Collaboration, Design Thinking, and Problem Solving Winter 2022
INTEG 121 / INDEV 212

This course introduces design thinking as a creative approach to problem solving. Design thinking is contrasted with linear thinking, a common approach for solving problems that are simple. Why is "design" in the name? Design is more than making things, or making things pretty; design is about making things better. Ultimately, the target audiences (i.e. users) of anything designed (e.g., a community program, public policy, new product) will be the judge of whether the design makes their lives better. Students will be introduced to and will practice techniques for centring the user in their designs as well as becoming cognizant of problem-solving and decision-making steps – both individually and within a team. Design thinking and collaboration will be exercised and studied through multiple group-based, real-world projects based around the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), culminating in an open-ended design challenge and skills-based portfolio. 

• Terms at the University of Waterloo are 12 weeks long, and the Winter 2022 term begins on a Wednesday (Jan 5) and ends on a Tuesday (Apr 5).
• Feedback from students in the remote learning environment has indicated a preference for the weekly Course Schedule to be presented in a familiar format such as Monday - Sunday.
• The Tentative Course Schedule reflects the aforementioned student preference, with Week 1 and Week 13 being presented as short weeks (i.e. one class meeting during those weeks instead of two).
• Topics/Activities in the Tentative Course Schedule may need to adjust depending on public health guidelines. Any needed adjustments will be communicated in LEARN, and the Course Outline will be updated.

Further information on course requirements

Observation and participation: To become an effective problem solver (or design thinker), regular and active participation with the course is required. The observation and participation mark will be affected by how well you participate in and prepare for regular assigned activities (e.g., regular observations, course readings), class activities, and group work. This portion of your course mark includes regular & assigned observations, class-based activities, and small-group activities.  

• Regular & assigned observations: The observation mark will be affected by your habit of observation and the quality of your developing skills in observation. We recommend doing a minimum of one observation every couple of days and at least twice a week (ideally, you should try to record a single observation each day). On designated days, you will be assigned a particular thing/process to observe. To maintain student motivation, marking for observations will be inspired by a specifications grading approach described further below. Further instructions about observation assignments will be posted in LEARN.
• Perusall assignments: Perusall is one of the platforms used to discuss course readings. Due to copyright law, only a limited number of pages of course readings will be available. Your participation will be based on activities such as posing questions and adding comments, either in response to the text or to posts from the Instruction Team or peers.
• A/synchronous class discussions, activities: Course readings will be discussed asynchronously and synchronously on Perusall, LEARN, or in-person (subject to public health guidelines). There will also be project-based synchronous class activities. For participation credit, attendance will be taken during most synchronous meetings (remotely and in-person, subject to public health guidelines): Jan 10, 17, 31; Feb 9, 14, 16, 28; Mar 2, 7, 9, 16, 28, 30.

Marks for assignments in the observation and participation category will be determined through a specifications grading approach to maintain student motivation and to develop a common base of knowledge/experience for collaborative work on group projects. Each observation and participation activity is graded pass/fail or check-plus/check/check-minus, and the overall participation grade will be based on the number of levels completed cumulatively over the term, i.e. over a total of 13 weeks.  

Level 1, 65% – Required engagement for the learning community 

• Attendance during key synchronous learning activities (i.e. 40/40% earned)
• Regular and assigned observations completed at the “check-minus” level only (i.e. 25/50% earned)

Level 2, 75% – Level 1 successfully completed and: 

• Posting good questions, answers, or comments in Perusall that engages with course activities/readings and/or input of other students prior to deadlines in the Tentative Course Schedule (i.e. 10/10% earned)

Level 3, 87% – Levels 1 and 2 achieved, and: 

• Regular and assigned observations achieve the “check” level by the end of term (i.e. additional 12/50% earned)

Level 4, 100% – Levels 1, 2, and 3 achieved, and: 

• Regular and assigned observations achieve the “check-plus” level by the end of term (i.e. final 13/50% earned)

If any of the lower levels are not completed successfully, maximum points possible at higher levels will be adjusted downward accordingly. EXTRA CREDIT (at the typical weight for a/synchronous class discussions) will be applied to Levels 1 or 2 if any of those points are missing. NOTE: Points for missed observation and participation assignments cannot be made up without a verification of illness form or other appropriate documentation. 
 

Projects (i.e., Project 1, Project 2): Problem-solving is a verb (i.e. a process), so you will demonstrate your mastery by doing it through two projects in interdisciplinary groups (i.e. the Instruction Team will strive to create groups of students with different backgrounds). Group projects are meant to be done in groups, and submitted as a single, consistent, coherent submission. The project should reflect the group as a whole, not just the monumental efforts of a few participants. To ensure that a group project reflects the efforts of all group members, everyone will receive the same mark on the project. Completing the project will involve coordination and cooperation, and may involve diplomatically encouraging some group members to step up, and others to step back. 

