Design Thinking is an approach to innovation that is prevalent in both the private and public sectors. It combines practices, methods and mindsets from the design discipline to understand and tackle wicked problems, developing potential solutions from a human-centred perspective. Whether it be large incumbent organisations, or small entrepreneurial projects, design thinking provides the tools to engage with stakeholders, identify their needs and develop prototype solutions that respond to their requirements and desires.

This course draws on current literature and best practices in design thinking and is delivered through a series of workshop-based seminars that focus on addressing a live brief provided by a partner organisation. This course integrates the "Double Diamond" and evidence-based management frameworks to provide valuable tools and experience for students from a range of different backgrounds. It will equip and empower students to identify opportunities for the creation of value, lead innovation processes and participate in the broader entrepreneurship ecosystem in a diversity of roles.

Learning Outcomes

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

1. Describe the design thinking process and the implications it can have for organisations in the public and private sectors;
2. Determine the appropriate tools to use at each stage of the design thinking process;
3. Use design thinking tools and methods to address specific aspects of a "wicked" problem; and,
4. Communicate the results of a design thinking process in a way that is actionable for implementation.

Research-Led Teaching

The course provides students with a framework to practice design thinking in various contexts effectively. It builds on state-of-the-art research relevant to entrepreneurs, management practitioners, and academics.

Field Trips

There are no organised field trips for this course.

Additional Course Costs

There are no additional costs for this course.

Examination Material or equipment

There are no examinations for this course.

Required Resources

There are no required resources for this course.

Recommended Resources

This course has no prescribed text. Readings in the form of articles will be available through the Wattle site.

Students may find it helpful to purchase an A4 visual diary with blank, white pages (no lines). These can be acquired at office supplies, stationery or arts and crafts stores for $5-15 dollars, depending on the type of paper. 150-200gsm is recommended. Use of this diary will allow for collection of material to assist in completion of Assessment Task 1: Reflective Journalling

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). Feedback can also be provided to Course Conveners and teachers via the Student Experience of Learning & Teaching (SELT) feedback program. SELT surveys are confidential and also provide the Colleges and ANU Executive with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Introduction to Design Thinking Recommended Reading:Brown, T. (2008). Design Thinking. Harvard Business Review, 86(6), 84. Activity:Getting to know each other	n/a
2	PART I DISCOVER (Weeks 2-4) Doing Stakeholder Research Recommended Reading:Mitchell, R. K., Agle, B. R., & Wood, D. J. (1997). Toward a Theory of Stakeholder Identification and Salience: Defining the principle of who and what really counts. Academy of Management Review, 22(4), 853-886. Activity:Mapping Stakeholders	n/a
3	Identifying Stakeholder Needs Recommended Reading:Christensen, C. M., Anthony, S. D., Berstell, G., & Nitterhouse, D. (2007). Finding the Right Job for your Product. MIT Sloan Management Review, 48(3), 38. Activity:Mapping User Profiles	n/a
4	Co-creating with Technology Recommended Readings:Sanders, E. B. N., & Stappers, P. J. (2008). Co-creation and the new landscapes of design. Co-design, 4(1), 5-18. Activity:Guest Lecture on Technology (Focus on AI)	n/a
5	PART II DEFINE (Weeks 5-6) Imagining the Future Recommended Readings:Comi, A., & Whyte, J. (2018). Future making and visual artefacts: An ethnographic study of a design project. Organization Studies, 39(8), 1055-1083. Activity:Generating a Future Vision	Assessment Task 1 Part 1 (Reflective essay)DISCOVER Reflection (10%)Due: Friday, 21 March 2025, 23:59 AEST.
6	Managing Uncertainty Recommended Readings:Rice, M. P., OConnor, G. C., & Pierantozzi, R. (2008). Implementing a Learning Plan to counter Project Uncertainty. MIT Sloan Management Review, 49(2), 54. Activity:Mapping Assumptions	Assessment Task 2 (Stakeholder map) Due: 28 March 2025, 23:59 AEST
7	PART III DEVELOP (Weeks 7-9) Developing Creative Ideas Recommended Readings:Dorst, K. (2011). The Core of ‘Design Thinking’ and its Application. Design Studies, 32(6), 521-532. Activity:Experimenting with Creativity Techniques	Assessment Task 1 Part 2 (Reflective essay)DEFINE Reflection (10%)Due: Wednesday, 16 April 2025, 23:59 AEST.
8	Prototyping Recommended Readings:Bitner, M. J., Ostrom, A. L., & Morgan, F. N. (2008). Service blueprinting: a practical technique for service innovation. California Management Review, 50(3), 66-94. Activity:Prototyping	n/a
9	Designing User Experiences Recommended Readings:Zomerdijk, L. G., & Voss, C. A. (2010). Service Design for Experience-centric Services. Journal of Service Research, 13(1), 67-82. Activity:Experience and Journey Mapping	Assessment Task 3 (Prototype Solution)Due: Friday, 2 May 2025, 23:59 AEST
10	PART IV DELIVER (Weeks 10-12) Business Model Innovation Recommended Readings:Osterwalder, A. (2010). Business model generation: a handbook for visionaries, game changers, and challengers. Activity:Business Model Canvas	Assessment Task 1 Part 3 (Reflective essay)DEVELOP Reflection (10%)Due: Friday, 9 May 2025, 23:59 AEST.
11	Effective Communication Recommended Readings:Blijlevens, J. (2023). Educating marketing students to understand designers’ thought-worlds. Journal of Marketing Education, 45(1), 18-37. Activity:Argumentation Mapping	n/a
12	Final Presentations & Course Debriefing Recommended Readings:Schweitzer, J., BenMahmoud-Jouini, S., & Fixson, S. (Eds.). (2023). Transform with Design: Creating New Innovation Capabilities with Design Thinking. University of Toronto Press. Activity:Course Recap	Assessment Task 4 (Final Presentation)During the Seminar on Thursday, 22 May 2025
13	No class	Assessment Task 1 Part 4 (Reflective essay)DELIVER Reflection (10%)Due: Friday, 30 May 2025, 23:59 AEST.

