Second Year
- Thesis Development
- Chloe Gottlieb – Jennifer Bove
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We are continuously introduced to new products that will make our lives easier, more efficient, and more enjoyable. But how many of these products survive? Finding a product suitable for full–scale development and one appropriate for a specific audience is the aim of this course. It will assist students in researching a thesis topic and preparing for the next stage of development. The course is divided into three sections: 1) developing a research plan, 2) writing a comprehensive business plan, 3) iterating through potential ideas. In addition, there will be seminars on the prototyping of design ideas and how to produce viable projects that will have real business potential.
- Content Strategy
- Paul Ford
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The Web has made everyone a publisher–and content is a critical component of user experience. This course will explore content development as an aspect of creating user experiences, and will pay particular attention to its relationship to information architecture. Students will examine different approaches to audio, video, and especially text, exploring ways that content can improve user experience (while looking out for legal and copyright pitfalls). We will also address the basics of content management and examine how to develop a large–scale editorial strategy that can be used to guide the creation of Web sites with millions of pages.
- Design Management
- Karen McGrane
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Once a product or service is designed, it needs to be managed. Whether as an entrepreneur, a design consultant, or an in–house designer, integrating the creative and business sides is rarely easy. This course will illustrate how to mediate between the two, empowering students to merge the design and business aspects effectively. We will examine design in its real–world, contemporary contexts (rather than silos such as product design, Web design, or mobile design) to realize its broad potential and reach.
- Design and the Service Experience
- Phi-Hong D. Ha
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Throughout our lives we encounter services that span industries as varied as health care, banking, transportation, and retail. In fact, the service sector makes up nearly 70 percent of the U.S. economy, yet frustrating service experiences still abound. This course will examine the increasing need for the improvement of services and the development of service innovations. Working individually and in groups, students will address the challenges and opportunities in designing for the service sector through methods such as blueprinting, service enactment, and front– and back–stage processing. By employing these methods in combination with interaction design approaches, students will be able to gain an understanding of service ecologies and learn to choreograph human-centered, responsive, and memorable services.
- Selling Design
- Jeffrey Zeldman
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Realizing a great idea can be easy, but selling the idea can be a real challenge. This course will explore proven approaches to marketing and selling ideas. Students will learn how to be strategic in the market and crafty in their efficiency.
- Thesis Presentation
- Matt Owens
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Having a good idea isn't enough; the challenge is in articulating and communicating that idea clearly, effectively, and in a way that your audience can hear it. This course will emphasize how to develop a polished and professional visual and verbal presentation to potential backers, colleagues, and clients. The end result will be a pitch–perfect presentation of students' thesis projects, including research, strategy, and prototype. Students will also make presentations to the thesis committee and guest critics.
- Ethics and Professional Practices
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Creative business practices, ethical standards and effective networking are the cornerstones of this course. Through studio tours, students will observe examples of successful practice. Case studies will illustrate the importance of creating viable and responsible business models.
