Course

**FA/YSDN 3006 Design and Information Architecture**
3 credits | Fall Term | Academic Year 2007/08 Design Practicum | YSDN Electives

Section A: Monday 08:30 - 12:30, TEL4031 Section B: Friday 12:30 - 16:30, TEL4031 Course Director: David Gelb Contact: dgelb@yorku.ca Office: TEL4021 Office Hours: Monday 12:30-14:30 or by appointment

Prerequisite
FA/YSDN 2005 3.0 or permission of the Department of Design A basic knowledge of Flash software, CSS2, Illustrator and Photoshop is required for this course.

Course description
Students broaden their knowledge and understanding of the conceptual principles of organizational structures and methodologies involved in the presentation of information in virtual environments. In a series of projects, students explore various types of data and structural organization models of information.

This continued investigation into complex problem solving will emphasize the application of systemic design methods. This course explores a conceptual design that requires advanced design/planning teamwork committing to the development and creative use of qualitative as well as quantitative information.

Individual and team problem-solving techniques are utilized to identify and analyze problems, develop content, specify needed functions, propose integrated solutions and present use scenarios at the system level.

Each project begins with the analysis of human activities in terms of instrumental and communicative needs and wants, progresses through systemic processes and ends with scenarios that demonstrate the developed concept. Students learn to use computing technology not only as production tools but also as a tool supporting design processes.

This course offers the opportunity to develop knowledge and know-how for design teamwork, design planning and systemic thinking which are essential to tackle design problems which are often large in scale, complex and resolved at the interdisciplinary level.

This course is a combination of projects, exercises, discussions and critiques, lectures, and studio work time.

Course learning outcomes
Topics covered include project scope, user study, information architecture: content structuring, activity analysis and system modeling with diagrams, and interactive storyboards. The technical skills acquired include Flash, Dreamweaver, CSS.

Successful students will acquire an advanced knowledge of processes and techniques involved in systems and systemic design and have demonstrated attitudes of research ethics and engagement in group work.

Demonstrated Abilities
• Research relevant meaningful content for an interactive project • Produce professional interactive design documents • Develop team working skills and time management methods • Develop and conduct user studies at a basic level • Create professional quality storyboards • Create a web site using CSS2 code • Create visually sophisticated presentations using Flash software • Acquire the ability to initiate original design concepts and develop concepts in a professional process

Demonstrated Attitudes
• Professional work ethics • Create a collaborative team work environment • Meeting critical deadlines for timely project development • Ability to establish equitable workload goals within team

Schedule
See the project handout.

Recommended readings
The following are useful texts that, though not required, could help you in developing a better understanding of issues related to the content of this course.

ABRAMS Janet and HALL Peter; “New Cartographies of Networks And Territories” University of Minnesota Design Institute, 2006 PREECE Jennifer, ROGERS Yvonne, SHARP Helen; “Interaction Design, beyond human-computer interaction”, John Wiley & Sons, 2002

Books for information architecture and interaction design
BENYON David, TURNER Phil and TURNER Susan; “Designing Interactive Systems”, Pearson Education Limited, 2005 CAMERON, Andy; “The Art Of Experimental Interaction Design” Gingko Press, 2004 GARRETT, Jesse James; “The Elements of User Experience”, New Riders Publishing, 2003. KAHN Paul and LENK Krzystof; “Mapping Web Sites”, Rotovision, 2001 ROSENFELD, Louis and MORVILLE, Peter; “Information Architecture”, O’Reilly & Associates, Inc., 1998. LOGREN, Jonas and STOLTERMAN, Erik ; “Thoughful Interaction Design”, MIT Press, 2004

Books for systems and systemic design
KRISTOF, R. and SATRAN, A.; “Interactivity by Design”, Adobe Press, 1995. NEWMAN, William M. and LAMMING, Michael G.; “Interactive System Design”, Cambridge UK: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company Inc., 1995. VAN DIJCK, Peter “Information Architecture For Designers”, ; Rotovision, 2003. WODKE, Christina; “Information Architecture: Blueprints for the Web”, New Riders Press, 2002. WURMAN,Richard Saul “Information Architects”, Watson-Guptill Publishing, 1997.

COOPER, Alan; “About Face: The Essentials of User Interface Design”, John Wiley & Sons 1995. COOPER, Alan; “The Inmates Are Running the Asylum : Why High Tech Products Drive Us Crazy and How to Restore the Sanity”, Sams 2004. LAUREL, Brenda. ed.; “The Art of Human-Computer Interface Design”, New York: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, Inc., 1990.(p. 5-10 and p. 191-207) MARCUS, Aaron; “Graphic Design for Electronic Documents and User Interfaces”, New York: ACM Press, 1992.(Chapter 3 and 4)
 * Books for interface design**

Required material
Some specific materials may be required for completion of projects. Their cost will vary depending on the materials and techniques chosen by a student. Students will also need digital data storage devices: USB drive, portable hard drive and/or an account on a server.

