DE6021 - Interchange 3 – Contemporary Challenges and Design Futures

You will learn through a diverse range of activities and methods that immerse you in the dynamic world of design challenges and futures. At the outset, you will choose from a selection of carefully curated briefs addressing either contemporary challenges or visionary futures that align with your interests and aspirations.



Your learning will feature workshops, combining hands-on making and practical activities, short lectures, and group discussions. These?

workshops provide you with practice-based skills and knowledge needed to tackle design challenges and futures. Collaborative work within small groups or teams is a core component, mirroring real-world design processes that thrive on multidisciplinary cooperation.?



Active participation in critical debates and research will encourage deep thinking, questioning, exploration of innovative solutions and reflective practice. Design projects will play a significant part in most students' learning, allowing you to apply your creativity and skills to contemporary or future scenarios, serving as a tangible outcome of your work. However, for some briefs, a written or alternative media-based essay may be a preferred outcome.?



Effective communication is a vital part of the design process, and so you will enhance your teamworking, leadership, management and presentation skills, articulating your ideas professionally. Your design outcomes will culminate in a presentation or exhibition.

Your module tutors will provide extensive support in various forms, including lectures, seminars, workshops, and tutorials.



Each module kicks off with a comprehensive briefing that outlines the expected learning outcomes, module requirements, and a detailed schedule.



You will also have regular weekly sessions in a studio setting to structure your learning experience. In these sessions, you’ll participate in group discussions to receive feedback from your peers and tutors.



Furthermore, you’ll receive tailored feedback during tutorials before you submit your work, helping you polish and enhance your project work for successful module completion.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk
(Reading List service online guide for academic staff this containing contact details for the Reading List team – http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/readinglists)

Knowledge & Understanding: .

Engage in critical discourse to assess and discuss ideas and issues shaping present and future design methodologies and practices.

Propose and evaluate design outcomes that articulate your deep understanding of ethical and responsible design practice.



Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:

Exhibit judgment and strategy in the selection and application of design approaches, research and development methods throughout all stages of the design process.



Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):.

Effectively communicate and present creative and complex design solutions to professional standards.

Work cooperatively or collaboratively to research, develop, test and communicate advanced design proposals or solutions

You will be formatively assessed using verbal feedback during timetabled sessions at key stages of the design development process.



You will be summatively assessed at the end of the module through the submission or exhibition of a portfolio that may include development work, design artefacts and writing. More detailed submission requirements will be supplied in your individual design brief.



At this summative stage you will receive initial verbal feedback during your exhibition or presentation, followed up by additional written feedback on your portfolio submission.

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This module propels you into future thinking, confronting contemporary issues and envisaging the future of design's societal impact.

Choose from a range of briefs collaboratively developed with professionals or set by international competitions and tackle them alongside a multi-disciplinary team of your peers. Projects range from sustainable fashion to smart cities, wearable technology, and enhancing mental well-being through design.



Learn through a mix of workshops, group work, and critical debates, fostering skills in risk-taking, problem-solving, and ethical design. You will communicate your innovative solutions through presentations or exhibitions, preparing you as a designer for the future's challenges.