Reference no: EM133672407

Learning Outcome 1: Demonstrate research and problem- solving skills in the context of solving an authentic business problem.

Learning Outcome 2: Work collaboratively to identify stakeholders and position the proposed research in relation to the field of expertise or
practice.

Learning Outcome 3: Reflect and document personal strengths so as to begin to develop a personal and professional brand and identity.

This assessment will measure your ability to:

- Identify multiple external and internal stakeholders that are affecting a business problem.
- Apply design thinking tools and frameworks to further analyse a business problem.
- Present a clear and informative business report.
- Document and reflect on a personal learning experience when playing the serious game (The BlackOut)

Your Task
This assessment is the first critical step in understanding and researching the problem. You will work individually to dig deeper into the Industry Partner's problem. It is important to note that you are not to present any solutions at this stage. Then, in the next assessments (2 + 3), you will then continue to work to consolidate what you have understood about the problem and try to propose some solutions.

In this assessment you are required to discover and analyse the Industry Partner's business problem as presented in the challenge brief (Step 1) and to describe the external and internal forces/factors/stakeholders, that have influenced or had an impact on the business problem (Step 2) and finally reflect on your learning journey when playing the serious game the BlackOut (Step 3).

Assessment Brief

Overview

You are required to discover and analyse the Industry Partner's business problem as presented in the brief and to describe the external and internal stakeholders, that have influenced or had an impact on the business problem. You are also required to reflect on your learning journey thus far through the game.

The purpose of this assessment is for you to demonstrate your understanding and your application of the multidisciplinary theories and techniques/frameworks in analysing a complex business problem. This assessment will also support your critical thinking in understanding and thinking about your learning practices (e.g a new insight that you have learned through the course) thus far. You may include your
visualisation items within the appendix. Visualisation is powerful, remember that those who receive your report will first skim through it to get a sense of what it contains.

In this course you will undertake an assessment journey which comprises of three parts. This assessment task is your first part of your three part assessment journey.

Guideline for "Blackout" Game Play

In the dynamic and rapidly evolving landscape of contemporary business, the acquisition of innovative problem-solving skills has become indispensable for students pursuing Business Education.. Historically, the paradigm of Business Education was predominantly anchored in the acquisition of "knowing" skills, disseminated through traditional methodologies such as in-class lectures, case studies, and discussions (Datar et al. 2010). However, the essence of innovative problem-solving transcends this traditional framework, embodying a "doing" skill that necessitates direct engagement and iterative practice for its mastery, which will unlock enhanced prospects for career progression and entrepreneurial ventures .(Dunne and Martin 2006; Rotherham and Willingham 2009; Shute and Torres 2014

In recognition of this critical competence, contemporary Business Education has embraced Design Thinking as a pioneering and emergent course offering. This inclusion signifies a paradigm shift towards a problem-based learning approach, designed to cultivate the ability among students to think creatively beyond conventional boundaries and to devise original solutions to complex, real-world challenges (Datar and Bowler 2015; Dunne and Martin 2006).

Therefore., in this course you will be an active participant to learn the knowledge and the skilk of Design Thinking through immersing yourself as a main role in a serious game, named "Blackout". You are expected to first., understand the concept before being able to implement that concept in practice. Read this guideline carefully before playing the game,

Learning objectives.
1. Students will be able to explain the four stages in Design Thinking Process.
2. Students will be able to analyse appropriate solutions to solve complex real-world problems.
3. Students will be able to reflect on the decision-making process to solve problems.
4. Students will be able to apply Design Thinking process in the real-life problem. S. During the ganneplay and through the post-game reflection activities, students will be able to practice basic research skills through in-game interviews, observation and desk research.

Game Description

"Blackout" is a serious game inspired by the real-life case of massive blackout occurred in India at 2012, affecting over 400 million people,. Blackout designed to immerse business students in the village of IDesignville. YOU WHI play a role as a business consultant to Mayor Anderson, you're thrust into the epicentre of this crisis. Your mission is to navigate the blackout and restore light to Designville in such a limited time and you have to deal with several significant stakeholders in the village.

Your Mission in the game is to unfolds across four critical stages that mirror the four stages of Design Thinking (especially the Double Diamond stages):

1. Discovery
Your first task is to engage with its stakeholders, understand their experiences, and empathise with their struggles. Your goal is to uncover the deep-seated issues beneath the blackout.

2. Define
With insights gained, it's time to pinpoint the core problem. Analyse the data, prioritise the challenges, and declare your primary objective, The real issue may surprise you.

3. Develop
Roll up your sleeves for the hands-on phase_ Collect resources, evaluate possible solutions, and prototype your ideas. User-centred approach is key, as you transform concepts into tangible solutions.

4. Deliver

Present your innovative prototype to Mayor Anderson, Iterate based on feedback, refining your solution to perfection and finally, deploy your solution and witness the impact of your work.

With each decision, time slips away.. Your strategic thinking, creativity, and ability to adapt will be crucial. Your final outcome reflects not just your problem-solving skills, but your journey through empathy, innovation, and resilience.

Present a reflection of your learning experience which you gathered participating in the game:

The BlackOut
In your reflection piece, you will need to answer these three (3) questions after participating in this
Seriuos Game:

o How did the "Blackout" game help you understand the concept of Design Thinking?
o What challenges did you face during the game, and how did you overcome them?
o How can the principles learned through "Blackout" be applied to real-world problems?

Your reflection piece can be submitted in any of the formats below:

In this written report you will discover and further analyse the Industry Partner's business problem.

The word count excludes the Cover Page, Table of Contents, Reference List and table and figures in the appendices; The word count includes everything in the main body of the text (including headings and sub-headings, in-text citations, and academic and/or practical quotes etc).

Format and structure
Download and review the suggested format and checklist for the Written Report.

In this Assessment, you will work on a real industry problem posted by the Industry Partner. The industry partner's business problem is located within the Industry Challenge Brief.

You will get to meet the Industry Partner during the first live QnA session and learn more about their 'wicked problem'.

Here is the opportunity for you to ask any questions that you have regarding the problem that the company is facing as clarifications will be going to help shape your Assessment 1.