Interaction Design Wiki ･ Theorie 5

Sweet Dreams Are Made of This 2023

INTERACTION DESIGN THEORY SEMINAR 5th semester

Fall 2023

Lecturer:
Dr Joëlle Bitton, joelle.bitton@zhdk.ch 

Office hours by appointment 

Class sessions take place Mondays from 15.00-17.00. See calendar for details.
 

OVERVIEW AND OBJECTIVES 

"Sweet Dreams are Made of This" proposes to dive into the very essence of interaction design agency, ahead of the thesis semester. How does a design project emerges from a particular interest? Should it have an impact? And at what scale? Through a variety of references, we'll address notions of dreams, contribution, position. creativity and ownership, especially as they relate to contemporary societal questions. We usually consider that a novel contribution to knowledge has to be read about, dreamed about in a visionary sense, used and related to, through hands on testing, iterations and prototyping at various stages, explored orally and visually, and discussed by peers and tutors. The course is structured around materials discussions showcasing social engagement, activism and aesthetic movements, various assignments such as fictional dream-like scenarios and practical workshop formats.

This course is also a guided exercise in your autonomy to look for relevant references and to integrate them as part of your research endeavour. You should start early with topics of interest for your diploma work, even it is expected that they might evolve or even change completely. In that sense, even if your topic changes, the questions & methods that will be addressed in this class will be valid throughout your diploma work. Different than previous theory classes, with mostly discussions based on readings, this class is a continuous assignment-based exploration of your research engagement. It is required that you follow through and ride the wave.

COURSE OUTLINE 

12 sessions structured around the notions of engagement, positioning, research and ownership.
 

EXPECTATIONS AND GRADING


Grades will be based on the oral and written presentations and on class participation. Contributing to constructive group feedback is an essential aspect of class participation. Regular attendance is required. Two or more unexcused absences will affect the final grade. Arriving late on more than one occasion will also affect the grade.
Sessions in-class will not be available on Zoom.
Participation in Zoom sessions implies dedicated attention to the class (ie. no multi-tasking with travelling at the same time on train, car, etc).

Class participation 10% 

Short Disposition 30%

Literature Review / Related Work mapping 40%

Research exercises 20%

Background Research (grade and % is part of diploma work) 

Any assignment that remains unfulfilled receives a failing grade. 
 

ASSIGNMENTS 

In-class assignments - deliver on the server

Mid-semester assignments (13.11.23)

Statement of Intent for the BA thesis.

Literature Review

Related Work Visualisation with annotations

Final assignment (15.12.23)


COURSE MATERIALS 

Readings are made available in the shared IAD server


CALENDAR

Session 01 – 25.09.23 – What is the Action? - Part One - Atelier Baustell, Hardgutstrasse 7, 8048 Zürich (Outdoors)

Meeting at the mini-golf installations at Atelier Baustell & quick tour.

Discussion on location: Presenting the syllabus & assignments & arc of the course.

Writing exercises based on reflections by students from the last two years of studies and how they consider what a contribution is, as they head towards their thesis semester.

(red star)Assignments for the following week:
- Find a non-Western manifesto or position in art, craft, technology or science that dates before 1899 and in class next week, read a paragraph and explain what makes it relevant for our time. Share a copy of the manifesto on the server by the following Monday 9.00.

Session 02 – 02.10.23 – In Formation - 4.K16

We'll first look at the manifesto material you found,
Then through a look at the prefix "inter" that poses the condition for "interaction", we address current notions of intersectionality and queer.
We will travel through a series of cultural and political protests in order to frame a discussion on the possible roles and failings of the design discipline in light of social engagement.
Possible materials presented:  Anti-Apartheid activism in South Africa, Aaron Swartz, drag culture, representation in pop culture.

Watching excepts from two movies recalling the legacy of the organisation Act Up :

In a class exercise, you will write about your own positioning.

Assignments for the following week:
- Describe topic choice in 2 structured paragraph with initial research questions
- Plan tandem choice
- Readings 


Session 03 – 09.10.23 – Checking your assumptions and Making Sense - 4.K16

Present Topic choice & tandem.

In an in-class exercise, in groups of 2 or 3 - discuss your research interest and get feedback about your research questions (what are your assumptions, the possible stereotypes&clichés, what could be the challenges, the opportunities, what angle would be most compelling to address, etc). Identify which research method can help your check your assumptions, based on the methods you encountered in your studios and theory classes and invent a new research method.
Each group will present. 

We'll  review together the final assignment guidelines and the diploma thesis structure.

Readings:

Be familiar with some research terminology:
- Mackenzie, N.,Knipe, S. 2006. "Research Dilemmas: Paradigms, methods and methodology". Issues in Education Research, 16 (2), 193 – 205.

In brief, qualitative research:
- 'An Introduction to Qualitative Research' prepared by Christina Hughes, Department of Sociology, University of Warwick. 

Look at examples of research & design in HCI:
- Zimmermann J., Forlizzi J. 2014. "Research Through Design in HCI" in J.S. Olson and W.A. Kellogg (eds.), Ways of Knowing in HCI, Springer Science+Business Media, New York.

Learning by doing:
- Tin, Mikkel B. 2013. "Manifesto: Making and the Sense it makes". In Studies in Material Thinking. Vol.9 Inside Making. 


