Sweet Dreams Are Made of This 2023

INTERACTION DESIGN THEORY SEMINAR 5th semester

Fall 2023

Lecturer:
Dr Joëlle Bitton, joelle.bitton@zhdk.ch 

Office hours by appointment 

Class sessions take place Mondays from 15.00-17.00. 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. creativity 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.

This course is also a guided exercise in your autonomy to look for relevant references and to integrate them as part of your research endeavour. You should start early with topics of interest for your diploma work, even it is expected that they might evolve or even change completely. In that sense, even if your topic changes, the questions & methods that will be addressed in this class will be valid throughout your diploma work. Different than previous theory classes, with mostly discussions based on readings, this class is a continuous assignment-based exploration of your research engagement. It is required that you follow through and ride the wave.

COURSE OUTLINE 

12 sessions structured around the notions of 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.
Sessions in-class will not be available on Zoom.
Participation in Zoom sessions implies dedicated attention to the class (ie. no multi-tasking with travelling at the same time on train, car, etc).

Class participation 10% 

Short Disposition 30%

Literature Review / Related Work mapping 40%

Research exercises 20%

Background Research (grade and % is part of diploma work) 

Any assignment that remains unfulfilled receives a failing grade. 
 

ASSIGNMENTS 

In-class assignments - deliver on the server

• Readings & documents where indicated (various dates)

• Present a non-Western position pre-1899 (02.10.23)

• 1-page observation essay/visuals (16.10.23)

• Present books (19.10.23)

• Dream (04.12.23)

Mid-semester assignments (13.11.23)

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

Literature Review

• Compile a detailed literature review of at least 8 essays/book chapters (no web articles or blog posts) that help you advance your research and unpack your topic. Each essay cited should be credited with author(s), year, country, institution and should be commented for its relevance to your topic. Write half a page introduction to your literature review. 

Related Work Visualisation with annotations

• Compile at least 10 related works - define the criteria from them that matter and make a visualisation where you situate your own interest.
  Following your statement, and with your choice of visual representation/metaphor, design a data visualisation showcasing where your project is situated among existing projects and references that address similar questions.
  Related projects can include design and art projects, literature, movies, initiatives, etc.
  Each project cited should be credited with author(s), year, country and should be commented for its relevance to your topic.

Final assignment (15.12.23)

• Background Research chapter: Version 1 includes literature review, related works, early field encounters, positioning

COURSE MATERIALS 

Readings are made available in the shared IAD server

CALENDAR

Session 01 – 25.09.23 – What is the Action? - Part One - Atelier Baustell, Hardgutstrasse 7, 8048 Zürich (Outdoors)

Meeting at the mini-golf installations at Atelier Baustell & quick tour.

Discussion on location: Presenting the syllabus & assignments & arc of the course.

Writing exercises based on reflections by students from the last two years of studies and how they consider what a contribution is, as they head towards their thesis semester.

Assignments for the following week:
- Find a non-Western manifesto or position in art, craft, technology or science that dates before 1899 and in class next week, read a paragraph and explain what makes it relevant for our time. Share a copy of the manifesto on the server by the following Monday 9.00.

Session 02 – 02.10.23 – In Formation - 4.K16

We'll first look at the manifesto material you found,
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.
Possible materials presented:  Anti-Apartheid activism in South Africa, Aaron Swartz, drag culture, representation in pop culture.

Watching excepts from two movies recalling the legacy of the organisation Act Up :

• How to Survive A Plague (David France, 2012)

• 120 BPM (Robin Campillo, 2013) 

In a class exercise, you will write about your own positioning.