Design Academy - Design Council

Design
Academy
&
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Design Academy is Design Council’s
new programme for UK design
students at leading universities. It will
deliver world-class training so that by
the time students graduate and move
into the job market, they have gained
an invaluable competitive edge.
The four-day module is based on
our System for Innovation which
we currently deliver on MBAs, to
civil servants, small and mediumsized businesses and large
corporates and their supply chains.
Each year, the module will tackle a
major societal challenge that Design
Council is currently working on. In
our inaugural year, the focus of the
programme will be Design for Care.
We’d love your students to take part
in this exciting new programme.
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Design Academy is for
design schools that want:
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To optimise student employability and
versatility
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To place greater emphasis on strategic
design and design for innovation
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To break down subject boundaries
and enhance interdisciplinary practice
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To provide students with enhanced
leadership opportunities and promotional
platforms
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A competitive edge within a crowded
market place
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An affiliation with Design Council
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The Challenge
The UK is world renowned for its design capability 1,
with the largest design industry in Europe, and the
second globally, after the USA. According to the
latest government statistics, the sector grew 10.8%
each year from 2008-13, compared to 4.2% for the
rest of the economy 2. We have some of the best
design schools in the world, attracting students
from across the globe. While this is reason for
celebration, we shouldn’t become complacent.
The number of design schools opening up overseas is increasing all the time –
China has over 1,000, compared to 78 in the UK – and the quality of those schools
will only improve. In the past decade, some UK institutions have created Masterslevel design programmes. These are very attractive to overseas students – but in
time, such postgraduate courses will become more prevalent overseas.
As other countries improve their design education, they’ll become greater
competitors to the UK. We must continue to invest in UK design capabilities
to retain our global relevance, build on our competitive advantage and keep the
pipeline of design talent strong.
Design Academy aims to complement design courses. It gives students an
additional ‘edge’ by exposing them to material often not encountered till masters
level programmes.
Our plan for growth: Science and Innovation – December 2014, HM Treasury and Department for
Business, Innovation & Skills
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Creative Industries Economic Estimates – January 2015, Department for Culture, Media & Sport
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Why is the module needed?
The ‘war for talent’ highlights the challenge in
talent recruitment.
Despite the close relationship between universities and industry, industry can still
find it difficult to recruit young designers. Some cite a lack of fundamental skills
(for example, Jonathan Ive’s recent critique of product design courses 1 ). Other
employers believe that the attributes they look for when hiring a designer are often
lacking – such as commercial awareness, critiquing, working collaboratively and
dealing with complexity. This programme provides an experience that serves
to complement the core design skills taught at university with some of the more
strategic design skills we know industry seek.
The UK will benefit from a more diverse design
workforce and designers working in a greater
range of sectors.
As research from McKinsey 2 shows, the most diverse companies are the most
successful. By enabling design students to become aware of the job opportunities
available beyond the creative industries, we hope to eventually encourage a more
diverse range of students onto design courses.
In addition, there is a growing market for design thinking in the public and third
sectors, as well as in business and international consultancy. Design Academy will
provide further knowledge of design in these contexts - and therefore help students
be confident and articulate when applying for such sectors.
With a sizeable and competitive market with up to
65,000 students studying design at any one time in
the UK design schools need to stand out.
By helping students future-proof their investment, our module makes universities
more competitive and able to attract the best talent to their courses.
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http://www.dezeen.com/2014/11/13/design-education-tragic-says-jonathan-ive-apple/
http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/organization/is_there_a_payoff_from_top-team_diversity
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Virtually every industry sector is recognising
the need for an increase in multidisciplinary
collaboration to drive innovation.
However, universities sometimes find it difficult to break down internal silos,
both within and across faculties. Design Academy aims to facilitate this type of
learning by breaking down the boundaries between design disciplines.
Cutting-edge design research from industry or
academia often isn’t filtering back into teaching.
Some institutions feed their own design research findings back into taught
programme curricula – but this tends to be the exception, not the norm. The
courses themselves are full of invaluable content, but emerging practice on design
for innovation doesn’t always find a home. This module, with its focus on applying
innovative design thinking from industry and academia to existing challenges,
makes leading research available to students.
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Why Design Council
Design Council’s work enables ambitious leaders,
managers and teams in the public and private
sector to use design thinking, processes and
methods to get closer to what people need.
The resulting insights drive new ideas – to rethink,
redefine, develop and deliver better solutions and
experiences.
We build new markets for strategic design. However, looking to the future we are
aware that the new and emerging clients of strategic design cannot always find
designers with the requisite skills to apply it. Working in this field enables us to
better understand the long-term skills needs of the design sector, putting us in
a strong position to support the future-proofing of design education.
