Integrative Frameworks for Technology, Environment, and Society I

Integrated Frameworks for Technology, Environment, and Society II engages diverse yet complementary disciplines, perspectives and techniques to help identify, diagnose and constructively address consequential social challenges. The disciplines — or ‘frameworks’ — explored include (in no order and to varying degrees) human-centered design research and methods, humanitarian design, communication design and storytelling, industrial design, public policy, behavioral science, entrepreneurship, design thinking, ethnography, organizational dynamics, and culture. The course aims to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of these relationships, fostering critical thinking and a holistic view of design’s impact and influence on society and industry.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn the unique challenges and opportunities in applying human-centered design in the commercial and developing world from expert practitioners.
• Learn to distinguish between various types of design research, primary and secondary, and design research methods, exploratory and evaluative.;
• Develop general understanding of the value and effectiveness of systemic thinking applied to real-world projects.
• Achieve integrative analysis skills, combining knowledge from multiple disciplines and approaches to address real-world issues.
• Gain and apply knowledge of the value of communication design and storytelling.
• Establish a broad knowledge base for ongoing learning and addressing complex problems with interdisciplinary insights.

7231 will meet for the first time on Tuesday, September 3rd.