Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Course Outline

Click here to download the Course Outline.

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INTRODUCTION TO EXPERIENCE DESIGN


GDES 1B26
WINTER 2009

Jesse Colin Jackson
Maya Desai

jjackson@faculty.ocad.ca
647.201.4255

Section 04
Wednesdays 08:30-11:20
January 7 – April 8
Rooms 615/665
http://ocad-ited-w09-s4.blogspot.com/
Office Hours:
Mondays 11:30-12:00
Room 1425


COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course integrates principles of design process with an introduction to time-based media and the methods used to design new interfaces, environments, services and products, through the orchestration of user experience. Students are exposed to the characteristics of new design opportunities made feasible by digital technologies and the pivotal role of time and attention in contemporary design. Through lectures, analysis of a wide range of examples in communication, interaction and experience design, and through studio projects that provide opportunities for practical application and insight, students are lead through the basic concepts, methods, tools and techniques used in the definition and design of interactive experiences.

The course load for the course consists of three hours per week of class time, and an average of six hours per week of out-of-class time to complete assignments and exercises.


LEARNING OUTCOMES

Upon the successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

1) Demonstrate understanding of the multi-faceted communications between people, objects, environments and technologies relevant to contemporary design practice through:

a) researching and analysing user and client needs and goals relevant to interactive environments, products and services;
b) conceptualising and developing user interfaces which are sensitive to intuitive human response;
c) exploring sensorial factors and metaphoric meaning in the design of environments, objects and interactive experiences;
d) working in a group environment on collaborative design projects.

2) Discover, articulate and employ cognitive and physical factors that improve the universal usability of products and systems, and that contribute to the creation of ‘compelling user experience’ through:

a) engaging in cognitive mapping studies;
b) researching human perceptual and physical reaction to visual/tactile/haptic stimuli or signals;
c) exploring and developing sensorially-engaged design possibilities/solutions
d) utilizing various technologies to model or map experience/perception.

3) Demonstrate knowledge of the techniques of user evaluation and the fundamental methods used to develop workflow and experience design concepts through:

a) engaging in and developing user-centred scenarios;
b) observing, recording and analysing interface and interaction outcomes/behaviours;
c) analysing task completion strategies and modes;

4) Demonstrate knowledge of effective storytelling, time-based narrative sequencing and scenario-based design through:

a) designing for flow and experience
b) creating compelling experience in a variety of design projects
c) exploring metaphor, narrative and narrative style in a variety of time-based media.


COURSE DELIVERY

Classes
Class One (January 7):
The Cognitive Experience
Project One Launch

Class Two (January 14):
The Information Experience
Project One Support

Class Three (January 21):
The Basics of Experience
Project One Support

--- Faculty of Design Annual Competition ---

Class Four (January 29):
Project One Presentation and Critique
Project Two Launch

Class Five (Feburary 4):
The Emotional Experience
Project Two Support

Class Six (February 11):
The Narrative Experience
Project Two Support

--- Reading Week ---

Class Seven (February 25):
The Virtual Experience
Project Two Support

Class Eight (March 4):
Project Two Presentation and Critique
Project Three Launch

Class Nine (March 11):
The Universal Experience
Project Three Support

Class Ten (March 18):
The Temporal Experience
Project Three Support

Class Eleven (March 25):
The Collective Experience
Project Three Support

Class Twelve (TBA):
The Activate! Experience
Project Three Presentation

Class Thirteen (TBA):
The Compelling Experience
Project Three Critique

Class Fourteen (TBA):
The Urban Experience
Experience Design Field Trip

Projects
Project One: Deconstruct an Interaction
Project Two: Design for Fun
Project Three: Activate!

Exercises
Exercise One: A Blog Introduction
Exercise Two: Perception and Cognition Research
Exercise Three:
Strategies for Conveying Information
Exercise Four:
An Object you Love, an Object you Hate
Exercise Five: Make a Music Video, Make a Diagram
Exercise Six: Evaluating Play
Exercise Seven: Photoshop Tennis
Exercise Eight: A Meeting in a Supermarket
Exercise Nine: Personas in Second Life
Exercise Ten: Universal Design
Exercise Eleven: Photoshop Tennis Website
Exercise Twelve: Activate! Ethnography
Exercise Thirteen: Compelling Experience Awards
Exercise Fourteen: A Psychogeographic Map

Classes, Projects and Exercises are subject to change as the course progresses.


