Approval

The course was established 2008-04-17. This syllabus was approved 2008-05-09 by the Board of Studies at Faculty of Culture and Society. The syllabus is valid from 2008-09-01.

Purpose

The purpose of the course is to develop the students’ ability to formulate, assess and reflect on critique of digital designs. A thorough understanding of the role of critique within the field of interaction design includes skills in writing design critique, but it also includes conceptual understanding of the impact of design artefacts on culture and foundational environmental and societal conditions. The course thus develops understanding of design aspects that goes beyond functionality and technological ones and contributes to students’ abilities to express those aspects in writing, debate and in actual design proposals. The course is the final of three epistemological courses supporting the development of knowledge contribution in the course "Thesis project".

Stage

Mandatory course for the Master degree in Interaction Design.

Entry requirements

The course is a mandatory element in the study programme Interaction design, 120 higher education credits. Entry requirements are completed coursework from the first year in the Interaction design programme and completion of the course "Philosophy of Science" in the second year

Learning outcomes

Knowledge and understanding

After completing the course, the student should
• display knowledge of the role of critique in interaction design.

Skills and ability

After completing the course the student should
• display ability to fomulate and assess critique of digital designs.

Critical skills and approach

After completing the course the student should
• display ability to exercise judgement in formulating critique of digital designs that contributes to further development of knowledge in the field. In particular, the student should develop ability to formulate critique of aspects of digital designs relating to perspectives on gender, migration, ethnicity and environment.

Assessments

The course takes place as a series of seminars on different themes relating to Design as critique. In relation to these themes students write and present individual essays, develop conceptual design proposals, presents argumentation around artefacts and takes part in joiont debate. If an assignment handed in does not comply with the requirements of the course, the student is allowed to hand in additional material or an improved version of the original results. Especially assessment will be based upon the abilities to;
- reflect on general issues of design critique
- perform presentation and argumentation while taking artefacts as starting points
-developing design concepts within the field of service design and presenting how they address the theme of design as critique
-actively participating in debate grounded on a thorough reading of a central book within the field

Course content

The course covers the following themes:
• Critique and its role in other constructive and performative disciplines.
• Possibilities for critique in interaction design.
• Design and critique as a possible synthesis.

Learning activities

Apart from literature surveys the course consists of seminars on theory that are combined with practical exercises where students;
- From a designerly point of view, elaborates and presents design concepts that addresses a current design debate.
-Takes an artefact as starting point for critique
-In writing addresses instances of design.
-Orally takes active part in joint discussions on the contemporary role of design.

Grading system

Fail (U), Pass (G) or Pass with Distinction (VG).
ECTS grading system can be used on students demand.

Reading list

Entire course
Literature
MAIN READING

Thackara, J.(2005), In the Bubble – Designing in a Complex World. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

Foster, Hal (2003) Design and Crime: And Other Diatribes, Verso Culture (excerpts)

Chapman, Jonathan (2005), Emotionally Durable Design: Objects, Experiences and Empathy, Earthscan (excerpts)

Reflective Design (2005), Sengers et al. In proceedings of the 4th decennial conference on Critical computing: between sense and sensibility

Morelli, Nicola (2002), Designing product/service systems. A methodological exploration, Design Issues, Vol. 18, No. 3

Using Design Critique as Research to Link Sustainability and Interactive Technologies, Eli Blevis, Youn-kyung Lim, David Roedl, and Erik Stolterman, web resource

RECOMMENDED READING

What Things Do: Philosophical Reflections on Technology, Agency, and Design By Peter-Paul Verbeek, Robert P. Crease , 2005 , Penn State Press

Holding on to Reality: The Nature of Information at the Turn of the Millennium By Albert Borgmann
Published 1999, University of Chicago Press

Design discourse : history, theory, criticism / edited, and with an introduction and closing essay by Victor Margolin, Chicago : University of Chicago Press, 1989

Dunne, A. & Raby, F. 2002. Design Noir: The Secret Life of Electronic Objects. Birkhauser.

Course evaluation

At the end of the course, a written course evaluation is carried out.