Design Studio Syllabus

Prof. Anthony Accardo

Week 1: Introduction to Research Methodologies for Design

- Introduction to research methodologies and design thinking concepts
- Overview of social impact and its importance in design

Week 2: User Research

- Understanding user needs through research methodologies such as interviews and surveys
- Developing empathy as a key component of user research

Week 3: Ethnographic Research

- Introduction to ethnographic research in design
- Practical exercise in ethnographic research to explore social impact

Week 4: Stakeholder Analysis

- Understanding the importance of stakeholder analysis in social impact design
- Methods for stakeholder analysis

Week 5: Co-creation and Participatory Design

- Introduction to co-creation and participatory design in social impact
- Practical exercise in co-creation and participatory design

Week 6: Contextual Analysis

- Exploring the context and environment of a social issue
- Methods for contextual analysis such as site visits and observation

Week 7: Systems Thinking

- Introduction to systems thinking in social impact design
- Understanding the interconnectedness of social issues

Week 8: Impact Mapping

- Understanding and practical exercise in impact mapping
- Developing a theory of change to guide social impact design

Week 9: Service Design

- Introduction to service design in social impact
- Designing user-centered service systems

Week 10: Prototyping and Testing

- Developing and testing prototypes for social impact design
- Incorporating user feedback in design iterations

Week 11: Measurement and Evaluation

- Understanding the importance of measuring and evaluating social impact design
- Methods for data collection and analysis

Week 12: Storytelling and Communication

- Using storytelling and e ective communication in social impact design
- Developing persuasive messages to promote social change

Week 13: Collaboration and Team Management

- Developing collaboration and team management skills for social impact design
- E ective communication and management strategies
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 Week 14: Legal and Ethical Considerations
- Understanding legal and ethical considerations in social impact design
- Incorporating ethical considerations in design decision-making

Week 15: Final Project Presentation

- Final project presentations to showcase social impact design solutions
- Re ection on the design process and social impact outcomes achieved

Week 1: Introduction to Research Methodologies for Design

Homework:
- Read "Design Research Techniques" by Brenda Laurel
- Write a 500-word re ection on what you have learned about research methodologies and why
they are important in design

In-class assignment:
- Brainstorm real-life examples of products and services that have been designed using
research methodologies
- Analyze the impact of these examples on user experience and user needs

Week 2: User Research

Homework:
- Conduct an interview with a family member or friend to understand their needs in a particular
situation
- Write a 500-word re ection on your ndings and the methodologies you used to conduct the
interview

In-class assignment:
- Develop interview questions to understand the needs of a hypothetical user
- Pair up with a classmate, conduct an interview with their hypothetical user, and analyze the
ndings

Week 3: Ethnographic Research

Homework:
- Conduct an ethnographic observation of a social gathering (e.g., a concert, a party, a rally)
- Write a 500-word re ection on the insights you gained from the observation

In-class assignment:
- Conduct a group ethnographic observation of a public space
- Analyze the ndings and identify potential design solutions

Week 4: Stakeholder Analysis

Homework:
- Conduct a stakeholder analysis of a social issue (e.g., homelessness, climate change)
- Identify key stakeholders and their roles in addressing the issue
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 - Write a 500-word re ection on your ndings

In-class assignment:
- Develop a stakeholder analysis matrix for a hypothetical social issue
- Analyze the stakeholders' interests and in uence, and identify potential design solutions

Week 5: Co-creation and Participatory Design

Homework:
- Conduct a co-creation session with a group of peers to design a solution for a hypothetical
social issue
- Write a 500-word re ection on the co-creation process and the design solution you
developed

In-class assignment:
- Divide class into groups
- Each group identi es a social issue and conducts a co-creation session to design a solution
- Groups present their solutions and discuss the co-creation process

Week 6: Contextual Analysis

Homework:
- Conduct a site visit to a public space and record your observations
- Write a 500-word re ection on the environment and context of the space

In-class assignment:
- Analyze the contextual factors that in uence a social issue (e.g., geographic location,
economic factors)
- Brainstorm design solutions that take these contextual factors into account

Week 7: Systems Thinking

Homework:
- Conduct research on an interconnected social issue
- Write a 500-word re ection on the system of stakeholders and factors that in uence the issue

In-class assignment:
- Develop a systems map to illustrate the stakeholders and interconnected factors that
in uence a social issue
- Analyze the map to identify potential design solutions

Week 8: Impact Mapping

Homework:
- Develop an impact map for a hypothetical social issue
- Write a 500-word re ection on the theory of change you developed based on the impact map

In-class assignment:
- Develop an impact map for a real-life social issue
- Analyze the impact map to identify potential design solutions
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Week 9: Service Design

Homework:
- Conduct research on a user-centered service system (e.g., healthcare, public transportation)
- Write a 500-word re ection on the service system and its impact on user experience

In-class assignment:
- Analyze a service system (e.g., a library, a community center)
- Brainstorm potential design solutions to improve the system's user experience

Week 10: Prototyping and Testing

Homework:
- Develop a prototype of a social impact design solution
- Conduct user testing on the prototype to re ne the design
- Write a 500-word re ection on the prototyping and testing process

In-class assignment:
- Develop a prototype of a social impact design solution
- Conduct user testing and present the ndings to the class

Week 11: Measurement and Evaluation

Homework:
- Conduct research on methods for measuring and evaluating social impact
- Write a 500-word re ection on the importance of measuring social impact and the evaluation
methods you discovered

In-class assignment:
- Develop a plan for measuring and evaluating the impact of a social impact design solution
- Analyze the plan to ensure it aligns with the design solution's goals and objectives

Week 12: Storytelling and Communication

Homework:
- Develop a persuasive message to communicate the impact of a social impact design solution
- Write a 500-word re ection on the messaging and communication techniques you used

In-class assignment:
- Develop a persuasive message and communication materials (e.g., a video, a poster) to
promote a social impact design solution
- Present the materials and discuss the messaging techniques used

Week 13: Collaboration and Team Management

Homework:
- Conduct research on e ective team collaboration and management skills
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 - Write a 500-word re ection on the skills and strategies for e ective collaboration and
management

In-class assignment:
- Analyze a design team's collaboration and management strategies for a social impact design
project
- Brainstorm ways to improve the strategies to better achieve the project's goals and
objectives

Week 14: Legal and Ethical Considerations

Homework:
- Conduct research on legal and ethical considerations in social impact design
- Write a 500-word re ection on the importance of legal and ethical considerations in design
decision-making

In-class assignment:
- Analyze a social impact design solution for legal and ethical considerations
- Propose ways to better incorporate legal and ethical considerations in the design solution

Week 15: Final Project Presentation

Homework:
- Develop a nal project, applying the research methodologies and concepts learned
throughout the course in designing a solution to a social issue
- Create an accompanying presentation

In-class assignment:
- Present nal projects and receive feedback from classmates and instructors wherein
solutions are discussed and evaluated.
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