Tutorial Registration

N/A

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Return of assessment	Learning Outcomes
Reflective Essay	40 %	*	*	1,2,3,4
Stakeholder Map	20 %	28/03/2025	11/04/2025	1,2,3,4
Prototype Solution	20 %	02/05/2025	09/05/2025	1,2,3,4
Final Presentation	20 %	22/05/2025	26/06/2025	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 Integrity Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Extenuating Circumstances Application
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure
• Code of practice for teaching and learning

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 Skills website. 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.

Participation

This course is scheduled for face-to-face delivery. Due to the practical, project-based nature of the course, attendance of the seminar is highly recommended. Your participation will help you execute your project more effectively. Attendance at seminars, while not compulsory, is expected in line with "Code of Practice for Teaching and Learning," Clause 2 paragraph (b). Where students will not be able to attend a seminar they should advise the Convenor and discuss how to address the learning materials instead.

Examination(s)

There are no examinations for this course.

Assessment Task 1

Reflective Essay

Details of task:

Design Thinking entails a research and learning process. This task aims to capture the research and learning process as it happens so that it can be referred to and drawn from when tackling challenges in the future. This task will be a reflective essay consisting of FOUR PARTS. Each part corresponds to one of the four phases in the course (DISCOVER, DEFINE, DEVELOP, DELIVER) and is worth 10% for a total of 40%. Each part should:

1. Document the research and learning journey thus far through journey mapping, photography, written documentation, or other evidence for the research and learning process.
2. Critically reflect on the overarching challenges and possible ways for overcoming these challenges in the remainder of the course.
3. Answer how the design thinking tools and frameworks introduced in the course might be applied in the future.

Course participants should document the research and learning process while working on the semester project in journal entries and subsequently write a reflective essay that refers back to and is grounded in the evidence captured in the journal entries. This ongoing documentation and reflection reduces effort, ensures key learnings are captured, and leaves sufficient time for reflective thinking to emerge.

Assessment type: Individual task

Word limit: 750 words (+/-10% leeway) per task. The part in excess of the word limit will not be read or assessed.

Formal requirements: 

Each reflective essay should consist of (1) process documentation that draws on work done during the seminar and as they progress on their project and (2) a short reflective essay (750 words +10% leeway). Each submission should include:

1. Evidence of the process taken during one of the four phases in the course (Discover, Define, Develop, Deliver).
2. Description of key insights and things that went well during the phase.
3. Description of key challenges faced and things that could have been done differently.
4. Reflection on how the tools and frameworks used could be applied in the future.

Further information about reflective writing can be found here: https://www.anu.edu.au/students/academic-skills/writing-assessment/reflective-writing. Reflective writing is a deeply personal endeavour, so referencing is not mandatory. However, please follow the APA referencing guidelines whenever referring to secondary material, such as books or journal articles that informed your thinking. To document the process, please use images of teamwork, collect evidence of work in process, and document activities undertaken during the course.

Submission date: The Each part must be submitted via Turnitin on the following dates:

Part 1: DISCOVER Reflection (10%) – 21 March 2025, 23:59 AEST.

Part 2: DEFINE Reflection (10%) – 16 April 2025, 23:59 AEST.

Part 3: DEVELOP Reflection (10%) – 9 May 2025, 23:59 AEST.

Part 4: DELIVER Reflection (10%) – 30 May 2025, 23:59 AEST.

