In this course we examine speculative and critical design methodologies which challenge the narrow assumptions and preconceptions that typically limit the form and function of designed artefacts. These methodologies look beyond a functional instrumentalism to consider how design can be used to incite mindful reflection rather than blind consumption, as well as address society’s “wicked problems”. The processes and practices considered involve designers imagining futures based on current technological and cultural trajectories; but rather than accepting those trajectories, design is used as an instrument to incite change and alter their direction. The course uses design projects as the main vehicle for the exploration of speculative design theories and methodologies. The projects are not confined to any particular medium or discipline but require students to question what they produce and why.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

Upon successful completion of this course, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. Apply design as a cultural practice with complex agendas and implications for society.
2. Design and produce artefacts that embody complex critical ideas and values.
3. Conduct research into design theories, artefacts and processes, and apply findings to creative production.
4. Substantiate design outcomes with research and rationale.

Field Trips

A field trip or remote case study will be part of this course in Week 3 or 4, to be determined by COVID and other logistical restrictions. Your lecturer will communicate this to you.

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

• written comments
• verbal comments
• feedback to whole class, groups, individuals, focus group etc

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). The feedback given in these surveys is anonymous and provides the Colleges, University Education Committee and Academic Board with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement. The Surveys and Evaluation website provides more information on student surveys at ANU and reports on the feedback provided on ANU courses.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Introduction to Design Fiction	Thing From the Future
2	Speculative and Critical Design, Intro to Water Futures	Dr Carina Wyborn Guest Talk
3	Field Trip/Water Futures Meet up	Filed Trip/Case Study
4	Speculative Water Futures	Research sprint: research and mapping Water Futures
5	World Building
6	Water Futures Project - Sketching, Ideation, Proposal	Water Futures Cards Due
7	Water Futures Project - Research & Development	Water Futures Proposal Due
8	Water Futures Project - Research & Development
9	Water Futures Project - WIP Presentations & Feedback	WIP Presentations
10	Water Futures Project - Production
11	Water Futures Project - Production
12	Water Futures Project - Final Presentations	Water Futures Project Due

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Learning Outcomes
Water Futures Research Resource	20 %	3
Water Futures Archetype Cards	20 %	1,2,3
Water Futures Project	60 %	1,2,3,4

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines, which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Misconduct Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Special Assessment Consideration Policy and General Information 
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the Academic Integrity . In rare cases where online submission using Turnitin software is not technically possible; or where not using Turnitin software has been justified by the Course Convener and approved by the Associate Dean (Education) on the basis of the teaching model being employed; students shall submit assessment online via ‘Wattle’ outside of Turnitin, or failing that in hard copy, or through a combination of submission methods as approved by the Associate Dean (Education). The submission method is detailed below.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Assessment Task 1

Water Futures Research Resource

In preparation for the major project you will develop your knowledge of speculative design concepts and practices, as well as issues related to the Water Futures brief. Prepare a summary that documents your investigation and demonstrates your understanding. Your summary should include:

1. Speculative and Critical Design (2 slides - 1 slide per example)

Drawing on the resources provided in class and your own research, briefly define and distinguish between speculative and critical design. Cite sources to support your definition. In our shared Google Slides Deck, document and describe two examples of design projects that fit your definition. Briefly describe the critical and/or speculative intention of the projects. Use images and text.

2. Water Futures - Annotated Bibliography (3 slides - 1 slide per source)

Identify and summarise three relevant sources related to the Water Futures brief: What are the key issues at stake in the Murray Darling Basin?

Topics may include: ecology, politics, conservation, land management, urban planning, landscape architecture, climate change, technology, community projects, artworks etc. Look for sources relevant to assigned sites where possible.

For each source:

• Cite each source in full, and provide a link
• Briefly evaluate each source: Who is the author? What is the publication? How credible is the source? What discipline or context does the source come from?
• Briefly summarise the points most relevant to the Water Futures brief (see below)

Due date: Week 4 in Class (16 March). Briefly present your examples to class.

Submission: Export your slides as a single PDF, upload to Wattle.

Assessment Criteria

• Demonstrate an understanding of speculative and critical design
• Demonstrate an ability to research, evaluate and understand relevant sources
• Effective written communication and presentation

Water Futures Brief

As the driest inhabited continent, water is vital to Australia’s future. Global environmental change is increasing pressure on this resource, complicating already contested governance processes that seek to balance social, environmental, cultural, and economic objectives. This is perhaps most evident within the Murray-Darling Basin (MDB), home to 2.66 million people, the source of $30 billion in revenue from tourism and agriculture, and territory of over 40 aboriginal nations, 16 Ramsar-listed sites, and over 30,000 wetlands across 77,000 km of rivers.

 

Current evidence suggests a need to plan for drier futures in the MDB, however disputes about current water reforms alongside fractured climate politics have stymied efforts to do so. Extreme climate scenarios will require transformative approaches if existing cultural, economic and environmental values are to be maintained. Yet transformative approaches, by their very nature, challenge existing rules, policies, industries and ways of being, requiring us to find ways to confront current trade-offs and the distribution of costs and benefits of reform.

How might we use strategies from speculative and critical design to imagine possible futures for the MDB?

