Programme syllabus autumn 2011
Programme syllabus autumn 2011
Title
Interaction Design
Swedish title
Interaction Design
Programme code
TAIND
Credits
120 credits
Programme establishment date
2006-12-10
Syllabus approval date
2011-02-24
Syllabus valid from
2011-09-01
Decision-making body
Faculty of Culture and Society
Entry requirements
1. Degree of Bachelor or equivalent in subjects relevant for interaction design; and approved work samples. Examples of relevant subjects include, but are not limited to: computer science, informatics, information systems, human-computer interaction, new media arts, fine arts, design (industrial, product, graphic), media studies and cognitive science.
2. General eligibility + the equivalent of English course B in Swedish secondary school.
Level
Advanced level
Organisation
Year 1
The objective of the first year is to provide a broad base covering contemporary research themes and design genres within interaction design. A further objective is to explore various collaborative and individual work practices of humanistically oriented interaction design. The main vehicle for learning is design projects with tutoring and criticism. The projects are most often done in multi-disciplinary teams and in collaboration with stakeholders from organizations and companies outside the university, and with interaction design researchers.
The year is organized into the three courses Research Themes, Use Qualities and Tools for Interaction Design, but in practice they are closely integrated in the practical project work, and are all graded at the end of the first year (for details on the courses – see syllabus on each course).
Year 2
The objective of the second year is an individual specialization within a chosen area of Interaction Design. This year is dominated by a thesis project. Four mainly theoretical/reflective courses are provided during Semester 3 as a part of preparing for the thesis project. The thesis project is planned and carried out by the student under supervision, covering both practical design work and theoretical reflections on and with this work for the purpose of creating a knowledge contribution to the field.
Programme contents
Semester 1, autumn 2011
Use Qualities
KD630A, 15 credits (COMPULSORY)
Main field of study: Interaction Design
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Tools for Interaction Design
KD631A, 15 credits (COMPULSORY)
Main field of study: Interaction Design
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Research Themes
KD632A, 30 credits (COMPULSORY)
Main field of study: Interaction Design
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Semester 2, spring 2012
Semester 3, autumn 2012
Interaction Criticism
KD639A, 7.5 credits (COMPULSORY)
Main field of study: Interaction Design
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Design as Knowledge Development
KD633A, 7.5 credits (COMPULSORY)
Main field of study: Interaction Design
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Philosophy of Science
KD634A, 7.5 credits (COMPULSORY)
Main field of study: Interaction Design
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Communicating Design Knowledge
KD638A, 7.5 credits (COMPULSORY)
Main field of study: Interaction Design
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Semester 4, spring 2013
Thesis Project
KD637A, 30 credits (COMPULSORY)
Main field of study: Interaction Design
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Learning outcomes
KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
After completing the program, the student should be able to:
- demonstrate a broad understanding of the field of Interaction Design: its transformative character, history and development
- demonstrate substantial knowledge of current research themes and different genres within interaction design, including knowledge of a broad repertoire of design examples from these genres, their use situations and use qualities
- demonstrate substantial deep knowledge in the individual research area chosen for the second year thesis project
- demonstrate broad knowledge of the various materials used in interaction design: their properties, limitations and possibilities.
- demonstrate substantial knowledge of design methods, approaches and practices for designing for interactions, in individual, multi-disciplinary and collaborative settings.
- demonstrate sound understanding of the relationship between details and overall strategies when designing (networks of) products, services, tools and / or event for experiences and interactions
SKILLS AND ABILITIES
After completing the program, the student should be able to:
- demonstrate ability to apply a design practice of learning-by-doing
- demonstrate abilities to contribute to multi-disciplinary interaction design work
- demonstrate abilities to engage with users and other stakeholders in iterative co-designing processes
- formulate and re-frame fruitful design problems, challenges, openings and questions in complex design situations
- demonstrate ability to reach beyond design assignments as originally stated and to explore a range of possibilities as a means to ground design decisions
- demonstrate ability to select and use relevant methods, techniques, tools and approaches in the design work, including a broad repertoire of techniques for representing interaction designs
- demonstrate ability to evaluate and critique design concepts, prototypes and finished systems with regard to functional, spatial, aesthetic, sustainable and ethical aspects of quality, with a particular emphasis on methods and theories focusing on use situations
- demonstrate ability to reflect upon the design process and its results, and to promote a conceptual development of the interaction design field by articulating knowledge contributions on research levels
- demonstrate ability to account for and discuss knowledge contributions developed through design work including the arguments for these contributions, spatially, verbally as well as in writing to various target groups
JUDGEMENT AND VALUES
After completing the program, the student should be able to:
- demonstrate ability to, within interaction design as an area of knowledge development, exercise judgement accounting for relevant societal and ethical aspects
- demonstrate insight regarding the roles of interaction design in society, and regarding the responsibility of the interaction designer to develop meaningful technologies, services, tools and experiences from a humanistic standpoint
- demonstrate ability to reflect upon and learn from groupwork and individual design processes and practical experiences, for identifying new knowledge needs, and thereby taking responsibility for one’s own continuous learning.
Degree
Master's Degree (120 credits)
Additional information
Language of instruction: English