Closing Thoughts on Learnings From This Course
Following Donald A. SchĂśnâs ideas of the reflective practitioner this course has emphasized the value of sketching and prototyping. SchĂśn describes design practice as a conversation with the materials of the design situation (SchĂśn, 1992). Here the designer performs certain moves and âlistensâ for the situationâs reaction. From that he adjusts his understanding of the situation and thereby the design, he is creating. This is a process of reflection- and knowing-in-action. When engaging with this conversation prototyping and sketching are very important design moves, which allow the designer to explore, affect and understand the design situation. Inquiry of the design situation can be done through prototyping and sketching. Therefore this is not tools that only belong to the final stages of the process.
This course has given me a better understanding of SchĂśnâs processual concept and most importantly, how it applies to practice. It is not just a matter of making and refining prototypes. Design is about being able to articulate the arguments behind design decisions and understand the results of a prototype put into test. In the context of interaction this requires an understanding of the different aspects, attributes and relations, that constitute interaction. Here I have been introduced to different vocabularies and frameworks for approaching and articulating specific interaction attributes.
Compared to other design courses, that I have followed, this course has focused on the practical aspects of interaction design. I have obtained competencies within three areas: Processual experience, articulation of concepts and technical skills.
References:
SchĂśn, Donald A. (1992): âDesigning as reflective conversation with the materials of a design situation.â Research in Engineering Design 3.3: 131-147.












