Topic outline

  • General

    Welcome to Design Practice in Social Context.

    The course runs in the fourth period and begins with a field trip to Sweden. We will take the ferry to Stockholm and continue onwards by bus or train to Kristineberg Marine Research Station near Gothenburg.

    We will return to Helsinki on the 7th of March and continue our project at Aalto University until the final presentation on the 4th of April. Some of the results achieved during the course will be exhibited at the Kunstgewerbe Museum in Berlin, Germany in August / September and at the Design Museum in Helsinki from September to October 2019.

    DATES:

    23.02.19 17h ferry leaves to Stockholm

    24.02.19 arrival in Stockholm and continuation to Kristineberg

    25.02.19-05.03.19 Workshop in Kristineberg, more info at: 'Field Trip to Kristineberg'

    12.03. tue  09.00-12.00 R027/301b, 13.00-17.00 Individual group tutorials in Väre, room O208

    14.03. thu  09.00-12.00 R027/301b, 13.00-17.00 Individual group tutorials in Väre, room O208

    19.03. tue  09.00-12.00 R027/301b, 13.00-17.00 Individual group tutorials in Väre, room O208

    21.03. Self guided group work

    26.03. tue  09.00-12.00 R027/301b, 13.00-17.00 Individual group tutorials in Väre, room O208

    28.03. thu 09.00-17.00 Individual group tutorials in Väre, room O208

    02.04. All day trouble-shooting tutorials in Väre O208

    04.04. Final presentation

    MUO-E5027 - Design Practice in Social Context, 26.02.2019-04.04.2019

    Credits: 10

    Learning Outcomes (valid 01.08.2018-31.07.2020): 

    The course introduces students to design as a social practice. Students will be asked to address a real concern in a real community context, by generating and responding to one or a number of real life briefs in that chosen community. In addressing the brief(s), students should prioritise social over commercial impact.

    To contextualise design practice in a social context, the course aims to position it in the expanding field of design. Students may furthermore explore positions, practice forms and practitioners in the fields of design activism, inclusive design, transition design, open design, communities of practice, design thinking, participatory design, public and private space.

    In preparation for the live brief(s), participating students will be familiarised with methods of primary research, brief writing, project management, communication and presentation skills. The realisation of physical outcomes will be supported by the Aalto workshops as required.
     
    On completion of the course, the students should be able to: (1) Contextualize design practice in a social context in the expanding field of design; (2) Demonstrate an understanding of social design positions, strategies and methods and incorporate these in their own design practice; (3) Apply theoretical, practical, activist and reflective methods of design in a social context in their own field of design.

    Content (valid 01.08.2018-31.07.2020): 

    The course acts as an introduction to: (1) Design practice in a social context, historically and theoretically; (2) Different positions, practices and practitioners in the field of design in a social context. (e.g. design activism, inclusion, transition design, open design, communities of practice, design thinking, participatory design, concepts of public and private space); (3) Practical methods enabling students to effectively research first-hand, generate and write their own briefs, manage their projects, as well as realising, communicating and presenting their outcomes.

    Assessment Methods and Criteria (valid 01.08.2018-31.07.2020): 

    For passing the course, the student has to participate in excursion, lectures and group activity (80%), and present the final artefact. After the course, the student has to deliver learning diary. Evaluation criteria: activity during the course, the creative process, quality of the final artefact and learning diary.

    Workload (valid 01.08.2018-31.07.2020): 

    270 h

    Contact teaching: lectures, site visits, group discussions, assignments and final presentation 90 h

    Independent work: literature study, writing assignments, studio work in groups and individually 160 h

    Personal reflection 30 h

    Study Material (valid 01.08.2018-31.07.2020): 

    Manzini, Ezio (2015). Design, When Everybody Designs: An Introduction to Design for Social Innovation. London: MIT Press. (selected chapters)

    Papanek, Victor (1992). Design for the real world: Human Ecology and Social Change. London: Thames and Hudson. (selected chapters)

    Sanders, Elisabeth (2002) From User-Centered to Participatory Design Approaches. In Jorge Frascara (ed.), Design and the Social Sciences, pp. 1-7. London: Taylor & Francis.

    Other literature sources will be given during the course.

    Course Homepage (valid 01.08.2018-31.07.2020): 

    https://mycourses.aalto.fi/course/search.php?search=MUO-E5027

    Grading Scale (valid 01.08.2018-31.07.2020): 

    0-5

    Registration for Courses (valid 01.08.2018-31.07.2020): 

    WebOodi

     

    Priority to Contemporary Design students and Product and Spatial Design students who have this course accepted in their personal study plan.

    The order of priority for admitting students to courses at Aalto ARTS 1.1.2018 onwards (approved by The Committee of Arts, Design and Architecture on 10.10.2017)

    The order of priority is as follows:

    1. students for whom the course is compulsory for their major/programme and who have scheduled it for the current academic year in their personal study plan (HOPS);

    2. exchange students for whom the course is a part of his/her officially approved learning agreement and scheduled to be taken during the current semester;

    3. students for whom the course is compulsory for their major/programme and who have not completed it yet;

    4. students, for whom the course is part of his/her major’s or programme’s alternative studies and has been scheduled in the student's PSP (HOPS) for the current academic year

    5. students, for whom the course is part of his/her major’s or programme’s alternative studies and who have not completed the requisite number of credits for alternative studies yet;

    6. students for whom the course is compulsory for their minor;

    7. students, for whom the course is part of his/her minor subject’s alternative studies and who have not completed the requisite number of credits for alternative studies yet;

    8. students who have applied for the course through a student mobility scheme (internal mobility within Aalto University, flexible study right (JOO) studies etc.);

    9. other students.

     

    Courses that are intended to be multidisciplinary (e.g. UWAS courses) may apply an order of priority based on the learning outcomes of the course, while bearing in mind the university obligation of enabling students to complete their degrees within the normative duration of study set for the degree. The order of priority does not apply to courses organised by the Centre for General Studies or doctoral courses.

    This decision on the order of priority does not influence the right of the teacher to define prerequisites for the course.

     

    Further Information (valid 01.08.2018-31.07.2020): 

    Max 16 students. Please notice that the enrolment time ends two weeks before the course starts. The acceptance will be informed to all applicants one week before the start of the module.