Project Title: Social Design Project
Course: DMC3001
Module: Social Design
Project Type: Group or Individual Design Project
Weighting: 100%
Due Date: 12 Dec 2025, 4pm
Objective:
The objective of this project is to engage digital media students in creating innovative and impactful solutions to address a specific social issue or challenge using a variety of media forms. Through this project, students will apply principles of social design and explore diverse mediums to effectively communicate and engage with their target audience.
Project Description:
In this project, you will have the opportunity to design and execute a Social Design Project that addresses a relevant social issue or challenge. Your project should creatively leverage various forms of media to raise awareness, educate, and inspire action. You can choose to work individually or in small groups, depending on your proposal.
Project Requirements:
1. Social Issue Selection
· Select a compelling social issue or challenge that you are passionate about. This could relate to areas such as social justice, sustainability, mental health, community well-being, or any other pressing concern.
· Conduct preliminary research to gain a deep understanding of the issue, its root causes, and its impact on individuals or communities.
2. Design Concept
· Develop a clear and innovative design concept that addresses the chosen social issue. Your concept should emphasize empathy, inclusivity, and a focus on positive social impact.
· Consider how different media forms can effectively convey your message and engage your target audience.
3. Media Production
· Create and produce your social design project using one or more of the following media forms: social media campaigns, web-based projects, video and animation, community media, serious games, NFTs, smart contracts, dApps and distributed ledger technologies, information screens, augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR), extended reality (XR), or other relevant media.
· Ensure that your project is well-executed, visually engaging, and effectively communicates the social issue and your proposed solution.
4. Impact and Outreach
· Implement your project and track its impact. This may involve sharing it on relevant platforms, monitoring engagement metrics, and seeking feedback from your target audience.
· Reflect on the reach and effectiveness of your project in addressing the social issue and promoting awareness or action.
5. Documentation and Presentation
· Prepare a clear and well-organized presentation that showcases your Social Design Project. This should include explanations of your concept, media choices, production process, and impact.
· Present your project in a compelling manner, emphasizing its significance in addressing the chosen social issue.
Submission Guidelines:
· Submit your Social Design Project by 12 Dec 2025, 4pm as per instructions (e.g., digital files, URLs, or physical artifacts, depending on the medium used).
· Each project must contain one 3D manufactured artefact per student (cp. appendix).
· Include any necessary documentation, such as project plans, scripts, storyboards, or design rationales.
· An Excel spreadsheet accounting for the required 60 production hours.
Additional Notes:
· Collaborate with your instructor and peers to refine your project concept and execution.
· Seek ethical guidance, especially when working with emerging technologies like NFTs, smart contracts, or distributed ledger technologies.
· Consider the potential for your project to spark conversations, inspire change, or influence behaviour related to the chosen social issue.
· Engage with your audience and encourage dialogue around the topic through your project.
This project offers you the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to addressing social issues through creative design and multimedia communication. Embrace the challenge and create impactful solutions!
Appendix: Project Menu for Social Design + 3D Printing
1. Awareness Token / Badge / Keyring
· What: A small printed token, charm, or pin that represents a social cause (mental health, recycling, equality).
· Why: Acts as a conversation starter, raises awareness, and gives a tangible identity to abstract issues.
· Tools: Start with Blender shapes, add text/icons in Fusion 360.
2. Everyday Assistive Helper
· What: Design a simple aid that makes daily life easier — e.g. key turner, zipper pull, pen grip, bag hook.
· Why: Shows how design can reduce barriers in daily activities, even with small interventions.
· Tools: Fusion 360 (parametric sizing), Meshmixer (smooth/modify existing grips)
3. Tactile Communication Object
· What: Tags, maps, or signs with raised textures, Braille, or simple icons for visually impaired or low-literacy users.
· Why: Explores inclusive communication and accessibility.
· Tools: Fusion 360 text-to-Braille or import vector icons from Blender.
4. Repair & Sustainability Part
· What: A clip, hook, or connector that extends the life of a product (e.g. fixing a broken strap, hanging clothes, joining wood pieces).
· Why: Embodies the principle of design for sustainability and repair.
· Tools: Fusion 360 for exact-fit geometry, technician support for measuring.
5. Collaborative Puzzle / Modular Object
· What: Each student designs a puzzle piece or block around a chosen social theme (e.g. climate, inequality, migration). The pieces join to form. a larger “story wall.”
· Why: Demonstrates collaboration, plural voices, and tangible social narratives.
· Tools: Blender for shapes, Meshmixer for fitting edges.
6. Storytelling Miniature
· What: A small printed artifact that tells a researched story — e.g. a symbolic protest sign, a scaled-down tool used by a community, a stylized landmark.
· Why: Links research to tangible expression, turning abstract issues into relatable objects.
· Tools: Blender for sculpting forms, Meshmixer for remixing existing STL files.