• Individual assignments prepare you to make contributions to the group. At the start of each project, group members should
  • Contribute to drafting a group resume
  • Complete a prior art observation. Students are encouraged to discuss these with each other, as such discussion informs the group's understanding of the design challenge. Students must still produce original work from their individual effort, maintaining academic integrity (more on this can be found in the Administrative Policy section).
• Individual reflections after each project prepare you to take forward lessons learned for the next project. Such reflections are to be prepared and submitted individually.
• Note: if there are any concerns with the academic integrity of a group project, all group members will be considered responsible. In the Faculty of Environment, all group submissions must include a signed ENV Group Assignment Disclosure form. Knowing how to balance discussion with others while avoiding copying and other academic offences may seem tricky. Some suggestions: After you discuss a project or idea with a colleague, take a one-hour break to have food, read/watch something, exercise – do whatever you like – before writing up the idea. This will mean that the writeup comes out in your own words, and it will allow you to confirm that you have integrated the discussion into your own thinking (i.e. acquired new knowledge) rather than just reproducing the discussion.

Final ePortfolio: Each personal project reflection about your individual contributions, as well as memorabilia that you create for (or select from) each Project Dossier, will become part of a portfolio of reflections, prototypes, and artefacts produced for the course. In the ePortfolio assignment, you will review all of your efforts over the term in order to articulate and reflect on the skills that you demonstrated and/or developed.  

Overall mapping of course requirement components onto learning outcomes:

Assignment submission and return:  

• Assignments other than the Final ePortfolio will be marked ‘blind’. This means that marks will be recorded without knowing the identity of the student. To help us with this process, please use only your SID and/or group number (e.g., PSA Group 1, ODC Group 5) to identify your assignment submission. After all assignments have been marked, LEARN or the TA will put your name on the assignment.
• Assignments are to be submitted electronically no later than 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the specified due date, and marked assignments will be returned electronically. For each assignment, be sure to consult the instructions for where to submit, as the course employs different platforms (i.e., LEARN, Perusall, PebblePad, Padlet) that are best suited for each assignment (see the Online Platforms table below).
• Be sure to follow directions for assignment submission. If you do not, the mark on your assignment is subject to a 5% penalty for not following directions. This means that an assignment that presents work at the quality level of 85% can be knocked down to 80% for not following directions. Any of the following errors will result in a penalty:
  • Leaving identifying information on your assignment (especially your name)
  • Failing to provide a file in the requested format (e.g. providing a .ppt file when a document file is specified)

Online platforms for learning and submitting assignments: Studio (STU) and workshop (WSP) course components, which are normally delivered in person, play a significant role in the course. When remote learning is required due to public health guidelines, different online platforms that are the most appropriate for various course activities will be used to preserve learning outcomes relying on STU/WSP course components. The table below summarizes the STU/WSP course components normally delivered in an in-person learning environment and the software platforms that will be adopted for the remote learning environment. More information about documentation and help with the various online platforms appears below the table. 

• LEARN: Users can login via: http://learn.uwaterloo.ca/. Use your WatIAM/Quest username and password. Documentation is available: https://uwaterloo.ca/learn-help/students
• Perusall: Discussions of selected class readings and specific questions about assignments (such as about wording on a handout) will be on Perusall. Users can login to Perusall via the link made available on LEARN. Documentation is available: https://support.perusall.com/hc/en-us/categories/360002173133-Students
• PebblePad: The Final ePortfolio will be composed in PebblePad. Users can login to PebblePad via the link made available on LEARN. Documentation is available: https://uwaterloo.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/ISTKB/pages/263290879/Pebble+
• (If needed per public health guidelines) Padlet: If needed per public health guidelines, project critiques may take place through Padlet. Users can access the appropriate Padlet via a link made available on LEARN. So that participation can be awarded course credit, each student should make a free Padlet account. Documentation is available: https://uwaterloo.ca/centre-for-teaching-excellence/teaching-resources/teaching-tips/teaching-tips-creating-positive-learning-environment/padlet  

Late submissions: Each student will be allocated a total of 8 grace days, which allow assignments to be handed in late without penalty during the lecture and/or examination period. At the end of the term, the total number of late days (including weekends) will be counted, the 8 grace days will be subtracted, and you will receive a 1% penalty on your overall course grade for each late day beyond the grace days. For example, if the reflection for Project 1 is late by 5 days, and the prior art observation for Project 2 is late by 5 days, you will receive a 2% late penalty on your final course grade at the end of the term. NOTE: Bear in mind the 5% assignment penalty for submissions that do not follow directions.  

Due to remote teaching, activities for this course involve recording, in partial fulfillment of the course learning outcomes. You will receive notification of recording via at least one of the following mechanisms: within the Learning Management System (LEARN), a message from your course instructor, course syllabus/website, or other means. Some technologies may also provide a recording indicator. Images, audio, text/chat messaging that have been recorded may be used and/or made available by the University to faculty, staff, and students enrolled in the course for the purpose of meeting course learning objectives (e.g., materials review, assessment). Recordings will be managed according to the University records classification scheme, WatClass, and will be securely destroyed when no longer needed by the University. Your personal information is protected in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, as well as University policies and guidelines and may be subject to disclosure where required by law.

