from a multi-stakeholder perspective.
Indicative reading list

https://rl.talis.com/3/warwick/lists/607A64A3-56E0-FED1-0083-806139244206.html?lang=en&login=1

View reading list on Talis Aspire

Research element

Students will be undertaking research on a multi-stakeholder level and will be testing their concepts with a target audience. This module will introduce them to an ethics form in the introductory part of the learning journey.

Interdisciplinary

This module is entirely interdisciplinary as all modules on DSI - direct links to UX, UI, Service Design, Anthropology, Spatial Studies, Design thinking, Digital Ethnography, and Critical studies - just to name a few.

International

This module will provide an international array of contributors and authors to encourage students to undertake holistic learning from multiple perspectives.

Subject specific skills

Accessing, evaluating, synthesising and applying knowledge for specific design challenges.
Participating in group discussions, design activities, reflections.
Facilitating and leading group group discussions, design activities, reflections.
Doing design studies (descriptive, analytical, creative).
Communicating design studies in a range of formats, synchronously and asynchronously, to a wide range of audiences.
Creating and using a personal portfolio of studies, notes and reflections.
Digital UX and UI prototyping.
Understanding of the micro/ meso and macro sphere of innovation for Service Design.
Apply Social Design methods to UX and Service for ethical processes.

Transferable skills

All of the above are transferable.
In addition, advanced digital skills including collaborative whiteboards, setting up and running online collaborations, visualisation and planning tools, project management tools.

Study time

Type Required
Lectures 2 sessions of 1 hour (1%)
Seminars 5 sessions of 1 hour (3%)
Tutorials 5 sessions of 3 hours (10%)
Fieldwork 5 sessions of 2 hours (7%)
Private study 38 hours (25%)
Assessment 80 hours (53%)
Total 150 hours
Private study description

Students will be working in groups asynchronously on their group brief as well as individually in their own time towards a presentation and critical research analysis, and design proposal portfolio.

Costs

No further costs have been identified for this module.

You must pass all assessment components to pass the module.

Assessment group A
Weighting Study time
Design Portfolio 60% 40 hours

This part of the coursework will contain students research, full process and final rendition and pitch of the UX/ Service proposal.

Professional Pitch 20% 20 hours

This part of the coursework entails students' group pitch of their proposed UX/ Service concept as part of the module showcase.

Critical Research Analysis 20% 20 hours

This coursework will be a critical reflective piece about the learning journey. It will be templated and divided between critical review and reflective writing.

Feedback on assessment

Live assessment and written rubric.

There is currently no information about the courses for which this module is core or optional.