Course Description
Exploration of current technologies and their significance to interactive and screen-based design.
Welcome to Interaction Design! What is Interaction Design? Simply put, Interaction Design is the practice of solving problems and shaping our everyday lives through digital artifacts. Another way of saying this: when designers (so, you) think through the world and their practice with digital tools, and create digital experiences (whatever that might be), they’re Interaction Designers. Congrats!
Some slap the label of “UX/UI” on things and call it a day; while not incorrect, this mindset really limits how we can think about our roles as designers working with the digital. In this course, we’ll unpack our relationship with digital experience, both as producers and consumers, and explore design principles relating to dynamic media and understand how good design should take advantage of the digital both formally and conceptually. We will create accommodating, flexible systems that will change in response to its environment and users.
Ultimately, this course is an introduction to digital design, and will serve as a jumping off point for deeper investigation into the digital. By exploring the history of human/digital interaction, and by engaging with the current state of technology as it applies to a design practice, students will learn how to design complex interactive projects, undertaking comprehensive research and directing their thinking process from brainstorming to final outcome.
Objectives
- Expand understanding of typography, color, structure, and form as they apply to digital spaces.
- Demonstrate successful application of the Language of Vision principles as they relate to digital work.
- Develop a deeper understanding of the design strategies behind digital experiences.
- Learn a design workflow that integrates user research, testing, wire-framing, prototyping, and development into a final product.
- Develop a practice that builds user accessibility in from an empathetic and holistic perspective.
- Develop a working proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, HTML/CSS, and Javascript.
- Learn contemporary best practices, standards, and processes.
Final Exhibition
On our class website, we will post all of our Projects (hosted on Glitch). We will have final showcase for your work that will project and celebrate your products this will occur on May 9th from 3:30pm-6:00pm.
We will ask you all to arrive a bit early (~30 minutes) to help organize the space, and please invite your friends, family, and educators to attend!
You will be designing a “homepage” for yourself. Using a thoughtful grid system, compose three unique directions for a single-page, personal website that describes your design practice and your theory of Interaction Design (as it stands today). You will be restricted to typography, color, and your Language of Vision (LoV) tools - i.e., no images or video components.
Design Competency: HTML/CSS
Project Due: February 19th
With a modular design approach, we will be learning the workflow of creating a design system from the ground up using the Atomic Design method. We will also be identifying and classifying some essential UI elements, and exploring how they can be utilized in deliberate ways in order to define the structure, flow, and look of a digital product.
Design Competency: HTML/CSS
Project Due: March 24th
Project 3: Container Technologies
After considering the atomic parts in the previous project, we will assemble a collection of containers, surveying the world around us to develop a single website. Through in-class workshops, we will also jump into Javascript libraries (specifically, P5 and JQuery) to build abstractions of our collections.
Design Competency: HTML/CSS/JS
Project Due: April 7th
You will create a link chain that will guide the user flow of an app design. Starting from a splash page, you will design an experience that takes a user from the start through the end of your chain. Consider user flow, navigation standards, and the constraints of the mobile device in your design.
Design Competency: HTML/CSS/JS
Project Due: April 23rd
We’re asking you to develop a portfolio website to showcase your design work. You will use your skillsets developed over the course of the semester to build this project and use a CMS (Content Management System) to organize your work on the backend.
Design Competency: HTML/CSS/JS
Project Timeline: May 9th
Crit Philosophy
1. Concept:
At the beginning of any project, I'll ask you to figure out your concept through writing and sketches (either drawn or digital). At this stage, your goal is to articulate your intentions (aesthetic and conceptual) to your classmates and me. Give us some options!
Key questions:
- What do you need to have and what would be nice to have?
- How can we avoid any time traps?
- How much will the final product cost?
- Are going to bite off more than they can chew? Keep in mind, if you haven't done something before, then multiply your estimated time by 3 (so, if you think it will take you 3 hours, it will take about 9 hours).
- What skills will I need to learn to achieve this concept? Where will I look?
- Does this concept meet the assignment?
2. Prototype:
Now, the rubber has met the road, and we need to see whether your design(s) has developed successfully, or whether the directions you took deviate distractingly from your concept.
Key questions:
- What do you want your designs to do, and how can the class help you with multiple options to achieve that goal?
- As a professor, I want to avoid art-directing your work, so that I'm not applying my aesthetic to your work. For this reason, how can we identify the elements that are working ("rose"), need development ("bud"), or distract from your goal ("thorn")?
- What should you put energy into? Do your priorities match what the class's priorities, and how can you communicate any deviations you might have?
3. Polish:
In the home stretch, we are trying to make smaller adjustments (usually as a checklist). At this point, I want you to specifically make sure we're catching anything inconsistent or unpleasantly surprising.
Key questions:
- What can you easily address? Unless something is noticeably not working (either not functioning, glitching, or illegible), you should not try to change your whole direction. It's rare for a complete rewrite to be as successful as a thorough tweaking.
