Digital Design Innovation MSc

What you'll study

You will learn from the most influential thought leaders, pioneering researchers and creative innovators, exposing you to the latest theories and developments from across your discipline.

Modules

Our MSc Digital Design Innovation programme covers a wide range of topics; to give you a taster we have expanded on some of the modules affiliated with this programme and the specific assessment methods associated with each module.

• Compulsory
• Optional

Digital Services

Digital Services

This module will discuss whether ethics should be designed within or outside of digital services, and will explore the systems and processes that are already being designed in digital services.
The module will also touch upon various infrastructure and interface systems, as well as service -dominant logic.

Key theoretical concepts of systems thinking, service-dominant logic (S-D logic) and ethics will be introduced through lectures and seminars in order to explore the complex interrelationships between these concepts and the strategic design management of digital services. Students will be expected to use their understanding of these key theories in analysing multiple cases of digital services.

Assessment

100% coursework consisting of:

• 70% report
• 30% peer feedback

Digital Design Innovation Project

Digital Design Innovation Project

This module will build on the knowledge you will gain in the Design Thinking module by providing you with the skills needed to operate successfully in a digital design team.

The Digital Design Innovation Project is designed to follow an agile innovation process (e.g. sprints), so that you can develop and gain experience in the face to face and distributed product/service development process.

On completion of this module, you should be able to:

• Critically analyse and utilise agile innovation process to a set real life problem
• Appreciate how to work in an agile team
• Apply critical enquiry, reflection and design thinking methods to identify frame and resolve a set challenge
• Utilise agile process to construct and manage the project
• Analyse design thinking methodology to develop insights, identify the value creation opportunity and develop a concept solution.
• Design and evaluate concepts in the context of digital product/services
• Assess the concepts in a manner which is understandable to non-designer and non-technical stakeholders
• Manage their time and resources effectively
• Use initiative and take responsibility
• Managing diversity
• Display evidence of self-organisation

Assessment

• 30% peer feedback
• 70% reflective project report

Dissertation

Dissertation

The Dissertation module will equip you with the relevant skills, knowledge and understanding to embark on your own research project.

You will have the choice of three dissertation pathways:

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

By undertaking a dissertation at master's level, you will achieve a high level of understanding in your chosen subject area and will produce a written thesis or project report which will discuss your research in more detail.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module, you should be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• The importance of project planning;
• The importance of a clear hypothesis or research question;
• The ethical implications of research;
• The relevant empirical data and methodologies for data collection or knowledge assimilation for the subject area;
• Methods of data analysis and their suitability for the intended data;
• The areas of expertise or publications of the major individuals or organisations in the subject or business area;
• The previous research or current knowledge in the specific subject or business area;
• Theoretical perspectives relevant to your chosen topic;
• The most effective methods of presentation for data or knowledge;
• Developing a clear, coherent and original research question, hypothesis or business problem in a suitable subject area;
• Synthesising relevant sources (e.g. research literature, primary data) to construct a coherent argument in response to your research question, hypothesis or business problem;
• Analysing primary or secondary data collected by an appropriate method;
• Critically evaluating data collected in context with previously published knowledge or information;
• Engaging in critical debate and argumentation in written work;
• Applying principles of good scholarly practice to your written work;
• Performing appropriate literature searching/business information searching using library databases or other reputable sources;
• Planning a research project and producing a realistic gantt chart demonstrating your intended timelines;
• Synthesising information from appropriate sources;
• Demonstrating rational use of research method tools;
• Selecting and using appropriate investigative and research skills;
• Demonstrating effective project planning skills;
• Finding and evaluating scholarly sources;
• Engaging in critical reasoning, debate and argumentation;
• Demonstrating effective report writing skills;
• Recognising and using resources effectively;
• Successfully managing a project from idea to completion;
• Demonstrating commercial awareness or the impact of knowledge transfer in a business or research environment

Assesement

100% Coursework consisting of:

• 20% Literature review
• 20% Research proposal
• 60% Dissertation report/essay

The Collaborative Project

The Collaborative Project

With a multi-talented group of students, you will work on a brief from a real company looking to solve a real social or business problem.

