Interaction Design Programme
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interaction design programme

CURRICULUM

The Interaction Design Programme teaches fundamental skills, methods and tools related to tangible interactions, screen-based interfaces and strategic interventions. We continually develop our definition of interaction design through the evolving nature of our holistic curriculum. It covers a wide range of topics and technologies including life-centred research, graphical user interfaces, physical computing, AR, AI, machine learning and service design. Taught by leading experts in the field, the curriculum is updated each year to include new topics and technologies that reflect the demands of industry - and to push the boundaries of the discipline.

OUR APPROACH
Led by a learning-by-doing philosophy and hands-on approach, IDP participants explore topics by undertaking life-centred research before generating ideas. Participants work together in multi-disciplinary teams to develop concepts which are then prototyped in the lab and workshop. We value diverse thinking and embrace different cultures. We place as much emphasis on teamwork, communication and collaboration, as well as technical and design skills. Participants are expected to share their existing knowledge and skills with those they work with. This presents a unique peer-to-peer learning environment and ensures that everyone has a forward-thinking mindset.
Sketching and developing concepts
Rapid prototyping in the lab
COLLABORATION & PROTOTYPING
Spanning one year, the curriculum is structured to provide a comprehensive understanding of interaction design principles, methods, and practices.
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‍Collaboration: Work in interdisciplinary teams, exchange ideas and foster a holistic approach to solving problems.
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‍Prototyping and Iteration: Learn how to rapidly prototype and test ideas to create innovative and intuitive solutions.
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‍Exposure to Industry: Engage with industry professionals and partners to gain insight into the real world of design.
Our everyday mantra: Build. Test. Repeat.

STRUCTURE

The Interaction Design Programme takes place over a calendar year and is divided across: Foundations, Investigations, the Final Project and Industry Projects.

Foundations
One or two week, skills-based courses that cover the fundamentals of interaction design.  Previous IDP curricula have included:
Intro to IxD
Taught by Matt Nish Lapidus & Erik Dahl
Life-Centred Research
Taught by Melanie Kahl
Design Across Biological Scales
Taught by Rebeca Mora & Monika Seyfried
Intro to Programming
Taught by Dennis Paul, Annelie Berner, Andrea Desiato & Jose Chavarria
Materials of Electronics
Taught  by Paula Te, Andrew Quitmeyer, Jose Chavarria & Andrea Desiato
Prototyping as a Process
Taught by Zaza Zuilhof & Luke Sturgeon
Physical Computing
Taught by Massimo Banzi, Andrea Desiato & Jose Chavarria
Machine Learning
Taught by Arvind Sanjeev, Matt Visco, Andrea Desiato & Jose Chavarria
Investigations
An opportunity to pursue design projects related to particular needs and contexts. These two- to four-week classes encourage students to think about the who, what and why of their design intervention. Previous Investigations have included:
Graphical User Interface
Taught by Kristina Varshavskaya & Christine Røde
Pamphlets for behavior and impact workshop.
Design for Behaviour & Impact
Taught by Alexandra Fiorillo & Sarah Fathallah
Metaverse Technology (AR/VR)
Taught by David Rose & Chris McRobbie
Service Design
Taught by Mayo Nissen, Federico Cartin and Simona Maschi
Final Project
This self-driven project provides an opportunity to do original, individual work. With the support of internal and external advisors, students receive mentorship and follow a detailed design process. This includes rigorous research, concept development, prototyping and documentation.
Jose Chavarría final IDP project.
Interface

Jose Chavarría, 2021

What if we could experience in-depth reality? These masks enable us to explore and enhance human perception by swapping human senses with non-human senses. Inspired by turtles, bats and snakes, we are able to embody the different ways these creatures perceive the world.
Final IDP project by Diana Pang.
Epione

Diana Pang, 2021

Creating space for intimacy for sexual assault survivors and their partners. Epione consists of a grounding device that helps couples connect with the present moment through synchronising their heart rates, and a card game that encourages communicating boundaries between couples.
SEE ALL STUDENTS PROJECTS
Industry Projects
These two-week, real life-driven innovation workshops, enable students to collaborate with industry partners.. Taking place towards the end of the IDP, the Industry Projects simulate a professional environment and venture development. Previously we have collaborated with a broad range of partners including: Amigos of Costa Rica, Banca Mediolanum, Barclays, Cookpad, Crusa, DSB, Electrolux, Meta Reality Labs, Google, IKEA, Intel, Lego, littleBits, Maersk,  Meta, Mozilla, Nokia, Novo Nordisk, Orange, Philips, Reality Labs,Siemens, Toyota, Velux, Volvo, X and Zozo Next.