INTERACTION DESIGN: DESIGN METHODOLOGY SEMINAR

Spring 2025

Instructors:

Dr Joëlle Bitton

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INTERACTION DESIGN: DESIGN METHODOLOGY SEMINAR

Spring 2025

Instructors:

Dr Joëlle Bitton

Prof. Jürgen Spath

OVERVIEW AND OBJECTIVES 

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Lecture : “Design/Undesign: Perspectives and biases”
Case studies of design moments in history, In this lecture, we revisit a selection of interaction design moments with case studies, and we consider the implications of the field, most notable how technology and design intertwine, as well as understanding the biases, expectations, assumptions we design with. . This leads us to grasp the biases, expectations, assumptions we design with, and what could be ways to address them within the design process itself.

Readings: 

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In design fields, observations are at the center point of being inspired and delving into projects: general observations of societal aspects, of our surroundings, of everyday life, specific observations of a context, of an issue, of specific settingsbehaviours, of non-human perspectives, etc.. Observations take place in the field & specific public spaces, in private spaces, in media, on social networks, in conversations, etc...  Observations lead us to approach user experiences and to create around them. 

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They lead us to create and design experiences, in the always evolving framework of interaction design. How do we build on the legacy of methodologies and innovate for always improved practices?

• Students: Joana Stutz & Aron Eggenberger
  
  

Readings

Höök, K. & Löwgren, J. 2020. "Characterizing Interaction Design by Its Ideals: A Discipline in Transition". In She-Ji. 

Nova, N. xxx Field Research

Week 3 - 31.03.25 - 13.00-14.30 - Prototyping concepts, prototyping everything (jb)

The prototype is the actuation of an idea, its evaluation, its dissemination, its validation all at once? Where does the prototype stop?

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Readings

Houde, S., & Hill, C. 1997. "What Do Prototypes Prototype?", in M. Helander, T. Landauer, and P. Prabhu (eds.): Elsevier Science B. V: Amsterdam. Handbook of Human-Computer Interaction.

Schleicher D. & al. 2010. Bodystorming as Embodied Designing. In Interactions.

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Week 4 - 07.04.25 - 13.00-14.30 - Pop Culture & Storytelling  (jb)

Stories and narratives surround us, influence us via fictions, movies, pop culture, games, advertising, marketing, scams, propaganda, etc... In interaction design, we often use storytelling to demo a concept and disseminate a project, it is also used as forms of prototyping and of evaluation. It can also be used to sell a project, to highlight its qualities, to hide its flaws...  How do we use stereotypes to tell stories? How does pop culture narratives influence design and vice-versa? 

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Readings

Kirby, D. 2010. "The Future Is Now: Diegetic Prototypes and the Role of Popular Films". In Generating Real-World Technological Development. Social Studies of Science.

Kien M. 2023. "Historically Informed HCI: Reflecting on Contemporary Technology through Anachronistic Fiction". In ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interactions. 29, 6.

Rosén, A. et al. 2022. "Towards More-Than-Human-Centred Design: Learning from Gardening". In International Journal of Design.

Week 5 - 14.04.25 - 9.30-11.00 - Outcomes and Findings, Evaluating with participants (jb)

What does it mean to evaluate an interaction design work, what are the tools, how is a project fitting its intentions? Is evaluation even necessary in the context of design? How do gather findings from a process?

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Readings

Baumer, E., Blythe M., and Tanenbaum, T. 2020. "Evaluating Design Fiction: The Right Tool for the Job". In Proceedings of the 2020 ACM Designing Interactive Systems Conference.

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. 2014. "Design Ethnography?" & "Field Research". In Beyond Ethnography. How Designers Practice Ethnographic Research. pp 29-55. SHS (Berlin) & HEAD Genève.

Week 3 - 31.03.25 - 13.00-14.30 - Prototyping concepts, prototyping everything (jb)

The prototype is the actuation of an idea, it also can be its evaluation, its dissemination, its validation.. even all at once? In the field of interaction design, we consider learning by doing, a form of "practicing theory". We also value demo as a form of communicating a concept. From the first sketch to a low-tech version, from a role play to a fully-functional artefact, the prototype can go through many iterations and could go for many more. What does a prototype prototype? Where does the prototype stop?