The University will use reasonable means to protect the security and confidentiality of the recorded information, but cannot provide a guarantee of such due to factors beyond the University’s control, such as recordings being forwarded, copied, intercepted, circulated, disclosed, or stored without the University’s knowledge or permission or the introduction of malware into computer systems, which could potentially damage or disrupt the computer, networks, and security settings. The University is not responsible for connectivity/technical difficulties or loss of data associated with your hardware, software or Internet connection.

By engaging in course activities that involve recording, you are consenting to the use of your appearance, image, text/chat messaging, and voice and/or likeness in the manner and under the conditions specified herein. (In the case of a live stream event, if you choose not to have your image or audio recorded, you may disable the audio and video functionality. Instructions to participate using a pseudonym instead of your real name are included where the feature exists; however, you must disclose the pseudonym to your instructor in advance in order to facilitate class participation.) If you choose not to be recorded, this notice serves as confirmation of your understanding that you will be responsible for reviewing materials asynchronously, e.g., to view the recording later and ask questions in an appropriate discussion forum or via office hours.

You are not permitted to disclose the link to/URL of an event or an event session recording or copies of recording to anyone, for any reason. Recordings are available only to authorized individuals (e.g. students enrolled in the course) who have been directly provided the above instructions/link for their use. Recordings for personal use, required to facilitate your learning and preparation of personal course/lecture notes, should not be shared with others without the permission of the instructor or event coordinator. Review the University’s guidelines for faculty, staff and students entering relationships with external organizations offering access to course materials for more information on your obligations with respect to keeping copies of course materials. For more information about accessibility, connect with AccessAbility Services.

Plagiarism: It is expected that all students will, in all that they do, maintain standards of attribution that recognize the work and contributions of others. This includes the use of images or other digital files found on the internet. In particular, it is expected that you will cite your sources in your written work in a consistent, standard format. There’s nothing wrong with building on the work of others, provided that you refrain from plagiarism. If you are uncertain what constitutes plagiarism, refer to the links in the section on Academic Integrity below.  

Research Ethics: The University of Waterloo requires all research conducted by its students, staff, and faculty which involves humans as participants to undergo prior ethics review and clearance through the Director, Office of Human Research and Animal Care (Office). The ethics review and clearance processes are intended to ensure that projects comply with the Office’s Guidelines for Research with Human Participants (Guidelines) as well as those of provincial and federal agencies, and that the safety, rights and welfare of participants are adequately protected. The Guidelines inform researchers about ethical issues and procedures which are of concern when conducting research with humans (e.g. confidentiality, risks and benefits, informed consent process, etc.). If the development of your research proposal consists of research that involves humans as participants, the please contact the course instructor for guidance and see: https://uwaterloo.ca/research/office-research-ethics. Note that user research for design projects are categorized by the Office of Research as “entrepreneurial activities” and do not require ethics review. 

Academic integrity: In order to maintain a culture of academic integrity, members of the University of Waterloo community are expected to promote honesty, trust, fairness, respect and responsibility. [Check the Office of Academic Integrity for more information.]

Grievance: A student who believes that a decision affecting some aspect of their university life has been unfair or unreasonable may have grounds for initiating a grievance. Read Policy 70, Student Petitions and Grievances, Section 4. When in doubt, please be certain to contact the department’s administrative assistant who will provide further assistance.

Discipline: A student is expected to know what constitutes academic integrity to avoid committing an academic offence, and to take responsibility for their actions. [Check the Office of Academic Integrity for more information.] A student who is unsure whether an action constitutes an offence, or who needs help in learning how to avoid offences (e.g., plagiarism, cheating) or about “rules” for group work/collaboration should seek guidance from the course instructor, academic advisor, or the undergraduate associate dean. For information on categories of offences and types of penalties, students should refer to Policy 71, Student Discipline. For typical penalties, check Guidelines for the Assessment of Penalties.

Appeals: A decision made or penalty imposed under Policy 70, Student Petitions and Grievances (other than a petition) or Policy 71, Student Discipline may be appealed if there is a ground. A student who believes they have a ground for an appeal should refer to Policy 72, Student Appeals.

Note for students with disabilities: AccessAbility Services, located in Needles Hall, Room 1401, collaborates with all academic departments to arrange appropriate accommodations for students with disabilities without compromising the academic integrity of the curriculum. If you require academic accommodations to lessen the impact of your disability, please register with AccessAbility Services at the beginning of each academic term.

Turnitin.com: Text matching software (Turnitin®) may be used to screen assignments in this course. Turnitin® is used to verify that all materials and sources in assignments are documented. Students' submissions are stored on a U.S. server, therefore students must be given an alternative (e.g., scaffolded assignment or annotated bibliography), if they are concerned about their privacy and/or security. Students will be given due notice, in the first week of the term and/or at the time assignment details are provided, about arrangements and alternatives for the use of Turnitin in this course.

It is the responsibility of the student to notify the instructor if they, in the first week of term or at the time assignment details are provided, wish to submit alternate assignment.