Module catalogue: GI7034

GI7034 - Public Service Design and Innovation (2024/25)

Module specification

Module approved to run in 2024/25

Module title

Public Service Design and Innovation

Module level

Masters (07)

Credit rating for module

School

School of Social Sciences and Professions

Total study hours

200

45 hours	Assessment Preparation / Delivery
120 hours	Guided independent study
35 hours	Scheduled learning & teaching activities

Assessment components

Type	Weighting	Qualifying mark	Description
Coursework	100%		Practical Portfolio Deck

Running in 2024/25

(Please note that module timeslots are subject to change)

Period	Campus	Day	Time	Module Leader
Summer studies	North	Week	-

Module summary

The module aims to provide students with a detailed understanding of:
1. Conventional and co-productive policy development approaches
2. Challenges of Complexity, design and governance in public services
3. Design thinking in policy making and public sector innovation

The aim of the course is to develop an understanding of the role of design thinking in assisting public and non-for profit sector transformation.

Syllabus

 Complexity, design and governance LO1,LO2
 Conventional policy design – issues and limitationsLO1
 Co-productive policy design approachesLO2
 Design thinking (User research and problem framing)LO2,LO3
 Design Thinking (Ideation and prototyping)LO2,LO3
 Design Thinking (User testing and evaluation)LO2,LO3
 Technological disruption and public service innovationLO3,LO4
 Collaboration in inter-processional and inter-disciplinary contexts LO3,LO4

Balance of independent study and scheduled teaching activity

The course material is studied through a independent study and practice based workshop in which students will have to work in groups. The module will make extensive use of Weblearn and will facilitate interactions with non-for-profit and public sector organisations. The module will be delivered in conjunction with a practioner / professional partner and will run as a one week intensive block in the summer period.

Learning outcomes

At the end of this course the students will be able to:
1. Demonstrate critical awareness of the limitations of conventional policy design approaches. [LO1]
2. Demonstrate systematic understanding and critical appreciation of the challenges and opportunities offered by co-productive and design thinking based policy design models. [LO2]
3. Demonstrate critical engagement with and sound application of the user centred based methodologies in understanding issues and gaps in public services. [LO3]
4. Work collaboratively across disciplines and professions to ideate solution to problems, demonstrating a creative approach to problems solving [LO4]

Bibliography

Core:
Durose, C & Richardson, L. (2016) Designing public policy for co-production. Thorey, practice and change, Bristol: Policy Press
Basson, C. (2017) Leading Public Design, Bristol: Policy Press
Plattner, H., Meinel, C., & Weinberg, U. (2009). Design thinking. Landsberg am Lech: Mi-Fachverlag.
Plattner, H., Meinel, C., & Leifer, L. (Eds.). (2010). Design thinking: understand–improve–apply. Springer Science & Business Media.