FA2S39 - Problem-Solving for the Fashion Industry 01 Sep 2020 - 31 Aug 2026 | Version 1

Associated Module Information

Module Code: FA2S39
Module Title: Problem-Solving for the Fashion Industry
Faculty: Faculty of Business and Creative Industries
Faculty Group: Fashion, Marketing and Photography
Faculty Sub Group: Fashion Marketing and Photography
Module Leader: Gwyneth Moore
Module Team: Clare McTurk, Steven Wright, Sally Phillips, Andrew Pearsall
First Intended Intake: SEP 2020 Final Year of Intake: 2025
Date Closed:
Credit Value: 20 Credit Level: 5
Language: English
Percentage of Module Taught in Welsh: 0
Equivalent Module:
HECOS codes:
HECOS Code Weighting:

Document Version Information

Version 1
Valid From 01 Sep 2020
Valid To 31 Aug 2026

Module Aims

To facilitate an awareness of Design Thinking and Innovation practices in relation to fashion and society. Specific aims are:
• To enable exploration and application of design thinking principles
• To enable an understanding of innovation practices within the fashion industry

Content Summary

Content will develop students’ understanding through:
1. Exploration of contextual factors (socio-cultural, technological and economic drivers) influencing innovation within a range of fashion organisation types (including creative, commercial and social enterprises).
2. Considering nature of challenges faced by fashion organisations and how design thinking can be used to approach innovation. Activities such as the mapping of patterns, behaviours and relationships will support communication, interpretation, and will stimulate critical discussion.
3. Activities and discussions relating to key thematic areas to provide focus on areas of professional interest.
Ultimately the module is aimed at finding and solving real-world challenges using Design Thinking. A potential pathway to output could be to choose a contemporary issue or challenge that currently faces the world of fashion. From there, learners can take this challenge and explain it to an audience. Summatively, learners could then formulate a first response, using what they have learned about Design Thinking, and how this aims to resolve issues in a meaningful and potentially-innovative way.

Learning and Teaching Methods

Activity Type Hours
Lecture 14
Seminar 14
Tutorial 1
Independent Study 100
Directed Study 64
Groupwork 7
Total Hours Selected 200

Learning Outcomes

# Learning Outcome
LO1 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the complex nature of challenges faced by fashion businesses and organisations
LO2 Communicate and critically appraise innovation within contemporary fashion businesses and organisations using design thinking methodologies.

Module Requisites

N/A

Assessment Criteria

Assessment Category Assessment Type Description Duration Word Count Weight (%) Best of? Pass Mark
Asynchronous Assessment Project Output 1 A detailed project that critically analyses a need and then applies design thinking methodologies, based on new research and data, to come to an innovative resolution. 0 5000 100 No 40

Assessment Matrix

Assessment Type Learning Outcomes
LO1 LO2
Project Output 1

Reading List

Ackoff, Russell L (1999). Reflections on systems and their models. In R.L. Ackoff (Ed.) Ackoff's Best. (pp. 27-43). New York: John Wiley and Sons.
Ghosh, A. (2016). The great derangement: Climate change and the unthinkable. University of Chicago Press.
Heifetz, R.A. ‘The Heart of Danger’ (1994) in Heifetz, R. A. Leadership without easy answers. (pp. 9-30). Harvard University Press.
Hoskins, Tansy E. (2014) Stitched Up: The Anti-Capitalist Book of Fashion (Counterfire). Pluto Press.

Kaplan, J. (2015). Humans need not apply: a guide to wealth and work in the age of artificial intelligence. New Haven: Yale University Press.

Laloux, Frederic (2014). Reinventing Organizations: A Guide to Creating Organizations Inspired by the Next Stage in Human Consciousness Brussels, Belgium: Nelson Parker. ATRiuM Library Main Shelves 658.406 LAL
Little, Tyler. (2018) The Future of Fashion: Understanding Sustainability in the Fashion Industry. New Degree Press.

Mootee, Idris. (2013) Design Thinking for Strategic innovation. Wiley
McDonough, W. Cradle to Cradle. (2010). Remaking the Way We Make Things /. North Point Press. ATRiuM Library, Main Shelves 658.5752 MCD
Siegle, Lucy. (2011) To Die for: Is Fashion Wearing Out the World? Fourth Estate.

Stacey, R. (2012). Tools and techniques of leadership and management: meeting the challenge of complexity (pp. 9-22). New York, NY: Routledge. Treforest Library and Student Centre Main Shelves 658.4 ST

Deloitte megatrend reports: https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/nl/Documents/public-sector/deloitte-nl-ps-megatrends-2ndedition.pdf
OECD megatrend report https://www.oecd.org/sti/Megatrends%20affecting%20science,%20technology%20and%20innovation.pdf