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IXG-5800-A Thesis 1: Thinking
Section 3: Strategic Writing
SVA MFA Interaction Design
Spring 2017
last edited March 25, 2017
Nicole Fenton
nfenton1@sva.edu
nicolefenton.com
Office hours by appointment
Writing is part of every design project—from jotting down notes and questions to summarizing research, instructing users, and presenting work in proposals and marketing pages. In this course, we’ll examine the writing process, collaborate on long and short-form pieces, practice editing, and use language as a strategic tool in the design process.
This course focuses on clarity of ideas, structure, and style over grammar and mechanics.
- Investigate how writing shapes and contributes to the design process
- Practice writing and editing collaboratively
- Develop and structure various kinds of text
- Use writing exercises to prepare for your thesis and process book
We will practice thinking and writing—together and individually—through conversation, writing exercises, and peer editing. Be prepared to:
- Ask questions, take risks, and express yourself
- Share rough ideas and unpolished drafts with the class
- Give candid, considered, and supportive feedback
- Grapple with the subjectivity of language
Several Short Sentences About Writing, Verlyn Klinkenborg
Grading is pass/fail and will be based on your attendance and participation in class. Please be on time and be prepared to discuss the reading assignments. As this course is only five sessions, it’s important for you to be present and open to contributing to the conversation each week.
More than two unexcused absences constitute a failing grade. If you will be late or need to miss a class, reach out to me in advance so you can keep up with the assignments. No late work will be accepted.
In-class activities and guest speakers are subject to change.
- Introductions and warm-up exercise
- Discuss writing’s purpose, various forms, and strengths.
- Articulate our goals for the next five weeks.
- Come up with principles and examples of good writing together.
- Core values exercise
- Style guide exercise
Bring a blog post or essay you wrote in the past for discussion next week.
- Writing Basics, Chapter 4 from Nicely Said, Nicole Fenton and Kate Kiefer Lee
- The Problem with White Liberal Designers, Jennifer Daniel
- What Writers Really Do When They Write, George Saunders
- Copywriting is Interface Design, Jason Fried
- Reading discussion and warm-up exercise
- Discuss various writing styles and the differences between voice and tone.
- Peer editing exercise
- Guest speaker: Robyn Kanner, Cofounder and Designer of MyTransHealth; UX Designer at Amazon
- Corn Maze, Pam Houston
- Guidelines for an Adaptive Technology Working Group, Sara Hendren
- Resistance, Paul Soulellis
- Spend an hour thinking and writing about your goals.
- What do you want to do (and not do)?
- What are you good at?
- What are your favorite parts of the process?
- What do you need to do your best work?
- What do you want to work on in this class to help you get there?
- Choose a final project in line with your goals:
- Presentation or essay
- Mission, process, or internship statement
- Thesis outline or project brief
- About page and professional bio
- Reading discussion and warm-up exercise
- Thesis planning exploration
- Inventory the facts and ideas
- Structure the elements
- Make an outline
- Group summary
Several Short Sentences About Writing, Verlyn Klinkenborg
- Continue developing your final project.
- Look through past work and writing you enjoyed for themes.
- Gather 3–5 quotations or snippets of text for your final project.
- Talk to a classmate or friend about your piece to move your outline along.
- Finish a rough first draft and bring it to class for discussion and peer editing.
- Reading discussion and warm-up exercise
- Workshop your final project
- Guest speaker: Karyn Campbell, Product Design Lead for Etsy Studio
- Designing Case Studies: Showcasing a Human Centered Design Process, Senongo Akpem
- Tiny Beautiful Things, Cheryl Strayed (audio)
Wrap up your final project.
- Reading discussion and warm-up exercise
- Presentations and group critique
- Guest speaker: Tina Lee, Editor for A Book Apart