This module guides students through an iterative, research-led process in the development of creative communication projects. Working in groups, students will conceptualise, ethically plan, and prototype a communication product or experience, integrating feedback from a focus group. The emphasis is on process, revision, and authentic engagement with audience insight. Students will undertake practical tasks, analyse feedback, and communicate results in both group and individual formats, preparing for expansion in the “Happiness Project” capstone next semester.
- Apply creative communications theory, narrative strategy, and research methods to group project development and testing.
- Design and ethically conduct a focus group to gather qualitative audience feedback.
- Produce a demo prototype that is iteratively improved through audience insight.
- Independently analyse feedback and propose evidence-based creative recommendations.
- Demonstrate professional written, spoken, and visual communication skills.
Weeks will alternate between two-hour lectures and two-hour tutorials on Wednesday evenings. Students are required to attend both lectures and tutorials. In lectures, students will be introduced to new material for study, while tutorials will actualise the studied materials via practical activities or guided discussions. Both lectures and tutorials require mandatory attendance.
Active, meaningful participation in discussions and activities is essential and contributes to the assessment.
Preparation for each session includes completing assigned readings and tasks prior to class.
Group membership, consisting strictly of five or six students, will be confirmed during the first tutorial and will remain unchanged for the duration of the module. Only groups of this size will be accepted.
Participation 10%
Research Proposal 20%
Demo Prototype & Presentation 40%
In-Class Test - Discussion 30%
To gain further insight into the subjects discussed, students may refer to the recommended readings.
Representation and Meaning-Making:
Gadamer, H.-G. (1986). The relevance of the beautiful: Art as play, symbol, and festival. In N. Walker (Trans.) & R. Bernasconi (Ed.), The relevance of the beautiful and other essays. Cambridge University Press.
Communication Theory:
Craig, R. T. (1999). Communication theory as a field. Communication Theory, 9(2), 119–161. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2885.1999.tb00355.x
Co-Creation and Participatory Design: Sanders, E. B.-N., & Stappers, P. J. (2008). Co-creation and the new landscapes of design. CoDesign, 4(1), 5–18.
Schuler, D., & Namioka, A. (Eds.). (1993). Participatory design: Principles and practices. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
Tran, V. (2025). Excerpts from Mastering community management: Chaos, compassion, and connections in games. Routledge.
Research Methods and Ethics:
Manzano, A. (2023). Focus groups. LIEPP Methods Brief, (37). Laboratory for Interdisciplinary Evaluation of Public Policies. https://sciencespo.hal.science/hal-04159342v1/document
Sachdeva, S., Bharti, R., & Chhabra, K. (2024). Focus group discussion: An emerging qualitative tool for educational research. International Journal of Research and Review, 11(9), 303–311.
Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Focus group. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved August 28, 2025, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Focus_group
The University of Hong Kong, Faculty of Arts. (n.d.). Research ethics approval for taught postgraduate students. Retrieved August 28, 2025, from https://arts.hku.hk/current-students/postgraduate/taught-postgraduate/research-ethics-approval-for-taught-postgraduate-students