Overview

This unit aims to provide students with the experience and skills to work on a real-world problem-solving project by building on Design Thinking, experiential learning and management consulting principles. Students will develop and demonstrate their career-readiness by researching, planning, and developing innovative solutions (e.g. business models and plans/marketing plan/project plan or any other strategic plan for a business/an organisation); exhibiting an ability to assess the risks and opportunities in operationalising the proposed solutions; presenting a high level of competence in comprehension of the innovation process; and communicating that knowledge to others in a collective and multidisciplinary working environment.

Requisites

Prerequisites
BUS30031 Sustainable Business Practice

Rule

BUS30031 Sustainable Business Practice
OR
200 credit points in Bachelor of Business, Bachelor of Business Professional. 300 credit points in associated BA-BUS11 (400 credit point) Bachelor of Business double degrees. 400 credit points in associated BA-BUS11 (500 credit point) Bachelor of Business double degrees

Requirements

Bachelor of Business double degree students are highly recommended to complete majority of their business units before enrolling into this unit

Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Teaching Period 3
Location
Online
Start and end dates
04-November-2024
09-February-2025
Last self-enrolment date
17-November-2024
Census date
29-November-2024
Last withdraw without fail date
27-December-2024
Results released date
04-March-2025
HE Block 8
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
16-December-2024
26-January-2025
Last self-enrolment date
16-December-2024
Census date
27-December-2024
Last withdraw without fail date
10-January-2025
Results released date
17-December-2024
Semester 1
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
03-March-2025
01-June-2025
Last self-enrolment date
16-March-2025
Census date
31-March-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
24-April-2025
Results released date
08-July-2025
Teaching Period 2
Location
Online
Start and end dates
07-July-2025
05-October-2025
Last self-enrolment date
20-July-2025
Census date
01-August-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
22-August-2025
Results released date
Semester 2
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
04-August-2025
02-November-2025
Last self-enrolment date
17-August-2025
Census date
31-August-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
19-September-2025
Results released date
09-December-2025

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

  • Apply business management principles, concepts and theories using problem-solving techniques together with Design Thinking tools to analyse a business problem.
  • Demonstrate the ability to formulate and justify innovative plans/recommendations for achieving client’s project goals.
  • Demonstrate the skills and abilities to critically evaluate their own personal learning and development whilst working on a consulting project
  • Apply professional communication skills to effectively present innovative solutions using diverse mediums and utilise interpersonal skills to collaborate with others in order to solve business problems

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
On-campus
Class
2.00  12 weeks  24
On-campus
Lecture
1.00  1 week 1
Unspecified Activities
Independent Learning
9.50  12 weeks  114
Online
Lecture (asynchronous)
1.00  11 weeks  11
TOTAL     150

Swinburne Online

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
Online
Directed Online Learning and Independent Learning
12.50 12 weeks 150
TOTAL150

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULO's
AssignmentIndividual 20 - 30% 1,2 
Assignment and Presentation 1Group 40 - 60% 1,2,4 
Peer EvaluationIndividual 5 - 15% 
ReflectionIndividual 15 - 25% 1,3 

Content

  • Introduction to Consulting
  • Business Strategy Frameworks
  • Information sources and research ethics
  • Empathy as a means to innovate
  • Problem defining and analysis
  • Generating creative ideas to solve the problem
  • Solution development and creative experimentation
  • Testing your creative solutions
  • Evaluating strategic options and refining ideas
  • Developing recommendations
  • Developing Implementation plans
  • Critical reflection
  • How to pitch a brilliant idea?

Study resources

Reading materials

A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.