Course Catalogue

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This course responds to the increased complexity of contemporary product design and the interactions and experiences it affords. It does so by offering an introduction to the emerging discipline of 'Service Design' and the tools and techniques necessary to map the interplay of interactive systems, products and services. This is achieved by a focus upon user-experience and the innovation and delivery of non-tangible outcomes to a variety of stakeholders.

Lecture schedule to be confirmed

Please refer to the PG prospectus

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Assessment

For this course, assessment of student work will consist of three components:

■ An analysis of an existing example of service design detailing the customer journey, user touch-points, user-provider relationships and 'friction points' (no more than 6 sheets).

■ A practice-based outcome, or detailed service design proposal, capable of being presented to a client or practitioner (6 sheets with supporting documentary booklet).

■ A final presentation to the course participants and examiners detailing the proposed service offering.

The percentage breakdown of the assessment will be as follows:

Service analysis: 40%

Design Project: 40%

Final Presentation: 20%

Note: Project-dependent work may alter in the light of particular project requirements.

Assessment criteria

Students on this course will be assessed on their ability to:

■ identify and analyse existing service design offerings (both material and immaterial practices);

■ map, construct and communicate the stakeholder journey offered by a proposed service design project outcome;

■ demonstrate a critical understanding of service design with reference to a specific service design proposal and its relation to stakeholder expectation and user-experience.

Reassessment

In accordance with the University's Code of Assessment reassessments are normally set for all courses which do not contribute to the honours classifications. For non honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students, and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions are listed below in this box.

This course aims:

■ to develop students' awareness and knowledge of Service Design as an emerging trend within the product design industry and an academic discipline;

■ to extend the understanding of contemporary design practice to encompass non-object based activities and services;

■ to equip students with a methodological framework and design processes capable of supporting the design and innovation of systems, services and the experiences that these deliver for their users;

■ to expose postgraduate students to professional practice in this area through industrial collaboration with service design consultancies, such as Engine, LiveWork, We Are Curious and Plan.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ demonstrate an understanding of how innovation occurs within the domain of Service Design;

■ display a capacity for collaborative and self-directed activity through the development and management of a service design project;

■ communicate a knowledge and understanding of the research methods specific to an individual service design project;

■ present a service design innovation proposal in an appropriate visual, verbal, and written format.

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.