INTERACTION DESIGN THEORY SEMINAR 5th semester
...
Class sessions include a lecture/discussion each Monday from 15.00-17.00 in 4.K14T31.
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 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.
COURSE OUTLINE
12 sessions sessions structured around 4 sections: engagement, positioning, research and ownership.
EXPECTATIONS AND GRADING
...
Class participation 20%
Journal/Blog 20%
In-class assignments 20%
Assignments 60%Final Assignment 40%
Any assignment that remains unfulfilled receives a failing grade.
ASSIGNMENTS
Journal/Blog
A separate 'Journal' is developed by each student that reflects on learnings from the seminar. It should be in the form of an online blog (ie. WordPress, Tumblr or other):
- The journal should be structured in a generally comprehensible manner
- The lecture notes, including annotations, are stored
- Notes, sketches for each lesson should be included as well
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.
Related Work Visual Map with annotations
- Following your statement, and with your choice of visual representation/metaphor, design a map showcasing where your project is situated among existing projects and references that address similar questions.
Related projects 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.
COURSE MATERIALS
Readings are made available in the shared IAD server.:
BDE_VIAD-MATERIAL/01_VORLESUNGEN & PROJEKTE/18HS/Sem5_SweetDreamsAreMadeOfThis
CALENDAR
Session 01 – 24.09.2018 – What is the Action? (Joëlle Bitton)
...
Session 02 – 01.10.2018 – Between the Lines In Formation (Joëlle Bitton)
Through a look at the prefix "inter" that poses the condition for "interaction", we address current notions of intersectionality and queer.
We first 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.
Session 03 – 08.10.2018 – Positioning I: Critique (Björn Franke)
Please read and prepare the following material for this session's discussion:
Anthony Dunne and Fiona Raby, Design Noir: The Secret Life of Electronic Objects (Basel: Birkhäuser Verlag, 2001), excerpt.
...
Session 04 – 15.10.2018 – Positioning II: Manifestoes (Björn Franke)Ingo Niermann, Solution 1-10: Umbauland (Berlin: Sternberg Press, 2009), excerpt.Manifestos (Björn Franke)
Please read and prepare the following material for this session's discussion:
Michael Schindhelm, Solution 262: Lavapolis (Berlin: Sternberg Press, 2014), excerpt.
The Invisible Committee, The Coming Insurrection (CambridgeLos Angeles, MA: MIT PressCA: Semiotext(e), 2009), excerpt.
The Invisible Committee, To Our Friends (CambridgeLos Angeles, MA: MIT PressCA: Semiotext(e), 2015), excerpt.
The Invisible Committee, Now (Cambridge, MA: MIT PressLos Angeles, CA: Semiotext(e), 2017), excerpt.
Session 05 – 22.10.2018 – Introduction to paradigm, methodology and methods (Verena Ziegler)
...
Mackenzie, N.,Knipe, S. (2006). Research Dilemmas: Paradigms, methods and methodology. Issues in Education Research, 16 (2), 193 – 205. http://www/iier.org.au/iier
Berkel, B. van, Caroline B. (1999). Move: Techniques, Amsterdam: UN Studio & Goose Press.
| View file | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
...
Session 06 – 29.10.2018 – Workshop I: From research topic to research angle to research question Research Topic to Research Angle to Research Question (Verena Ziegler)
First of all, we will define a topic together in the class. In this workshop we will form groups and use a concept map to make a list of key terms associated with your research topic, these can be key concepts, contextual and process-oriented terms. From there we will move on from research topic to developing a research angle. In an iterative process, we will use insights from personal experience , of related work, background research , observations , contemporary issues , engagement with the literature, dialogue, … to clarify the focus of your research. From developing a research angle, we will move on to develop several research questions in an iterative process of question formation and will discuss the importance and role of prototyping - so to speak learning by doing - as an iterative process at all stages of your research. Your question (s) will change and be refined as you project develops, which is all part of the process, but will help you to clarify your research direction.
Poggenpohl, S.H. (2000) Constructing knowledge of design, part 2: Questions – an approach to design research. Proceedings of the Conference Doctoral Education in Design: Foundations for the Future. Staffordshire University Press. Stoke-on-Trent. 2000. pp143 – 151.
