Remaining research papers: please pick up

If you have not yet picked up your final research paper and would like to, please do so by the end of this week [Friday 16 June]. I’m in most days from 8:30am – 4:00pm (meetings and classes excepting), please feel free to try your luck and swing  by my office [Wig 410, behind the Media lab], or make an appointment--if the latter, suggest a time in your email please.

FYD student photograph

Final research papers

The final research papers have been marked and can be picked up. Email margaret.petty@vuw.ac.nz to make arrangements to collect your paper.

FINAL RESEARCH PAPER DUE 18 JUNE

Assignment 2 [final research paper] must be handed in by noon on Friday 18 June. Please hand in a printed hard copy to student reception [admin desk, atrium]. Be sure to include on the cover page, your name, student number, and your tutor's name. No R-drive submissions.

Outlines: Friday [4 June] in tutorial

Don't forget to mock-up an outline for your final research paper to bring to tutorial on Friday [June 4]. This is your opportunity for feedback from your tutor and to confirm that you are on the right track with Assignment 2. Follow the structure below, and remember, it is just an outline, so broad strokes and bullet points are fine. The word count is only to help you guide your content for the final paper.

** Also, test 2 will be handed back in tutorial on Friday. Come for the marks, stay for the writing workshop...

Futurologist: this week's theme

There is no assigned reading this week. It is higly suggested that you use your time wisely to read (or find) appropriate sources for your final research paper.
Tomorrow's lecture will explore the role of the "future" in design discourse and practice -- all you need to bring is a curious mind.

Following the discussion of "futurology" we will review key strategies and structures for composing a successful final research paper.

The future according to Ray Kurzweil

An Interview with Ray Kurzweil, Inventor, Bestselling Author, WorldFuture 2010 Speaker.

Upcoming research tutorials in the SoAD library

Take advantage of these tutorials to sharpen your research skills and to help you produce a successful research paper. All sessions listed below will be held in the SoAD library. 

Upcoming tutorials: 

Finding journal articles

3pm Tuesday and Wednesday [1st and 2nd June]

11am Thursday [3rd June]

Tutorials next week:

Referencing 11am Tuesday and Wednesday [8th and 9the June]

3pm Wednesday and Thursday [9th and 10th June]

Tips for writing a research paper

For more writing guides explore the materials under the Briefs + Tools page of this blog or the SoAD 'R-Drive' folder for CCDN271.

Digital recordings of lectures--USE FIREFOX

If you are having trouble playing the digitally recorded 271 lectures (linked from the blog) try using firefox. There seems to be difficulties with playing the lectures through internet explorer on the SoAD computers.

No Tutorials on Friday, 28 May

There will be no tutorials on Friday this week. However, it is highly suggested that if you would like one-on-one guidance for your research paper or personalised feedback on your abstract (assignment 1) please use this time to make an appointment with your tutor or the course coordinator.

Test 2: this week, Wed. 26 May LT1 + LT2

Don't forget! Test 2 on Wed. this week, starting at 11:30am in LT1 + LT2. Bring your notes and study aids. Good luck!!

Review notes for Test 2

Work through this presentation and prepare answers (and questions) for tomorrow's review in the tutorial streams.

The Test 2 review notes can also be found on the "briefs + tools" page.

Steven Johnson: The Web and the city

Watch this short Tedtalks for a closer and contextualised look at the role of emergence in complex social systems.

Slime mould!!

For more on this week's theme of Emergence, click here. 

Assignment 2: brief

The project brief for Assignment 2 is available here.

Week 11: Morphogenesis

This week we enter a new scale: the collective and the swarm. In keeping with this theme we will explore bottom-up design processes and the concept of 'morphogenesis'. This week's reading (above) is a primary text, in other words a historic text, from 1966 that introduces many of the core elements of design discourse in this area today. Please read it carefully and keep in mind its historical context. In addition to the reading above, please watch the Manuel DeLanda lecture (below) on the use of the Genetic Algorithm in Architecture. This lecture nicely articulates many aspects of this week's theme and pulls a number of the issues covered in the assigned reading into twenty-first century design discourse.

