STUDY PROGRAMME
Design

AFAM CODE
ABPR17

DISCIPLINARY AREA
Design

DISCIPLINARY FIELD
Project culture

CREDITS
8

APPROACH
Theoretical/project based

The programme aims at a deeper understanding of design culture-related topics. In particular, on the social aspects of projects, as well as on sustainability and use of resources.

Social design: the needs of society are explored through design-oriented thinking processes. Designers can create positive and sustainable futures, starting from a deep understanding of the current situation. On this programme, students discover that creativity is not only linked to art, but to every aspect of our veryday life. Moreover, not only creativity must concern citizens and society, but it needs to come from them. The purpose is to familiarize with co-design and service design, which will offer students the chance to deal with complex and topical issues.

Awareness design: this module introduces the students to the theories and analyses of the human factors that are necessary to design objects, environments and systems capable of enhancing the human well-being.

The idea of ergonomics is also introduced, together with all the practical and theoretical tools to independently analyse the principles of usability linked to the project context.

The programme grants 8 credits, divided as follows:

• SOCIAL DESIGN: 4 CFA

• AWARENESS DESIGN: 4 CFA

Successful students will be able to:

SOCIAL DESIGN:

• Create positive and sustainable futures, starting from a deep understanding of the current situation

• Understand that creativity is not only linked to art, but to every aspect of our everyday life

• Work and design with people and co-design solutions aimed at a sustainable lifestyle

• Co-design services, that will give them the chance to deal with complex topical issues

• Develop a project centred on cultural identity and integration in a different society

AWARENESS DESIGN:

• Understand the theories and analyses of the human factors that are necessary to design objects, environments and systems capable of enhancing the human wellbeing

• Understand ergonomics, as well as all the practical and theoretical tools to independently analyse the principles of usability linked to the project context

• Understand the idea of emotional design

• Acquire sustainable design skills that respect the environment

SOCIAL DESIGN:

• Social Innovation, contemporary project ethics and the possibility to create change through design (design for change)

• Creativity in the everyday life and bottom-up reality

• Best practice – study cases

• Local-Global, small and big scale

• Co-design - tools and methods

• Service Design - basic tools

• Networking and online communication: risks and opportunities

AWARENESS DESIGN:

• History of ergonomics and design

• Anthropometry

• Ergonomics and sustainability

• Emotional design

• Analysis of usability

• Human centred design

• Design for all

• Theoretical approach to sustainability and assessment of the environmental impact

This is a theoretical/project based course.

Students will take part in the following activities, which may vary depending on the development of different projects:

• Classroom lectures

• Use of tutorials, videos or other media tools

• Exercises and revisions

• Workshops

• Individual or group projects

• Individual or group study and research

Assessment tools may include:

SOCIAL DESIGN:

• Oral exams

• Completion of comprehensive projects

• Submission of exercises, projects or research works

AWARENESS DESIGN:

• Oral exams

• Completion of comprehensive projects

• Submission of exercises, projects or research works

• Service Design - basic tools

Further details about the exams will be provided by the professors.

The final grade will result from the weighted average of the programme modules.

SOCIAL DESIGN:

• Cottam, H., Leadbeater, C. (2004), Open Welfare: designs on the public good, London: Design Council.

• Ehn, P. (2008). Participation in design things. Proceedings of Participatory Design Conference (PDC), Bloomington, Indiana, USA.

• Jégou, F., Manzini, E. (2008) Collaborative services. Social innovation and design for sustainability, Milan: Edizioni Polidesign, available at: www.sustainable-everyday.net.

• Landry, C. (2000) The Creative City. A Toolkit for Urban Innovators. London: Earthscan.

• Maffei S., Mager B. And Sangiorgi D., (2005) Innovation through Service Design. From Research and Theory to a Network of Practice. A users’ driven perspective, Joining Forces Conference, 21-23 September, Helsinki.

• Manzini (2006) Design, ethics and sustainability: Guidelines for a transition phase. Ethics design: design ethics and humanism. Working paper, Nantes, June.

• Murray, R., Caulier-Grice, J., Mulgan, G. (2010) The open book of social innovation, ways to design develop and grow social innovation, UK: NESTA.

• Sanders, E., & Stappers, P. J. (2008). Co-creation and the New Landscapes of Design. Codesign, 4(1), pp. 5-18.

• Shirky, C. (2009) Here Comes Everybody: The Power of Organizing Without Organizations, Reprint edition, Penguin (Non-Classics).

• Thackara, J. (2005), In the bubble, Designing in a complex world, London: The MIT Press.

• Yunus, M. (2009) Creating a World Without Poverty: Social Business and the Future of Capitalism, reprint edition, publicaffairs.

AWARENESS DESIGN:

• Braungart, M., McDonough, W., Cradle to Cradle.

• Goleman, D., Emotional Design.

Many of the recommended sources, together with additional material, are also available online on MyNaba, in the Library section.

Books and resources might be requested or suggested by the professors.