Managing the Workplace Design Process

This subject is not offered in 2011.

Admission to a Masters Degree in the Faculty or approval of the subject coordinator.

For the purposes of considering requests for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this course are articulated in the Course Description, Course Objectives and Generic Skills of this entry.

The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

This subject will critically examine theories, models and frameworks of planning and design decision making, generically, and in their application to the design of the workplace. The focus will be on the strategic management of the process of planning and design of the workplace, including organisation of the project team and their responsibilities; cross-disciplinary expectations of architecture; development of an appropriate methodology; systematic gathering and use of relevant project information, and, the communication of desired outcomes for a particular project.

The premise of the learning is, firstly, that innovative responses to the complexity of the changing workplace result from creative leadership of the planning and design processes, and secondly, the act of designing is an heuristic process as well as a problem identification tool. Students will explore strategies for using design thinking as a method of inquiry to encourage creative and innovative thinking by all participants at all stages of the workplace project. They will investigate procedures for the discovery and application of knowledge for effective decision-making about the provision of appropriate workplaces. The subject content will be explored through critical texts and particular case studies in the areas of health, education and office workplaces.

• Describe the different approaches to decision-making and for enhancing creativity and innovation in the articulation of workplace need and in its provision;
• Identify and explain the differences between key forms of reasoning, and of scheduling for the planning , designing and implementation stages of a project;
• Determine when is the appropriate use of performance and prescription based approaches to strategic planning;
• Structure the hierarchy of information to suit the design and procurement processes;
• Understand the structures and processes for achieving symbiotic relationships between the workplace needs, property practices and, facility capabilities of an organisation.

A report on an example in the planning and design process of a workplace, 20%, a working paper on resolving an issue applying to a project strategic planning and design process, 40%, and a component of the management of the workplace process, 40%, to the equivalent of 7,500 words.

Blyth and Worthington, Sebastian Macmillan (2004), Becker (2004), Horgen et al (1999), Rowe or other

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:

• Describe the different approaches to decision-making and for enhancing creativity and innovation in the articulation of workplace needs and in its provision;
• Identify and explain the differences between key forms of reasoning, and of scheduling for the planning, designing and implementation stages of a project;
• Determine the appropriate use of performance and prescription based approaches to strategic planning;
• Structure the hierarchy of information to suit the design and procurement processes; and
• Understand the structures and processes for achieving symbiotic relationships between the workplace needs, property practices and facility capabilities of an organisation.

On successful completion of this subject, students should have improved their skills in:

• Establishing models and processes for the management of the Design Information and Decision Making processes of a project;
• Critical thinking;
• Reflective Practice;
• Value Setting; and
• Strategic Briefing.