16 Integrated assignment panel presentations The integrated assignment, the first of its kind to be piloted in the SCiiS, combined the efforts of the Department of Applied Information Systems (AIS) and the Department of Marketing Management (MM). The idea behind integrating the assignment across the two departments was to support the main aim of SCiiS ‘to form a pan-African epicentre of critical intellectual enquiry in the areas of consumer intelligence and information systems through the unique combination of the three knowledge fields’, of which MM and AIS are a part. With the problem of joblessness in South Africa, the AIS students were asked to develop a start-up idea that could be monetised in the future. The start-up idea entailed the AIS students developing a product or application that focused on a real-life problem using use Design Thinking and Agile. The MM students were then responsible for designing a digital marketing strategy that focused on developing a website to promote the product/application. The MM students worked with the AIS students, and used their insights into and creativity in website development to create the promotional website. All of their efforts throughout the semester culminated in the final presentation that took place on 22 May 2023 at School of Tourism and Hospitality (STH) on the Auckland Park Bunting Road (APB) campus, to which a number of academics and industry experts were invited to participate on a marking panel. They were: Lysandra Harding (junior graphic designer from SocialPath) Semona Pillay (lecturer in Marketing Management at UJ) Lauren Espach (operations manager from SocialPath) Melusi Makhoba (lecturer in Marketing Management at UJ) Sandile Thamie Mhlanga (lecturer in Applied Information Systems at UJ) Xavier de Buck (marketing director at ImmoAfrica, and founder & CEO of Luxury Homes Johannesburg) Prof. Josef Langerman (lecturer in Applied Information Systems at UJ) Emma Dougherty (business development manager and marketer for ImmoAfrica) Our panel members were impressed with all of the presentations, and specifically commended the students for their creativity, problem-solving abilities, and collaboration. They also shared some constructive insights that many of the groups found helpful. Special mention goes to the top performing group, ‘A Little Source of Hope’ (pictured on the right), who were commended for their heart-felt application and creative digital marketing campaign. The student groups enjoyed learning from one another, interacting with students from a different department and working together on the presentation, and also appreciated the practicality of the assignment, which simulated a real-life working experience. As this was a pilot project, there was some room for improvement, and both the students and the panel members made suggestions to be considered for next year. ‘All in all it was a fun, collaborative experience that encouraged students to work outside of their comfort zone and provide innovative solutions to real-life problems. We are proud of both groups of students and acknowledge their efforts.’ – Ms Pillay and Prof. Langerman, lead academics on the project.
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