• Analyse, reflect and evaluate authentic design problems from a user, usage and participatory design perspective as well as identify and critically reflect upon the scientific basis for Design for Use and Users.

Content, structure, and teaching

Human and Computers:

Interaction design integrates theory and creative practice. In the course we focus on the user interface and work with idea generation, conceptualization, design and evaluation (the design LifeCycle). The theoretical point of departure is the human being: sense making, story telling and interaction. This theoretical foundation is integrated with methods and techniques in the design process and with the designer’s creative competencies.

The aim is to enable students to design and evaluate ICT systems through:

· A theoretical introduction to different understandings of human beings (economical man, social man, emotional man, creative man, user)

· Theories and methods in analysis, design and development

· Test and evaluation of user interfaces

The course is divided into 3 themes:

· Theories of cognition and knowledge

· Visual communication and interaction

· Human-computer Interaction (HCI): theories and methods in design, test and evaluation of interfaces

Theories of cognition and knowledge:

The aim is to enable students to understand and reflect critically upon a) who designers are designing for (which human beings) and b) how human beings acquire knowledge of the world and develop understanding and insight.

Visual communication and interaction:

The aim is to enable students to understand visual communication, visual interaction. The theme builds on visual cognition but focuses on the interfaces and draws on the world of photography, of art and of science.

Human-computer Interaction (HCI):

Theories and methods in design, test and evaluation of interfaces: The aim is to enable students to acquire understanding of and experience with different methods and techniques in the design LifeCycle.

The course will start with a general introduction, followed by two consecutive parts the aim of which is to ensure knowledge sharing:

1. Part of course: On the basis of interest the students will choose her/his focus in the LifeCycle design process: pre-analysis, idea generation and conceptual design, product design or evaluation.

2. Part of course: The students will form project groups (across the LifeCycle) so that each project group covers all phases in the LifeCycle. It is in the project groups that students write their reports and develop their products.