Designing
for Users
Designing
for Users
An introductory course to the research & strategy side of Design Thinking, this course focuses on the process and methodologies of how to conduct evaluative and observational research for the design and development of new products, services, and systems, with a focus on designing for others.
Through the exploration and application of various processes, participants will gain an understanding of how to generate insights about the end user, and how to translate those insights into actionable, design-driving opportunities.
Course Format
This is a hybrid seminar/studio course that is an in person course, and requires active participation in a team format. Class sessions will be comprised of lectures, in-class exercises, project assignments, presentations, critique sessions and class discussions.
Course Learning Objectives
By the end of this course, students should successfully be able to:
Conduct and to analyze evaluative design research to determine how effective (i.e., useful, usable and desirable) products, spaces, services and communication systems are.
Understand peopleʼs experiences. How do they live, learn, work and play today and how this experience connects to their past and future experiences.
Learn how to conduct and to analyze experiential design research for understanding and empathizing with people at their level of experience.
Learn how to communicate findings and insights derived from research and translate them into design opportunities.
Learn the value and application of design research in the design process through hands-on learning and practice-based case studies.
Begin to understand your potential as a design researcher and as a team member through self reflection and peer assessment.