Syllabus and Course Outline
Interaction Design (CG 322) | Fashion Institute of Technology
Course Outline + Syllabus | Spring 2016
Course
Every moment of every day, millions of people send emails, texts, connect with friends on Facebook, buy products online, or listen to music on Spotify. They buy smart products that help them monitor their homes, tell them how many miles they’ve run, let them send drawings to remote collaborators, play online bowling games with friends. All of these things are made possible by technology, but it’s the interaction design that makes them usable, useful, and fun. This course explores the process of creating interactive experiences through the discipline called interaction design.
Format
Half lecture, half lab.
Assignments
Assignments and related readings for the following week will be posted here on tamara.ninja/design-course. Several classes will also include group critiques and presentations.
Activities
Group Critiques are intended to give students experience with providing and receiving criticism for their design work. Feedback received in group critiques should inform your design moving forward and should be incorporated into future iterations.
Presentations
Many classes will include some form of student presentation. Some days everyone will take a turn, while other days only a few. Interaction designers are expert communicators and must be well-versed in sharing ideas and backing up design decisions. Presentation practices will help tremendously with these.
Attendance
Let me know in advance if you’re going to miss class or be late.
More than 1 unexcused absence will affect your grade
3 lates = 1 unexcused absence
Grading
20% = Class Participation
40% = Out of Class Assignments
40% = Final Project
Everyone is expected to participate — in discussions, group exercises, or through vigorous individual exploration. Many times, exercises may be started in lab but may require extra work outside of class.
If you are unsatisfied with your grade on an assignment, I will permit a redo where I will re-evaluate your new assignment with the possibility to earn a higher grade.
Readings
Required readings (chapters will be assigned as class progresses)
The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman
Week 1: What is Interaction Design?
What is interaction design and where did this discipline come from?
January 26
Meet ’n’ greet
Rules and structure of the class
Introduce the discipline of interaction design
Week 2: The Interaction Design Process
What does an interaction designer do?
February 2
Introduce the interaction design process
Discuss related disciplines of interaction design
Interaction designers as part of a team
Assign groups and receive client assignments
Week 3: Deciding What to Design + Connected Devices
How do we decide what to design, and what are connected devices?
February 9
Learn about business value
Understand the importance of studying the competition
See examples of connected devices
Understand how our world is changing because of connected devices
Week 4: Deciding Who To Design For
How does understanding people help us create better designs?
February 16
Discuss how to conduct user research
Learn about the different types of user research
Week 5: Ideation
How do we create concepts for design?
February 23
Discuss how research informs product concepts
Learn how to conduct a productive brainstorm
Learn about the importance of sketching
Week 6: Iteration
What is iterative design? How do we use feedback to improve our ideas?
March 1
Group critique: Concept sketches
Learn about the importance of feedback and iteration
Week 7: User Journeys
How can we be sure that our designs will work?
March 8
Learn how to create user journeys and scenarios
See examples of user journeys
Week 8: Communicating Interaction Design I: User Flows
What are the ways to document and communicate interaction design?
March 15
Introduce different design deliverables: user flows, wireframes, prototypes
Learn when and why to use each deliverable
Learn about user flows
Introduce final project outline
Week 9: Communicating Interaction Design II: Site Maps / Wiresketches
Continuation of documentation exercise
March 29
Group critique: User flows
Learn about wireframes
Week 10: Communicating Interaction Design III: Wireframes
Continuation of documentation exercise
April 5
Group critique: Wireframes
Learn about wireframes
Week 11: Prototypes
What is a prototype and how can they help us validate our designs?
April 12
Group critique: Wireframes
Learn about the different methods of prototyping
Learn about low and high fidelity prototyping methods
Show example prototypes
Week 12: Visual Design and Branding
How do we approach the visual design of our products?
April 19
Learn about how aesthetics affect the user experience
Introduce brand examples
Week 13: The Future of Interaction Design
Where is the discipline headed?
April 25
Learn about a few major themes being explored in the near future
Discuss other industries being affected by interaction design
Fill out peer reviews
Week 14: Final Group Presentations
May 3
Final presentations and critiques
Class evaluation and discussion
Week 15: Final Group Presentations
May 10
Final presentations and critiques
Class evaluation and discussion
