Overview

About the Thesis Project

The SVA Interaction Design Thesis is a year long project, wherein students apply the concepts and tools learned in year one toward an individual design exploration, culminating in a documented marketable product or service. As the first half of the thesis coursework, Thesis Development focuses on establishing a context of investigation and defining a viable concept that meets the needs of a particular audience.

Course Objectives

This seven week course will provide a foundation for thesis presentation, focusing on researching and honing an area of exploration, establishing an audience and market context, exploring de- sign ideas, and defining and communicating a concept.

Thesis Objectives

The MFA Interaction Design Thesis requires you to demonstrate that your idea, realized through a product or service of your making, is viable for a particular audience. The thesis can be anything from a product to a service or more, but it must be an original contribution of knowledge.

Your goal is to be practical in application yet novel in idea, useful yet delightful, usable yet unparalleled, salable yet approachable. The thesis year is designed coordinate your path to getting there.

The product or service will be designed for an audience, and choosing the topic should be considered with an audience or market in mind. The sva mfa Interaction Design Thesis is a requirement for graduation from the program.

Artifacts

By the end of seven weeks, students should have:

  • Thesis concept/approved proposal
  • Research and development plan
  • Decision of thesis workgroup
  • Three sketches for part of a prototype