This course will introduce students to the theories, methods, and principles of Design Thinking and the ethos of Maker Culture. Design thinking combines what is desirable from a human point of view with what is technologically feasible and economically viable. It has become a crucial tool and mindset that enables projects, organisations and companies to think creatively beyond traditional logical and analytical approaches, helping them to be agile and critically responsive to change. This course takes a design-derived perspective on challenge-oriented learning and problem solving and analysis. It will provide models for how to generate creative ideas for deriving solutions to problems in a variety of contexts and will introduce students to different ‘making practices’. The course will provide human/user-centred understanding to the formulation of problems, and their resolution. A group project (within which project management will be taught), will provide the vehicle from which to apply these theories and methods. This year’s group project will centre around designing an app-based audio-narrative/soundscape. Training in the fundamentals of audio editing/recording will equip students with the professional skills necessary to produce their narrative, while an introduction to key concepts and approaches in sound studies will help students to ground them conceptually.
Maastricht University, Design Thinking and Maker Culture course description
