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At the end of the first week of October, I embark on studying a BSc in Design and Innovation with the Open University (OU). The OU code for the degree is Q61, hence the name of the blog title. The OU is full on distance learning and so what would normally takes 3 years to complete, takes double that time.

The degree has multiple tracks:

  • Engineering
  • Business
  • Arts
  • Environmental

All of the tracks have three, one year-long design modules, which are then interspersed with the one year long specialism tracks. I am aiming to take the environmental track. My reasoning is that I do not want to take a job as a design engineers and there is way too much maths in that track. I already work in the Business School as an Associate lecturer and my day job is as a business coach and facilitator. Plus I already have an MBA, so I am not feeling particularly energised by repeating content. The art side of the course seems VERY arty and more about the history and development, rather than practice. The environmental track resonates with me as I have, since my mountaineering days, had an interest in th environment and I would like to do more coaching and facilitation in this area professionally.

The first year is Design Thinking: Creativity for the 21st Century. This is composed of four modules that go from September through to the summer of 2019:

“Block 1: Design and the individual
The first part of the module introduces some basic skills to begin your creative work: taking and uploading digital photographs, composition, basic drawing and observation. It will introduce you to Compendium, a software tool with which you can record and link together different types of information in a digital scrapbook. It will also introduce you to the OpenDesignStudio environment, where you’ll upload your work and be able to see the work of others as you work through the course. Along with your skill development, there is academic study: introducing you to the world of design and design thinking through text, audio, video and multimedia. You’ll see interviews with design practitioners, and case studies of their work. As you work through the block, you’ll carry out a sequence of activities that lead up to your first assessed design project: the design of a T-shirt.

Block 2: Designing for others and with others
In the second block, the focus shifts to designing for other people. You’ll investigate what types of design make other people happy, as well as trying ways to feel and simulate what it’s like to experience what other people do. You’ll practise skills of making and presenting prototypes – crucial in design thinking – and learn about how to ‘frame’ a problem, and how to recognise a good solution. This block is not only about designing for others but also about designing with others. Knowing how and when to use the knowledge of others is extremely useful in designing and, as part of your assessed design project for this block, you’ll use other people to help you explore a problem and generate creative ideas in response. For your project in this block, you’ll propose a modified or new product and communicate your idea through a prototype of the product.

Block 3: Design in society
Block 3 looks at how design can have an impact in society through services and systems such as housing, planning, health, transport and recycling. You’ll gain an understanding of the factors influencing change in a society and of how they apply to your local context. And you’ll learn how to search for information, observe, map, and analyse complex environments. In your online study, you’ll see a number of case studies where design has made a significant impact at the societal level. For your design project, you’ll design, produce, and test a game based on a service you’ve studied.

Block 4: The global impact of design
When the full context of design is taken into account, we have to consider how design thinking can have a global impact. This final part of the module brings together all the skills you’ve learned in previous blocks to teach you about how to integrate them all – balancing people, processes and materials – through the process of design. You’ll look at the global context of design and consider the ethical implications of what design thinking can achieve. In the final design project assessment, you’ll pursue your own design thinking inquiry around a specific global theme, leading to you designing a way to communicate the results of your inquiry.”

At the moment I am really looking forward to the course. From what I have seen of the content, it looks very interesting. I am also looking forward to learning from my peers formally in the course forums and informally through social media.

I aim to be blogging reasonably regularly on my journey.

If you are studying the course and have a blog, let me know.