Homework Assignment after Session 86:
Analysis of two research methods
...
Session 07 – 05.11.2018 – Workshop II: From reality Reality to fiction Fiction … (Verena Ziegler)
The second part of the workshop takes your research topic from reality to fiction. When we have gone through this process, you will have gained a big collection of ideas and examples. Analyse and redevelop them until satisfied with the result and compare it to your initial research questions. The findings should be set out in writing and will then inform next stages of the research process.
...
20.11 - 23.11.2018 Reading Week
Assignment:
Please choose 3 references from the list Literature Interaction Design and read them during the reading week.
Additionally: Design Theory Readings (we encourage you to read those references during the whole theory seminar ;) ) :
Gaver, W., Dunne A, Pacenti E.: The Presence Project (RCA, Journal Interactions, Volume 6, Issue 1, Jan./Feb. 1999)
| View file | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Jarvis, N., Cameron, D., Boucher, A.: Attention To Detail: Annotations of a design process. pp. 11-20. (2012) [Article]
| View file | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Gaver, W.: Making spaces: How design workbooks work, Conference: Proceedings of the International Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, CHI 2011, Vancouver, BC, Canada, (May 7-12, 2011)
| View file | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Eco, U., Farina, C., Farina, G., & Erspamer, F. (2015). NOTES. In How to Write a Thesis (pp. 225-230). MIT Press. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt17kk9g5.14
View file name UmbertoEco-HowtoWriteaThesis-TheMITPress2015 (1).pdf height 250
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.
| View file | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Session 8 – 12.11.2018 – Workshop III – … to fiction Fiction (Verena Ziegler)
Fiction: Dream it bigger and create an ongoing dialog between what is and what might be. How could things be expanded? Which aspects could be extended? How could you add something? Should you recapitulate anything? Make it smaller: What could you leave out? Which aspects could be reduced? We will 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.
...
Session 9 – 19.11.2018 – Workshop IV – ... to transformation Transformation (Verena Ziegler)
Transformation: How could you change cause and effect? Could you reverse anything? Could you combine some ideas - prototype and iterate them with different methods? Could you mix them up with other contents? Is it possible to combine or split up different components of the service or product you want to create?
Workshop I-IIII Group-Presentations of various approaches in the class
Jonas, W., Zerwas, S., von Anshelm, K., (2015) Transformation Design - Perspectives on a New Design Attitude, Birkhäuser, 978-3-0356-0636-2 November 2015.
...
Session 10 – 26.11.2018 – Final Arguments Reflections and Learnings from the Workshops (Verena Ziegler)
Presentation of assignments and in the class + reflections and learnings on the seminar.
Session 11 – 03.12.2018 – Ownership I: Involvement (Björn Franke).2018 – Ownership I: Involvement (Björn Franke)
Please read and prepare the following material for this session's discussion:
Nassim Nicholas Taleb, Skin in the Game: Hidden Asymmetries in Daily Life (New York: Random House, 2018), excerpt.
David Graeber, Direct Action: An Ethnography (Oakland, CA: AK Press, 2009), excerptchap 5.
The Yes Men Fix The World, P2P Edition, directed by Andy Bichlbaum, Mike Bonanno and Kurt Engfehr, 2009.
...
Session 12 – 10.12.2018 – Ownership II: DevotionDedication (Björn Franke)
Please read and prepare the following material for this session's discussion:
Hans Ulrich Obrist, Thomas Demand, The Conversation Series, vol. 10 (Köln: Walter König, 2007: Walter König, 2007), excerpt.
Paul Cronin, Werner Herzog: A Guide for the Perplexed (London: Faber & Faber, 2014), excerpt.
Hans Ulrich Obrist, Marina Abramović, The Conversation Series, vol. 23 (Köln: Walther König, 2010), excerpt.
Assignment:
For your field of interest:
Related Work map - where do you position yourself?
Eg. Related movie / Related literature / Related Prototypes, etc...
Referencing projectsAdditionally, look up some of the work of Thomas Demand and Werner Herzog.
Final Assignment: deadline 12.12.18
- 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. - Related Work Visual Map with annotations
Following your statement, and with your choice of visual representation/metaphor, design a map showcasing where your project is situated among existing projects and references that address similar questions.
Related projects 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.