Module: CCO4008-20 Ideation and UX Design

Level: 4

Credit Value: 20

Module Tutor: Jake Hobbs

Module Tutor Contact Details: j.hobbs@bathspa.ac.uk

1. Brief description and aims of module:

The aim of this module is to expose the full design cycle, from initial idea generation and analysis, audience research and user profiling, through interface design (across device types) and prototype development, to testing, evaluation and iteration.

As the creative problem-solving process usually requires two distinct phases, the module begins by exploring the distinctiveness and relationship between divergent thinking (ideation) and convergent thinking (idea analysis and evaluation) approaches. Building on this grounding, you will be introduced to a variety of theoretical models that will ask you to explore concepts such as originality and influence, complexity and simplicity, and the role of play and playfulness. You will put your ideas into practice as you are introduced to a wide range of practical strategies and techniques for nurturing and capturing the creative ideas of individuals and groups.

Having explored an array of different approaches and strategies for generating and evaluating ideas, you move to considering a range of existing products and experiences in order to gain an understanding of the factors behind what typically ‘works’ and what doesn’t in specific contexts. Following this, you develop an idea for a digital product that is designed to address the requirements of a specific target audience yet retains a sense of innovation and surprise. During the process you learn how to acquire and evaluate data as a way of identifying user needs and will be introduced to the key principles of effective interface design and methods of usability testing. By the end of the module, you should have a foundational understanding of experience design that can (and should) be applied to any artefact you develop both as a student and as a professional.

2.Outline syllabus

There are two key components of the module’s syllabus:

1. The module begins with an introduction to perspectives on creativity, convergent and divergent thinking, approaches to experimentation and risk-taking, and the meanings and role of originality and novelty. We then move to explore a range of ideation and creative problem-solving techniques such as visualisation, attribute listing, mind mapping, metaphorical thinking, serious play, lateral thinking, parallel thinking, and idea incubation, for example. You explore these principles and their application individually and in groups within a variety of hands-on, practical contexts and in workshops designed to challenge and enhance your creative problem-solving abilities. These activities will allow you to develop competency and accelerate proficiency in the use of different creative thinking approaches and techniques.

2. The second part of the module builds on your approaches to creative thinking and problem solving by focusing on developing, prototyping and evaluating a digital product. This will involve conducting audience research to identify user needs; creating empathy maps and storyboards; developing, testing and evaluating prototypes through iterative design processes. You will explore approaches to high and low fidelity prototyping as well as wireframing and defining a minimum viable product. Workshops and exercises will introduce key principles in interface design and user experience along approaches to user testing and gathering feedback on your prototypes.

3.Teaching and learning activities

Class Hours:

Ideation and Design Thinking adopts a workshop format. You are introduced to key principles and related theory via discussion and guided demonstration, before undertaking mini briefs that help you consolidate your knowledge. Some tasks are designed to be tackled individually, yet others follow practices found in industry where design roles are distributed across small teams. The aim here is that you form both a personal approach to experience design and an understanding of how projects are negotiated in the real world.

Independent Learning:

As a university student, it is expected that you develop and extend your knowledge outside of class hours. Tutors provide guidance on where you personally should be concentrating your efforts.

Assessment Item 1:

• Assessment Type: CW

• Description: Live Creative Challenge

• % Weighting: 20%

Assessment Item 2:

• Assessment Type: CW

• Description: Experience Design Portfolio

• % Weighting: 80%