Prototyping Digital Futures module (DJ22013)

When designing and developing new products and experiences, you require an understanding of the setting in which they'll exist.

The role of the designer is not only to create something beautiful and functional. It is also to understand and appreciate the relationship between this new product/experience and its intended user.

You will explore ways in which society impacts and determines the success of developing technologies.

You will create meaningful prototypes to test out ideas and understand user experience and perception.

There will be several briefs set out in this module to build experience in prototyping and user engagement skills.

The briefs will vary from quite constrained to very open. This will give you the opportunity to develop and define your own course of study and interests.

You will be able to use workshops, the digital make space, and equipment loans.

What you will learn

In this module, you will:

• explore emerging interaction opportunities among society, technology, and artefacts
• learn methods and techniques for understanding users’ needs and desires
• develop techniques and methods for concept generation
• build low-fidelity and high-fidelity prototypes
• explore methods and testing techniques

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

• use a range of ideation techniques
• do meaningful user research and user testing
• create different types of prototypes
• assess the success of your concept or prototype
• undertake an iterative design process

Assignments / assessment

• portfolio (100%)

This module does not have a final exam.

Teaching methods / timetable

• seminars
• workshops
• tutorials
• studio crits
  • these are student presentations to the class group, followed by formative feedback from tutors and class discussion)

Project work may combine individual and team work.

Typically there are two design challenge days in the module. These will allow you to improve your skills in a particular area.

Additionally, there is usually a user testing day in the module.