Studying at York
Speculative Design (Masters level) - TFT00125M
- Department: Theatre, Film, Television and Interactive Media
- Credit value: 20 credits
- Credit level: M
- Academic year of delivery: 2023-24
- See module specification for other years: 2024-25
Module summary
This module builds on your existing critical thinking and technical skills to consider design as a critical, provocative medium that can challenge societal values and norms through horror, humour and delight. You will learn how to respond to complex situations and global societal challenges through the lens of interactive media by employing critical design theories and methodologies. We will explore current and emerging theories and methodologies in the field and meet practitioners working on the cutting edge of speculative and critical design. We will examine diverse examples of design fiction and speculative design before developing your own prototypes individually and in groups during workshop sessions, adopting a visual and material approach to design.
Module will run
| Occurrence | Teaching period |
|---|---|
| A | Semester 2 2023-24 |
Module aims
Module Aims:
- To develop the ability to understand and respond to complex situations and global societal challenges through the lens of interactive media.
- To provide an understanding of the theoretical and conceptual positioning of Speculative Design as it relates to technological, political, economic and social contexts.
- To develop an awareness of the potential and roles for interactive media in critical and speculative design contexts.
- To provide a creative forum for students to develop reflective, critical, digitally mediated artefacts that challenge assumptions, preconceptions and givens about contemporary life.
Module learning outcomes
By the end of this module, you will be able to:
- Critique contemporary speculative and critical design artefacts
- Design a speculative, critical design or design fiction concept
- Develop and utilise technical skills to realise concept to working prototype stage
- Design an appropriate format for exhibiting critical design prototypes
- Demonstrate ability to navigate complex, uncertain problem spaces grounded in social, cultural and global awareness
- Demonstrate ability to apply creative skills in designing and implementing speculative and critical design concepts
- Demonstrate ability to consider wider audiences and select appropriate media to realise and showcase speculative design prototypes
Indicative assessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 100 |
Special assessment rules
None
Indicative reassessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 100 |
Module feedback
You will receive individual oral feedback for the weekly design lab sessions, during the class.
You will receive written feedback on coursework assignments using a proforma identifying key requirements and marks awarded for sections of the assignment. This will be in line with standard University turnaround times.
Indicative reading
Indicative Books:
Dunne, A. and Raby, F. (2014). Everything: Design, Fiction, and Social Dreaming. MIT Press.
Koskinen, I., and Zimmerman, J. (2011). Design Research Through Practice: From the Lab, Field, and Showroom. Morgan Kaufmann.
Tharp, B.M., and Tharp, S. M. (2018). Discursive Design: Critical, Speculative, and Alternative Things. MIT Press.
Yelavich, S. and Adams, B. eds., (2014). Design as Future-making. Bloomsbury Publishing.