- How will you document this design for your portfolio?
- How will you talk about the final work?
Course Assessment
Concept (30%): The idea behind the work.
- The generation and strength of the idea.
- The ultimate visual representation of your concept and how it aligns with the project's goal.
Process (40%): Growth through iteration and experimentation.
If your work has met the objective listed in the project brief it will be evaluated on the following:
- Technical growth through relevant tools.
- Conceptual growth through advancement of ideas.
- Formal growth through mastery of the Language of Vision.
- Methodological growth through research and ongoing investigation.
Professionalism (30%): Skills required to be competent in the field.
- Care in craft and final execution of work.
- Constructive participation in conversation and the evaluation of classmates’ work.
- The ability to thoughtfully listen to feedback and apply it to your work.
| Grade | Description | |
|---|---|---|
| 4.0 | Excellent | Work demonstrates a solid understanding of the project and the ability to apply this understanding to outstanding visual and, if applicable, conceptual execution. |
| 3.7 – 3.3 | Very Good | High achievement, a good understanding of the project. |
| 3.0 – 2.7 | Good | Evident understanding of the project goals and requirements. |
| 2.3 | Fair | Project met most, if not all of the minimum criteria. Needs improvement to exhibit competence. |
| 2.0 | Satisfactory | Average work, met most, if not all, of the minimum criteria for the project; project needs much improvement. |
| 1.7 – 0.0 | Unsatisfactory | Poor quality work that does not meet the project goal or objectives |
School of Design Policies
By choosing to major in this program, we are expecting that you want to be prepared for your future career. Therefore, classes, in-class critiques, in-class presentations and due dates, and associated school policies are designed to help you grow into the profession.
School of Design Class Modality Statement
Faculty in the School of Design learned from earlier required online instruction that some online activities conducted during class time in lieu of meeting in person can be advantageous for a variety of reasons. Therefore, the day-to-day class modalities are at the discretion of your course instructor. Any change in a class modality outside of an unexpected personal need will be shared with the class in advance.
Lateness Policy
Every course in the School of Design is considered a professional appointment and you are expected to come prepared. This includes arriving on time, being present during the entirety of the course times, and respecting the below-identified absence and tardy policies of the school. Students who do not come to class prepared with the required work and/or materials for the day will be asked to leave the class and be given an absence for the day.
Tardies
- Tardy = 10 minutes late to class
2 Tardies = 1 absence - You should provide the instructor the courtesy of an email beforehand alerting them of your need to be tardy. If a student needs to arrive late or leave early, the student is acknowledging that they have made a choice to interrupt the class.
- Students who leave more than 30 minutes prior to the end of class, or do not return after a class break, will receive an absence for the course. DO NOT announce during class that you need to leave early. If there is a medical situation you will need to meet with your instructor after the situation is stabilized. Likewise, students should not ask a classmate to deliver a message to the instructors. If a student has a message they should deliver it themselves.
Absences
- Students are granted a total of 4 absences either excused or unexcused. Starting with absence number 5, each missed class will result in the final course grade will be lowered by .5 (which is equal to half a letter grade). Life happens, don’t waste these.
- Negotiations on absences that fall outside the allotment granted by the attendance policy are at the discretion of the course instructor and must be submitted as follows:
- Death in the family - Follow the instructions for informing your instructor of an absence due to bereavement on the UTK Student Success notification page.
- Illness - Follow the instructions for informing your instructor of an absence due to an illness (including COVID) on the UTK Student Success notification page. Any subsequent communication with your instructor on this issue must be accompanied by a doctor’s note either paper or digital via email.
- If you expect to have a school excused absence at some point during this class, it is expected that you provide the material documenting this need to miss within the first 2 weeks of the term.
- Once you have reached 3 absences, you will be sent an email indicating you have one remaining absence. This will be ‘ccd to your advisor and notated on Navigate.
Course Incomplete
An incomplete is not a way to avoid conducting the coursework. A student must have completed at least 70% of the class with a passing grade. If this is true, then incompletes are considered for an event that is outside of the student’s control that prohibits the submission of work. The student and the instructor will be completed by yourself and the faculty which clearly outlines the reason for the request, the agreed-upon deadlines, and the scope of work to be completed.
Course Withdrawal
Per the university handbook, students who withdraw from the class will receive either a withdrawal passing (WP) or withdrawal fail (WF) based on the work that has been completed by the student at the time of withdrawal. It is the student’s responsibility to alert the faculty of their need to withdraw.
After Class Faculty Contact
All questions should be asked during class. Please do not wait until the class ends to approach the faculty with a question, chances are there are other students with the same inquiry. Faculty provide office hours to assist students as needed outside of class time, please note the time on the syllabus. Emails sent to faculty will be returned as the faculty is able to reply. Should the question be more relevant to the entire class, faculty will provide answers during class.
