SPRING 2014, MTEC 2120, Interaction Design, Section D212 {dld}
Prerequisites: MTEC 1101, Pre/Co-requisites: MTEC 1102
Professor: Kevin Patton, PhD
Office: Vorhees 411A
Email: kpatton@citytech.cuny.edu
Office Hour(s): T/R 1-2pm
Class Meeting Time: Tuesday/Thursday, 10am-11:50, Vorhees 321
Course Description:
The course gives a nontraditional approach to the articulation of design techniques for human interaction with computer interfaces. Students will be introduced to the theories, models, and frameworks for designing interaction with sound, screen, objects, and environments. Sketching and prototyping for future media will happen through a visual programing paradigm called Max/MSP/Jitter. Students will also make use of creative demonstration scenario, use cases, storyboards, situation design, situated devices and embodied interaction. Successful students must demonstrate cooperative and collaborative roles in team projects.
Grades: Your grade will be determined as follows:
Labs 10%
Projects (4) 80%
Attendance 10%
Event Report: 5%
Learning Outcomes
Assess comparative principles and processes of interaction frameworks given different technological constraints. Weekly Lab work demonstrating concepts
Formulate differet approaches to solving problems in Human Computer Interaction
Creation of four different projects in different problem areas of interaction design
Collaborate in team-based, interdisciplinary environments with user centered design competence
Two of the four projects will be team based
Create stand alone applications that demonstrate principles of interaction design Creation of Projects targeted towards specific areas of interaction design
Required Texts And Materials:
There are no required texts. All students chould download a version of Max/MSP/JITTER from cycling74.com.
Recommended Texts And Materials:
Interdisciplinary Interaction Design, A Visaul Guide, by James Pannafino, Assiduous Publishing, 2012
Designing Interactions, by Bill Moggridge, MIT Press, 2007
Attendance Policy:
Attendance is required for all classes. If you have a legitimate reason for missing a class/assignment or if you will be late, you must contact me (see above) before class begins. It is City Tech policy that if you have three unexcused absences, you will fail the class. More than 3 absences will result in an “F” (Failure). TWO LATE ARRIVALS = ONE ABSENCE. If a student misses a class session, it is the student’s responsibility to make up any work missed.
Make-ups
If a student finds he or she will not be able to present or hand in a project on the scheduled day, it is the student’s responsibility to notify the instructor PRIOR to that due date.
Event Attendance Policy (Departmental Policy)
If you are going to work in our Industry, it is as important to be an educated and engaged audience member as it is to have a clear understanding of what happens behind the scenes. Also, when your peers and/or faculty are working hard on an event for the department, they should be rewarded with your strong support and encouragement, even though you may have had nothing to do with that project. There is nothing worse, after working a “zillion” hours, to have a small audience.
Therefore, as part of completion of this course you will be REQUIRED to attend at least one of the department’s and events. Please come and show your support as often as you can!
This will be demonstrated by the writing of one 500-word report on any departmental event. The report should focus on one of the principles of interaction that we discussed in the first several weeks of class. You must clearly identify this principle, cite an example from the text, and organize your report around it.
Academic Integrity Policy (College Policy)
Students and all others who work with information, ideas, texts, images, music, inventions, and other intellectual property owe their audience and sources accuracy and honesty in using, crediting, and citing sources. As a community of intellectual and professional workers, the College recognizes its responsibility for providing instruction in information literacy and academic integrity, offering models of good practice, and responding vigilantly and appropriately to infractions of academic integrity. Accordingly, academic dishonesty is prohibited in The City University of New York and at New York City College of Technology and is punishable by penalties, including failing grades, suspension, and expulsion. The complete text of the College policy on Academic Integrity may be found in the catalog.