Assignments for the following week:
Do a short observation of a situation that you want to tackle, and if applicable meet and interview the people involved. Present the results in a short essay with visuals (max. 1-2 pages). Share on the server by the following Monday 9.00.


Assignment in advance for the free flow seminar:
Bring 2 books that inspire you for your topic in a large or detailed scope.
+ 1 serendipitous book, Go to the library - either ZHdK or a library of your choice. Browse the aisles -except the design section - without looking for something in particular. Open books that attract you from title, cover, look...

Bring a thesis from past BA students (available at ZHdK library or IAD office or server).
Bring those 4 items with you to the free flow retreat retreat and present them.


Session 04 - 16.10.23 - What is the Action? - Part Two - 4.K16

In groups of 2 or 3, find a way to create "an actionable moment" based on a piece of information you receive (I will distribute it) and rapid prototype it during class.

Assignment for 13.11.23: Develop your research interest into a statement of intent (see questions) and compile a detailed literature review of 8 essays (no web articles or blog posts) that help you advance your research and unpack your topic. The goal is to narrow down your topic from a big overview to 2-3 possible angles - make one paragraph introduction to your literature review. Additionally, find 10 related projects, define the criteria from them that matter and make a visualisation where you situate your own interest. This should keep being developed until the final assignment which is an extension and update of this work. Share on the server.


Session 05 to 08 – 19-20.10.23 – Free Flow Retreat - see location in program

Detailed program is indicated in the Free Flow program. This is a 2-day deep dive into your research interests and ways to let them flow, in conversation with mentors.


Session 09 – 13.11.23 – Joyful and Creative Research  

Guest Intervention: Sadhna Jain, Camberwell College of Arts, UAL.

“Encounters at the end of the Earth: manoeuvres with Black Studies”
 
Sadhna Jain's Bio:
I am the Course Leader of the MA Graphic Design Communications Course, Camberwell College at University of the Arts, London. My educational and professional background is in Screen Arts, Interaction Design and Communication Design. Current research attends to the physio-geographies from the many human and living systems perspectives and the need to re-imagine complex ecologies and practices within this.
Culturally Complicated – Critically Diverse

Sadhna's talk “Encounters at the end of the Earth: manoeuvres with Black Studies” will acknowledge the work of Black Studies scholars and creatives. Their work can help us understand how the narratives of Earth-bound capitalist systems can be arrested or suspended. Alternative possibilities are illuminated through new Black Ecologies, in which time, space, technologies, spirits, and lifeforms offer other trajectories of living and undisciplined ways of thinking as designers. 
 

Assignment for the following week:

- Read your peers statements of intent and think of at least 1 question or suggestion or remark to share with your peer.
- Browse Readings


Session 10 – 20.11.23 – Collective feedback 

Discussion of statements and feedback to your peers. You take over the session.

Readings:
This class' readings are 3 examples of conducting, structuring and presenting creative research.
Last week, we approached elements of joyful research and you should have gained a large collection of ideas and examples. How do you relate to them? 
How will you investigate your research questions in a creative and playful way?

Gaver, W., Dunne A, Pacenti E. 1999.  "The Presence Project", in RCA, Journal Interactions, Volume 6, Issue 1, Jan./Feb. 1999.

Jarvis, N., Cameron, D., Boucher, A. 2012. Attention To Detail: Annotations of a design process. pp. 11-20. 

Gaver, W. 2011. "Making spaces: How design workbooks work" in Proceedings of CHI 2011, Vancouver.

Assignment for the following week:

- Review past BA thesis students 
- Browse Readings

Session 11 – 27.11.23 – Own it 

Going back to the theme of responsibility, we've discussed in past classes the various roles of a designer and entanglements with modes of production and consumption.
Look for instance at the commodity of cotton and its commerce, can your dream be transformed into a nightmare?

In a parallel note, a thesis work has to stand the grounds of an academic endeavour while bringing a creative and unique contribution. 
What is truly unique about your contribution?

Exercise-in-class: list where your thesis work is not changing anything.
Exercise-in-class: looking at former IAD students' BA thesis

Readings (Browse through):

Eco, U. 2015. How to Write a Thesis. MIT Press. 1st ed. 1977. 

Koskinen, I., Zimmerman, J., Binder, T., Redström, J., & Wensveen, S. 2011. Design research through practice: From lab, field, and showroom. San Francisco, CA: Morgan Kaufmann.

Assignment for the following week:

- Dream. 

Session 12 – 04.12.23 – How far?

Dream it bigger and create an ongoing dialog between what is and what might be. Which aspects could be extended? How could you add something? Make it smaller: What could you leave out? Which aspects could be reduced? How far can you go? What is your ambition? What should you be aware of in terms of responsibility? Do you want the largest audience? Do you want media coverage? Who is your audience?

During class, share your ultimate dream. 
How far can you go: watch the Importance of Self-Delusion.

Have a look at the "Center for Political Beauty" https://www.politicalbeauty.de, and how this center develops innovative forms of political activism to provoke, rise awareness and to preserve humanitarianism.

In a loop back to where we started, we'll end this class with a look at impact and contribution, particularly in relation to current societal matters.

How will your topic has shaped itself in the past few months? See where you started and where you're going.

15.12.23 - 20.00 - Final Assignment: deadline***





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