MAPD5210 Visualizing Complexity Emneplan

This course introduces students to several methods and approaches for systems oriented design analysis and development for complex settings. The complexity relates to social/political, environmental, economic, management, and technological contexts in which the designer as well as products and service that they create, will perform and influence. One of the major methods in this course is GIGA-mapping, which builds on cooperation among students and clients, with lay-people, professionals, stakeholders, and researchers from other disciplines (intra- and inter disciplinary). GIGA-mapping involves the visualization of data in order to accumulate, communicate, and analyse data to understand and create products and services within complex strategic systems and structures.

Admission to the Master's programme.

After completing the course, the student is expected to have achieved advanced level in the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:;

Knowledge;

The student;will attain knowledge within:

• general systems theory
• cybernetic and communication theory
• system dynamics and analysis
• game dynamics in systems
• methods for data gathering in complex settings (visual interviewing, design probes and play probes, co-design, among others)

Skills;

The student;is capable;of:

• describing exceedingly complex contexts through systems thinking as basis for design
• creating GIGA-maps on the basis of complex settings through data gathering, analysis, cooperation and creative processes
• using GIGA-maps as conversation tools
• utilizing methods for data gathering, sharing, cooperation, analysis, and documentation: visual interviewing, design probing, play probing, participatory design, co-design, feministic design, auto-ethnographical research, mapping workshops, GIGA-mapping workshops, and analysis: by theoretical overlay, of relations, patterns, causality, stakeholder, systems dynamics, and concept mapping, on the basis of visualizations data
• documenting all findings in common visualizations and reducing data into graphs that communicate essences of discussions, findings, tendencies, and so forth
• creating services and products on the basis of the above mentioned skills

;

General competence;

The student;attain advanced competence in systems oriented design by:

• developing the ability to understand and handle complexity and systems thinking in design processes in teams and complex organizations, and in products, systems, and service design projects
• holistic thinking and understanding of design projects in relation to sustainability, environmental and social megatrends, general societal contexts and dynamics, culture, politics, market and technological contexts
• communication and cooperation by visualization, GIGA-mapping, and other types of mapping
• all which contribute to the capability to play a lead and cooperative role in design related projects in public and business contexts
• the ability to implement a chosen specialization as an additional approach or focus within this specific course context

The most important teaching and learning methods for this course are: workshops,;group work, lectures, discussions (conversation theory based), studio courses and tutoring

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

• One note of reflection.;Max 1000 words.
• One group assignment and peer-group presentation.;Various number of depending on collaborating partners etc.
• workshop documentation

This course involves the exploration of underlying phenomenon for the experiences that products and services elicit. Theories on product attachment, psychological mechanisms and heuristics, game and play theory make the fundament for design methods intended to elicit meaningful experiences. Design created within this context brings a discussion about product attachment, product lifetime and consumption up to surface, in relation to sustainable design, and consumer behaviour. In extension, these discussions produce understanding and design processes that make the origin for a design projects and thus products and services with more predictable outcomes in relation to what feelings and activities they elicit.

Admission to the Master-s programme

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

Knowledge

The student has

• attained advanced knowledge on methods that involve the exploration and creation of products and services that may elicit feelings of attachment and enjoyment.
• level on theories and methods in "game mechanics in design"

Skills

The student is able to

• create design parameters on the basis of exploring user psychology and behaviour in real life and through theory
• explore and use design methods that involve the study of psychological mechanisms (habits, persuasion, and feelings of attachment)
• comprehend and apply methods that involve the exploration and creation of products and services that may elicit feelings of attachment and enjoyment.

General competence

The student has

• developed understanding and practices based on how to understand and create products and services that are attuned with the principles of sustainable design within the dimension of consumerism/user behaviour, feelings of attachment and the environment
• the ability to implement a chosen specialization as an additional approach or focus within this specific course context

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