Designing interactive products

The design studio covers the theme of the development of interactive products.

The focus of the course will be on two main aspects:

• The experience that designers can generate through the use of three aspects: interaction with the product, the value of the product, the context of use.
• The tools and platform for applied interaction (Arduino, Unity 3D)

The objective of the design studio is that students should:

• learn how to design a meaningful user experience understanding how the product interacts (communicates) with users and the context in which the product will be used
• handle the basics of physical computing

The course will be divided in three parts: 

Methodology for interaction design

• Exploring interaction: How the product interacts (communicates) with users and the context in which the product will be used.  (Tools and methods to analyse product)
• Usability and User eXperience Assessment in Design Project: evaluate existing products and product usage. 

Physical Computing and mechatronics

• Learning how to handle different typologies of sensor and actuators and how to connect them through the Arduino platform.
• Learning how to interact and connect the Arduino platform (and the different boards) to Unity3D.
• Using state of the art technologies and connect them through Unity3D and Arduino, e.g. LeapMotion and Kinect systems. 

Project Development

• Starting from the analysis of existing products: reconfigure the “interaction of the product” based on the user experience.
• Developing experiential prototypes

The evaluationparamenters of outcomes are:

• the skills of critical analysis
• the quality and innovation and «smartness» of projects
• the quality of the presentations