Block Seminar Design Theory 4th semester

Lecturer:
Dr. Joëlle Bitton

The module takes place over 1 week, from 09-13.02.26, from Monday to Friday, 9.00-17.00 - see timetable below for details.

Topic

Design and Technology share a similar destiny: imbued with the roles of solving problems, characterised by an expectation that they can change any situation for the better.
But what if this is an illusion?

With the society at large becoming more aware of issues related to top-down decisions and techno-centric solutions such as large-scale surveillance, ecological dooms and oppression of civic rights, we have the responsibility and the opportunity to rethink the place of design and technology.

What if we would reboot our mindset for design methods and technological tools so they become more open and inventive, rather than reinforcing stereotypes? With words-to-think-with such as "undesign", "reboot", "unmaking", "undisciplined" and others, we can explore what opportunities they allow for tackling systemic issues.

Objectives of the course

The aim of the seminar is to reflect on the roles we attribute to design and technology currently, how it was set in pop culture narratives, what alternatives emerge in non-Western narratives, and how we could ‘reboot’ the disciplines in education to include urgent societal questions. The seminar is structured as a dialogue and the students will work on certain questions themselves. In the end, a one-page website should be created to showcase a proposal. 

In this course, we will look at a range of aspects:

• the narratives that have placed technology, tech gurus & design as "the world's saviors" since the 19th century

• the hopes and fears that technologies of the 19th century generated and that are still prevalent nowadays

• the past ideas of futures and whether they happened or not

• pop culture references that support those narratives or counter them *dystopia as authoritarian?

• feminist & non-Western perspectives that open up the field *add animism, intelligence of animals…

• ways to move forward in education of the design discipline

Structure

The class will be structured around discussions, lectures, presentations of film and literature materials and in-class exercises.

Deliverables

• Assignment 0 (before Monday 9.2)

  • Read Inventing the Expert. Technological Literacy as Social Currency (pp.9-32) by Carolyn Marvin (attached in email and linked in Literature section below)
    
    

• Assignment 1 (prepare on Monday 9.2 afternoon) - send notes by email on 9.2 by 19.00

  • Watch La Jetée (Chris Marker, 1962, 28') 

  • Answer with 1-2 paragraphs the question: What do you fear?

  • Read Making Kin with the Machines 

  • Write 2-3 paragraphs about your impressions on the paper, remarks (what concept is new to you, inspiring aspects, positions you disagree with, etc..), questions...
    The remarks should capture learning points and possible critiques of the papers.
    
    

• Assignment 2 (prepare on Tuesday 10.2 afternoon) - send notes by email on 10.2 by 19.00

  • Find 3 design projects that has for you all the qualities you ambition for yourself - in terms of impact, perspective shift, inspiration, etc (you will present 1 or 2 of them in class). Post link, author(s), title, date, picture, comment on Miro board.

  • Read Undesigning Technology: Considering the negation of design by design

  • Write 2-3 paragraphs about your impressions on the paper, remarks (what concept is new to you, inspiring aspects, positions you disagree with, etc..), questions...
    
    

• Assignment 3 (prepare on Wednesday 11.2) - send notes by email on 11.2 by 20.00 

  • Read in depth 2 of those papers (your choice) and glance over the other two: A Necessary Shift in Design Education, Unmaking: Enabling and Celebrating the Creative Material, Animal-centered design needs dignity , Young Indigenous Social Media Users of the Chittagong Hill Tracts in BangladeshY

  • Write 2-3 paragraphs about your impressions on each paper, remarks (what concept is new to you, inspiring aspects, positions you disagree with, etc..), questions...

  • Beyond utopia and dystopia, propose how the ordinary and the present can inspire extraordinary perspectives and challenge opinions (following observation exercise in the afternoon). Post images/ideas/sketches/videos… on Miro board.
    
    

• Assignment 4 - Final Work: The format of the final outcome is decided by each student- it will be an online representation of your reboot ideas (possibly 1-page website, written essay, video, or use of hosting platform such as TikTok, filmed performance, games, new object..). Individual work (some works can be in connection with one another). Your work needs to be in adequacy with the intention and the process. The collection of works from each student will constitute together an online exhibition.

