Design Research: Concerning Energy

Design Research (practicum): First in the research and strategy track, this course introduces students to the theory and practice of various types of design research including human-centered qualitative and ethnographic methods as well as formal and analytical techniques. Students will also design imaginative tools to expand understanding of a group of people and/or situated context. Representational methods function to help students see and articulate patterns in qualitative data to inform design. The goal is to provide students with research-based skills and resources to strengthen strategic design practice.

Concerning Energy is the theme for the 2008 course in Design Research. This design research practicum will use a variety of human-centered research methods to explore the awareness, attitudes, information sources and choices regarding the personal and domestic energy use among diverse groups in the San Francisco Bay Area. Knowing what people think and how their attitudes have been informed at the grassroots level will inform speculative design interventions that meet segments of the public "where they are" in our efforts to inform and influence behavior.

There are actually 2 assignments for this week. One is to be sure that you have completely uploaded assignments and organized media assets from your work so far. The other is to work in your new groups with some of your insights to create rough prototype ideas of design interventions based on those insights.

Represent your prototype with 2 slides. Use images - photographs, drawings, storyboards, etc. Limit text to "bullet points" - a good rule of thumb is to avoid complete sentences on the slides.