Together with your student team, you will research and build solutions to a business problem, supported by our project tutors, clients and staff. Previous clients include Foster + Partners, Speedo, The London Legacy Development Corporation as well as many other companies, start-ups and charities.

The Collaborative Project provides a means for you to engage in critical enquiry and to be exposed to project-based teamwork in multicultural and interdisciplinary settings. By undertaking this module, you will strengthen your cooperative and collaborative working skills and competencies, whilst raising your awareness and appreciation of cultural and disciplinary diversity and differences.

The Collaborative Project aims to provide you with a hands-on experience of identifying, framing and resolving practice-oriented and real-world based challenges and problems, using creativity and appropriate tools to achieve valuable and relevant solutions. Alongside the collaborative elements of the module, you will be provided with opportunities to network with stakeholders, organisations and corporations, which will give you the experience and skills needed to connect to relevant parties and potentially develop future employment opportunities.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this module, you will be able to:

• Work effectively in diverse and interdisciplinary teams;
• Undertake and contribute towards a project-based development process;
• Apply critical enquiry, reflection, and creative methods to identify, frame, and resolve issues and problems at hand;
• Identify user and stakeholder needs and value creation opportunities, whilst collecting and applying evidence-based information and knowledge to develop appropriate insights, practices and solutions;
• Identify, structure, reflect on key issues and propose solutions to problems in creative ways;
• Enhance your appreciation for diversity and divergent individual and disciplinary perspectives;
• Be able to provide structured, reflective and critical feedback to peers and other stakeholders;
• Plan and execute a project plan including scope, resources and timing;
• Effectively communicate ideas, methods and results to a diverse range of stakeholders;
• Use multiple, state-of-the-art date media and technologies to communicate with collaborators;
• Make informed, critical and reflective decisions in time-limited situations.

Assessment

100% Coursework consisting of:

• 20% Group project proposal
• 20% Individual reflection
• 30% Final project report
• 30% Project deliverables to the client

Digital Application Development

Digital Application Development

This module will introduce you to MATLAB programming tools and environments, and will develop your understanding of programming in C++; a basic tool for developing digital systems and applications.

Specific topics covered include C++ programing, objective foundation and advanced programming techniques such as class and structure, MATLAB programming skills and simulation tools.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this module you should be able to:

• Demonstrate programming skills in C++ and MatLab
• Demonstrate necessary programming techniques to develop digital applications and simulations
• Show knowledge of programming structure and skills in general
• Understand how to use digital data processing tools and functions
• Understand techniques used in developing applications and related numerical simulations
• Understand the concept of advanced techniques of structure and class
• Identify, utilise and optimise tools, algorithms and functions for simulation of digital applications
• Implement functions and algorithms in C++ and MatLab
• Understand the use of advanced techniques of, e.g. class, structure, and pointer
• Demonstrate knowledge of different algorithms, functions and their usage in DSP tool box
• Understand digital technology applications and simulations for digital media and communication systems
• Solve complex problems involving digital processing algorithms
• Identify solutions for practical problems by reasoning, deduction and implementing from idea to final application
• Understand abstract features from complex objects and problems, and develop ideas into algorithms
• Fulfil the research and development requirements in a range of digital systems and digital technologies sectors

Assessment

• 100% coursework

Design Thinking

Design Thinking

The aim of this module is to enhance your ability to use design approaches and tools for identifying and implementing human centred innovation opportunities. You will be expected to deploy knowledge learned in this module into parallel running Collaborative Project module.