  • +500 words to give context to the piece.

  • 3-5 mn presentation : why you made it, how it relates to the topic

  • reboot ideas: design education, the notion of the future, expanding the design field, exploring the perception of design in the world, specific technologies/designs, biases and stereotypes, fostering inclusiveness and equity, opportunities of undesign/untechnologize. Ask yourself the question of 'what you would like to reboot' (in your studies, life, design field, in societal conventions, etc..), respond to the proposals of the papers you read (for instance, about undesigning, or considering unconventional ways to address a topic), go back to the initial questions at the beginning of the week (what would you do differently in your studies?), etc.... The final assignment is a statement or positioning or response to those provocative questions

  • the ideas could represent your position on a topic above or on a case study discussed in class, your new proposal, or your interpretation of an issue

  • potential audience: other people in the design fields or?
    
    

• Final presentation in class - upload on platform on 13.2 by 11.30 & present in class concisely. Send me as well a hard copy via email / swisstransfer by 11.30.

Expectations, Gradings and Presence

Grades for this class are passing or failing. Assignments are general class participation, exercises, readings&reflections through response notes, and final work.
Any assignment that remains unfulfilled receives a failing grade.  

Arriving late may also affect the passing grade.
Contributing to constructive group discussion is an essential aspect of class participation. 

Attendance of all the in-class input sessions are imperative (3 mornings session and 1 afternoon session).  
Two sessions are in class, two are online (Zoom link provided by email), and 1 is a field visit. 
Zoom-etiquette during online sessions: please be present on screen (no commuting/travelling or doing another activity in parallel of the class), on time, and with camera turned-on as much as possible. 
Classes online and in presence at the same time are not possible.

Timetable

Literature/References

• To prepare before class starts (optional):

  • Carolyn Marvin. 1990. When Old Technologies Were New. Thinking About Electric Communication in the Late Nineteenth Century. Oxford University Press.
    1st chapter. "Inventing the Expert. Technological Literacy as Social Currency", pp.9-32.
    
    

• To read Monday 9.2:

  • J. E. Lewis, N. Arista, A. Pechawis, S. Kite. 2019. Making Kin with the Machines. Journal of Design and Science.
    
    

• To read Tuesday 10.2

  • James Pierce. 2012. Undesigning Technology: Considering the negation of design by design. CHI 2012.
    
    

• To read Wednesday 11.2 (choose two in depth + glance at the other two)  

  • A. Rowe. 2024. A Necessary Shift in Design Education: From Outputs to Outcomes. In International Journal of Art & Design Education.

  • K. Song & E. Paulos. 2021. Unmaking: Enabling and Celebrating the Creative Material of Failure, Destruction, Decay, and Deformation. CHI 2021

  • D. van der Linden. 2023. Animal-centered design needs dignity: a critical essay on ACI’s core concept. In Proceedings of ACI '22

  • I. Bin Rofi, M. Mahjabin Eshita, A. Chakma, Md. Sabbir Ahmed, S M Taiabul Haque, and J. Noor. 2025. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly: The Opportunities, Challenges and the Mitigation Strategies of the Young Indigenous Social Media Users of the Chittagong Hill Tracts in Bangladesh. In Proceedings of the CHI 2025.
    
    
    + Optional readings: 

    • Joëlle Bitton, Future Perfect - Das Rätsel entschlüsseln.
      *Available in DDE collab with Wohnrevue, Dec. 2025.

    • Graham Burnett, Permaculture: A Beginners Guide. Spiralseed, 2008.

    • Carolyn Marvin "Inventing the Expert. Technological Literacy as Social Currency", pp.9-32.
      
      

Reminder: For each paper, you need to send response notes: underline 2-3 points that sparked questions and possibly points that you felt should have been addressed in the paper or that you want to challenge.
Use the Reading guideline to comment on the texts.