Walter Benjamin and the "loss" of aura

If you have not yet read Walter Benjamin's seminal essay (1935) "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction," please take some time to work through this exceptional text. It is lengthy so perhaps focus on the first half to begin with (essay below). Also, this summary of the article may prove helpful as well, follow link here.

E-baroque and Steampunk

For more background on this week's topic, visit The Steampunk Workshop and the wikipedia entry for Steampunk; also of interest, explore the 'history' of the Telelectroscope

Week 10: reading Lupton's "The Modern Curve"

Hand-in Friday: Assignment One

For the hand-in of Assignment One on Friday, be sure to include at the top of your assigment YOUR NAME and YOUR TUTOR'S NAME. Follow the APA citation style for your bibliography, as illustrated on the blog under 'Briefs +Tools'. Finally, don't forget to print up a hard copy of your assignment and hand it in at the beginning of your regular tutorial session. The R-drive will not be used to hand-in this assignment -- you must give a hard copy to your tutor.

Quick tip sheet for database research

Week 9: Critical Visualisation

This week's reading: down load here from issuu

NO TUTORIALS THIS FRIDAY--all sections cancelled

This Friday's tutorials have been cancelled, all sections, all times, to give you a bit of rest after all the hard work you've done preparing for the test tomorrow AND to give you some extra time to work on Assignment One. Please do take advantage of this 'break' and make sure you put your best effort forward with your first written assignment.

TEST ONE - WEDNESDAY 21 APRIL - 11:30am - LT1 + LT2

Don't forget we have our first test on Wednesday 21 April beginning at our regularly scheduled lecture time, 11:30am. Both LT1 and LT2 will be used for the test, so please go to LT2 if LT1 is filling up. Remember you can bring your notes and readings, but please, no talking during the test. The test will take approximately one hour.

New links to all recorded lectures!

These should work with Firefox + Sliverlight installed: 

Week One: design as inquiry

Week Two: the everyday

Week Three: the placebo project

Week Four: design ethics 

Week Five: massive change

Guidelines for watching recorded lectures

1. The recorded lectures will NOT play on the Macs in the 4th FL Wigan Media Lab -- you must find another location to watch the lectures.
2. Use a PC whenever possible, such as those in the School's other computer labs, and Internet Explorer for watching the lectures.
3. If you are not at school, try downloading Microsoft Silverlight on your PC and then retry the lectures (download here).
4. If the issues persist, try another computer if possible.
5. Be sure to use your MyVictoria login and password to access the lectures.
6. You are always free to try to get usefully advice from ITS - Service Desk Phone: 463 5050 (8:00 am - 5:30pm, Monday to Friday) or use the Student ITS Help Form

Readings: downloads from Issuu

Visit the following links to download and print any of the required readings:
week 1
week 2 
week 3
week 4
week 5
Similarly visit the other CCDN271 course folders on Issuu to download pdfs of the lectures and other course materials.

Study guide for Test 1: use it (and your time) wisely

Review for Test 1: this Wed. (31 March)

COME TO LECTURE: In addition to introducing this week's theme: Massive Change, on Wednesday we will be reviewing for Test 1 -- which will be conducted on our first meeting after the Easter break, Wednesday 21 April. If you would like to optimise your test taking capabilities for our first test, it is HIGHLY recommended that you attend Wednesday's lecture.

PS. Remember there an NO tutorials this week.

Library tutorials: this week and next

Admission: FREE (!) don't miss the upcoming library tutorials: database-searching classes classes run today and tomorrow at 3pm; also next Monday (29 March) and Tuesday (30 March) at 3pm. There will be classes on using the catalogue Wednesday (31 March) and Thursday (1 April) at 3pm.

