IFD:MasterprojectWS15

Projektmodul
Lecturer(s): Michael Markert
Credits: 18 ECTS, 12 SWS
Date: Thursday mornings, 9:15 to 12:30
accompanying consultations: Tuesdays 13:30 to 16:45
Venue: Marienstraße 7b, Room to be announced
First meeting: 22. October 2015 (subject to change)

Important

Michael Markert will stand in for Prof. Dr. Jens Geelhaar who will be absent this semester.
Please excuse if there are last minute changes and bear with us until we figure out some missing details of this semester's project.

Description

The project "Advanced Interfaces" is about designing tomorrow's interfaces – screen-based or tangible, embedded or connected, simple and clear or experimental and revolutionary.

This semester, we are proud to feature various practice based projects with exciting interface design challenges: one prominent opportunity will be a collaboration with an international company for high-end domestic appliances. You will have the chance to propose a design for an interface that millions of people might use every day, gaining experiences with real world implementations and commercial considerations.

Additional project collaborations are in the works.

Good interfaces should help users to achieve what they want to do – not only in the shortest possible time, but also with joyfulness and style. It's a good interface if you want to touch it. Most of the time, it's not about where to place a button, but rather asking yourself if that button is necessary at all. Another important development are mobile interfaces for connected devices ("Internet of Things"), for example the switch of your coffee machine that can now be found on your smartphone.

We will look at various strategies like User-Centered Design, User Experience, Service Design and Cyber-Interactions (we aren't only controlling the devices, but the devices are influencing us and our behavior) as well as important techniques like presenting ideas, concept scribbles, prototyping and user evaluations.

Depending on the demand, there might also be very brief overviews of design theories and technologies you should know. It is recommended to visit at least one other Fachmodul that either deals with implementing electronic prototypes or programming screen based interfaces.

Creative and artistic methods will be used for the concepts and development of own works and applications but also for work on the practical projects. It is also possible to suggest own practice based, experimental or media-art projects or projects in preparation for your Master's Thesis, as long as the focus is on interfaces.

Topics

• to be announced

Registration procedure

Please send your application by email with the Subject MasterprojectWS15 to: michael.markert (at) uni-weimar.de

• Name, Surname
• program and semester (Studienprogramm und Fachsemester)
• matriculation number (Matrikelnummer)
• Angabe der geltenden Prüfungsordnung
• Valid email address @uni-weimar.de (no other mailing addresses will be accepted) Why?

Please note that there is no guarantee to join this course if there are already more than 25 registrations.

Evaluation

1. Active participation
2. At least three individual consultations
3. Midterm assignment (required, even though the midterm grade is just for your information)
4. Presentation at the end of the lecture period
5. Final assignment at the end of the semester incl. documentation

Eligible participants

Master students enrolled in the Faculties of Media, Gestaltung and in the MediaArchitecture program

Syllabus

Termine des Semesters

1. 22.10.15 First Meeting, Introduction
2. 29.10.15 BSH Design Challenge & Industry Collaboration Project Presentation
3. 05.11.15 Briefing, Scribbling, Prototyping, Testing, Designing
4. 12.11.15 Communication, Interfaces & Interactions, Cybernetics, Copyrights
5. 19.11.15
6. 26.11.15
7. 03.12.15
8. 10.12.15 Midterm Presentations (Important!), first feedback from BSH
9. 17.12.15 no course
10. 07.01.16 to be announced
11. 14.01.16
12. 21.01.16
13. 28.01.16 Final Presentations BSH Project with Design Competition Jury
14. 04.02.16 Final Presentations Free Projects
15. tba Interface-Design Showreel Presentation
16. tba Final Assignment (Deadline, Important!)

Literature

• Link zum Semesterapparat
• Nachname, Vorname: Titel des Buches ISBN 978-0822334972

Links

• tba