Design and Branding

The aim of this module is to enhance student's ability to use design approaches and tools for identifying and implementing human centred innovation opportunities.

This is the core module of the Design and Branding programme. This module focuses on developing the elementary skills and understanding of working in the communicative aspect of design in a variety of contexts. Key theoretical concepts of branding, (organizational) identity, (design) strategy, communication and marketing will be introduced and discussed during the lectures and seminars to provide an understanding of the central position of communication and branding in various types of businesses, organisations and our society at large. Students are expected to analyse how brand and communication align with the strategic objectives of business and organisations.

The aim of this module is to introduce students to the major issues related to users' engagement with digital media. The module examines the evolution of the interactions of audiences with digital media; characteristics of digital media markets; implications of new digital media platforms on the experience of audiences and the associated organisations. Case studies will also be presented.

The aims of this module are to equip students with the necessary academic insights about and be able to reflect critically on organisations (companies) positioning in their competitive environment and assessing companies' preparedness for facing competition.

The aim of this module is to give students an opportunity to explore grand challenges facing our global society and to propose imaginative solutions to specific challenges in one or more country.

Students will critically reflect on the United Nations Sustainability Development Goals and think about how Loughborough University's Creating Better Futures. Together Strategy might contribute to them.

Students will engage with ideas and approaches to possible solutions from their own programme and gain diverse insights from Loughborough University London's interdisciplinary ecosystem. This will involve solution-oriented thinking and a balance between criticality and possibility, leading to a deep understanding of grand challenges and imagining creative responses to them.

The aim of Design Research module is to help students to gain a broad understanding of design research history and methodologies and equip them with skills and competencies to undertake research in their chosen topic of enquiry. Underpinned by reflective mindset, this module sets out to support students in four key ways: position design research in relation to historical context, identify the key issues and methodologies appropriate for design research, understand ways to evaluate these resources in relation to theory and self, develop and practice applying design research resources in a pilot study.

The module aim is to prepare students to understand the key concepts and complexities of designing for user experience. The course focuses on innovation management and the creation of value in use as a means of customer acquisition and retention.

Students will be introduced the foundational concepts of human experience relevant to design innovation, building on interdisciplinary knowledge and principles from sociology, psychology, cognitive science and human-centred design. Theoretical concepts on cognition, perception, aesthetics and interaction will be presented through lectures and seminars to explore the complex interrelationships between usability, usefulness and desirability as experiential dimensions for value creation and decision-making, and understand their role in the development of meaningful innovation and quality user experiences.

Through research, analysis, visualisation students will engage with illustrative case studies to reflect upon how theories and concepts apply in practice, and understand how experience ecosystems function.

The aims of this module are to:

• Provide students with an opportunity to be exposed to project-based teamwork in diverse settings (understood in this context as involving a range of multidisciplinary, multicultural and demographic elements in differing configurations), aiming to strengthen their cooperative and collaborative working skills and competence, while raising awareness and appreciation of diversity itself.
• Provide students with hands-on experience of identifying, framing and resolving practice oriented and real-world based challenges and problems, using creativity, critical enquiry and appropriate tools to achieve valuable and relevant solutions.
• Support the development of students' ability to engage in critical enquiry and individual reflection, as well as to apply individual strengths and skills, building on their own educational backgrounds.
• Provide students with opportunities for networking with stakeholders, organisations and corporations, aiming to enhance the competence and skills needed to connect to relevant parties and build up future professional opportunities.

The aims of this module are to give the student the opportunity to study a subject, business problem or research question in depth and to research the issues surrounding the subject or background to the problem.

The module will equip the student with the relevant skills, knowledge and understanding to embark on their individual research project and they will be guided through the three options available to them to complete their dissertation:

• A desk based research project that could be set by an organisation or could be a subject of the student's choice
• A project that involves collection of primary data from within an organisation or based on lab and/or field experiments
• A full professional placement within an organisation during which time they will complete a project as part of their role in agreement with the organisation (subject to a suitable placement position being obtained)

Students will achieve a high level of understanding in the subject area and produce a written thesis or project report which will discuss this research in depth and with rigour.

The Service Design Strategy module aims to provide students with professional skills for working in service design innovation teams. It aims to allow students to gain experience in managing complex service innovation processes and working successfully within the area of Service Design Strategy.

The aims of this module are to familiarise students to the importance and practices of market research and analysis and equip them with skills to design, perform and present effective and creative market research projects powered by modern digital technologies.

The aims of this module are to give the student the opportunity to study a subject, business problem or research question in depth and to research the issues surrounding the subject or background to the problem.

The module will equip the student with the relevant skills, knowledge and understanding to embark on their individual research project and they will be guided through the three options available to them to complete their dissertation:

• A desk based research project that could be set by an organisation or could be a subject of the student's choice
• A project that involves collection of primary data from within an organisation or based on lab and/or field experiments
• A full professional placement within an organisation during which time they will complete a project as part of their role in agreement with the organisation (subject to a suitable placement position being obtained)

Students will achieve a high level of understanding in the subject area and produce a written thesis or project report which will discuss this research in depth and with rigour.