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School for Cross-faculty Studies Design Studies

The Business of Design

DI302-15 Term 1

Module Leader

Dr Jane Webb
Third year only
Term 1
15 CATS
19 class hours and 21 private study hours

All lectures and seminars will be face to face unless otherwise stated in Moodle
Please note this webpage refers to the module as planned for 2024-2025. For other versions, please refer to the module catalogue: Module information 

This module explores how designers, in a variety of contexts, act entrepreneurially to negotiate a range of economic, social, and environmental factors that impact their practice.

Students will explore, and compare, how different design businesses operate, the skills, mindset, and capabilities of those that lead them, the challenges that both leaders and businesses face, and how they address them.

Students will then reflect on this knowledge, and how it can inform their own future careers, to formulate a plan for their own personal and professional development.

Principal Aims

The aim of the module is to equip students with an understanding of how design businesses operate across contexts, and how designers, and design teams, operate in these structures. Through an exploration of these ideas, and reflections on their own skills, the module will support students to transition from academic study to the wider world of work in a variety of roles.

Outline Syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

The syllabus will include:

  • Business models for design businesses
  • Case studies of design businesses & their operation
  • Case studies exploring business owners, their mindset, skills, and capabilities
  • Specific content exploring mindsets and capabilities in the context of entrepreneurial design ventures.
  • Skills including finance, tax, project management etc.
  • Reflective practice
  • Personal development planning

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

  • Explore how design businesses operate in a variety of contexts, and why they do so.
  • Analyse the skills, mindset, and capabilities of the people, or teams, that lead these businesses.
  • Identify the personal and professional challenges that leaders and businesses face.
  • Reflect on this knowledge and create a plan for their own personal and professional development.

Research element

Research is expected to infuse the entire module as students will be finding their own examples of entrepreneurship in design.

Interdisciplinary

The module draws on context from both business and design disciplines.

International

The module will examine design business from an international perspective and draw on examples of businesses from across the world.

Subject specific skills

Business models and business modelling, business finance, project management.

Transferable skills

Entrepreneurial skills, mindset and capabilities, personal taxation, reflective practice, personal development planning. Research methods and ethical approval processes.

Indicative reading list

Sinclair, D. (2019) Lead Designer's Handbook: Managing Design and the Design Team in the Digital Age

Best, K. (2015) Design Management: Managing Design Strategy, Process and Implementation

Von Stamm, B. (2008) Managing Innovation, Design and Creativity

Please note: Module availability and staffing may change year on year depending on availability and other operational factors. The School for Cross-faculty Studies makes no guarantee that any modules will be offered in a particular year, or that they will necessarily be taught by the staff listed on this page.