• Students: Florian Kleiser & Timon Rimann
  
  

Readings

Houde, S., & Hill, C. 1997. "What Do Prototypes Prototype?", in M. Helander, T. Landauer, and P. Prabhu (eds.): Elsevier Science B. V: Amsterdam. Handbook of Human-Computer Interaction.

Schleicher D. & al. 2010. "Bodystorming as Embodied Designing". In Interactions.

Moriwaki, K. & Brucker-Cohen, J. 2006. “Lessons from the scrapyard: creative uses of found materials within a workshop setting”. In AI & Society. 20:4. 506-525. 

Week 4 - 07.04.25 - 13.00-14.30 - Pop Culture & Storytelling  (jb)

Stories and narratives surround us, influence us via fictions, movies, pop culture, games, advertising, marketing, scams, propaganda, etc... Considerations of how technology has shaped our society or speculations of how it will do so in the future permeate our collective imagination which in turns is reflected in the design we produce. We use metaphors, refer to myths, get inspired from old and new rituals. This travels most notably through pop culture expressions: movies, music, graphic novels, tv shows, literature, crafts, subcultures, etc...   In interaction design, we also use storytelling to demo a concept and disseminate a project, it is also used as forms of prototyping and of evaluation. It can also be used to sell a project, to highlight its qualities, to hide its flaws...  How do we use stereotypes to tell stories? How does pop culture narratives influence design and vice-versa? 

• Students: Domenico Shadlou & Aline Wyss
  
  

Readings

Kirby, D. 2010. "The Future Is Now: Diegetic Prototypes and the Role of Popular Films". In Generating Real-World Technological Development. Social Studies of Science.

Kien M. 2023. "Historically Informed HCI: Reflecting on Contemporary Technology through Anachronistic Fiction". In ACM Transactions on Computer-Human

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Week 6 - 06.05.24 For who and what do we design? Do we design for anyone? (mn)

Design takes place everyday, it is inspired by popular culture and in turn inspires stories and the collective imagination. What power does design have? What kind of responsibility do designers have? What futures do we want to create? 

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Readings:

Samochowiec, J. (2020). "Future Skills: Four scenarios for the world of tomorrow". GDI Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute. 

Kelley, T. (2001). "The Art Of Innovation: Lessons In Creativity From IDEO, America’s Leading Design Firm". Crown Business. 23-52.

Franzini, L., Herzog, R., Rutz, S., Ryser, F., Ziltener, K., Zwicky, P. (2021). “Postwachstum? Aktuelle Auseinandersetzungen um einen grundlegenden gesellschaftlichen Wandel". edition 8.
chapter ["Die Postwachtumsökonomie als plünderungsfreier Zukunftsentwurf, Paech, N., page 73-82]
chapter ["Von der imperialen zur konvivialen Technik", Vetter, A., page 159-167]

Week 7 - 13.05.24 Human-Computer Interaction and methods (mn)

Interaction Design and the field of HCI research are intertwined. Desk-based research, cultural probes, participatory design, ethnographic video, etc… terms that are at the heart of methodologies.

• Students: 
  

Readings:

Gaver, B., Dunne, T., Pacenti, E. (1999). “Design: Cultural probes”. In Interactions, 6(1), 21-­29. 

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Buur, J., Fraser, E., Oinonen, S., & Rolfstam, M. (2010). “Ethnographic video as design specs”. In Proceedings of SIGCHI Australia’ 10.

Danzico, L. (2010). “From Davis to David: Lessons from Improvisation”. In Interactions.

Week 08 - 27.05.24  Data and visual abstractions (mn) 

Diagrams, sketching, mind mapping, working with data, visualising information: this is the work of explaining to your audience, from clients, to customers, to collaborators, the essence of an argument.

• Students: 
  

Readings

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Week 09 - 03.06.24 Design Fiction, Speculative Design, Artistic research (mn)

Where design and art collide: what is your design standing for? How do we reboot the design field?

• Students: 
  

Readings

Week 10 - 10.06.24 Teach or Why Were You Here? (mn)

For our final class, we go back to the basics of design: its pedagogy. Interaction Design is though here as a mediation for everyday life: how can you as students use your knowledge to develop your craft and to share your lessons learned.

Readings:

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Interactions. 29, 6.

Rosén, A. et al. 2022. "Towards More-Than-Human-Centred Design: Learning from Gardening". In International Journal of Design.