TED Talks: the magic of the placebo

For those of you who would like to know more about the Placebo Project, follow this link to Eric Mead's TED talk, The Magic of the Placebo.

Week 4: readings Foucault + Anderson

Be sure to read both Foucault and Anderson before Wednesday's lecture, exploring the ethics of design and information in the 21st century.

Assignment 1: Abstract + Annotated Bibliography

The Assignment 1 brief has been posted to this blog (see Briefs + Tools). We will discuss this brief in more detail on Wednesday.

Week 4 reading: Foucault on Panopticism

Week 3: The Placebo Project

This week we go undercover to explore the secret lives of electronic objects. Read more here and here.

Dunne+Raby, Electro-draught Excluder

Week 2: The Everyday [recorded lecture]

Today's lecture on the Everyday is now available, click here.

Juicy Salif by Philippe Starck for Alessi

Howling at the Moon

This week's topic: the everyday

in preparation for Wednesday's lecture, please read the excerpt from Nicholson Baker, The Mezzanine and Howling at the Moon: The Poetics of Amateur Product Reviews : Observatory: Design Observer

Cat Genie, Self-Flushing, Self-Washing Cat Box

Dunne+Raby Robots

Technological Dream Series: No. 1, Robots from dunne & raby on Vimeo.

Today's lecture: recording available (sort of)

Follow the link for a digital recording of today's [Wed. 3 March] lecture. You will be promted to "sign in" please use your Vic user name and password to login. Frustratingly, it seems as if the University's media player prefers Internet Explorer over Firefox. Mac users may have some difficulties as well. Need help? contact margaret.petty@vuw.ac.nz

Scheduling Conflicts? Don't panic...

All students enrolled in FILM231 and DSDN283 will have access to full recordings of weekly CCDN271 Wed. lectures. Shortly after the lecture, a link will be posted on this blog directing students to the recorded lecture.Students enrolled in FILM231 should attend the FILM231 lectures on Wed. and watch the CCDN271 lecture online. Students in the Wed. morning DSDN283 should attend the first hour of the CCDN271 Wed. morning lecture, and step out quietly when it is time for the DSDN283 tutorial stream. Any questions/concerns, please contact margaret.petty@vuw.ac.nz

Tutorial Streams: room for all

Please note the following [final] tutorial streams for CCDN271, room assignments have shifted from those on the course outline. Please contact the Course Coordinator: margaret.petty@vuw.ac.nz if you have any questions or conflicts or were unable to sign up for a tutorial stream after the first lecture.
Stream A: Fri. 10:30am-11:20am, VS308 [Craig Johnson]
Stream B: Fri. 11:30am-12:20am, VS308 [Craig Johnson]
Stream C: Fri. 12:40pm-  1:30pm, VS127 [Nan O'Sullivan]
Stream D: Fri.   1:40pm-  2:30pm, VS127 [Nan O'Sullivan]
Stream E: Fri.   4:40pm-  5:30pm, VS308 [Jason Petty]
Stream F: Fri.   5:40pm-  6:30pm, VS308 [Jason Petty]

Welcome

This is the official blog for CCDN 271: Design Ideas in Context [Design as Inquiry], a second-year required course at The School of Design, Victoria University of Wellington. This course will employ a diversity of critical approaches and themes in the investigation of design as a social, cultural, political, and economic agent, as well as an object, process and act. These themes will be situated within a diversity of scales, including: the individual and personal; social and political; surface and symolic; and collective and swarm. 

This blog will be used as the primary mode of delivering course materials, readings, resources, project briefs, and important updates. It is highly recommend that students follow this blog and regularly reviewing it for new information and instructions. Also, students are encouraged to comment and use this blog as a forum for discussion and debate.

"untitled" Start of the Year Exhibition 2010

As you make your way through the atrium, take a moment to explore the work of past and present School of Design students and faculty. This year's start of year exhibition was developed, curated, and executed by First Year Design Programme Director Lee Gibson.