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Case study, [YEAR]

Futures Thinking [short tagline].

[One sentence framing the project — what it explored, who it was for, what came out of it.]

Role

[Your role] Team of [#]

Timeline

[Semester, Year]

Tools

[Tool, Tool] [Method]

Context

University of Melbourne [Subject code] · A2

— cover image goes here —

01 — The project

What we were exploring, and why.

Short framing — 2–3 sentences. What was the brief? Who was the team? What did the final output become? Don't go too deep; this is just context for the reflection that follows.

[Brief description of the Futures Thinking project — what speculative or future-oriented question it asked, who was on the team, what you ended up producing.]

02 — My contribution

What I brought to the team.

Brief requirement #1: describe your individual contribution to the group project, with at least a couple of images that represent the work you have done.

[Describe the specific things you did. Not what the team did — what you personally led or contributed. Examples: led the research synthesis, designed and tested the prototype, wrote the speculative scenario, ran the workshop, created the visuals. Be specific about decisions you made.]

[Optional second paragraph if your contribution shifted over time, or if you took on something unexpected partway through.]

your work — image 1 [caption]
your work — image 2 [caption]

[Optional caption or context for the images above — what they show and why they represent your contribution.]

03 — AI in the process

On the use (and limits) of AI in design work.

Brief requirement #2: discuss and reflect on the use (or non-use) of AI in iterative prototyping and UX work, with concrete examples from your project. Show that you understand when AI helped vs. when it would've been the wrong tool.

[Opening paragraph — what role did AI play in your process? Did you use it heavily, lightly, or deliberately not at all? Be honest about it.]

Where it helped

Useful applications

[Example of where AI was genuinely useful — e.g. brainstorming variations, summarising research transcripts, generating placeholder copy, exploring visual directions early.]

  • [Example task]
  • [Example task]
  • [Example task]

Where it didn't

Wrong tool, wrong moment

[Example of where AI was unhelpful or would have been inappropriate — e.g. synthesising real interview insight, making value judgements, replacing real user feedback, finalising visual decisions.]

  • [Example task]
  • [Example task]
  • [Example task]

[Closing paragraph that pulls it together — what's your actual stance on AI in design? When should designers reach for it, and when should they put it down? Don't be wishy-washy; have a take.]

04 — A reflection

[Pick one — what I learned.]

Brief requirement #3: choose ONE of these three reflection prompts and write to it. Delete the other two before publishing.

Option A — Skills and learning: what have you learned this semester and how might you continue to develop as a UX designer?

Option B — Iterative prototyping: something you learned about the design space through building prototypes and eliciting feedback — something surprising — and how your design changed as a result.

Option C — Non-screen design challenge: a specific design challenge related to designing for non-screen technologies, and how you addressed (or might address) it.

[Reflection paragraph 1 — set up the angle. What's the lesson, surprise, or challenge you want to talk about? Anchor it in something specific from the project — a moment, a quote, a decision.]

[Reflection paragraph 2 — go deeper. What did this teach you about how you work, how design works, or how users behave? Concrete examples beat generalities.]

[Reflection paragraph 3 — look forward. How does this lesson shape what you'd do next, or how you'd practice as a designer going forward?]

"[Optional pull quote — a sentence from your reflection that captures the most important idea. Bold the version of you that's writing this case study.]"

05 — Looking ahead

My future as a UX designer.

Tie the project back to your bigger trajectory as a designer. What kind of UX work do you want to do? What did this project clarify about that?

[Paragraph on what you see for your future as a UX/design professional — the kind of problems you want to work on, the values you want your practice to hold.]

[Paragraph on how this project specifically shaped or sharpened that direction.]

— On AI tool use in this case study

[Required declaration. Briefly state whether and how you used AI tools (e.g. ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot, Gemini) in writing or designing this portfolio page. Be specific: e.g. "I used Claude to help structure section headings and tighten copy. All reflections, analysis, and final wording are my own." If you didn't use any AI, say so.]

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