- Your responsibility as the student:
- Touch base with your instructor within the first two weeks of school, or upon receiving an accommodation to discuss your personal accommodation needs.
- Touch base with your instructor within the first two weeks of school, or upon receiving an accommodation to discuss your personal accommodation needs.
- My responsibility as the instructor:
- Upon notification of your accommodation, I will engage with the student disability portal and ensure I am fully aware of your accommodations. Should there be a concern about your needs relative to the course, I will reach out to your care coordinator to share this concern.
Disability Accommodations
Student Disability Services will work with students and faculty to coordinate reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities. Any student who feels he or she may need accommodations based on the impact of a disability should contact the Student Disability Services (SDS) to document their eligibility for services as soon as they are aware of this issue.
NOTE: Accommodations received in the middle of the term are not retroactive.
Name and Pronoun Accommodations
If you use a name and/or pronouns other than what is in the course roll, please email me with the name and/or pronouns that you would like me to use and I will be glad to accommodate this request.
I use the pronouns he/him.
University Civility Statement -- http://civility.utk.edu
Civility is genuine respect and regard for others: politeness, consideration, tact, good manners, graciousness, cordiality, affability, amiability, and courteousness. Civility enhances academic freedom and integrity and is a prerequisite to the free exchange of ideas and knowledge in the learning community. Our community consists of students, faculty, staff, alumni, and campus visitors. Community members affect each other’s well-being and have a shared interest in creating and sustaining an environment where all community members and their points of view are valued and respected. Affirming the value of each member of the university community, the campus asks that all its members adhere to the principles of civility and community adopted by the campus.
Emergency Alert System - http://safety.utk.edu
The University of Tennessee is committed to providing a safe environment to learn and work. When you are alerted to an emergency, please take appropriate action. Learn more about what to do in an emergency and sign up for UT Alerts. Check the emergency posters near exits and elevators for building-specific information.
In the event of an emergency, the course schedule and assignments may be subject to change. If changes to graded activities are required, reasonable adjustments will be made, and you will be responsible for meeting revised deadlines.
Academic Integrity
Each student is responsible for his/her personal integrity in academic life and for adhering to UT’s Honor Statement. The Honor Statement reads: “An essential feature of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville is a commitment to maintaining an atmosphere of intellectual integrity and academic honesty. As a student of the university, I pledge that I will neither knowingly give nor receive any inappropriate assistance in academic work, thus affirming my own personal commitment to honor and integrity.”
Your Role in Improving the Course through Assessment
At UT, it is our collective responsibility to improve the state of teaching and learning. During the semester you may be requested to assess aspects of this course either during class or at the completion of the class. You are encouraged to respond to these various forms of assessment as a means of continuing to improve the quality of the UT learning experience.
University Honor Statement
An essential feature of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville is a commitment to maintaining an atmosphere of intellectual integrity and academic honesty. As a student of the university, I pledge that I will neither knowingly give nor receive any inappropriate assistance in academic work, thus affirming my own personal commitment to honor and integrity.
Disclaimer on AI chatbots
Learning a new skill is a challenging and iterative process, at times messy. It’s in these moments of frustration that we allow ourselves to grow and have a new experience. Do not rob yourself of the opportunity to do that.
That being said, students are allowed to use AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Google Bard, GitHub Copilot or Overflow AI as a supplementary tool to enhance their learning experience during this class. These chatbots are a powerful learning aid that can be used to:
- Proofread code you already wrote
- Add an explanation to why the code is or isn’t working so that you can understand it better
- Debug and catching typos
It is important to maintain a philosophy of learning, critical thinking, and independent problem-solving throughout the class and to open ourselves up to the mental space of being challenged. AI chatbots can help you understand your code better and help you identify typos, however, it is not a substitute for learning how to code yourself, or developing creative solutions to the projects. Hands-on coding, visual experimentation, and diligence are all important skills in becoming a designer, and we should commit to developing these skills in the classroom and beyond. Using an AI chatbot to complete your entire project is not permitted, nor can it be used for generating ideas. If you choose to do this, the person you’re disadvantaging is yourself.
Wellness
Center for Health, Education, and Wellness manages 974-HELP, the distressed student protocol, case management, the Sexual Assault Response Team, and the Threat Assessment Task Force.
The Student Counseling Center is the university’s primary facility for personal counseling, psychotherapy, and psychological outreach and consultation services.
Your Academic Coach can help you improve your skills and performance. Working with an academic coach can help you study smarter by developing skills in time management, goal setting, and test preparation through a personalized, one-on-one meeting. Make an appointment with your academic coach through Navigate. (This coach is NOT an academic advisor. Program-related questions should be directed to the School of Design Advisor).
Your Academic Advisor can help to answer any questions or concerns you have regarding the Graphic Design degree, School of Design, or College of Architecture and Design.