Hi everyone,
Important Course Updates
1. The course book "Design for the Real World" by Victor Papanek needs to be completed before Seminar II. We will post a literature review task related to the book next week, which is to be completed before the seminar.
2. During Seminar II we will decide on your design project topics and form design teams for Part 2 of the course, in which we begin our larger focus on the activity of designing. You will need to choose a topic or issue or problem which you are interested in and propose it at the seminar. We will go through an open process in which you decide what area you will work on. It is OK at Seminar II to have a broad topic, problem or issue in mind, as we will narrow down problems later.
3. The Weekend Workshop is approaching, and is scheduled for the 29th March. In the weekend workshop we will, over 5 hours, go through established design techniques and idea generation methods, and go from the problem phase through many steps all the way to prototyping in a 'design studio' atmosphere under time constraints and pressure. It will be valuable in the the larger design work coming up later in the course, and possibly well after the course is over.
4. Remember that the submission requirements in the instructions for Assignment 2 - Analysis of Design were updated a week ago. Check them again to be sure you have the updated copy.
Biomimicry Task To Do Before March 18
1. In preparation for the Biomimicry class next week March 18, our guest Anna Maria Orru has requested you start an activity before you arrive. Complete Step 1 and look a little into step 2 in this biomimicry challenge we will work through on the day. Step 1 requires choosing an area or problem you want to design a solution for, and then considering what you want the design to do (read Step 1). This will be used only for this activity in this lecture but could also kick start thinking about what you will work on later in the course.
2. Also, remember to bring your computer. We will use some online tools in the class.
See you on Wednesday!
Lakin & Alejandro