The following project sequence is worth 20% of your final grade.
Organize your materials into three parts: collection of data, production of ideas, and reflection on terms and methodology.
Part 1
Investigate the design of any physical artifact of your choosing that you can interact with and photograph locally. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- vending machine
- car stereo
- laundry machine
- mechanical pencil
- office chair
- game controller
- scissors
- wristwatch
- photocopier
Excluded from this list are computer software, web and mobile applications, ebooks, and other digital interfaces.
What does it mean to investigate the design of this artifact? Approach the artifact as if for the first time and document every signifier that makes itself visible to you as you engage with it. You might include photographs of the object and/or technical drawings of the object’s interface. This stage of the project is primarily descriptive.
Part 2
Choose one of the following options for the productive stage of this project:
- Propose a futuristic iteration / redesign of this object. Your proposal might take any one of the following forms: (1) a technical drawing; (2) a visual representation; and/or (3) a creative description.
- Research the object’s historical and cultural properties. Wikipedia is an excellent starting point, but you’ll need to research authoritative library sources in order to produce strong assessment of the object’s design over time and place.
Part 3
Write a reflection on your work in part 2 that engages with the terms and concepts you have learned in this unit, including, for example, affordances, signifiers, conceptual models, creative process, How and Why, interactive interfaces, etc.
If you chose option 1, describe your creative process and technical methods in creating your object. If you chose option 2, describe your research process and methods.
Output and Submission
Format your project in the form of a report: Design Project Template
Save your document as a PDF file. Save as: 1Lastname.pdf
Submit your final draft to our shared Dropbox folder before 11:59pm on Sep. 26.