Week 5 - 14.04.25 - 13.00-14.30 - Outcomes and Findings, Evaluating with participants (jb)

If we consider that we practice user-centered design (human and non-human), it seems evident that it's the users we design for that should validate assumptions, test developments, and possibly take part in the design process itself. Could this also mean that the uses define the success or the failure of the project in regards to its intentions and expectations? What does it mean to evaluate an interaction design work, what are the tools? Is evaluation even necessary in the context of design? How do we gather findings from a process?

• Students: Olivier Jutzet
  
  

Readings

Baumer, E., Blythe M., and Tanenbaum, T. 2020. "Evaluating Design Fiction: The Right Tool for the Job". In Proceedings of the 2020 ACM Designing Interactive Systems Conference.

Bell, Genevieve, Blythe, M. & Sengers, P. 2005. “Making by Making Strange: Defamiliarization and the Design of Domestic Technologies”. In ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction. 12. 149-173.

Preece, J., Rogers, Y., & Sharp, H. 2002. “Introducing Evaluation”. In Interaction Design. Wiley.

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Week 6 - 28.04.2025 13.00–15.00 - Designing for Users: From Interface History to Modern Design Processes (js)

This lecture provides an introduction to the history of graphical interfaces, exploring their evolution and impact on user interaction. Following this, we will examine different design processes, including the widely used Double Diamond model. A key focus will be on methods that help us understand users and their needs, forming the foundation for effective and user-centered design.

Readings:

Dark Horse Innovation, 2017. "Digital innovation playbook: The handbook for digital transformation, new business models, and technologies". 4th ed. Munich: Hanser.

Week 7 - 05.05.2025 13.00–15.00 - Understanding Users and Defining Problems: From Insights to Ideation (js)

This lecture delves into methods for understanding people and identifying key problems in the design process. We will explore techniques for user research, problem framing, and the creation of How Might We questions to reframe challenges. Building on these insights, we will introduce methods for transitioning into the ideation phase, enabling designers to generate innovative and meaningful solutions.

• Students: Claudio Weckherlin & Benjamin Welterveden
  

Readings:

Portigal, S., 2013. "Interviewing Users – How to Uncover Compelling Insights". Rosenfald

Week 08 - 12.05.2025 13.00–15.00 - The Science of Usability: Essential Laws and Heuristics for Better UX and UI Design (js) 

This lecture explores the foundational principles of intuitive and human-centered UX and interface design. We will examine key figures such as Jakob Nielsen, Ben Shneiderman, and Jon Yablonski, along with essential design laws, including Fitts’ Law, Miller’s Law, and Hick’s Law. By understanding these principles, designers can create more effective, user-friendly interfaces that align with human cognition and behavior.

• Students: Mathan Hazazi & Viktoriia Diak
  

Readings

Yablonski, J., 2024. "Laws of UX – Using Psychology to Design Better Products & Services". O`Reilly

Week 09 - 19.05.2025 13.00–15.00 - Evaluating UX: Methods for Testing Usability and Intuitiveness (js)

This lecture focuses on the evaluation of developed concepts, exploring methods to assess whether a product or service is intuitive and user-friendly. We will examine usability testing, heuristic evaluation, A/B testing, and other techniques that help identify strengths and weaknesses in the user experience. By applying these methods, designers can refine their solutions to better meet user needs and expectations.

• Students: Anna Graf & Abo Lhamo
  

Readings

Knapp J., 2016. „Sprint: How to Solve Big Problems and Test New Ideas in Just Five Days.“ Simon & Schuster 176–204 (Friday)

Jørgensen A. H., 1990. „Thinking-aloud in user interface design: A method promoting cognitive ergonomics.“ Ergonomics, Vol. 33 No. 4, 501–507

Week 10 - 26.05.2025 - From User-Centered to Planet-Centered: Expanding the Scope of UX Design (js)

This lecture explores the intersection of user experience and sustainability, challenging the traditional user-centered approach by incorporating broader perspectives such as "life-centered" and "planet-centric design". We will examine how designers can create products, systems, and services that not only meet human needs but also consider environmental and societal impact, fostering a more sustainable and responsible design practice.

• Student: Matthieu Roberge

Readings:

Lange, O., and Clasen, K. 2025. "User Experience. Design und Sustainability". Springer Vieweg 

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