INTERACTION DESIGN THEORY SEMINAR 5th semester
Fall 2019
INSTRUCTOR
Dr Joëlle Bitton, joelle.bitton@zhdk.ch
Teaching Assistant
Martin Dusek martin.dusek@zhdk.ch
Office hours by appointment
Class sessions include a lecture/discussion each Monday from 10.00-12.00 in various classrooms. See calendar for details.
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 structured around 4 sections: engagement, positioning, research and ownership.
EXPECTATIONS AND GRADING
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.
Class participation 20%
Journal/Blog 20%
In-class assignments 30%
Final Assignments 30%
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
In-class assignments - deliver on the server
- Present a activist's campaign poster
- Present a position pre-1920s
- Present books and artefact
- Literature review and related work matrix
Final assignments - deliver on the server
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 (in either case, provide a copy in PDF).
COURSE MATERIALS
Readings are made available in the shared IAD server
CALENDAR
Session 01 – 23.09.2019 – What is the Action?
This session is structured in three parts.
A quick look at the syllabus & assignments.
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.
A second discussion based on watching excepts from two movies recalling the legacy of Act Up :
- How to Survive A Plague (David France, 2012)
- 120 BPM (Robin Campillo, 2013)
Assignment for the following week: print out a poster of a campaign that contributed to inspire, to bring awareness and to awake individuals and collectivity towards action. Put it on wall and plan to present the core of the contribution for two minutes. Look particularly into student activism throughout history, in various countries.
Session 02 – 30.09.2019 – In Formation
First a brief look at the assignments, 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.
Assignment for the following week: Find a manifesto or position in art, craft, technology or science that dates before 1920 and explain what makes it relevant for our time.
Session 03 – 07.10.2019 – Positioning in writing
We'll first look at the material you found, then spend the rest of the session writing about your own positioning.
Assignment for the free flow seminar: Go to the library - either ZHdK or a library of your choice. Browse the aisles -except the design section - without looking for something in particular. Open books that attract you from title, cover, look... Pick 3 books that inspire you and help you think about your thesis project. Bring those 3 books with you to the retreat and present them.
Additionally, bring one object or artefact that also inspire you for your future thesis work.
Session 04-07 – 10-11.10.2019 – Free Flow Seminar
Detailed program is indicated in the Free Flow program.
Assignment for the following session: we meet again in one month. During that time, you'll make a detailed literature review of 8 essays (no web articles or entries) that help you advance your research and unpack your topic. By the end of that month, you'll narrow your topic from big overview to 2-3 possible angles. Additionally, find 8 related projects and make a matrix of them where you situate your own interest. This should keep being developed until the final assignment.
Session 08 – 11.11.2019 – Method I - Learning by Doing
Your position and what you intend to research will influence the selection of the research framework or paradigm. In this block, we will discuss the relationship between paradigm – methodology – method in research, because methodological decisions are influenced by the theoretical lenses employed by the researcher. In the introductory first phase, an overview of the heterogeneous field of design research and different “knowledge landscapes” within the field will be given. You should be enabled to have confidence and position your own research framework, but also to develop a greater relational understanding of different methodological approaches.
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.
Look at examples of research & design in HCI:
- Zimmermann J., Forlizzi J. 2014. "Research Through Design in HCI" in J.S. Olson and W.A. Kellogg (eds.), Ways of Knowing in HCI, Springer Science+Business Media, New York.
Assignment for the following week: do an observation of a situation that you want to tackle, and if applicable meet and interview the people involved.
Session 09 – 18.11.19 – Method II - Creative Research
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.
We'll review together the diploma thesis structure and look at some tools for research.
Readings:
Gaver, W., Dunne A, Pacenti E. 1999. "The Presence Project", in RCA, Journal Interactions, Volume 6, Issue 1, Jan./Feb. 1999.
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: Identify research methods that you think will be relevant to you and organise them according to what they can help you with. Publish on your blog.
Session 10 – 25.11.2018 – Ambition & Ownership
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.
Adaption: Does your research direction and questions have references to other topics, what can be emulated, or does it point to other alternatives? What could be modified? What could be reconfigured?
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 – 02.12.2018 – Dedication
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.
Being creative with the creative process: watch the Importance of Self-Delusion.
John Thackara. 2006. In the Bubble: Designing in a Complex World. MIT Press. excerpt.
Session 12 – 09.12.2019 – Positioning
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?
Final Assignment: deadline 12.12.19 - NO extension!
- Statement of Intent for the BA thesis.
- 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.