INTERACTION DESIGN THEORY SEMINAR 5th semester
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"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 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.
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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%
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- Readings where indicated
- Present a position pre-1900
- Present books
- Literature review and related work matrix
- 1-page observation essay
- Dream
Final assignments - deliver on the serverMid-semester assignments
Statement of Intent for the BA thesis.
- 2-page essay describing your field of interest, motivation, choice of research method and intended contribution.
See detailed guidelines
Literature Review
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 8 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.
Related Work Visualisation with annotations
- Following your statement, and with your choice of visual representation/metaphor, design a data visualisation showcasing where your project is situated among existing projects and references that address similar questions.
Related projects can include design and art projects, literature, movies, initiatives, etc.
The projects should be commented within the map or separately (1000 words).
Map can be an online or a print work (in either case, provide a copy in PDF).Each project cited should be credited with author, year, country and should be commented for its relevance to your topic.
Final assignment
Background research chapter
COURSE MATERIALS
Readings are made available in the shared IAD server
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An initial discussion with students based on reflections from the last two years of studies and how they consider what a contribution is, as they head towards their thesis semester (initial writing exercise).
A second discussion based on watching excepts from two movies recalling the legacy of the organisation Act Up :
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We'll first look at the material you found (observation & manifesto), then spend the rest of the session writing about your own positioning
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.
Materials presented on Anti-Apartheid activism in South Africa, Aaron Swartz, drag culture, representation in pop culture.
What responsibilities do you have?
Assignments for the following week:
- Define Describe topic choice in 2 structured paragraph with initial research questions
- Plan tandem choice
- Readings
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Present Topic choice & tandem.
In a first exercise, you will write about your own positioning.
In a second 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) .
Each group will present. In a second exercise, identify and identify which research method can help your check your assumptions, based on the methods you encountered in your studios and theory classes.
Each group will present.
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.
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Session 08 – 14.11.22 – Joyful ResearchResearch & Discussion of statements
Session 09 – 21.11.22 – Joyful Research & Discussion of statements
So far in this process, 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?
This class' readings are 3 examples of conducting, structuring and presenting creative research. Find 2 more examples.
We'll review together the final assignment guidelines and the diploma thesis structure and look at some tools for research.
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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:
- Read your peers statements of intent.
- Dream. Write half a page and upload on server.
Session 09 – 2110 – 28.11.2022 – How Far? & Discussion of statements
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.
We will also discuss each statement of intent and get collective feedback.
How far do you expect the research to go?
Session 10 11 – 2805.12.2022 – 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?
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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.
Session 11 – 28.12.2022 – Own It
***Final Assignment: deadline 09.12.22 - NO extension!***
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