The module will include teaching on the following topics: visualization, using imagery to envision possible future conditions; journey mapping, assessing the existing experience through the customer's eyes, using customer oriented data collection techniques; value chain analysis, assessing the current value chain that supports the customer's journey; mind mapping, generating insights from exploration activities and using those to create; design criteria; brainstorming, generating ideas; rapid concept development, assembling innovative elements into a coherent proposition that can be explored and evaluated; rapid ‘prototyping', expressing a new concept in a tangible form for exploration, consumer testing, and refinement; consumer testing and storytelling.

Learning Outcomes

The module will introduce you to a systematic design-based approach aimed at identifying and implementing user centred innovation opportunities.

On completion of this module you should be able to:

• Identify when and how to use range of Design Thinking tools
• Select appropriate tools to inform project development
• Appropriate use of the Design Thinking tools in a parallel module
• Develop communication skills in diverse teams;
• Developed a systematic approach to tackle complex projects
• Apply tools in a project context
• Work with variety of stakeholders
• Understand how to tackle 'wicked' problems
• Be able to deliver a succinct presentation to communicate key facts

Assessment

• 80% Report
• 20% Presentation

Media Design and Production

Media Design and Production

This module introduces the you to applications containing multimedia design, creation and distribution over networks. In particular, multimedia transmission aspects over the Internet Protocol are covered.

First, the production side is covered, including video and audio capturing, synchronisation, recording and interchange formats, and compression workflows. Fundamental knowledge on sound engineering and audio technology, including the design, manipulation and production of audio, will be given to you.

In the second part, different classes of media applications are presented, such as conversational (e.g., Skype, audio-visual conferencing), streaming applications (e.g., Video on Demand), and broadcast applications (e.g., mobile TV, satellite TV), and how those applications are classified according to their bandwidth requirements, packet loss, latency, jitter, and synchronisation requirements. This is then followed Internet-based transmission methods, protocols, and techniques for robust media application delivery.

In the third part, audio-visual media quality assessment techniques and Quality of Experience (QoE) models are presented, where media quality is studied using the principles of human perception of audio/video. Examples from modern media transport methods (e.g., HTTP adaptive streaming) with a view to maximising the end-users’ QoE. User interfaces for interactivity (e.g., motion and video sensors, touch and gesture interfaces) and emerging interaction technologies and associated examples will also be presented.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this module, you should be able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge of media applications that are in use in modern digital systems, media quality assessment and Quality of Experience (QoE) models, user interfaces and multi-modal interaction technologies.
• The principles of multimedia production and requirements of multimedia delivery over networks, in particular the Internet
• Quality of Service parameters, classes of multimedia services, Internet Protocol suite
• Quality of Experience, relations between QoS and QoE, user interfaces
• Define the streams making up a multimedia application, how they are produced, express their transport mechanisms, and associated QoS requirements
• Analyse the metrics associated with a transmission environment in terms of their suitability for supporting certain multimedia applications
• Discuss how quality assessment is performed
• Formulate multimedia applications with realistic design constraints and associated QoE considerations
• Extensively use the knowledge gained in practical media application design and implementation work
• Apply their knowledge on certain statistical analysis techniques learned in this module on other real-world problems
• Develop skills to recognise, analyse and solve challenging problems with attention to details
• Present themselves in the areas of digital content creation, streaming media, IPTV, mobile multimedia applications and user experience design.

Assessment

• 30% Coursework
• 70% Exam

Cloud Applications and Services

Cloud Applications and Services

This module gives a brief overview of cloud technology and covers media cloud applications and challenges, such as energy efficiency in cloud systems, mobile cloud computing, cloud multimedia rendering, streaming, coding, transcoding, caching, quality probing, adaptation, etc.
The aim of this module is to provide you with an overview of cloud technology with a special emphasis on media cloud applications and any associated challenges.

Issues surrounding cloud networking, privacy and security are also addressed as part of the teaching of this module, using true to type case studies and business models.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this module, you should be able to:

• Develop an overview of the cloud technology, demonstrate specific knowledge in media cloud applications and the challenges that are associated with making such applications available to the end-users via cloud technology