EVALUATION

Evaluation Scheme
Project One: 20%
Project Two: 25%
Project Three: 25%
Exercises: 20%
Participation: 10%

Evaluation Criteria for Projects and Exercises
A diverse variety of methods will be used to evaluate student progress, and criteria will depend on the method in question, but will always include the following elements: an analysis and understanding of the project brief; the pursuit of original thinking and research from a variety of different resources; an appropriate level of questioning and enquiry into the issue under scrutiny; and the content, craft, quality and impact of the deliverable. Specific evaluation criteria will be detailed when the Projects and Exercises are launched.

Evaluation Criteria for Participation
Participation may include some or all of the following: arriving on time; listening to lectures and instruction; being prepared and working in class time; sharing and co-operating, and listening to and being an active participant in critique and discussions.

Grades
Grades will be assigned to each assignment and exercise in accordance with OCAD policy. Available letter grades and their numerical and descriptive equivalents are as follows:

A+ (90-100%): Exceptional

Exceeded expectations in demonstrating knowledge of concepts and/or techniques, and exceptional skill in their application in satisfying the requirements of the course.

A (80-89%): Excellent

Demonstrated a thorough knowledge of concepts and/or techniques, and with a very high degree of skill in their application in satisfying the requirements of the course.

B (70-79%): Good

Demonstrated a good knowledge of concepts and/or techniques, and considerable skill in their application in satisfying the requirements of the course.

C (65-69%): Satisfactory

Demonstrated a satisfactory level of knowledge of concepts and/or techniques and competence in their application in satisfying the requirements of the course.

C- (60-64%): Low Satisfactory

Demonstrated a level of knowledge of concepts and/or techniques and their application to the requirements of the course that was minimally satisfactory in an elective or non-major subject, but unsatisfactory in a core course of the student’s major subject.

D (50-59%): Pass

Demonstrated minimal knowledge and ability to apply concepts and/or techniques in satisfying the requirements of a course.

F (0-49%): Fail

Failure to meet minimum course requirements.

Grades at the level of C (Satisfactory) are anticipated to be the average for this course. A complete description of OCAD’s grading scheme and grade distribution policy can be found in the Calendar.

Late Work
Late work will not be accepted without prior permission, and permission must be requested before the beginning of the class in which the deliverable is due. Late work as a result of documented illness will be without penalty; late work as a result of other extraordinary circumstance, accepted at my discretion, will be subject to a penalty of 25%, and will be due at the beginning of the following class. No late work will be accepted beyond the beginning of the following class, and no make-up work will be permitted. Please contact me right away if you are having trouble meeting a deadline for any reason.

Mid-term Standing
An evaluation of your work to date will be provided at least one week prior to the final deadline to withdraw from the course without academic penalty.

Academic Misconduct
Academic misconduct, broadly understood to mean behavior that interferes with or attempts to interfere with the integrity of the learning environment, including plagiarism or misrepresentation of any kind, is unacceptable and is subject to serious academic penalty. A complete description of OCAD’s policies with regards to misconduct can be found in the Calendar.

Attendance Policy
Since you benefit from an active involvement with faculty and with their fellow students, you are required to attend and participate fully in classes on a
regular basis. A student with three or more unexcused absences may be assigned a failing grade for that course at my discretion. Arriving more 30 minutes late for a class may, at my discretion, constitute an unexcused absence.

A student who foresees a conflict between a religious obligation and any scheduled class assignments, including the final examination or critique, must notify me within three weeks of the first class.


REFERENCE MATERIAL

Hathaway, C. A Meeting in the Supermarket. NEROC’VGM, 2005.

Hoffman, D. Visual Intelligence: How We Create What We See. Norton, 1998

Lidwell, W., Holden, K. and Butler, J. Universal Principles of Design. Rockport, 2003.

Moggridge, Bill. Designing Interactions. MIT Press, 2007.

Norman, D. Emotional Design. HarperCollins, 2005.

Norman, D. The Design of Everyday Things. HarperCollins, 2002.

Saffer, D. Designing for Interaction: Creating Smart Applications and Clever Devices. New Riders, 2007.

Sekuler, R., Blake, R. Perception. McGraw-Hill, 1994.

Tufte, E. Envisioning Information. Graphics Press, 1990.

Additional reference material will be provided as the course progresses. Essential reference material will be provided in handout form.


THE COURSE BLOG

The course blog, which will be introduced in the first class, is integral to all aspects of the course. All course materials will be made available on the blog, and most Projects and Exercises will require submissions to the blog. You are expected to check the blog for new posts every at least every 48 hours.


DISCLAIMER

This course outline may be amended as the course proceeds. The class will be notified about all changes.

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