Due date for the return of assessment: Marks with feedback will be provided approximately two weeks after submission. Return of Part 1 will be by 28 March 2025. The return of Part 4 will coincide with the release of final grades (26 June 2025).

Marking Criteria: A detailed rubric will be made available on the course Wattle site at the beginning of semester.

Assessment Task 2

Stakeholder Map

Details of task:

Human-centred innovation requires an in-depth understanding of stakeholders, such as people and organisations, in a given context. Stakeholder understanding is crucial, particularly given the challenges and opportunities stakeholders may experience. This assessment task assesses students' teamwork skills, communication skills, and abilities to use design thinking tools and frameworks, combined with an evidence-based approach, to gather data from diverse sources that will later help inform an innovation project's objectives and intended outcomes.

Note: This data and any findings form the basis for the course's major project. Given the iterative nature of an innovation process, this data will not need to be exhaustive but rather focus on demonstrating the ability to apply design thinking tools in the research process.

Assessment type: Group. This assessment item requires group work; see further details for formation and management of group work below.

Time limit: Strict 10-minute limit, any video over 10 minutes will not be included in the marking of this assessment.

Presentation requirements: 

At the beginning of the course students will form teams. Each team will work on their own project. The project challenge will be presented in Week 1 of the course, and ongoing consultation opportunities are available throughout the Semester.

For Assessment Task 2, each team is required to submit a video reporting stakeholder mapping for the project. The video should be between 8-10 minutes, with the equal participation of all team members. Any part of the video beyond the length limit (10 minutes) will not be assessed. In the video, students should:

1. Present a broad picture of the context related to your project (e.g., context of an industry/organization).
2. Identify key stakeholders, their characteristics, and their needs/challenges/aspiration.
3. Show how you used design thinking tools to engage with stakeholders and describe their needs, challenges and aspirations.
4. Show the data you gathered to increase our understanding of the context. These data can be in varying proportions, and should consider primary data, such as stakeholder input and personal experience, and secondary data, such as scholarly literature, or industry reports.
5. Present preliminary findings, including possible problems to be addressed in the remainder of the project.

Where appropriate, course participants are encouraged to use visuals such as images, diagrams and charts.

Submission date: 28 March 2025, 23:59 AEST, via Turnitin. One group member to submit on behalf of the group.

Due date for the return of assessment: 11 April 2025. Feedback will be provided via Wattle

Marking Criteria: A detailed rubric will be made available on the course Wattle site from the beginning of the semester.

Group work:

How will groups be formed? 

Groups will be formed by self-selection in Weeks 1 and 2 into groups of 4-5 students based on the maximum diversity principle. Each group ought to display diversity in terms of educational background, skillset, and prior work and life experience. Students who do not form into a team by the the end of week 2 or find self-selection challenging will be allocated into a team in consultation with the lecturer. Students will remain in the same groups throughout the semester. 

How will marking be determined? 

The ANU expect groups to manage themselves and work collaboratively with equal contribution from each member towards the successful completion of the project. The ANU may give members in a group different marks for the assessments submitted by the group, if member/s have not contributed equally. Group members’ contribution is determined by the group members; for this purpose a group member contribution form will be provided and submitted with the assessment submission.

What help is there to assist the group? 

The following support is provided. Further details including advice on management and resolution of intra-group conflict will be provided on the Wattle site.

1. Group work best practice will be covered in class, and

2. Group activities will be conducted each week to develop your group work skills and build group cohesion, and

3. Groups may contact the lecturer for assistance in managing their group including any conflict or workload issues.

Assessment Task 3

Prototype Solution

Details of task:

Design thinking is an iterative process, with projects often requiring multiple rounds of prototyping and testing to refine and adapt the project to its stakeholders’ needs, interests, and requirements. For this purpose, it is essential to develop simple representations, or prototypes, that allow stakeholders to engage and interact with emerging solutions. This task assesses students' teamwork skills, communication skills, and abilities to produce low-fidelity prototypes to help solve the problem identified by engaging key stakeholders to obtain their input and feedback. This task requires students to make physical or digital prototype solutions to test assumptions and reduce uncertainty.

Assessment type: Group task.

Time limit: Strict 10-minute limit, any video over 10 minutes will not be included in the marking of this assessment.

Presentation requirements: 

Working in the same team, students are required to submit a video showcasing a prototype solution for their design thinking project. The video should be between 8-10 minutes, with the equal participation of all team members. Any part of the video beyond the length limit (10 minutes) will not be assessed. In the video, students should:

1. Clearly define the problem to be addressed in your project
2. State the specific goals to be achieved by your team which collectively help address the problem identified.
3. Present a low fidelity prototype of the solution. This could be a system diagram, a series of interactive slides, a paper-based mock-up, a combination of these.
4. Argue why/how you think the prototype will work to address the problem you identified.
5. Show the process your team engaged with stakeholders to come up with the prototype (i.e. how did you come up with the prototype).

