DE6026 - Business and Commercial Strategies for Interior Design

Business and Commercial Strategies for Interior Design is a project-based experiential learning module. You will learn predominantly in design studios in order to create a professional design-studio approach. The aim is to encourage the interaction of the student body, through peer learning, which is regarded as a critically important factor in the learning process and will be facilitated through staff-led group tutorials, one-to-one sessions and reviews.

We refer to this studio approach as follows;

Project brief(s) will be introduced through one or more briefing sessions where the brief will be fully explained and you will have the opportunity to ask questions. The module is delivered via a combination of studio teaching, seminars and interactive activities, tutor guided independent learning and student-led independent learning.

Formative studio-based feedback will support and guide your learning and the progress of your design work. Where appropriate, external site visits will support design briefs and your understanding of the interior design process and site enquiry. This approach will allow you to develop an understanding at both a theoretical and practical level prior to summative assessment.

You will take part in a final review presentation of your design project work where you will receive final feedback from staff, which you will be required to document and process to advance future design projects and define your own learning. Summative assessment is through the submission of a design portfolio, which will enable you to learn through an enquiry-based/problem-solving learning methodologies approach and reflect the accumulation and integration of knowledge accrued over the module.

Support and feedback will be provided by a variety of methods throughout design projects, starting at the briefing and concluding upon submission of each design project. Support includes;



Staff Contact

Module tutors who provide academic support.

Individual staff-student tutorials inform design project direction.

Group tutorials enable staff to interact with students and encourage peer learning and support.

Project briefs are normally introduced via a briefing session, where the brief is fully explained and explored by both staff and students.

The eLearning Portal will be utilised to communicate all relevant module information.



Studio Contact Time

Modules are delivered through a combination of lecture supported group tutorials and studio activity, practical demonstrations, studio teaching, guided and independent learning new skills are delivered through workshop activities.

Studio feedback takes place to facilitate students’ development in the areas being studied, to allow formative feedback and the identification of examples of good practice and development areas to be considered.

Independent study hours will be utilised to continue the development and progression of studio activity.



Peer and Independent Support

Students are encouraged and expected to maintain a personal development plan (PDP) and are encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning.

Studio based activity also supports the development of appreciation and evaluation of peers’ work.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk
(Reading List service online guide for academic staff this containing contact details for the Reading List team – http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/readinglists)

Knowledge & Understanding:



Research, develop and apply entrepreneurial knowledge and skills within a design context, including project management, budgeting, and marketing, fostering a proactive and innovative mindset. (R&D)



Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:



Communicate expertise in the use of materials, processes, technologies, and environments, demonstrating a clear grasp of quality standards and attention to detail within the interior design industry. (COMMUNICATION)



Engage in critical discourse to assess and discuss ideas and issues providing context and shaping present and future interior design practices. (CONTEXTUAL)



Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):



Participate in collaborative team working activities to critically evaluate and reflect on personal and professional practices or issues by referring to the latest critical debates and design strategies. (COLLABORATIVE)

A design project will be carried out and after submission, a final mark will be given for the module. Based on a design project portfolio comprising two components; a visually rich design project report weighted at 80%, and a group presentation weighted at 20%.



The assessment and feedback strategy is:



a. Formative Assessment

Project tutorials and staged reviews with tutors and peers will provide an opportunity for critique and formative direction. This will allow students to reflect upon their own work and act upon feedback prior to final submission. Verbal feedback is designed to help students to identify areas of success and/or further development to be considered.



b. Summative assessment

The project brief/s driving the module will identify the assessment criteria and submission requirements (deliverables) appropriate to the topic of the project. The assessable elements will consist of a project portfolio, which will enable students to demonstrate the process and technical skills developed throughout the module. In addition studio contact, observations and presentations will ensure tutors are able to assess the learners’ overall performance holistically against the learning outcomes for the module. A single grade will then be aligned to the submission based upon multiple deliverables.



c. Feedback strategy

Feedback will be delivered verbally at the point of each tutorial, where discussion will clarify future direction. Upon receiving summative assessment students will receive a grade reflecting achievement against the learning outcomes of the module. Students are encouraged to take ownership of their learning by recording verbal feedback in order to reflect upon it as they engage in subsequent learning.

Level 5 (or equivalent experience)

N/A

Business and Commercial Strategies for Interior Design is a design project based module with a difference. You will shift focus and concentrate on key strategic planning stages and business critical aspects of interior design practice. You will be introduced to an advanced level of professional knowledge and gain new understanding of the wider implications of your design practice, highlighting the importance of attention to detail.

Starting from the basics; "how to actually make money as a designer", and centring on the strategic early stages of proposition and feasibility, this module will help you to grasp the detail of project management, coordination of project information, and contract administration. This crucial professional knowledge will give you a powerful head-start as you enter practice in industry, or go on to further study of the discipline. Now it is time to focus on the most important medium that you have at your disposal; yourself!