interaction design 1 - med m/512 - fall 2007
Philip van Allen -
v a n a l l e n @ a r t c e n t e r . e d u
room 227, thursday 3:30pm-6:30pm
all materials on this web site © copyright 2007, Philip van Allen
 
course notes - people.artcenter.edu/~vanallen/






week 01 course overview, what's interaction design? -- assignment: midterm & research project, readings  
week 02 research presentations, discussion of readings, mdp web basics -- assignment: readings  
week 03 :
midterm proposal presentations (3 designs), navigation design  
week 04 discuss readings, student websites, work in class, flash basics (optional)  
week 05 :  present working prototypes
 
week 06 :  no class - work on project -- pre-assignment: interactive objects & spaces project  
week 07 midterm critiques -- assignment: wrap-up website  
week 08 IOS introduction & demonstrations, hook up a sensor -- project assignments: brief, buy tools, exercise, readings  
week 09 :  working with NETLab Connect, discuss readings  
week 10 :  final proposal presentations, exercise due, soldering  
week 11 :  thanksgiving holiday -- no class  
week 12 :  in-class work, desk crits  
week 13 :  final critiques  
week 14 :  no class  
     
 
 
     
syllabus    

description : 


A hands-on studio workshop for interaction design investigating practical and theoretical issues such as new design paradigms, project workflow, information design, interactive navigation, production methodologies, and an exploration of a full range of interaction mediums from web to screen devices to interactive objects & spaces. In addition, the course explores basic issues in interactive design such as what is good about interactive media?, what is interaction design? and what happens when every object & space has a life of it's own?


 

course structure : 

The first term of the course will focus on interface design and interactive objects & spaces. Students will design the screen interface for a non-computer application, and in the second half, explore the basics of making interactive objects & spaces.

The second term of the series will explore web based interactions including complex information systems and interactive communities. There will also be a focus on production process and strategies for complex multimedia projects.

Technical skills will be covered throughout the semester in response to student needs.

 

 
objectives : 

Upon completion of Interaction Design 1, the student should be able to:

  • Discuss contemporary issues of interactive design
  • Design with new and experimental modes of interaction
  • Design and produce an interface for a portable or embedded device
  • Design and produce interactive objects & spaces at an introductory level

 

 
prerequisite : 

Media Design Graduate Program

 

 
textbooks : 
Required    
   

 

 
materials : 

You should get an external FireWire drive for backups and extra storage. In addition, I recommend that you also get a USB Flash drive for backing up and transferring smaller projects. Assignments and projects will be delivered as physical presentations or electronically from the Art Center server.

For the IOS section of the class, you will be provided a kit that includes a Making Things Make Controller and a sensor and LED. You will need to pay a $200 Lab Fee for this and you will own it. In addition, it is likely that you will need to purchase on your own sensors, motors, construction materials, etc. to make your IOS project.

 

grading : 

Grading is determined by attendance & participation (10%), and completion of all assignments - midterm & research (45%), final & research (45%)

A grade and corresponding grade points are assigned after the completion of each class.
The grade points are used to determine semester and cumulative grade point averages (cum GPA).
The semester GPA indicates your academic progress for the semester. The cumulative GPA is an average of all semester GPAs and is used to determine scholarship eligibility, status and recommendation for degrees and honors. Please see the Student Handbook for additional guidelines. Faculty members use the following grading system:

A
A-
B+

4.00 points
3.75 points
3.50 points

B
B-
C+
3.00 points
2.75 points
2.50 point

C
C-
D+

2.00 points
1.75 points
1.50 points
D
D-
F
1.00 points
0.75 points
0.00 points (Fail)


 
code of conduct : 

ACCD Classroom Code of Conduct

Academic and Creative Honesty

Plagiarism: Plagiarism occurs when another person’s idea, language or image is borrowed or stolen in its entirety and is not properly acknowledged. When presenting written materials, the words of another must be placed within quotation marks and a reference to the source provided. We assume that artists and designers commonly draw on other artists’ work for reference or inspiration or to comment on those artists’ work. We encourage this type of exploration. However, there is a fine line between “drawing inspiration” from a piece and making a literal copy. When a student represents a literal copy of another artist’s work as his or her own, this is considered plagiarism. No student may disclose or exploit the ideas of another without that person’s express written permission.

If it is determined that a violation did take place, the department chair or the Director of Writing shall inform the student about the academic sanction for the policy violation, which can range from a warning, assignment re-do, a grade of “F” for the assignment or a grade of “F” in the course. A further sanction may be to drop the student from the course immediately and/or dismissal or suspension from the College.

Submission of same work in two courses without explicit permission to do so: Presenting all or part of work done for one course in another course requires permission of the instructors of the involved courses.

Unauthorized Collaboration: In many course activities, other than examinations, collaboration is permitted and encouraged. Course syllabi and in-class instructions will usually identify situations where collaboration is prohibited, but the student shares responsibility for ascertaining whether collaboration is permitted.

Cheating: This is a very broad category encompassing a variety of forms of misrepresentation and fraud. Cheating is defined as accepting or giving aid to another during a written exam or for a written report unless authorized by the instructor, or accepting or giving aid to another for an individual studio project unless authorized by the instructor. This includes representing another person’s work as one’s own, or buying or selling written or visual work to be turned in for a class.

Cheating includes dependence on sources other than those specifically authorized by the instructor; possession of tests or other materials before such materials have been distributed by the instructor, unless prior permission is granted; failing to abide by the instructions of the instructor with respect to test-taking procedures. Examples include sharing exam answers, presenting work done by another as one’s own, changing in any way work which may be reviewed in response to a grade reconsideration request, having a falsely identified person take an exam, or using notes, books and the like in closed-book examinations.

Policy Against Harassment

The College is committed to providing a safe environment for teaching and learning. All of us must work together to maintain an environment that is free of unlawful discrimination and/or harassment. In keeping with this commitment, the College maintains a strict policy prohibiting unlawful harassment on campus, including sexual harassment and harassment based on race, sex, gender, color, national origin, age, ancestry, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, or any other characteristic protected by law. Harassment of another individual or group, by any student or employee (including faculty and staff), or by any third parties, such as vendors or visitors, is strictly prohibited.

If you have any questions about what constitutes harassing behavior, please bring such questions to the attention of Tracy Poon Tambascia (Dean of Students and Vice President of Student Affairs) or any other senior member of the administration or faculty.

Please see the Student Handbook for additional guidelines on the above.
           

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

Students who have a documented disability must meet with the Disability Services Coordinator, Shane Hart (ext. 2323), to review the documentation and discuss required accommodations BEFORE they are implemented in the classroom. Please do not request extra time on an assignment or exam, testing in a separate environment or any other accommodation without written communication from the Disability Services Coordinator to your instructor that such accommodations are appropriate. Centralizing the accommodations approval process insures consistency and fairness for all students with documented disabilities and removes the faculty from the position of having to verify difficult and often sensitive disability issues.

The full Disability Policy can be found at http://www.artcenter.edu/accd/students/disability/disability.jsp

 

all materials on this web site © copyright 2007, Philip van Allen

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