Design Management
Brief Choose an area that you have an interest in – it must be relevant to your Design Management pathway. For that, you will need to go through a range of sources including academic journals, books and non-academic sources such as newspapers, magazines and market intelligence (these are suggested in your module handbook), to understand the contemporary issues involved in Design Management. Based on your review of existing sources that are related with your research area, develop a mind map of the key themes and issues. Explain how the key ideas or themes of your research relate to one another and explain why.
Based on your mind map, reflect critically upon the key issues and choose a research topic. During this stage, you should synthesise critically the key theories and models that compose your research topic. For that, you should develop an infographic with the key elements and ideas that emerged from your review that could reflect your thinking process. Identify any research gaps and explain how your research idea builds on existing research. What research questions arise?
The identification of the relevant academic theories and models and explanation of how these are/have been applied should be a key component of your assignment. A key element to a successful submission will be your ability to provide a clear explanation of the research gap/problem area you are researching using a sustained argument, with insight based on relevant theories and models.
You are expected to use appropriate academic literatures and secondary data to support your arguments. All images should be directly relevant to your text.
3000-word portfolio structure
Title (title of your report, relevant image, your name, student number, the title of your degree and pathway, the date and your total word count) (not included in word count)
Table of contents with page numbers (not included in word count)
List of figures/tables (not included in word count)
#### Key sections ####
1. Annotated bibliography (1,000 words)
1.1. Introduction to the area (What is the background? Why are you interested in this area?) (suggestion: 500 words)
1.2. One A4 page visual of your mind map of your interest area – this should indicate the key subjects & the issues, ideas and opportunities that arise from your initial research into the area & how these link up (not included in word count)
PAS 1 HANDBOOK – MA DESIGN MANAGEMENT 2019-20 9
1.3. Thinking process: a written overview of the key themes/issues in your chosen area of Design Management and how they relate to one another (you should explain your mind map) (500 words)
2. Literature Review (1,000 words)
2.1. Direction: A critical overview of the key theories that support your area of research (synthesise the key areas identified in the mind map and choose a direction) (suggestion: 500 words)
2.2. Overview of the research topic (what are you researching and why? Based on what? Why is this important?) (suggestion: 500 words)
2.3. One A4 page visual of your infographic with the key theories and areas identified (a synthesised version of the mind map with context, background, key themes and research gap) (not included in word count)
3. Reflective Commentary (1,000 words)
3.1. Reflection: an explanation of the research gap or particular issue you are focusing on and a list of the research questions that arise from this (suggestion: 500 words)
3.2. Planning: a plan to improve your professional and academic skills throughout the course (plan to do voluntary work, career paths, etc.) (suggestion: 500 words)
4. A list of resources and key references you have used, following the Harvard Referencing System (not included in word count)
5. A list of further resources and key references you intend to use, following the Harvard Referencing System (not included in word count)
Appendices
A. A page with a link for your blog or digital journal, social media links, notes from classes and one A4 CV with logo, photo, key sections (your details, personal statement, work experience, education, skills, hobbies and interests) (not included in word count)
Visual Do’s and Don’ts • Do use images to illustrate your essay where relevant to support your text. • Do reference all images correctly using the Harvard referencing guide. • Do not use images that are not connected to your to your assignment text. • Do not use images out of context or simply for ornamentation. Document Style Guidelines • Titles should be at the top of pages. • Pages should be numbered • Bullet point lists should fit onto a single page. • Font, Arial size 12 • Double Line Spacing • Margins: 2.5
Submission of Written Coursework
You must submit one electronic copy of your assignment to TurnItIn via Blackboard by 4pm on the deadline date. You must include your student ID number in the file name, and on the front page of your assignment. Work received after the 4pm deadline will be recorded as late, and subject to University late penalties.
TurnItIn Originality Check
All work submitted to TurnItIn will be passed through plagiarism detection software, which will compare the originality of your work to a database of documents and sources.