Facilities
Use of the Design facilities and equipment is for the proper completion of assigned design projects only. Privileges may be withheld for improper use. Lateness or incomplete work due to the loss or suspension of privileges is not an acceptable reason for missing deadlines. Students under suspension of privileges must find alternative means to complete projects.

Associated fees
There are Compulsory Supplementary Fees and Optional Supplementary Fees associated with this course for allstudents not enrolled in the York/Sheridan Joint Degree Program. All Supplementary Fees (Compulsory and Voluntary) are payable in cash or Certified Cheque at the Department of Design Administrative Offices within the first two weeks of term.

Special conditions
Attendance and lateness (see Design Handbook, Program Policy, page 11) The course is intensive and class attendance is important as preliminary and intermediate solutionsto problems are due in every class.

Attendance will be taken at the beginning of each classand students are expected to be punctual. Two latesequals one absence.

Lateness of more than thirty minutes is equal to oneabsence. If a student is absent from four classes during the term, regardless of the reasons, a grade “F” will begiven for the course and all academic and financial penalties and consequences attached to the student’s nonattendance will be the responsibility of the student.

Grading and Deadlines
(see Design Handbook, Program Policy, page 11) No late projects will be accepted. All projects and exercises must be turned in on the specific due date. Incomplete projects will not be accepted or awarded a partial grade. If a project is not turned in on time, a grade “F” will be recorded with a numerical equivalent of “0” and averaged into a final grade.

Special consideration will be given, at the discretion of the faculty, to late assignments with legitimate medical or compassionate grounds. In such cases, students must obtain a prior approval from the course instructor. In case of emergencies, students must contact the instructors immediately.

Students may not redo the projects, as the scheduledoes not allow for the additional work.

Grading
Grading is non-competitive within the course/section but based on professional standards as set by The Society of Graphic Designers of Canada/The Association of Registered Graphic Designers of Ontario (RGDON). When grading individual projects/assignments, you will be graded on four distinct aspects of the work. 1. Concept and Ideas - their originality and relevance to the problem - Lateral Thinking abilities, analysis of project requirements, understanding of the problem and its parameters, goals & objectives 2. Refinement of the Concept - the ability to take the original idea(s) and develop/ improve and apply them - Vertical Thinking abilities, critical evaluation of ideas & solutions 3. Skills - the technical abilities (understanding & execution) as demonstrated throughout the problem from early sketches to finished state, translation of ideas to visually & technically refined forms 4. Presentation - the ability to communicate visually, verbally and in written form the systematic and logical direction your synthesis of the problem solving process has taken and appropriateness of the final visual resolution of the project/exercise

Grading System
A+ 90 – 100% rare and exceptional work, thorough knowledge of concepts and techniques and exceptional skill and/or great originality in the use of those concepts / techniques in satisfying the requirements of an assignment/course.

A 80 – 89% excellent work, thorough knowledge of concepts and techniques together with a high degree of skill and/or some elements of originality

B+ 75 – 79% very good work, thorough knowledge of concepts and techniques together with a fairly high degree of skill in the use of those concepts/techniques

B 70 – 74% good work, good level of knowledge of concepts and techniques together with considerable skill

C+ 65 – 69% competent work, acceptable level of knowledge of concepts and techniques together with considerable skill representing the student’s competence to continue and the department’s wish to have the student continue

C 60 – 64% fairly competent work, acceptable level of knowledge of concepts and techniques together with some skill

D+ 55 – 59% passing work, slightly better than minimal knowledge of required concepts and techniques together with limited skill

D 50 – 54% poor work, representing a lack of effort or mimimum knowledge of concepts and techniques, despite completion of required exercises

E 31 – 49% very poor work

F 0 – 30% inadequate work

Projects and exercises
This course consists of 80% project work (both individual and group) and 20% participation (individual) A grade will be given after each of the three phases of the project is submitted. See the project for details.

Last date to drop course November 09, 2007 is the last day that a student can DROP this course without receiving a grade. Financial penalties may be involved and could be assessed depending on the precise date that the course was dropped.

Academic Honesty
http://www.yorku.ca/secretariat/legislation/senate/acadhone.htm

Please consult the York Senate Policy on Academic Honesty http://calendars.registrar.yorku.ca/calendars/2006-2007/univpolicies/academic_honesty.htm for a discussion of academic honesty and definitions of breach of academic honesty. Among other things, the Senate Policy discusses offenses such as cheating, submission of one piece of work in satisfaction of two assignments without prior informed consent, impersonation, plagiarism and other misappropriation of the work of another, obstruction of the academic activities of another, aiding or abetting academic misconduct, etc. In particular, students taking Design courses should be mindful of the dangers of misappropriation and misrepresentation of another person’s images.

