Interface Design Studio

An Introduction and Course Overview

Interface Design is a broad field that builds upon a foundation in fine art and graphic design and dovetails with multiple domains such as communications, computer science, art, and human-computer-interaction. This class is an opportunity for students to go in depth into a particular area of focus of their choosing by embracing the studio model of learning and the full design process for interface design.

One of the limitations of any digital media curriculum is the opportunity to cover all facets of the field due to the rapidly changing environment of the industry. New technologies and techniques are developed faster than the rate that any one curriculum can address. This course is designed to provide an opportunity for students to choose a project that suits their individual goals and style of self-learning. Projects may include a large-scale web site using a content management system, or a video that uses advanced motion graphics, or a fine art gallery installation, or an advertising campaign that spans multiple media, or a web application designed for a mobile device. The possibilities are endless.

The structure of the course is determined by the creative process. A project schedule, deliverables, and milestones are set forth to maintain a path for student success. Group critiques are integral for discourse and quality assurance.

Major Assignments

Overview of the Major Projects for this Course.

Calendar

A monthly overview of the semester

Lessons

A Week-by-Week Breakdown

[ content coming soon ]

Quotes

Random quotes that are relavent to this class

"The design studio is a type of professional education, traditional in schools of architecture, in which students undertake a design project under the supervision of a master designer. Its setting is the loft-like studio space in which anywhere from twelve to as many as twenty students arrange their own drawing tables, papers, books, pictures, drawings and models. In this space, student spend much of their working lives, at times talking together, but mostly engaged in private, parallel pursuits of the common design task"

Schon, Donald. (1983). The reflective practitioner: How professionals think in action. New York: Basic Books.
Lackey, J. A. (1999). 'A History of the Studio-based Learning Model.' Accessed 12th April 2005.

"Studio-based learning has emerged from the design discipline of architecture. Lackey (1999) identifies the important features of studio-based learning, setting the design problem, periodic lectures, critique of student work (four distinct types: desk critique; pin-up; interim/midterm critique; and final critique), and assessment by jury. In the studio, the design teacher engages the student in action-based activity. (Kvan, 2001) The relationship in this setting between teacher and student, is framed by the master-apprentice approach. (Schön, 1987) The four fundamental steps in the studio-based learning process have been described (Kvan, 2001). First, there is the formulation of the design problem, then exploration of solutions through action-based activity, followed by problem re-examination. The student recycles through these steps before the student proceeds to the final step of examination by jury."

Ellmers, G. (Ed.). (2006). Reflection and graphic design pedagogy: Developing a reflective framework to enhance learning in a graphic design tertiary environment. Proceedings of Thinking the Future: Art, Design and Creativity: ACUADAS 2006 Conference. Melbourne, 27- 29th September 2006. University of Melbourne.