Overview
A two-week intensive design foray, responding to local contexts as unvisualized (or even unrealized, hypothetical) as opportunities for quick ideational studies exploring the inter-relationship of branding, service, and interaction design possibilities.
For the charette, your group will focus on one local context assigned. The group will frame (identify) a mini-design system opportunity based on “imagined” design possibilities / needs. Your prior research found about the context should inform choices. This mini-system as quick-turn-around problem proposed, may or may not address all aspects of the course (B or I or Sd) equally, but starts with those genre goals in mind as a framework to conceptualize by. However, “right-scale” the work effort / expectation, as a charette. Note of warning: it all connects! You can easily get lost on idea tangents, and ever-expanding concept maps, etc. Develop visual explorations, that support your core question (and a ‘primary’ visual genre, others hinted at).
Work as a team. Also, document process as a compelling design story evolving over time. You have roughly two weeks, to reflect, then act / make! ‘Suggested’ problems or possibilities are listed in each brief. The group decides, after some quick preliminary research. Use the prescribed design methods (user journey maps, affinity diagrams, scenario-building, etc.) listed throughout the brief, and support material provided, to support your process and focus.
As consistent with the concept of a design charette, your outcomes should be ‘conversation starters’ – iterative and refined, practical and speculative. Be able to communicate your work (process and outcomes), to others – outside of the class, and online. Student teams will be expected to work / meet during class days, and group-determined non-class days. In particular, some ‘field work’ is expected (required) – in other words, make effort to visit (find) and visualized these starting point spaces..
Objectives
- Do quick deep-dive research, then imagine
- Quickly define a specific design problem, then act / make
- Speculate / ideate on related system components
- Design within tight deadlines / high constraints
- Use / learn specific design methods, within B/I/SD
- Work in a small teams, divide/decide labor effectively
- Learn appropriate documentation methods as design process
Deliverables
- Documented process at each step and final artifacts: 3 to 5 minute video presentation. “Demo” of concept, etc.
- Printed classroom wall display –”holding the evidence still” (curated all, annotated). 36 x 50 inches
- Reflection on the charette experience on the course website, after project complete
- Link to your own personal site / platform where the charette results are documented
Faculty Assigned Contexts and Two-Week Teams
Access each PDf /links below.
River Walk for Raleigh – basic design prompt
Group A: ….Trevor, Kenzie, Eden, Stephanie, Christian B.
Group B: ….Megan, Ashley, Nicole, Julia, Jack R.
Group C: ….Jevon, Allona, Sarah S., Anatasia, Marcie
Duke Beltline Trail – basic design prompt
Group D: ….Jasmine, Sydney, Madeline, Nick H.
Group E: ….Samah, Arianna, Connor, Allison, Logan L.
Group F: ….Abigail, Kayla, Anina, Nikita, Matthew R.
Research and Imagining (Step 1)
Quickly research as an individual, first starting with the provided links. Then dig deeper, finding more research links on your / group own, etc. As a group discussion, interrogate the assigned context. Think in terms of the richness of each opportunity, reflecting on the provided provocations or questions. Imagine a design problem( visualized “idea”) than can be accomplishable within the design charette period, roughly two weeks for ideation. Keep users in focus, that is, things people do, or want to do – that you can also experience, know as an hypothesis (at least). Understand, assess, your own group’s collective skill set. To help you concept, consider this list of UX behaviors as general categories for imagining a design experience, or tool needed. Write about your idea selected or thought of (referencing at least 3 behaviors considered, etc.) through a posting to this course site. One combined post per team. Use your assigned context / site as the title of the post. At this point, these are still tentative choices, but reasoned courses of possible action, process, and outcomes imagined.
Experiencing and documenting (Step 2)
Decide the team’s direction. What will you do, as an ‘idea’? How connected to use scenarios, or ‘story’ concept? Where / how will you specifically document? Then, visit your assigned site, document – experience directly, as best you can. Be investigative and or adventure-oriented. Your own group process (discussion, group debate, fear of unknown / site – or in-search of so and so) could be, part of the documented story you should tell. Or something more straightforward as documentation of assigned context, plus residual process. Take notes, photographs, etc. It may be useful (or even necessary) to pair up with a teammate and assist each other in field work, to avoid isolation or redundancy. You must plan ahead, and NOT rely only on class time to get this done. Remember, document every step of process along the way — it’s part of your deliverable story.
Defining / Refining (Step 3)
For the end of week 1, and beginning of week 2, the majority of your work attention should be towards making / ideating. Don’t go through too much analysis paralysis. Hence, you should have already ‘defined’ and acted upon the selected question. No indecision. The main work and responsibilities are settled. Work through the specific design methods (practices), that render form and knowing. Read: Scenarios, Personas & User Journey Maps. In addition, by now, the primary genre (BISd) is decided upon, that the group may choose to focus the bulk of their effort on. For reference, read (from the course blog – primers), Branding, Interaction, Service Design.
Representing / Presenting (Step 4)
Deliverables are specified in the above discussion. Each context is suggestive of visual genres that ‘may’ be used, be appropriate (BISd). Based on how you solve the problem-at-hand, there are allowances for variance as contextual. For process documentation, and as means of discovery, you are encouraged to experiment. For example, (optional) your on-going process updated each day to instagram /Facebook, google snap shots, AR /VR panoramic visualizations, etc. The goal (outside of ourselves, as studio viewers) is to externalize the effort. Start a broader conversation, with others. As basic requirement, you must be able to share the end presentation digitally, as an organized curated story. Think kickstarter-like presentation (3 to 5 minute video, for the web), etc.. In addition, provide the physical (printed) document – 36 x 50, as visual curated story.
Reflection (Step 5)
Again, here are the details for Reflection writing, as required posting to this course site.
Inspiration:
Below are some examples of what’s expected in terms of the scope of problem (how much you can likely do, etc.), and quality – by students and professionals.
One-week studies, seniors
Rethinking the Post Office Experience Through Technology and Service Design
Branding the future light rail transit system
Two-week studies, professionals
http://smashingboxes.com/blog/what-cities-stand-to-gain-from-a-strong-brand
http://www.paultuorto.com/rebrand-raleigh
NCSU alum Zack Davenport’s brand site
6-STEPS IN DESIGN THINKING – Sarah Gibbons (COD Alum, circa 2010)
https://www.nngroup.com/articles/design-thinking/
GD301_Branding, Interaction, Service Design 