BA concept seminar structure:
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- what is the context, topic, problem?
- who are the audience / participants?
- who will be impacted by your design (which people/animals/plants, which locations, which systems&infrastructures, which ecologies)?
- what do you want to create and how it should work?
- what values and potential do you want to address / generate?
The essay expands the thesis disposition with observations and conclusions drawn from the two weeks BA concept seminar.
You may use a diversity of sources and bibliography (classified by genre: book, book chapter, journal article, conference article, academic thesis, newspaper article, web article, etc).
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| Week 1 | Monday 1.12 | Tuesday 2.12 | Wednesday 3.12 | Thursday 4.12 | Friday 5.12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morning 9.00 - 12.30 (unless otherwise noted) | 9.00 Brief Introduction about the module and quick keywords round 9.30 Exercise 1: 20 ways of description in 20 minutes 10.00 Start Exercise 2: Topic Mapping (Lotus Blossom method) 11.10-12.00: Exercise 3: Ideation Speed dating / table sketching 12.00 Quick round - 2 highlights | 9.00 10.00 Exercise 5:
| 9.00 Mentoring (js) Prepare in advance exercise 6: Develop 2-3 "How might we" - Questions
| Develop prototype | Prepare next assignments |
| Afternoon 13.30 - 17.00 | Exercise 4: field study/observations/interviews - put notes on Miro board by 18.00 | Continue exercise 2, 4.. Develop prototype - put notes on Miro board by 18.00 | Develop prototype
| 14.00 (jb, js) | Minor |
| Week 2 | Monday 8.12 | Tuesday 9.12 | Wednesday 10.12 | Thursday 11.12 | Friday 12.12 |
| Morning 9.00 - 12.00 | Input/workshop - storytelling send choice of mentoring team by 17:00 | Mentoring storytelling - Prepare storyboard (on Zoom) | Mentoring on request (jb) | 11.00 Presentations 2: Develop narrative | Work on final assignments |
| Afternoon 13.00 - 17.00 | Develop narrative /Field Study | Mentoring on request (js) Develop narrative | Continued Presentations 2: | Minor |
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Write down and/or sketch out twenty ways to define your thesis project as if a journalist would write an article about it (so : it has to have several elements of description). Write on post its and later , ie. "this brainstorm app provides a way to schedule todo lists"; "this service for elderly supports their morning routing"; "this public space interactive installation connects people from two cities at a distance", etc...
Write on post its and later sort them into categories. Define two or three most important statements.
Exercise 2: Topic mapping Define the all the qualities, parameters and values - Lotus Blossom method + moodboard
Define a central idea and design a matrix of 3x3 around it to expand related themes & elements - make a new matrix for each of the 8 additions.
In addition, list all the qualities that make your approach unique, the parameters you commit to and the values your project conveys that are important for your thesis and your ambition as a designer.
Find the most relevant existing projects that match your criteria (it could be a particular aspect of a project). Use sketches, photos or collages to present projects on your wall. This mapping will continue & evolve throughout the seminar.
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Exercise 5: Design Exploration Area (50 Sketches of design)Identify the two or three most important dimensions of your topic mapping. This will be your "design exploration area": showcase what aspects you consider relevant to explore further and how you consider applying your criteria to your design process & outcome. How do you envisage to go from abstract ideas/wishes to actual outcomes: in terms of opportunities, executing concepts, exhibition, findings....? Sketch quickly 50 ideas to populate your design area. Place them on your design area in relation to criteria and parameters (sketches, photos or collages)Space (data visualisation)
Based on findings from previous exercises, make a data visualisation of your thesis project: include stakeholders, contradictions, assumptions, skills, actionable moments, creative & unique 'selling points', etc... Use all the tools of a data vis: graphics, colours, structure of info, diagrams, etc..
Exercise 6: Develop 2-3 "How might we" - Questions
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