GD | 220.05 | Intro to Interaction Design

Graphic Design Too To Two

About This Course

Description

This course provides extended study of graphic design principles and their application to more complex and comprehensive solutions. Experimentation, research, conceptual thinking, and process are emphasized in design for the screen. Students learn essential design tools and techniques for the development of interactive media. Students work with xhtml and css to understand code as a fundamental building block for their design compositions. Prerequisite: GD 200 (Graphic Design 1).

I understand that the "coding" aspect of this course can be daunting for some. I want to work with you individually to figure out how much you feel you need to know, and what you feel will be useful. I would like you to challenge yourselves to learn what you can: the web can be a place to experiment with craft, and allow you to expand on and easily publish ideas you already use in your practices. Some people want to be excellent coders, but that is not a requirement for this course. Only that you come to understand the unique considerations and opportunities that this medium affords.

Class Format

Class begins at 5:00PM and continues until 10:00PM. The format of each session will follow roughly this format:

1. Open Office: 4:00–5:00 I’ll be finishing my work day but available for the hour before class starts for any questions or concerns.
2. Stand-up/Attendance/Announcements: 5:00–5:30 We’ll start every class with a “stand-up” where everyone goes around and briefly says what they worked on last week, what they hope to work on this week, and anything they see as an impediment to that goal.
3. Critique: 5:30–6:15 We’ll spend the first part of class talking about the previous week’s progress on projects.
4. Break:6:15–6:25 A ten minute break to grab coffee or a snack, rest your eyes, take a walk, etc.
5. In-class Activity: 6:30–7:15 Part 1 of an instructional activity meant to teach and review ideas relating to interaction design and creating layouts for the web. The first few activities will be mandatory, but as the semester goes on you can pay attention to these or not depending on your interest/the demands of your assignments.
6. Dinner: 7:15–8:00
7. In-class Activity: 8:00–8:45 Part 2 of an instructional activity meant to teach and review ideas relating to interaction design and creating layouts for the web.
8. Break: 8:45 A ten minute break to grab coffee or a snack, rest your eyes, take a walk, etc.
9. Open Work Time: 8:55–10:00 Open time to use at your discretion. I will be walking around to check in on progress and answer any questions you might have.

Participation & Critique

Come prepared to talk about progress you've made on your projects. At the start of every class we are going to briefly go around the room and say we've accomplished that week, what we plan to work on in the coming week, and what, if anything might block us from our goal.

Remember that you are learning. When presenting completed work, even it's in a state where you aren't happy, present it confidently and consicely. Don't point out the flaws. Allow your peers to come to their own conclusions about it. It's ok if a project isn't exactly what you dreamed it would be. Just spend the recommended time on it and remember that you are building skills.

It is important that as we work together we build an environment that is constructive and gives people the tools they need to grow as designers on their individual paths. That means participating in critiques by listening to feedback and giving it. Be honest with your peers about what isn't working with their projects. Be kind in your feedback. When you give critique, try and find the way of giving it that you feel might get the person excited about continuing work on their project. When you recieve criticism, try not to take it personally. You don't have to follow every piece of feedback or suggestion to the letter, just try and think through what might be motivating the comment and address it in your own way.

Course Materials

• A SketchbookAlways Start Here
• SketchUI Design App
• FlintoUI Design App
• CodepenOnline Coding Environment
• AtomDesktop Code Editor
• Github DesktopEasy Git Client

Anticipated Costs

Other than discretionary costs associated with the execution of your projects, there shouldn't be any costs associated with this course.

Attendance

Students are expected to attend all meetings of each class in which they are enrolled. Absences from as few as three classes in a three-credit course will result in a failing grade.

I do understand the temptation to skip a class if an assignment is not complete. Please join us anyways. Your presence is valued even if an assignment is not finished, and it's not worth further jeopardizing a grade by missing another class.

Grading

Projects will receive equal weight and will be evaluated based on process, product, and professionalism.

In addition to the three large projects over the course of the semester, you will be asked to write a short (50–100 word) response to each week's reading which will serve as content for your in-class exercises. These responses can be in any format you wish, whether they are a single paragraph of text or a list of thoughts.

It is important that you keep track of the time you have to complete a project and don't spend too much time on one small or highly technical aspect of it. If you are having trouble with something, talk to me. If you are struggling to make something work in the browser, take a step back and try documenting how it should behave, whether through a diagram, an image sequence, or an animation. It's worth thinking, too, about whether a simpler solution might be nearly as effective as the one you're trying to implement. It's o.k. if a project you turn in is missing functionality in HTML, just make sure to present the full breadth of your thinking in a professional, high-quality way.

Final grades are submitted to Enrollment Services at the end of each semester. All MFA and some MA grades are on a Pass (P)/Fail (F) system. Graduate students must receive a grade of B or better in liberal arts and studio elective coursework at the undergraduate level in order to receive graduate credit for the course. For Post-Baccalaureate students, a Passing grade is considered a C average (2.0) or above in undergraduate courses.

