Graduate Intro to Design 2

Instructor

Jeffrey Tull

This intent of this course is to inform and familiarize us with the professional practice of design - across disciplines, applications and environments.

We will address the current professional practices of both well-established and emerging or evolving fields. The current set includes:
- product design
- communication + graphic design
- design planning
- design research
- interaction design
- service design
- design education

In order to understand the state of any given practice, we will seek to learn about the skills required, activities, challenges, common tools and leading players in each field. Building on your light overview of design history, we may begin with the more �established� fields, and move forward towards �newer� areas of practice.

Your class has already spent a fair amount of time discussing design planning. All efforts will be made to avoid unnecessary duplication of content.

Developing a clear and confident means of communicating one�s value to potential employers is a common challenge faced by many ID students. We will dedicate a few weeks of class to bolstering the most basic tools for communicating with employers and colleagues ( resumes, networks, interview materials, etc.). If you want access to certain kinds of responsibilities and work, you must be prepared to demonstrate your capabilities.

Basic drawing (or visualization) capability is a required and valued part of any designers� skillset. We will dedicate a small subset of the semester to addressing this issue. The ability to quickly visualize a concept - in real time, even at low fidelity - is an extremely valuable contribution designers can bring to the table.

At the end of the semester, everyone will have more insight into the professional arena, and a more refined skillset for pursuing the path they desire.

Format & Grading

Typically, the class will begin with a presentation or conversation for the first half, proceeding to break-out sessions or project work in the second half. Though the class style is casual, attendance & constructive participation are vital.

Whenever possible, the class will engage with a guest speaker or field trip, aligned with a specific area of practice, to provide grounded exposure to a field. The scheduling of guests' participation is typically volatile � so expect regular changes in sequencing.

Individual grading will be based performance on the following criteria:
- regular attendance
- completion of all assignments
- constructive contributions to class activities
- quality content + form of presentations + assignments
- resourcefulness + demonstrated progress