|
Class Information Links |
Class / Syllabus
Wearables Studio SyllabusLecture slide decks are available in Microsoft PowerPoint (PPT), OpenOffice.org Impress (ODP), and Adobe PDF (PDF) format. Week 1 – Jan. 22 – Introductions, Housekeeping, and Getting Started... in which we get settled. Agenda:
Assignment: Make a wearableCome to class next week with a working wearable device or garment. This assignment is just a sketch to get the juices flowing – whatever you make should function, but rough edges are fine. There are no restrictions on the type of wearable, but it should relate to your semester-long project. Use this as an opportunity to experiment with new materials or techniques. If you haven't built a soft circuit before, this might be a good time to do so. Assignment: List your project concept(s)During next week's class, we will discuss and finalize everyone's concept for semester-long projects. If you have more than one project in mind, write them all down. Week 2 – Jan. 29 - Concept Workshop... in which we discuss concepts and decide on projects for the semester. Agenda:
Assignment: Project descriptionWrite a description of your project (one page minimum) – describe what your prototype will look like, what it will do, and how it will be used. List your influences, goals, intended users, and provide a use scenario. If you haven't decided on one project, write a full description for each project you are considering. Assignment: Paper prototypeStart thinking about and developing the physical form for your project. Using materials like cardboard, paper, muslin, and foamcore, experiment with size, shape, and placement of the different component parts of your design. The results won't be functional, but they should represent as closely as possible the elements you plan to use. Think through how the finished garment or piece will look and how it will be used. Use this time to develop your ideas about why and how the user will interact with the final prototype without the pressure of making it work - that comes soon enough. Come to class next week with your paper prototype and be prepared to talk about your design decisions. Week 3 – Feb. 5 – Technology, Technique, and Implementation Session... in which we learn that Zap-A-Gap holds it all together. Agenda:
Assignment: Get StartedGet started (if you haven't already): begin design and/or construction on your project in whatever way you see fit. This work may take the form of; sketches, patterns, material selection and experiments with materials, and research into technology, techniques, or related projects. You may even start construction on one or more elements of your project. Document your work online or in a suitable format to show in class or bring your work with you next week. Come prepared to discuss what you have done. As always, you should be ready to explain and justify your design decisions. Week 4 – Feb. 12 – Strategy session... in which we ponder the truth of Parkinson's Law. Agenda:
Assignment: First PresentationNext week will be the first in-class presentation of your project. Prepare and practice your presentation materials and speech. Incorporate design sketches, inspiration and background material, and your progress as it relates to what you are doing. At this point, you may not have much progress to present. That's OK - tell us about the problem you are solving, the need you are addressing, or the statement you are making. This will be an informal presentation - no outside critics and no need for slick slide decks. Focus instead on telling your story succinctly and well; introduce yourself, explain what you are doing and why, then flesh out some of the details. Inform and excite your audience! Finally, even though you'll be talking to peers who are already familiar with your project, present as though your audience doesn't know what a "wearable" is. If it helps, think about your ultimate user or consumer and present as though they were in the room. Week 5 – Feb. 19 – First Presentation... or: selling the sizzle, not the steak Week 6 – Feb. 26 – Technology, Technique, and Implementation SessionAgenda:
Week 7 – Mar. 5 – Directed topics, class discussion, break-out sessionAgenda:
Week 8 – Mar. 12 – Midterm presentation (outside critics)Everyone will present their concept and work to the class, plus three guest critics. Each person will have 11 minutes for any combination of; prepared presentation, audience feedback, questions. I suggest keeping your presentation to no more than six or seven minutes, then using the balance for audience response, but you are free to use the time however you wish. Our guests will be: Giana Gonzalez - Giana is an interaction designer, former architect, and former ITP student. Her "Hacking Couture" was an experiment in merging interaction, fashion, and conviviality with craft. Sarah Scaturro - Sarah is the textile conservator at the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum. She also researches the historical and contemporary relationships between fashion and technology. Besides writing for Fashion Projects her article Eco-tech Fashion: Rationalizing Technology in Sustainable Fashion can be found in the most recent volume of Fashion Theory. Peter Raymond - Peter is an experience designer and brand strategist. His company, Human Condition, creates immersive experiences for the healthcare, military, educational, and entertainment industries. Presentation order:
Week 9 – Mar. 26 – Midterm feedback, class discussion, break-out sessionAgenda:
Week 10 – Apr. 2 – Guest speaker, class discussionAgenda:
Week 11 – Apr. 9 – Directed topics, class discussion, break-out sessionWeek 12 – Apr. 16 – Directed topics, class discussion, break-out sessionWeek 13 – Apr. 23 – Directed topics, class discussion, break-out sessionWeek 14 – Apr. 30 – Final presentation (outside critics)If you would like to change the order in which you present, let me know or, even better, trade with someone else and let me know. Our guests will be: Giana Gonzalez - Giana is an interaction designer, former architect, and former ITP student. Her "Hacking Couture" was an experiment in merging interaction, fashion, and conviviality with craft. Peter Raymond - Peter is an experience designer and brand strategist. His company, Human Condition, creates immersive experiences for the healthcare, military, educational, and entertainment industries. Kate Hartman - Kate Hartman creates new tools for expression through innovative applications of technology. Her individual and collaborative projects span the fields of wearable computing, mobile telephony, video installation, and conceptual art. She is the co-creator of Botanicalls, a system that allows houseplants to make phone calls and send text messages and the Lilypad XBee, a sewable radio tranceiver that enables your clothing to talk. Hartman holds a B.A. from Bard College in Film and Electronic Arts and an M.P.S. from New York University's Interactive Telecommunications Program. Her work has been exhibited internationally and has been featured by the New York Times, BBC World Service, NPR, in the recently published book "Fashionable Technology". She is currently an adjunct professor at New York University and Parsons The New School for Design where she teaches courses in soft circuitry and physical computing. Sarah Scaturro - Sarah is the textile conservator at the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum. She also researches the historical and contemporary relationships between fashion and technology. Besides writing for Fashion Projects her article Eco-tech Fashion: Rationalizing Technology in Sustainable Fashion can be found in the most recent volume of Fashion Theory. JennyLC Chowdhury - My work is the bastard child of an engineering education, a suppressed desire to be an artist and an unwavering interest in pranks. I suppose that means that my work has three parents. Presentation order:
(c) 2009 Zachary Eveland |