Learning Tools and Activities
In addition to their core project, participants in this course will engage with a series of texts and activities, discuss them together, and share their reflections on the progress of their projects in the context of the history and theory of co-design. Learning activities may include:
- Attending virtual community events
- Working with community partner throughout the semester
- Creative writing
- Documenting and sharing the co-design process
- Engaging with class texts and discussions
- Creating paper prototypes, storyboards, and/or mockups
- Conducting peer review of each others’ work
- Completing multiple project iterations
- Project presentation at the end of the term (public presentation by design teams, including community partners)
- Project reflections
Project
The studio project is done in groups. Its deliverables include a project proposal, final presentation, and design book.
Journal
Over the course of the semester, students are expected to keep a journal in which they respond to the readings and the journal prompts.
Activities
Stakeholder Interview
Interview a community mentor in the class. Explore how and why they do what they do. Document. If the interview is conducted over Zoom, it might be productive to record it, so you don’t have to worry about taking notes during the interview (and you can pay attention to the person with whom you’re talking). Create 2–3 slides that contain summary and high level insights from the interview. This guide to empathy interviews is useful.
Problem Definition Worksheet
With your group, and factoring in input from interviews, answer the questions in the problem definition worksheet. Prepare a 5–7 minute presentation to share in class.
Problem Definition Worksheet (PDF) (DOCX)
Research Phase Results
Groups report on their interviews or data collection over the last few weeks. What methods did you use? Why did you use those methods?
Workshops
Workshops are in-class activities.
Memorandum of Understanding and Research Ethics Workshop
This interactive workshop will give you the opportunity to develop a memorandum of understanding and agreed-upon research ethics that works for your project.
Evaluation Workshop
Develop a realistic evaluation plan.
Paper Prototyping Workshop
Groups will make a paper prototype for testing, or, as is more likely, groups will make a digital paper prototype for remote testing.
User Testing Workshop
Design a user test that maximizes insights. Consider how many people you are testing with, how they provide feedback, and how you make sense of it.
