MAPD4300 Design for Experience Course description

This course introduces students to the concept and complexity of experience. Experience is understood as a series of complex interactions between humans and their technological, social, and natural environments, which users interpret into general impressions. The course addresses this complexity by introducing multifaceted approaches to designing for the experience of products and/or services.

Students will be invited to explore practical design concepts concerning socio-cultural contexts, technological interface interactions, and the phenomenology of experience, as well as employing theoretical approaches to engaging users. These explorations will include applied experiments and design iterations through testing and scenario building. To create more meaningful experiences, issues of user motivation, mastery, and well-being will take central focus in revisions and discussions.

Admission to the Masters program

On successful completion of this course the students are expected to have these learning outcomes acquired:

Knowledge:

The candidate can

• discuss and describe user experience using phenomenological, cognitive and behavioral theoretical concepts
• choose relevant methods for exploration of design for experience

Skills:

The candidate can:

• organize and plan design process using phenomenological, cognitive and behavioral theoretical concepts
• implement experiments, user testing and probing in lab conditions and in the field
• design product features and service components considering experience as a key factor
• critically assess their designs, product features, service components and implications of the design intervention for the experience

General competence:

The candidate can:

• critically assess wider societal perspective about the effect of experience of products and services
• practice evaluation of ethical issues and cultural relevance when conceptualizing and developing design for experience

The most important teaching and learning methods for this course are workshops, lectures, group work, studio courses and tutoring.

The following required coursework must be approved before the student can take the exam:

• One note of reflection. Maximum 1000 words.

Individual or group portfolio examination. The portfolio consists of:

• design process documentation. Various medias if possible. Students can choose to work in groups. Maximum 3 students per group.

The examination result can be appealed.

No restrictions.

Grade scale A-F.

Two internal. External examiner is used periodically.