Transition Design

Recommended Prerequisites

Not applicable.

Teaching Methods

Seminar classes with: a) theoretical presentation and discussion of design case studies and socio-technical ecosystems management; b) synthesis of field research exercises; c) exercises of contexts mapping and project of sustainable intervention proposals. Assessment based on tests and projects: Exam-50%, Research work-25%, Fieldwork or laboratory work - 25%.

Learning Outcomes

This unit promotes the understanding of the practice of interactive media design and interaction design as instruments of sociotechnical intervention, with the aim to reach for change that can translate social innovation goals. With it we peopose to empower the students for the practice of sustainable design (or design for sustainability) in social and tecnical ecosystems, by understanding the systemic role of diverse actor-networks at the level of technologies, Human and social relationships. The student will come to understand the role of design research methods in the process of intervention, and the theoretical frameworks to aid the understanding of intervention contexts.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

1. Research Methods in, for and through Design; Design Research

2. Theoretical frameworks for understanding design contexts (Situated Action, Activity Theory, Actor-Networks, etc)

3. Action-Research in social and organizational innovation

4. The Context Engineering methodological framework

5. Sociotechnical ecosystems and the problem of context and trajectory mapping

6. The designing for sustainability and the question of valueing interventions

7. Wicked Problems: complexity problems and strategies.

Head Lecturer(s)

Licínio Gomes Roque

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Research work: 25.0%
Laboratory work or Field work: 25.0%
Exam: 50.0%

Bibliography

Selected chapters from:

Kripendorff (). The Semantic Turn

Checkland (1995). Soft-Systems Methodology

Latour (2005). Reassembling the Social: An Introduction to ANT

Roque (2004). Contribuições para uma Engenharia do Contexto

Lazar et al (2013). Research Methods in HCI

Buchanan et al (eds) (1990). The Idea of Design

Suchman (2010).  Human-machine Reconfigurations

Axelrod & Cohen (2000). Harnessing Complexity

Holland (2012). Boundaries and Systems.

DeLanda (2006). A New Philosophy of Society