Readings

• Ray Bradbury, “The Veldt” (1950)
• Bret Victor, “A Brief Rant on the Future of Interaction Design” (2011)
• Aubrey Anable, “Casual Games, Time Management, and the Work of Affect” (2013)
• Don Norman, The Design of Everyday Things (2013)
• Anita Sarkeesian, “Tropes vs. Women in Video Games”
• Barbie the Engineer (Remix); Feminist Hacker Barbie
• Caitlin  Winner, “How We Changed the Facebook Friends Icon” (2015)
• Charles Pulliam-Moore, “Coding Diversity into Keyboards One Emoji At a Time” (2014)
• Paige Tutt, “Apple’s New Diverse Emoji Are Even More Problematic Than Before” (2015)

Additional Resources

• Design Thinking: Learn How to Solve Problems Like a Designer
• An Introduction to Design Thinking: Process Guide
• The Gift-Giving Project (Worksheets)

Blog Posts

Blog Post 5: Digital Signifiers

1. Action: Examine the design of one of your favorite websites, apps, or social media tools. Look for design details that communicate culture or identity. For example, the Facebook Friends Icon features the silhouettes of a male and a female. Take a screenshot of the design element for your blog.
2. Reflection: Analyze the design feature in terms of its function, its audience, and who it (perhaps unintentionally) includes or excludes. How would you revise the design feature and why?

Blog Post 6: Is There An App for That?

1. Action: Imagine a smartphone app that can do the unthinkable (think sci-fi). Describe what it does and how it works. Design at least one image of the app (either by hand or using software) that renders the app in terms of a single page, frame, or icon. Post the image to your blog.
2. Reflection: Analyze how this app works and why it is important. Consider the purpose of this app on a large cultural scale: “the app that changed the world.” What social or cultural issues can this app address?

Project

For your Digital Culture project, you will imagine and design a new digital tool or object that responds to a contemporary cultural issue. You might build on your ideas from the App blog post, or develop a new idea for a set of Emoji. In terms of cultural issues, you might address an issue of class, nationality, disability, age, race, ethnicity, gender, religion, or sexuality.

Objectives

• Demonstrate awareness of how culture impacts design and digital environments
• Demonstrate awareness of human-centered design thinking and design processes
• Demonstrate awareness of the basic conventions in writing and communicating your ideas

Present your work in three sections, using a memo template in your word processing software. Sample template here.

Section 1: Analysis of the Cultural Issue

In this section, describe the contemporary cultural issue that your design will address. Identify current examples (apps, emoji, website design) that overlook the problem you seek to give voice to. Include at least one image of an existing digital artifact that you are analyzing.

Requirements:

1. Address at least one digital culture issue in terms of class, nationality, disability, age, race, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexuality, or other area.
2. Include at least ONE image (screenshot from the web).
3. Length: 300-400 words

Section 2: Design Proposal

In this section, present your design, including at least one original digital image, and analyze how your design communicates specific cultural meanings.

Requirements:

1. Detail the elements of your design, focusing on human-centered design decisions.
2. Include at least ONE image created by you (drawing, photograph, digital design).
3. Length: 300-400 words

Section 3: Reflection

In this section, reflect on your design and the design process, connecting your decisions and insights to at least two texts from this unit.

Requirements:

1. Emphasize the cultural implications of your design. How will your design impact our culture?
2. Refer to at least two texts from the Digital Culture unit.
3. Length: 300-400 words

Rubric

Concerns (Areas that Need Work)	Meets Criteria (Standards for This Performance)	Advanced (Evidence of Exceeding Standards)
	Cultural Awareness Demonstrate awareness of how culture impacts design and digital environments, as evidenced by your analysis of specific cultural issues and exploration of solutions in your design
	Human-Centered Design Thinking Demonstrate awareness of human-centered design processes, which include researching, interviewing, prototyping, and testing your ideas, as evidenced by your reflection on your design process
	Connections Demonstrate attention to the course readings and how they connect to your explorations in design thinking
	Writing Conventions Demonstrate awareness of the basic conventions in writing and communicating your ideas, as evidenced by proofreading, descriptive language, and reflection