Thesis Spring 2021 Schedule

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WEEKLY SCHEDULE

CLASS 1: FEBRUARY 4

In class:

  • Intro to Thesis and Advisors
  • Create a mind map that will help to guide your research. Even if you are unsure of your topic. 
    • What is the essence of what you are trying to communicate? What is the most important idea you are trying to get across?
    • Attempt to identify who your audience is and a location where your research will fit best.
    • Is it a museum, a design competition, a nightclub, a school, a public festival? 
    • What are the needs of these specific locations? 
    • What are the needs of your audience and how will they be able to engage with your work?
  • Create 3 possible designs that will address a question you are pursuing for your thesis.
  • Set up one second a day, video. 

In class resources:

Homework:

  • Post your in-class possible design exercises to your thesis journal (TJ).
  • In study groups share 3 projects from your portfolio or IMA, and 3 inspirational projects that somehow relate to your work. Explain what is about these projects that you find inspiring. 
  • Every day film one second of your experience or yourself related to your thesis, to be complied together at the end of the term.
  • Watch and Listen to:

FEBRUARY 11, No Class for Chinese New Year

CLASS 2: FEBRUARY 18

In class: 

  • All Together: Residents present their Thesis: focus on the process, how the experience went, and what they wished they’d done differently
  • Thesis Groups: Past projects and inspiration presentations.
  • Provide at least 1 reference (writer, project, artwork, technology) that you think will be useful to someone else’s project.
  • Brainswarm an experiment that will help you develop your topic of research.
  • Brainswarm how to express the feeling, or emotion, your topic engages in you.

In class resources:

Homework:

  • Conduct one weekly experiment in visual audio or other material in your subject of interest. This can include sketches, material or physical experiments but should have a component of engagement with another human being. 
  • Build a “Cornell Box” to represent your personal or emotional connection to the topic
  • Identify 3 people who are interested in or work in your thesis field.
  • In preparation to the presentation by NYU’s Librarian Margaret Smith, please familiarize yourself with the library and its resources before hand. Compile a list of questions that you might want to ask Margaret after her presentation.

CLASS 3: FEBRUARY 25

In class:

  • All Together: NYU Librarian Margaret Smith, Intro to Research for Designers
  • Share your experiment in small groups
  • Shuffle groups and share your Cornell Boxes

In class resources:

Homework:

  • Conduct Research – include academic references, art works, literature, products in the market, anything that you think is part of the ecosystem of what you are working on.
  • Pick at least one academic paper, post a link and your response to its claims/insights.
  • Create a mood board combining visual research and takeaway quotes, ideas, studies. Show in TJ.
  • Write a ‘Dream Review’ of your project. 

CLASS 4: MARCH 4

In class: 

  • In Groups: Present research and pull quotes from review
  • Create a short written proposal based on your topic (1/2 – 1 page) and your project (art/design) response

Homework:

CLASS 5: MARCH 11

In class: 

  • 1:1 Meetings with Advisor to receive initial feedback on your proposal draft

Homework:

  • SUBMIT YOUR FINAL THESIS PROPOSAL BY 11:59 PM ET SUNDAY MARCH 14TH
    • Make a copy of this template document, fill it out and upload to this folder along with a 1 minute video
    • Follow this file naming convention: “YOUR_NAME_IMA Low Res Thesis Proposal – Final Submission”

MARCH 18, No Class / Receive Thesis Proposal Feedback

Homework:

  • Create a production timeline that encompasses the remainder of the Spring semester and the Summer session. Break this down into the following categories: 
    • Continued research (references, experts, conversations, reflections on previous research) 
    • Design & development
    • User testing
    • Iteration & continued production
    • Documentation & presentation

CLASS 6: MARCH 25 

In class: 

  • Discuss proposal feedback + production timeline with your Advisor
  • Review Midterm presentation guidelines
  • Use class time to prepare interview lists questions

Homework:

  • Prepare Midterm presentation – please see Midterm presentation guidelines doc
  • Optional – continued research suggestions:
    • Find 9 experts in your field of research. Identify 3 as your preferred targets.
      • Explain why you chose these experts as your targets and what you hope to gain, overall, once the 3 interviews are complete
      • Prepare a script, including 5 questions for 1 of the 3 preferred targets
      • Describe the scenario for the expert interview including location, tone, equipment needed, travel time, etc.
      • Brainstorm ways to contact the 3 experts, justifying why the method is best
      • Draft 3 correspondence letters
    • If your project is meant to be used in a public setting:
      • Find a public location relevant to your research and track the positions and movements of people within this space over time. Recording the pathways and traffic patterns of occupants of a space helps to define zones of different spatial behaviors. This reveals how artefacts and environments figure in people’s lives, highlighting aspects of their lifestyle, habits, priorities, and values. If this is not possible because of COVID, brainstorm on ways to gain those insights by other means. 
    • If your project is meant to be used in a private environment (i.e. home or office)
      •  Draw observations from your own activities and those people you have access to and observe how your work would be integrated in their everyday life, their habits, needs and the ways they interact with other people and other objects in their environment.

CLASS 7: APRIL 1

In class:

  • Midterm presentations

Homework:

  • Write about your experience with your midterm presentation and be honest. Did you prepare adequately? What do you need to focus on for the next 7 weeks? Adjust your production timeline to reflect these changes. 
  • Build something physical. Using any materials available, quickly assemble possible forms or interactions for user testing of your project. 
  • Conduct a user test which helps to reveal unanticipated issues or needs. Re-evaluate your ideas as needed based on this user test.
  • Build a working prototype of your project.
  • Prepare for the “Show-A-Thing Feedback Sessions” event next class. See “Show-A-Thing Feedback Sessions” info doc
  • Use this sheet to sign up for at least 3 feedback sessions by the end of Wednesday.

CLASS 8: APRIL 8

In class:

Homework: 

  • Reflect on your experience at the “Show-A-Thing Feedback Sessions” event:
    • What do you need to change or develop to encourage your ideal interaction?
    • What additional research would help advance your project?
    • Do you need to update your production timeline?
    • What user testing do you have to do?

CLASS 9: APRIL 15

In class: 

  • 1:1 Meetings with study groups advisor and residents

Homework:

  • Continue to work on building a working prototype of your thesis
  • Conduct user testing and document this testing for your final Spring semester presentation

CLASS 10: APRIL 22

In class: 

Homework:

  • Continue working on your project
  • Start working on your project presentation with placeholders slides

CLASS 11: APRIL 29

In class:

  • Project progress check-in
  • Thesis presentation “How To”
  • Despina’s presentation “How To” slides: LINK

Homework:

  • Continue working on your project
  • Complete your project presentation to be shared during class next week

CLASS 12: MAY 6

In class:

  • Final in-class project presentations
  • Each student will present for 10 minutes on their thesis project

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