In the creation and presentation of all design practicum works, students who use the work of others must clearly state the extent and nature of the appropriation to their instructor. Failure to do so will constitute a breach of academic honesty.

Penalties for breach of academic honesty may include: • A failure in the course • Failure in the course plus a notation of breach of academic honesty on the official transcript, or • Removal from the Joint Program in Design.

Academic Integrity On-Line Tutorial http://www.yorku.ca/fcap/onlinetutorials.html http://www.yorku.ca/tutorial/academic_integrity/

Occupational Health & Safety
Students must be aware of ergonomic factors related to the course work and should practice recommended exercise to prevent developing occupational related health problems. Please refer to the following webpage for details: www.yorku.ca/dohs/ergonomics.htm

Research involving human participants
Students must be aware of the “Policy for the Ethics Review Process for Research Involving Human Participants” at http://www.yorku.ca/secretariat/policies/document.php?document=94 and follow the suggestions in the section II of the above document, “Ethics in the Design of Research Projects Which Involve Human Participants”. “This policy is intended to serve as a joint protection for the researcher, the subject and the University in order to ensure attention to various rights and responsibilities of the respective parties to the research endeavour.”

Special learning preference
Students who have special physical and / or mental preferences in learning course content and / or performing course work must consult with the course director for special assistance in the first week of the class.

Additional information is available at www.yorku.ca/disabilityservices or from disability service providers: • Office for Persons with Disabilities: N108 Ross, 416-736-5140, www.yorku.ca/opd • Learning and Psychiatric Disabilities Programs - Counselling & Development Centre: 130 BSB, 416-736-5297, www.yorku.ca/cdc • Atkinson students - Atkinson Counselling & Supervision Centre: 114 Atkinson, 416-736- 5225, www.yorku.ca/atkcsc • Glendon students - Glendon Counselling & Career Centre: Glendon Hall 111, 416-487- 6709, www.glendon.yorku.ca/counselling

Procedures for submitting work
All work is to be turned in personally to the Course Director during the officially scheduled class time.

At York, under normal situations, the Design Office will NOT accept drop-off of student work. In the rare case of illness of the instructor on a due date, special arrangements can be made (between the Course Director and the Office) with the Office for the submission of student work.

In case of unusual circumstances, students at Sheridan may submit their work by depositing it into the drop-off mail slot, provided by the mailroom at Sheridan. Please address your envelope(s) to your instructor and inform the instructor immediately about this special arrangement.

Students should refer to the University Calendar for the proper process of applying for Deferred Standing or requesting Aegrotat Standing, if such is applicable.

Student responsibilities
York University is committed to respecting the religious beliefs and practices of all members of the community, and making accommodations for observances of special Religious Observance Accommodation. York University is committed to respecting the religious beliefs and practices of all members of the community, and making accommodations for observances of special significance to adherents. Should any of the dates specified in this syllabus for an in-class test or examination pose such a conflict for you, contact the Course Director within the first three weeks of class. Similarly, should an assignment to be completed in a lab, practicum placement, workshop, etc., scheduled later in the term pose such a conflict, contact the Course director immediately. Please note that to arrange an alternative date or time for an examination scheduled in the formal examination periods (December and April/May), students must complete an Examination Accommodation Form, which can be obtained from Student Client Services, Student Services Centre or online at http://www.registrar.yorku.ca/pdf/exam_accommodation.pdf significance to adherents. Should any of the dates specified in this syllabus for in-class test or examinations pose such a conflict for you, contact the Course Director within the first two weeks of class. Similarly, should lab, practica, workshop, etc., assignments scheduled later in the term pose such a conflict, contact the Course Director immediately.

It is the responsibility of the student to 1. Always back-up/ save/archive digital work - the hard drives on the computers will be trashed of all student files on a regular basis, 2. Read and understand the university Policy on proper use of computing facilities (This policy is posted on the York University web site and posted on Notice Boards in and around the Design studios.), and 3. Inform the Course Director, in a timely fashion, of any problems that may interfere with the student’s progress in the course.

Religious Observance Accommodation
York University is committed to respecting the religious beliefs and practices of all members of the community, and making accommodations for observances of special significance to adherents. Should any of the dates specified in this syllabus for an in-class test or examination pose such a conflict for you, contact the Course Director within the first three weeks of class. Similarly, should an assignment to be completed in a lab, practicum placement, workshop, etc., scheduled later in the term pose such a conflict, contact the Course director immediately. Please note that to arrange an alternative date or time for an examination scheduled in the formal examination periods (December and April/May), students must complete an Examination Accommodation Form, which can be obtained from Student Client Services, Student Services Centre or online at http://www.registrar.yorku.ca/pdf/exam_accommodation.pdf