Interdisciplinary Design

Module description

Our material and virtual worlds are entangled in increasingly complex ways. The internet, often thought of as a collection of hyperlinked documents, is now increasingly seen as an infrastructure of connected objects: an emerging ecology of smart devices and data-driven applications designed to create and extract value from users and their interactions. As the design of these devices and interactions becomes highly specialised in terms of hardware and software, a broader interdisciplinary approach is needed to make sense of how all these parts fit together; how circuits, sensors, and screens create data that in turn enables new interfaces and new devices. To explore this broader design cycle, in this module students work in small groups to develop a mini project through which they analyse, design, and test, a connected object and its interface, reflecting on their practice throughout.

Assessment details

Coursework

Project e-portfolio (90%) + Presentation (10%)

Educational aims & objectives

Students will develop an integral understanding of design as a broader intellectual activity that draws from and makes connections across different bodies of knowledge, linking people, devices, and data in increasingly interdependent ways. Through a collaborative project, students will gain perspective on the possibilities, limitations, and social implications of design as an interdisciplinary endeavour.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of the module students will be able to:

• Demonstrate a systematic understanding of how devices, users and data interact with each other.
• Critically assess these interactions through relevant literature across disciplines.
• Develop the technical skills to Intervene and redesign a connected object, which includes but is not limited to:
  • Fast prototyping using paper, cardboard, upcycled materials, low-cost sensors, and single board computers.
  • Basic web technologies to connect and control their objects through web/mobile interfaces.
  • Basic UX evaluation and testing techniques.

Module description disclaimer

King’s College London reviews the modules offered on a regular basis to provide up-to-date, innovative and relevant programmes of study. Therefore, modules offered may change. We suggest you keep an eye on the course finder on our website for updates.

Please note that modules with a practical component will be capped due to educational requirements, which may mean that we cannot guarantee a place to all students who elect to study this module.

Please note that the module descriptions above are related to the current academic year and are subject to change.