Assessment Task 2

Water Futures Archetype Cards

Working in groups of 2-3, students will create a set of 5 archetype cards to provoke discussion, ideation and futuring for the Water Futures Brief. These cards will be used by the class in the development of the final project.

Each card should capture one of the social, environmental, cultural, and economic issues at stake in the Murray Darling Basin (ie one card for each issue), plus one wild card:

• Card 1: Social
• Card 2: Cultural
• Card 3: Environmental
• Card 4: Economic
• Card 5: Wild Card (a 'black swan' event, such as a Pandemic, Societal Collapse or some other major disruption)

Existing archtyepes (such as Tarot Cards) and futuring cards may be used as inspiration, but you must generate new cards specific to the Water Futures Brief.

Submission: Present in class (5 mins/group) and upload to Wattle as a PDF (one per group).

Due date: Week 6 in Class (30 March)

Assessment Criteria

• Develop imaginative archetype cards that capture complex issues in the MDB
• Effectively deploy visual communication

Assessment Task 3

Water Futures Project

As the driest inhabited continent, water is vital to Australia’s future. Global environmental change is increasing pressure on this resource, complicating already contested governance processes that seek to balance social, environmental, cultural, and economic objectives. This is perhaps most evident within the Murray-Darling Basin (MDB), home to 2.66 million people, the source of $30 billion in revenue from tourism and agriculture, and territory of over 40 aboriginal nations, 16 Ramsar-listed sites, and over 30,000 wetlands across 77,000 km of rivers.

 

Current evidence suggests a need to plan for drier futures in the MDB, however disputes about current water reforms alongside fractured climate politics have stymied efforts to do so. Extreme climate scenarios will require transformative approaches if existing cultural, economic and environmental values are to be maintained. Yet transformative approaches, by their very nature, challenge existing rules, policies, industries and ways of being, requiring us to find ways to confront current trade-offs and the distribution of costs and benefits of reform.

Through research and creative investigation, develop imaginative designs that materialise and interrogate possible futures in the MDB, or make critical interventions in the present. Students should use the Archetypes Cards developed in class as a tool for project development and world building.

Use the MDB as the site and context for your design. Draw on the landscape and ecosystems of this sensitive site, and the ambitious aims and philosophy of the project. Use these to inform your project, and be prepared to share your developed ideas with stakeholders. 

Your design may take any suitable form. Possible forms include

• Visual and digital material — graphics, posters, short films, animations, web sites, games, advertisements, logos, identities, interfaces, visualisations, diagrams...
• Objects — garments, gadgets, vehicles, buildings, devices, instruments, tools, technologies... 
• Written material — narratives, diaries, news articles, instruction manuals, policies, procedures...

Realise your design as fully as possible. Some forms (eg posters) can be fully realised. Others (eg buildings) can be realised in the form of models, maquettes or sketches. Consider how an audience would interpret, respond to or participate in your design.

Define your project scope and outcomes by agreement with your lecturer, in the form of a 150 word proposal via email in Week 7.

Submission:

Submit all components of your design, depending on its specific form. Compile a digital submission of all relevant elements (eg digital files for print, video, fabrication, web sites, other) and submit via Wattle. Document any physical elements (models, posters, objects, etc) and upload to the Teams Chat as work in progress. 

Presentations:

Present your completed project online in Week 12 via Zoom (either live or pre-recorded). Prepare any documentation necessary to convey the project effectively to the class in a brief (10 minute max) presentation. 

Assessment Criteria:

• Develop imaginative designs that address complex issues
• Apply design as a critical practice to interrogate social and cultural values
• Effectively produce and present a design project

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. At its heart, academic integrity is about behaving ethically, committing to honest and responsible scholarly practice and upholding these values with respect and fairness.

The ANU commits to assisting all members of our community to understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. The ANU expects staff and students to be familiar with the academic integrity principle and Academic Misconduct Rule, uphold high standards of academic integrity and act ethically and honestly, to ensure the quality and value of the qualification that you will graduate with.

The Academic Misconduct Rule is in place to promote academic integrity and manage academic misconduct. Very minor breaches of the academic integrity principle may result in a reduction of marks of up to 10% of the total marks available for the assessment. The ANU offers a number of online and in person services to assist students with their assignments, examinations, and other learning activities. Visit the Academic Skills website for more information about academic integrity, your responsibilities and for assistance with your assignments, writing skills and study.

Online Submission

You will be required to electronically sign a declaration as part of the submission of your assignment. Please keep a copy of the assignment for your records. Unless an exemption has been approved by the Associate Dean (Education) submission must be through Turnitin.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

Late submission permitted. Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item. Late submission is not accepted for take-home examinations.

Referencing Requirements

Accepted academic practice for referencing sources that you use in presentations can be found via the links on the Wattle site, under the file named “ANU and College Policies, Program Information, Student Support Services and Assessment”. Alternatively, you can seek help through the Students Learning Development website.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. Extensions may be granted for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information.
In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service – including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy.
If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes.

Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Diversity and inclusion for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills and Learning Centre supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling Centre promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents undergraduate and ANU College students
• PARSA supports and represents postgraduate and research students