Our latest research – Leading Business by Design (looking at aerospace,
construction and automotive industries) and Designing our Future, focusing
on trends in design and implications for the sector (eg ethics in design, design
for urban billions, shifts in global competition) – will be incorporated into the
Design Academy course.
“Since Design Academy, I am now more
confident about my future as I feel design
is extremely important to everyone in life.
I can do anything with my degree not just
design wallpaper like my dad thinks!”
2nd Year Textile and Surface Design student
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Course information
Following consultation with universities, students
and industry over the last year, we have developed a
dynamic and interactive four-day module for design
students. Initially, we are offering Design Academy
to a mixed cohort of students in design schools.
Our ultimate goal is to extend the offer to students
from a range of disciplines (eg, mixed cohorts from
design, social science, business and technology).
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No. of contact
hours:
30 (across four days), plus 10 hours of additional
independent study
No. of students:
30 (from a minimum of three design disciplines)
Level of study
proposed:
Level 5 (penultimate year of study)
Credit points:
Not accredited
Delivered when:
During academic year 2015–16
Delivered how:
Across a semester (see page 14 for further details)
Delivered where:
A minimum of two days at your institute, one day off-site
plus remote support (to be determined with individual
institute)
Delivery method:
Blended (75% face-to-face / 25% online)
Assessment
method:
Will be discussed with individual universities pending their
assessment schema
How much does
it cost?
£15,000 (equivalent to £500 per student, ex VAT)
Who will deliver the module?
The module leader will be a Design Council Design Associate, with additional
teaching provided by the Design Council team and industry experts.
What is a Design Associate?
A Design Associate is an experienced design management specialist - recruited
by Design Council via a rigorous seven stage process - who provides handson, independent guidance. Our network of Design Associates comprises
professionals with a wide range of expertise across disciplines and experience
working with some of the world’s leading companies.
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Module overview
This module focuses on the development of strategic design capabilities. Strategic
design capability is a fundamental requirement for design practitioners today and
in the future, as the needs of business and the public sector become increasingly
complex and the challenges they are tackling require a more integrated response
from design.
The module will introduce students to Design Council’s System for Innovation,
which provides a comprehensive way for individuals and organisations to respond
to innovation challenges. The three core components that underpin the System for
Innovation are:
Framework – Our framework supports exploring an innovation
challenge within a market or sector, with reference material to
support a diagnostic process.
Process – Design Council’s ‘Double Diamond’ design process
model is globally recognised. The way we use this supports the
shaping, definition and management of innovation projects.
Methods – Three key principles underpin design-oriented
projects: being people centred, being visual and working
collaboratively and iteratively. Each principle has well
established and proven methods in delivering innovation.
Bringing students from a range of disciplines together, the module will incorporate
concepts related to user-centred design, technological understanding and
business sense.
We believe the best learning happens in context, so each year our module will be
themed around a real life challenge that Design Council is working on.
For 2015–16, the theme will be Design for Care. We are likely to set design briefs
which will feed into the programme and/or set a research and scoping task to
further define areas of focus.
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“Within my course we get
taught that collaboration
is essential, however I feel
having an external voice
really highlights the point.
After Design Council
training I feel more
confident that design
thinking is the skill you
really need and you can
apply this to any specialist
and relevant field.”
3rd year Interior Design student
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Learning outcomes
On successful completion of the module, students
will be able to:
– Understand how design can provide a framework
for innovation when addressing private and public
sector challenges
– Apply design frameworks, processes and
methods to real world problems
– Identify and frame new opportunities that directly
tackle these problems
– Practice shaping projects that will deliver
successful outcomes
– Demonstrate collaborative and team-working
practices relevant to modern organisational needs
“The training made me aware that
I could use these skills within any
area of design, not just graphics.
Through these tasks, I found
myself using skills to answer
problems that a product designer
would usually tackle, for example.”
3rd year Graphic Design student
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About Design for Care
Over the next three to five years Design for Care
will apply world-renowned design talent in a drive
to invent and develop new systems, processes,
products and services to increase wellbeing, to
help reduce unnecessary hospital admissions
and to help people stay in their own homes.
We wish to create a care system that is more personalised, more connected
and more preventative. To meet this demand we will need to broaden the notion
of care from eligibility-measured services to the responsibility of the community.
It’s a challenge of wider collaboration between individuals and carers, family and
friends, neighbours and volunteers and professionals.
This more radical approach requires real imagination. We therefore see great value
in partnering with design students to develop the programme.
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Design Academy overview
A four-day learning programme delivered over
the course of one academic semester*
WEEK 1/DAY 2
WEEK 1/DAY 1
Kick off:
– Strategic value
of design to
organisations.
– Key principles of
design for innovation.
– Frameworks and
techniques to apply
the principles.
University
Opportunity
identification:
– Creating a Design
for Care project that
takes advantage
of framework and
principles.