Our Schedule

1. Introductions & SetupWhat Screens WantFrank Chimero
2. Project 1 AssignedNow You See It: Helvetica, Modernism and the Status Quo of DesignDangerous Objects
3. Project 1 Cont’dWhat Problems can artist publishers solve?Frank Chimero
4. Project 1 Cont’dBeyond the New: a Search for Ideals in DesignHella Jongerius & Louise Schouwenberg
5. Project 1 Cont’dTraining for Exploitation? Politicising Employability & Reclaiming EducationPrecarious Workforce Brigade
6. Project 1 Final CritiqueReframing Accessibility for the WebAnne Gibson
7. Project 2 AssignedWhy is graphic design 93% white?Brenda Mitchell-Powell
8. Project 2 Cont’dLet's Talk About Body ReproductionNate Pyper
9. Spring Breakno class
10. Project 2 Cont’dFairytales & Fashion CriticismRachel Matthews
11. Project 2 Final CritiqueOculus GriftAnis Shivani
12. Project 3 AssignedRobinson CrusoeTanya Harrod
13. Project 3 Cont'dDesigning CultureColin McSwiggin
14. Project 3 Cont'dLooks Much Better Now: On The White Utopian GazeMark Gunnery for Hyrsteria Zine
15. Project 3 Cont'dOn Weaponised DesignCade for Our Data Our Selves
16. Project 3 Final Critique

Useful Resources

Accessibility

• Inclusive Web Design Checklist Heydon Pickering
• A practical introduction to Inclusive Design for Businesses & Designers inclusivedesign.no
• Color Contrast Checker

Learning

• Daily UIDaily Design Excercises
• CodecademySupplemental Code Training

Code Reference

• CSS Properties
• Can I Use - A Browser Support Guide

Writing/Content Prep

• Online Markdown Editor

Books

• A Book ApartHigh Quality Books on Web Design

Typefaces for the Web

• Open Foundry
• Google Fonts

Course Evaluations

Class time will be set aside toward the end of the semester for completion of student course evaluations.

MICA’s Academic Policy statements

Full academic policies and procedures are published online in MICA’s Academic Bulletin

Americans with Disabilities Act

Any student who may need an accommodation based on the potential impact of a disability should contact the Learning Resource Center at 410-225-2416, in Bunting 458, to establish eligibility and coordinate reasonable accommodations.

Environmental Health and Safety (EHS)

It is the responsibility of faculty and students to follow health and safety guidelines relevant to their individual activities, processes, and to review MICA’s Emergency Action Plan and attend EHS training. It is each faculty member’s responsibility to coordinate with the EHS Office to ensure that all risks associated with their class activities are identified and to assure that their respective classroom procedures mirror the EHS and Academic Department Guidelines. Each of these policies and procedures must be followed by all students and faculty. Most importantly, faculty are to act in accordance with all safety compliance, state and federal, as employees of this college and are expected to act as examples of how to create art in a way to minimize risk, and reduce harm to themselves and the environment. Faculty must identify and require appropriate personal protective equipment for each art making process, for each student, in all of their classes, when applicable. Students are required to purchase personal protection equipment appropriate for their major. Those students who do not have the proper personal protection equipment will not be permitted to attend class until safe measures and personal protection are in place.

Plagiarism

Each discipline within the arts has specific and appropriate means for students to cite or acknowledge sources and the ideas and material of others used in their own work. Students have the responsibility to become familiar with such processes and to carefully follow their use in developing original work. Designers should be encouraged to utilize, alter and respond to existing open source resources, such as fonts, code, or stock imagery. Professional designers share resources that can be the building blocks of your design. However, for most contexts, students should cite their sources if they are not completely original.

Policy

MICA will not tolerate plagiarism, which is defined as claiming authorship of, or using someone else’s ideas or work without proper acknowledgement. Without proper attribution, a student may NOT replicate another’s work, paraphrase another’s ideas, or appropriate images in a manner that violates the specific rules against plagiarism in the student’s department. In addition, students may not submit the same work for credit in more than one course without the explicit approval of all of the instructors of the courses involved.

Consequences

When an instructor has evidence that a student has plagiarized work submitted for course credit, the instructor will confront the student and impose penalties that may include failing the course. In the case of a serious violation or repeated infractions from the same student, the instructor will report the infractions to the department chair or program director. Depending on the circumstances of the case, the department chair or program director may then report the student to the appropriate dean or provost, who may choose to impose further penalties, including expulsion.

Appeal Process

Students who are penalized by an instructor or department for committing plagiarism have the right to appeal the charge and penalties that ensue. Within three weeks of institutional action, the student must submit a letter of appeal to the department chairperson or program director, or relevant dean or provost related to the course for which actions were taken. The academic officer will assign three members of the relevant department/division to serve on a review panel. The panel will meet with the student and the instructor of record and will review all relevant and available materials. The panel will determine whether or not to confirm the charge and penalties. The findings of the panel are final. The panel will notify the instructor, the chairperson, division, the student, and the Office of Academic Affairs of their findings and any recommendations for change in penalties.

Title IX Notification

Maryland Institute College of Art seeks to provide an educational environment based on mutual respect that is free from discrimination and harassment. If you have encountered sexual harassment/misconduct/assault, please know that there are multiple ways to report it and you are encouraged to do so (www.mica.edu/equal_opportunity). Additionally, in order to meet our commitments to equity and to comply with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and guidance from the Office for Civil Rights, faculty and staff members are required to report disclosures of sexual violence made to them by students, except when prior notice regarding a specific classroom assignment or discussion is provided. If you require academic accommodations due to an incident involving sexual harassment or discrimination, please contact Student Affairs at 410.225.2422 or Human Resources at 410.225.2363.

Students with Extended Illness or Cause for Legitimate Absence

In the case of extended illness or other legitimate absences that may keep the student from attending a class for more than three meetings, students must contact the Student Development Specialist in the Division of Student Affairs so that instructors can be notified. Graduate students must contact the instructor, program director, and the Office of Graduate Studies. Students in art education or professional studies programs must contact the Dean for the Center for Art Education or the Dean of the School for Professional and Continuing Studies, respectively. The appropriate administrator will facilitate a conversation with faculty to determine whether the student can achieve satisfactory academic progress.

Let's have a great semester.