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Welcome to Design Theory & Methodology!
What is design, how to design and how to practically further the work practices of designers and design students are long-standing questions for theory and method development in design. They also form the central questions through which we will explore the meaning of design and the professional realm of designers’ work in the Design Theory & Methodology course. Throughout the course, you will be introduced to fundamentals concepts and ideas on design and designing in design literature. Grounded in hands-on design work, you will also learn to use theory to more consciously analyze and reflect on your own work practices when designing.
The professional realm of designers’ work is inherently broad, covering everything from arts and crafts to engineering design to advertising and marketing to creative work in development processes more generally. It is also in a state of constant transition and development as designers seek opportunities - and the skills of designers are requested - in new areas.
At the end of the course, we hope that you will have broadened your view on design as well as acquired analytical tools to analyze the scope of design in different areas. We also hope that you will have acquired the analytical tools needed to better profit from academic literature when designing and shaping your continued studies in design at Aalto University.
The course is mandatory for all bachelor students in Design at the Department of Design. It runs throughout the first study period of the Autumn semester with weekly contact sessions on Friday mornings between 9.15 and 12.00. The contact sessions are supported by weekly readings and project work which you are asked to complete individually and in smaller groups of students.
Students must attend and display active participation in at least 80 percent of the contact sessions to receive a final grade in the course. Participation in the introduction lecture and final presentation is mandatory.