About This Course

This course continues the Interaction Design and Social Entrepreneurship long-term study. Students will conduct research and synthesize data relating to that research, in the context of a humanitarian and social problem space. Students will gather data through qualitative methods of contextual research, analyze that data, and begin to identify trends, patterns, insights and opportunities for design.


Core Concepts and Ideas

This class emphasizes the following main ideas, themes, and concepts:

  • Design research, applied, in order to gain empathy and understand the human needs associated with a given social problem
  • Synthesis, applied, in order to manage complexity, identify patterns, formulate hypotheses, describe insights, and identify opportunities
  • Client management, applied, to understand the economic and political issues present when attempting to intervene in large-scale social problems.

Reading List

Outcomes and Competencies

The following outcome statements articulate the competencies, abilities, and skills a student will have as a result of completing this class. Students will...

  • Be able to identify patterns and trends in the context of a particular large-scale social problem
  • Identify opportunities for interaction design solutions that can positively impact and affect human behavior on a large, social scale
  • Identify opportunities for business models based on research and synthesis
  • Begin to identify design constraints and parameters in which to build and prototype design solutions
  • Interact with stakeholders in both a proactive and reactive manner

Course Schedule

    In Class Out of Class

1

11/3

Lecture/Discussion: [1] Our Research & Synthesis Process; Affinity Diagramming

Discussion: Creating a Research Wall

Worksheet: [A] Focus Statement Generation

Worksheet: [B] Research Plan Creation

Individual Q1 reflection meetings with Jon & Jan

Form a team.

Establish focus.

Build a research and ethnography plan.

Begin ethnography. Refine ethnographic plan, recruit participants. Begin conducting ethnography with various users and constituents.

Begin foundational research. Refine stakeholder research plan, conduct stakeholder interviews, perform site visits.

Read Exposing the Magic of Design, p76-100, 104-158

2

11/10

Discussion: Initial Findings

Discussion: Research Findings & Initial Affinity Diagram

Work in Class: Research Transcription, Affinity Diagram Creation

Lecture: [2] Insight Combination

Continue ethnography and foundational research.

Begin to document research (transcription)

Begin to create affinity diagram scaffold

Read Theory of Change: A Practical Tool for Action, Results & Learning

Read The Logic Model for Program Planning and Evaluation

3

11/17

Lecture: [3] Theory of Change & Logic Model

Discussion: Insights

Work in Class: Identify patterns; begin Insight Combination

Guest:Raymond Hawkins, PhD

Finalize affinity diagram, concept mapping and visual representations

Identify and extract major insights

Business Model Ideation

Design Ideation

Insight Combination to develop 150 visual business ideas

4

11/24

No Class – Thanksgiving

Insight Combination to develop 150 visual business ideas

5

12/1

Presentation: 3 Business Directions

Worksheet [C] Basic Financial Modeling

Work in Class: UI Development – Hero Flow

Guest: Frank Lyman and Michael Crosno

Ideation and Conceptualization

UI Development

6

12/8

Work in Class: UI Development – Hero Flow

Guest: Gary Chou, Union Square Ventures

Ideation and Conceptualization

UI Development

7

12/15

Work in Class: UI Development – Hero Flow

Ideation and Conceptualization

Hero Flow Completion

8

12/22

Final Presentations