General+Course+Information

The course in a nutshell
A **process** is an ordered set of tasks that must be executed to achieve a **goal**. The same set of tasks can be ordered in different ways to produce different processes. A task is a specific activity that is an instance of a method. So, a **method** is a template or generalization of specific tasks.

Given this, we can say that a design method is a template or generalization of a kind of design task, that can be used at various points in a product development process. This course will introduce a number of design methods and show how they can be used at different points in a product development process.

Read about the observe reflect articulate learning loop. This is an important characteristic of both learning and designing.

Essential Information

 * ADMI URL for this course: [].
 * This covers all administrative information
 * URL for course notes and related information is [].
 * You can print them at your leisure or just save as the HTML.
 * URL for the student collaborative site is http://dm1016.wikispaces.com.
 * __**Bring your laptops!**__ Free wifi access will be provided, so that you can look things up, review/use notes during exercises, LEGO design/build, etc.
 * There is no final exam in this course.
 * No handouts, unless absolutely necessary.
 * There may be some repetition of material from other courses.
 * I cannot guarantee that everyone has taken certain other courses.
 * The application of any possible repeated material is likely to be different in DM1016.

Other Notes

 * Some past students have suggested I put too much emphasis on spelling, grammar, and clarity of presentation.
 * Design is largely an act of communication, not of calculation. As such, communication is at least as important as the more "technical" aspects of design.
 * Some past students have suggested that I tell too many "stories."
 * They're not really stories, but rather short case studies meant to make a point. It's up to the students to recognize the point, or ask me for clarification.
 * Features of the course that past years' students enjoyed include (in no particular order):
 * groupwork,
 * creative in-class assignments,
 * relaxed environment,
 * practical application of theories,
 * guest lectures,
 * case studies,
 * broad perspective.

The Project

 * One big project.
 * Teams based on geography.
 * Offline collaboration via wikispaces.