1. Degree of Bachelor in interaction design or equivalent.
2. General eligibility + the equivalent of English course B in Swedish secondary school.
Single subject course at advanced level for the Master Degree (One Year) in Interaction Design.
The course aims to give students advanced knowledge, skills and abilities in interaction design with a special focus on the creative aspects of the discipline. Particular emphasis is given to innovative concept development and "gestaltung". After completing the course, students are qualified for a professional career in concept development and "gestaltung" of digital products and services, and for postgraduate studies in interaction design and related subjects.
Advanced Themes in Interaction Design – 7,5 credits
The module covers two current research themes at K3 relevant to Interaction Design
Design as Knowledge Development – 7,5 credits
Details: www.edu.mah.se/KD633A/syllabus
Interaction Criticism – 7,5 credits
Details: www.edu.mah.se/KD639A/syllabus
Communication Design Knowledge – 7,5 credits
Details: www.edu.mah.se/KD638A/syllabus
Thesis Project – 30 credits
Details: www.edu.mah.se/KD637A/syllabus
Advanced Themes in Interaction Design – 7,5 credits
Knowledge and understanding
After completing the course, the student should
- display knowledge of the research themes included in the module
- display understanding of how the included perspectives relate to interaction design
Skills and ability
After completing the course, the student should
- demonstrate abilities to do designwork related to the included research themes
- demonstrate abilities to carry through explorative design cycles with other stakeholders
Critical skills and approach
After completing the course, the student should
- demonstrate ability to critically reflect upon the designwork done in relation to the research themes
Design as Knowledge Development – 7,5 credits (= course KD633A)
Knowledge and understanding
After completing the course, the student should
- display knowledge in epistemology relevant for design from readings as well as own reflections
Skills and ability
After completing the course the student should
- display ability to reflect over how designed artifacts can be interpreted as statements in a context of knowledge construction
Critical skills and approach
After completing the course the student should
- display ability to exercise judgement accounting for societal and ethical aspects of the design process. In particular, the student should develop ability to assess design qualities related to perspectives on gender, migration, ethnicity and environment.
- display insight into how the design process can be viewed as a knowledge construction process and how reflection over ones own design work may improve this process (double loop learning)
Interaction Criticism – 7,5 credits (= course KD639A)
Knowledge and understanding
After completing the course, the student should
- display knowledge of the role of criticism in interaction design.
Skills and ability
After completing the course the student should
- display ability to fomulate and assess criticism of digital designs.
Critical skills and approach
After completing the course the student should
- display ability to exercise judgement in formulating criticism of digital designs that contributes to further development of knowledge in the field. In particular, the student should develop ability to formulate criticism of aspects of digital designs relating to perspectives on gender, migration, ethnicity and environment.
Communication Design Knowledge – 7,5 credits (= course KD638A)
Knowledge and understanding
After completing the course, the student should
- display understanding of how design knowledge is articulated and communicated in the design research community and design practice respectively
- display knowledge of properties and qualities of different media and formats for communicating design knowledge, e.g. text, image, video, multimedia, exhibit etc.
- display knowledge of different genres of academic writing
Skills and abilities
After completing the course the student should
- demonstrate ability to articulate and communicate knowledge gained through design work using appropriate media and formats for a particular communicative setting, i.e. a specific genre, audience and communicative purpose
- demonstrate ability to articulate and communicate design knowledge through academic writing using appropriate argumentative structures for common academic genres, e.g. article, essay, etc.
- demonstrate ability to articulate and communicate design knowledge through exhibition of design work
Critical skills and approach
After completing the course the student should
- demonstrate ability to exercise judgement in selecting appropriate media and formats for communicating design knowledge in a particular communicative setting, i.e. a specific genre, audience and communicative purpose
Thesis Project – 30 credits (= course KD637A)
In order to increase precision, the generic types of outcomes are mapped to interaction design as follows.
Knowledge and understanding – Repertoire and theory (canonical designs, important design elements and important theoretical concepts)
Competence and skills – Skills and technique (including design approach)
Judgment and approach – Reflection and criticism.
Repertoire and theory
1. Building a comprehensive overview of existing canonical examples, best practices and academic state of the art in a chosen subfield within interaction design.
2. Displaying ability to critically position, contextualize and motivate design activities within a chosen subfield within interaction design.
Skills and techniques
3. Displaying ability to plan, execute, frame and re-frame design activities at advanced level in the chosen subfield, individually or in small teams, within the time and resource limitations at hand.
4. Displaying ability to choose techniques appropriate for advanced-level design work and execute them appropriately.
5. Displaying ability to perform, document and communicate design activities as part of knowledge construction within the framework of interaction design research.
6. Displaying ability to publicly communicate, display and discuss the work verbally, in written form and in other forms of expression appropriate for the chosen subfield and the nature of the work.
Reflection and criticism
7. Displaying ability to critically reflect upon the design-based research methodology applied, including identification of needs for further knowledge and learning.
8. Displaying ability to assess advanced-level design work.
9. Displaying fair ability to assess the academic value of knowledge contributions in interaction design research.
10. Display insight into the role of interaction design in society and the responsibilities of the interaction designer.
Advanced Themes in Interaction Design – 7,5 credits
The module is combining doing and reflecting.
A central part of the module is doing practical designwork (individually and/or in groups). This for example includes fieldwork, sharing of insights, designing interaction design proposals and engagement with relevant stakeholders e.g. through participatory design approaches.
This is intertwined with reading and discussion at seminars of central texts and examples relevant to the included research themes, as well as critical reflective analysis and discussion of the practical designwork done in relation to the included research themes.
The module also includes design-oriented tutoring and presentations along the way.
Design as Knowledge Development – 7,5 credits
Details: www.edu.mah.se/KD633A/syllabus
Interaction Criticism – 7,5 credits
Details: www.edu.mah.se/KD639A/syllabus
Communication Design Knowledge – 7,5 credits
Details: www.edu.mah.se/KD638A/syllabus
Thesis Project – 30 credits
Details: www.edu.mah.se/KD637A/syllabus
Advanced Themes in Interaction Design – 7,5 credits
This module is assessed at the last presentation. The visual and verbal communication of fieldwork and designwork is assessed in relation to perspectives and examples of the included research themes, methodologies applied and critical reflections of the work done.
Design as Knowledge Development – 7,5 credits
Details: www.edu.mah.se/KD633A/syllabus
Interaction Criticism – 7,5 credits
Details: www.edu.mah.se/KD639A/syllabus
Communication Design Knowledge – 7,5 credits
Details: www.edu.mah.se/KD638A/syllabus
Thesis Project – 30 credits
Details: www.edu.mah.se/KD637A/syllabus
For all the modules in the course, if your work is not accepted at the examination, then the student has two weeks to do the specified updates. If the re-submitted work is still not accepted, then the student has to do the module the following year.
Advanced Themes in Interaction Design – 7,5 credits
The literature for this module depend on the research themes included that year. The reading list will be included in the detailed brief of the module.
Design as Knowledge Development – 7,5 credits
Details: www.edu.mah.se/KD633A/syllabus
Interaction Criticism – 7,5 credits
Details: www.edu.mah.se/KD639A/syllabus
Communication Design Knowledge – 7,5 credits
Details: www.edu.mah.se/KD638A/syllabus
Thesis Project – 30 credits
Details: www.edu.mah.se/KD637A/syllabus
The course is evaluated both formatively during the year, in the form of written or verbal group reflections after the completion of each module and other important milestones, and summatively at the end of the course by means of a written course evaluation. All course evaluations are about assessing the appropriateness of the goals with respect to each element to be evaluated and of the methods chosen to attain the goals.