SADI 2007 - StoryTelling

Course Description

StoryTelling objects (Physical Computing)
Instructors: John Ho Lee, David Cuartielles and Interaction Design Lab staff at SADI
Weeks 36-46
Workshop/Studio: Th. 9.15-12.00, 13.00-18.00, 19.00-??
Location: SADI, PD Studio year 2

Purpose

This course is an introduction to current thoughts in interaction design on personal technologies and embodiment, and its implications for the development of ubiquitous computing, interactive services, wearables and augmented reality environments.

We will focus on artifact semiotics, or the meaning that the final users will make out of the interaction design objects. We will look for ways to convene the story (thus the meaning) together with the device. We will start with basic storytelling through physical forms and slowly move towards our own symbolic language of the object.

Goal

Upon completion of the course, students will be well acquainted with current thought and practice in interaction design, ranging from perceptual psychology and the senses to social interaction. Through the use of the microprocessor technology students will learn to apply theoretical design concepts to the prototyping of interactive devices that integrate sensors and broaden user experience beyond conventions.

Content

Topics within interaction design to be covered will include senses, personal technologies, narrative/post-optimal functionality and social interaction, interactive installations, artefacts and exhibition design. Examples of interactive installations and artefacts will be shown in lectures.

Pedagogical forms and methods

The course will include lectures, discussion seminars and design critique sessions, as well as electronics labs and design workshops. The sessions will happen once a week in a fashion of a studio centred activity were eventually external guests will be invited to evaluate, test, or grade the produced concepts.

Interaction Design lab/Weekly Workshops

Students will be divided into smaller work groups, which will have the chance to meet the team through the week to ask questions, gather materials, or propose solutions. On Thursdays all the groups will meet at the Product Design Studio (year 2) and a design workshop will take place. Each week will focus in a new interaction metaphor, or narrative endeavour.

Final project

Working in project teams, design and produce a collection of interactive prototypes of a social and personal technology (object or set of objects) to be exhibited publicly. Social means it should be designed for social situations, involving more than one user or protagonist. Personal means it should leave room for personal expression and take part in at least one person's - real or fictitious - personal stories, identity-articulations or -performances. The final prototype must be documented in a way that will fit into a museum setting, including a consideration of exhibition experience design:

• How will people understand the project?
• How will people interact with the prototype?
• How will people understand the use context (physical, personal and social) of the object?
• How does the artefact convey its story?

Each team should provide one A4 page with an exhibition version of the scenario, telling a concise story, plus high-quality photos of model and sketches. They should also hand in a video scenario on a DVD showing the prototype in action, in a comprehensive context. The prototype must communicate and work on its own, without student presence.

Using the team's own project proposal as starting point, the project will be critiqued by these criteria:

• Innovation: How innovative is the concept? What are the cultural, social and societal implications of the design?
• Craft: How are the physical and programmatical qualities of the prototype?
• Communication: How well is the concept communicated to the public?

Restrictions: Some restrictions may apply, we will avoid designing games in the first place and will try to look into emotional everyday devices instead. Mobile phone-centred concepts are not welcome unless being truly innovative and/or challenging contemporary understating of social relationships.

Examination and grades

Examination forms will be adapted to evaluate the learning objectives (see goal, above). Students will complete individual and group assignments that reinforce course content. Grades to be awarded will be following SADI standards.

Criteria for approved

• Minimum of 90% attendance at course lectures, seminars, electronics labs and design workshops
• Participation in critique seminar through discussion, oral presentations and written submissions
• Submission of milestone final project documents/demonstrations
• Participation in peer evaluations (if required)
• At least one entry in the design diary per student and week
• Development of exhibition documentation using online template
• Final group project creating a functioning interactive prototype that will be exhibited publicly

Project proposal

The project proposal should be a 7-10 pages long document that explains the prototype/collection. It should contain:

• The concept of the prototype/collection
• The context of the prototype /collection
• How the prototype/collection relates to the theme of StoryTelling Technologies (this part should have references to the literature)
• The interaction with the prototype/collection
• A technical description of the prototype/collection (this part should have references to the literature)
• One sketch of the prototype/collection
• One experience prototype scenario of the object/s in use, for inspiration see: http://www.ideo.com/case_studies/social_mobiles/SoMo3-2.html
• The circuit diagram
• Video scenario of experience prototype (Flash, etc)

Video scenario

The video scenario should present the interaction with the prototype in an elegant and involving way. The prototype should be in a realistic setting with a realistic user.

Design diary

Students will regularly reflect on their design process in a web-based, written design-diary.

Exhibition

The projects will be exhibited publicly at a venue to be determined. Every group will have to produce documentation for the exhibition (see above under the header: Final Project). The last crit. and evaluation will be at the exhibition’s venue outside exhibition hours. Exhibition documentation should be provided according to an online template to be provided by the team. The grades will be delivered after the exhibition since the participation is a criterion for approved.

Groups

Every group is to include 2 students, self-selected for each design workshop.