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Class 1. Introductions (Jan 23)
In-Class
- Getting to know each other
- Overview & syllabus
- Overview of the assignments
- Expectations for the course
assignments
- Set up a Process Website and send the instructor the link.
- Sign up to lead a discussion.
- Start collecting recycled materials ahead of next week’s assignments (NYU Stream, YouTube)
- Watch the lecture for next week and post questions and discuss on the group slack:
- Read
- Recommended
Class 2. the artificial (Jan 30)
In-Class
- Discussion and questions about the readings
- Guest: Lindsay Anderberg, Interdisciplinary Science & Technology Librarian
- Getting familiar with the NYU Library resources
- Activity: Time Machine & Artifacts Through The Ages
- Questions and assignments
assignments
- 50 Shades assignment. Document and reflect on your process on your blog.
- Watch the lecture for next week and post questions and discuss on the group slack:
- Read
- Recommended
Class 3. Craft, Sketching, & Prototyping (FEB 6)
In-Class
- Sharing of the 50 Shades project
- Discussion of readings and videos for this week
- Guest: Elizabeth New, Tandon Makerspace
- Virtual MakerSpace Tour Q&A
- Activity: Fantasy device
- Questions and assignments
assignments
- Endangered Animal assignment. Document your process thoroughly and reflect back on it in a blog post.
- Optional but HIGHLY recommended: Get in touch with the Markerspace and schedule to undergo training there on equipment you want to learn to use! If you have specific questions email tandon-makerspace@nyu.edu. Check out their workshops and events!
- Watch the lecture for next week and post questions and discuss on the group slack:
- Read
- Recommended
Class 4. Use, Affordances, & Practices (FEB 13)
In-Class
assignments
- Redesigning with Affordances assignment. Document and reflect on your process on your blog.
- Watch the lecture for next week and post questions and discuss on the group slack.
- Read
- Recommended
Class 5. Models, Metaphors & Creativity (FEB 20)
In-Class
- Sharing of the Redesigning with Affordances project
- Discussion of readings and videos for this week
- Activity: Exploring Card Decks & Metaphors
- Questions and assignments
assignments
- Begin work on the Time Capsule, Part I project. Prepare a media piece presenting and telling the stories of the objects that will go into your time capsule. Update the blog with your process documentation.
- Watch the lecture for next week and post questions and discuss on the group slack:
- Read
- Recommended
Class 6. TIME CAPSULE PROTOTYPING (FEB 27)
In-Class
- Sharing of Time Capsule Part I
- Discussion of readings and videos for this week
- Activity: Paper Prototyping
- Questions and assignments
assignments
- Time Capsule, Part II. Please sketch and prototype several versions of the capsule’s form and structure, aesthetic, and interface, choosing one final design to refine. Update the blog with your process documentation
- Read
- Recommended
Class 7. World-building & Storytelling (MAR 6)
In-Class
- Sharing of Time Capsule Part II
- Activity: Storyboarding & Stop-Motion
- Questions and assignments
assignments
- Time Capsule, Part III. Prototype your Time Capsule and write a visual narrative, experimenting with visual narrative techniques, to show the unearthing of the capsule many decades or centuries into the future. Update the blog with your process documentation.
- Please complete Self-Assessment #1 (will be shared on Slack)
- Read
- Scott McCloud, Understanding Comics Ch 4 & 6
- Iterate: Ten Lessons in Design and Failure, Ch 3
- Watch
- Optional Watch Understanding Comics (NYU Stream)
Class 8. Time capsule (MAR 13)
In-Class
assignments
- Settle on a topic and begin immersing yourself in that dimension: doing secondary research, reading papers, collecting books, articles and searching for case studies or exemplar projects in your area of research. Update your process blogs with what you’ve read and found. Prepare to share what you’ve learned.
- Watch
- Read
- Recommended
Class 9. Research For design: Exploring, Secondary Research & mess Mapping (MAR 20)
In-Class
- Discussion of readings and videos for this week
- Sharing of initial research findings
- Activity: Stakeholder Maps & Observation Techniques
- Questions and assignments
assignments
- Develop a revised stakeholder map. Choose a minimum of two design research methods from Hanington & Martin, Universal Methods of Design selection to conduct with users over the next week or so (expert interviews, observations, probes etc.). Prepare to share what you are planning and what you have learned next week during class. We will workshop these stakeholders and ideas.
- Continue immersing yourself in the literature about your topic and identify at least 3 sources of information (studies, research, reports, case studies, comparative analysis, etc.) that tightly relate and can inform your direction.
- Watch the lecture on primary research methods:
- Read
- Recommended
Class 10. Research For design: Conducting Exploratory Research (apr 3)
In-Class
- Sharing of your primary research method choices, your stakeholders, and what you have tried so far or plan to try in the near future.
- Discussion of readings and videos for this week
- Activity: Methods Hunting & Interview Playtesting
- Questions and assignments
assignments
- While continuing to explore primary research methods and engaging with users and stakeholders, begin the process of coming up with a number of quick/rough ideas on design interventions and directions you could pursue. If you can identify one that you feel more strongly about, go ahead and begin prototyping it! Be prepared to share your sketches/ideas with the class next week.
- Watch the quick lectures on:
- Read
- Recommended
Class 11. Research For design: ideation & PRototyping (APR 10)
In-Class
- Sharing of your preliminary ideas/sketches and feedback on further directions.
- Discussion of readings and videos for this week
- Activity: Ideation Exercise & Rapid Playtesting
- Activity: Analysis & Synthesis Methods
- Questions and assignments
assignments
- Based on your in-class playtesting, write a blog post reflecting back on the feedback you received, comments that stuck out to you, things you might want to change or try in future iterations based on what you saw and heard today. Iterate on your rough prototype and run some user tests on your own outside of class.
- Iterate, iterate, iterate!
- Watch
- Read
Class 12. Research For design: Analyzing Findings, SYNTHESIZING & Insights (ASYNCHRONOUS MEETING – APR 17)
In-Class
- We will meet/check in asynchronously this week and will have one-on-one meetings.
- Sharing of project updates and key insights
- Questions and assignments
assignments
- Start analyzing your findings, sort through the insights you received on user needs, wants etc., and start compiling all the interesting quotes and elements you will craft your final narrative around. Start thinking and drafting that storyline/narrative.
- Make a solid plan for how you would like to present the work, if through a how-to video, a stop-motion animation, a cover story or a project pitch, and organize the next steps.
- Prepare a draft of your showcase/presentations materials to share in class for feedback.
Class 13. Research For design: POLISHING & SHOWCASING (apr 24)
In-Class
- Sharing of presentation plan, updates, and questions
- Discussion of readings and videos for last week
- Activity: Feedback and work session in preparation for final showcase/presentations
- Questions and assignments
assignments
- Prepare to present your UX Design Research process, your final prototype (or sketches), and its rationale next week!
- Develop a video sketch (or animation or another form of visual aid) showing how your designed intervention might work and be used by stakeholders.
- Please complete Self-Assessment #2.
- Course Evaluations are online now!
Class 14. Research For design: Final presentations (may 1)
In-Class
- Final Sharing of UX Design Research Project & feedback
- Debrief and class wrap-up
- Course evaluations
assignments
- Fill in any gaps in your process blog by revisiting previous assignments that you might feel are incomplete and wrap-up project documentation! You made it!
- Please complete Self-Assessment #2.
Class 15. final submission (may 8)