– Pitching project
ideas and developing
detailed project
plans.
– Presentations with
facilitated group
critique.
University
Independent
study
Independent
study
WEEK 10/DAY 4
WEEK 5/DAY 3
Progression clinics:
– Surgeries to support
project development.
– Industry expert
webinars (eg, with
Philips) to help
provide additional
contextual
information.
Online
Demo day:
– Project showcase
and review with
invited audience from
industry academia and
Design Council .
– Review and reflect on
module and how to
embed in studies and
future career planning.
– Guest speaker from
industry.
Off-site**
Ideally the module will be delivered across a period of 10 weeks. However we can
deliver it as an intensive programme. The module can be stand alone or integrated
into one of your existing programmes.
* Exact timing and locations will be discussed with each University to ensure optimal student experience
and alignment with course schedules and learning objectives of module
** Either at Design Council or other Design Academy university
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Five key benefits to you
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Promotion through partnership
Your university is welcome to promote its affiliation with Design Council.
In fact, we will actively talk about the design schools we work with as
examples of good practice.
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First mover advantage
We’ll be working with a limited number of institutions in year one,
building the programme slowly over time. By being part of our pioneer
group, you’ll be ahead of the pack.
3
A point of difference
Students take a lot of universities into consideration when applying for a
course. An affiliation with Design Council could help you stand out from
the crowd.
4
Enabling interdisciplinary approaches
Although some universities do this already, many still find it difficult
to get students to work in an interdisciplinary way. We will provide the
framework to enable this to happen.
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Flexibility
There is enough flexibility within the core four-day module for it to fit into
most university timetables.
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Five key benefits to your
students
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Uniqueness
Of the 65,000 students studying design every year in the UK, only
300 will have been through Design Council’s unique Design Academy
programme.
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A competitive edge
From our pilot, we know that students get noticed when they put Design
Council’s module on their CV. Students will also get a direct connection
to relevant and celebrated industry players through the programme.
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A higher grade average
Based on our pilot, where we integrated the four day programme into an
existing university module, the average grade for the module was 67%,
higher than the average grade for other modules on the same course.
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Promotional platforms
Being part of Design Academy will open doors for students. They will
develop a relationship with our core work through their interaction with
the Design for Care programme and gain the opportunity to be part of our
youth sounding board. Additionally, students will be given the chance to
blog for Design Council as well as access other promotional platforms.
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Peer networking and international opportunities
They will become part of a globally recognised UK and international
alumni community and get to embark on exciting funded trips to
exclusive design networking events in the EU (subject to bid approval).
Other considerations
Cap on numbers
We have capped student numbers at 30 per module. From previous experience,
we know this is the maximum amount of students who should take part for the
module to be workable. However, if you would like to offer the module to more
students, we can speak to you about any discounts that might apply.
Student selection and readiness
Student readiness is a key factor in success of the module (and we can give you
guidance on this). We therefore suggest undertaking an open application process
whereby students can self-nominate, and then you select the students to go on the
programme.
Additional cost
We are an enterprising charity, and therefore need to bring in income to deliver our
programmes. The current cost of this programme will enable us to break even for
year one. We understand departmental budgets are incredibly tight, but we hope
that there will be opportunity for you to invest in the module.
Accreditation
The module is not independently accredited. However, we would be happy to work
with you if you would like it accredited by your institution.
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Payment
Payment terms are 50% of the fee in advance, at time of booking, and the
remaining 50% in the first semester 2015-16.
Assessment
We have not yet defined the mode of assessment as we think it would be best
to work within your existing frameworks. If you have clear criteria that need to be
included, let us know and we will look into how we can best integrate this into the
programme. In this pilot year, we’re keen to work with you as closely as possible
to get things right.
Do let us know if you have any questions or concerns that haven’t been
addressed above.
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The training has given me an
understanding of the way design is used
in business, how the business is structured
with its personnel, how the personnel has
contact with their customers, how the
services are provided to the customers and
how the services are provided within the
structure of a building.
1st year Product Design student
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How do I sign up?
Design Council
If you want to be part of our pioneer
group for the academic year 2015–16,
please contact:
[email protected].
Design Council champions great
design. For us, that means design that
improves lives and makes things better.
We stimulate innovation in business
and public services, improve the built
environment and tackle complex
social issues, for example our ageing
population and obesity. We inspire
new design thinking, encourage public
debate and inform Government’s policy
to improve everyday life – helping to
meet tomorrow’s challenges today.
As an independent charity, we are
an authoritative, passionate and
challenging voice on the role and
practice of design. We continue to be
the UK Government’s advisor on design
and our research and campaigns have
influenced policy since 1944.
Design Academy
Design Council
Angel Building
407 St John Street
London EC1V 4AB
[email protected]
+44(0)20 7420 5200
designcouncil.org.uk/
our-services
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