This presentation should be highly visual in nature, containing photos, images, diagrams and other content showing the development of the prototype and its use in engaging with stakeholders.

Submission date: 2 May 2025, 23:59 AEST. Video should be uploaded to Wattle. One group member to submit on behalf of the group..

Due date for the return of assessment: 9 May 2025. Feedback will be provided via Wattle.

Marking Criteria: A detailed rubric will be made available on the course Wattle site from the beginning of the semester.

Group Work: This assessment item requires group work; see further details for management of group work under Assessment Task 2.

Assessment Task 4

Final Presentation

Details of task:

The success of a design thinking project depends on the approval and support from the client, which requires clear communication of how the project outcomes will contribute to the organisation. This task assesses students' teamwork, communication skills, and abilities to provide a strategic approach to communicating the costs and benefits of a design thinking project to obtain support for its continuation from the client. The task will focus on recognising how the project will fit within the business model of an established organisation or how it will enable entrepreneurs to create a new business model providing value to the key stakeholders involved.

Assessment type: Group task.

Time limit: Strict 10-minute limit, any presentation over 10 minutes will not be included in the marking of this assessment. Presentations will be video recorded, which will enable later validation and verification of assessment if required (in accordance with point 7 in the ANU Student Assessment (Coursework) policy).

Presentation requirements: 

Working in the same team, students are required to deliver an oral presentation (face to face) of their design thinking project. The presentation should be between 8-10 minutes, with the equal participation of all team members. Students should complete their presentation within the given time (10 minutes maximum); otherwise, any part of the presentation after the given time will not be assessed. PowerPoint slides are required. In the presentation, you should:

1. Restate the problem and your project goals to tackle the problem identified.
2. Present the process that led to the proposed solution.
3. Describe the proposed solution in detail, highlighting any feedback obtained from key stakeholders.
4. Explain how the proposed solution would be implemented within the current situation and resources needed.
5. Present the potential value, and how this value would be measured.
6. Define next steps that the team would undertake, if the project were the project to continue.

This assessment will take the form of a pitch-style presentation, with questions from the audience. This is a great opportunity to gain feedback, and to show what you have accomplished during the semester.

Submission of presentation:

Upload a PDF version of your presentation to Wattle by 23:59 on the day before presentation (21 May 2025). One group member to submit on behalf of the group.

Presentation date: During the Seminar on 22 May 2025.

Due date for the return of assessment: 26 June 2025.

Marking Criteria: A detailed rubric will be made available on the course Wattle site from the beginning of the semester.

Group Work: This assessment item requires group work; see further details for management of group work under Assessment Task 2.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. The University’s students are an integral part of that community. The academic integrity principle commits all students to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support, academic integrity, and to uphold this commitment by behaving honestly, responsibly and ethically, and with respect and fairness, in scholarly practice.

The University expects all staff and students to be familiar with the academic integrity principle, the Academic Integrity Rule 2021, the Policy: Student Academic Integrity and Procedure: Student Academic Integrity, and to uphold high standards of academic integrity to ensure the quality and value of our qualifications.

The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 is a legal document that the University uses to promote academic integrity, and manage breaches of the academic integrity principle. The Policy and Procedure support the Rule by outlining overarching principles, responsibilities and processes. The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 commences on 1 December 2021 and applies to courses commencing on or after that date, as well as to research conduct occurring on or after that date. Prior to this, the Academic Misconduct Rule 2015 applies.

 

The University commits to assisting all students to understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. All coursework students must complete the online Academic Integrity Module (Epigeum), and Higher Degree Research (HDR) students are required to complete research integrity training. The Academic Integrity website provides information about services available to assist students with their assignments, examinations and other learning activities, as well as understanding and upholding academic integrity.

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

Individual assessment tasks may or may not allow for late submission. Refer to details for each assessment item. Policy regarding late submission (where applicable) is detailed below:

• Late submission permitted. Late submission of assessment tasks without an approved 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.

All requests for Assessment Adjustment (including Requests for Extension and for Consideration of Extenuating Circumstances) should be submitted via ISIS.

Referencing Requirements

The Academic Skills website has information to assist you with your writing and assessments. The website includes information about Academic Integrity including referencing requirements for different disciplines. There is also information on Plagiarism and different ways to use source material. Any use of artificial intelligence must be properly referenced. Failure to properly cite use of Generative AI will be considered a breach of academic integrity.

Returning Assignments

All assignments will be marked and where appropriate feedback will be provided either: in class, or in person by appointment with the course lecturer, or via the course Wattle site.

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.

Resubmission of Assignments

You are allowed to resubmit your assignments before the specific deadlines where specified for each assessment item.

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 Accessibility 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 supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents all ANU students