COURSE INFORMATION Course Title: DESIGN METHODS

Code	Course Type	Regular Semester	Theory	Practice	Lab	Credits	ECTS
ARCH 421	B	1	3	1	0	4	6

Academic staff member responsible for the design of the course syllabus (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature)	NA
Lecturer (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature) and Office Hours:	Odeta Manahasa , Thursday(s) 15.30-17.30
Second Lecturer(s) (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature) and Office Hours:	Desantila Hysa
Teaching Assistant(s) and Office Hours:	NA
Language:	English
Compulsory/Elective:	Compulsory
Classroom and Meeting Time:
Course Description:	This course explores some ideas that can lead to a stronger intellectual base for a designer's actions. The course content is focused on the different perspectives on Design activity. An overview of the shifts in design thinking theory and practice. The main scope of the course is to overview the question of “what design thinking is” rather than “how to design”. This significant question will constitute a starting point for the discussions.
Course Objectives:	The aim of the course is to explore some ideas that can lead to a stronger intellectual base for your design actions. The course content is focused on the different perspectives on Design activity. An overview of the shifts in design theory is given, as well as the methodologies of shifts in design practice. The main scope of the course is to overview the question of “what design is” rather than “how to design”. This significant question will constitute a starting point for the discussions that follow.

COURSE OUTLINE

Week	Topics
1	S1. Introduction. S2: Movie Screening: Design and Thinking, a Muris Media Production (2012), http://www.designthinkingmovie.com/
2	Design Thinking
3	User-centered Design
4	Wicked-Problems in Design Thinking
5	How do Designers Think?
6	How do Designers Think?
7	Designers as Reflective Practitioners
8	National Holiday
9	Midterm Week
10	Design Cognition
11	Managing as Designing | Design as Management
12	Change by Design
13	Design as Social Innovation
14	Final Presentations of Term Projects

Prerequisite(s):	No
Textbook:	Movie Screening: Design and Thinking, a Muris Media Production (2012), http://www.designthinkingmovie.com/ Kimbell L.: 2011, “Rethinking Design Thinking Part I,” Design and Culture, 3(3): 285-306. Kimbell L.: 2012, “Rethinking Design Thinking Part II,” Design and Culture, 4(2): 129-148. Simon, H. A.: 1996, The Sciences of the Artificial. Third edition. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Buchanan, R.: 1992, “Wicked Problems in Design Thinking”, Design Issues, 8(2): 5-21. Cross, N.: 2004, “Designerly Ways of Knowing: Design Discipline versus Design Science,” Design Issues, 17(3): 49-55. Lawson, B.: 2005, How Designers Think: The Design Process Demystified, Fourth Edition, Architectural Press. Schön, D. A.:1992, “Designing as Reflective Conversation with the Materials of a Design Situation,” Knowledge-Based Systems, 5(1): 3-14. Webster, H.: 2008, “Architectural Education after Schön: Cracks, Blurs, Boundaries and Beyond,” Journal for Education in the Built Environment, 3 (2): 63-74 Buchanan R.: 2004, “Management and design: Interaction pathways in organizational life,” in Bolland Jr. R.J., Collopy F. (eds) Managing as designing, Stanford, CA: Stanford Business Books, pp. 54–63. Michlewski, K.: 2008, “Uncovering Design Attitude: Inside the Culture of Designers,” Organization Studies 29 (3): 373-392.
Other References:
Laboratory Work:	No
Computer Usage:
Others:	No

COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES

1	Students will complete readings, light research work and build their skills and confidence addressing their colleagues. Assignments will be both individual and team-based.
2	Students will become fluent in matters of design practice and cultures
3	Students will improve their ability to craft compelling arguments to demonstrate their point of view
4	Through practice, students will be better able to communicate effectively within and across teams
5	Students will apply methods to consistently describe interactions for the purposes of ideation, exploration, and validation

COURSE CONTRIBUTION TO... PROGRAM COMPETENCIES (Blank : no contribution, 1: least contribution ... 5: highest contribution)

No	Program Competencies	Cont.
Integrated second cycle study program in Architecture (5 years) Program
1	Speaking and Writing Skills Ability to read, write, listen, and speak effectively	5
2	Critical Thinking Skills Ability to raise clear and precise questions, use abstract ideas to interpret information, consider diverse points of view, reach well-reasoned conclusions, and test them against relevant criteria and standards	5
3	Graphics Skills Ability to use appropriate representational media, including freehand drawing and computer technology, to convey essential formal elements at each stage of the programming and design process	3
4	Research Skills Ability to gather, assess, record, and apply relevant information in architectural course work	4
5	Formal Ordering Systems Understanding of the fundamentals of visual perception and the principles and systems of order that inform two- and three-dimensional design, architectural composition, and urban design
6	Fundamental Design Skills Ability to use basic architectural principles in the design of buildings, interior spaces, and sites
7	Collaborative Skills Ability to recognize the varied talent found in interdisciplinary design project teams in professional practice and work in collaboration with other students as members of a design team	5
8	International Traditions Understanding of the International architectural canons and traditions in architecture, landscape and urban design, as well as the climatic, technological, culture-economic, and other cultural factors that have shaped and sustained them
9	National and Regional Traditions Understanding of national traditions and the local regional heritage in architecture, landscape design and urban design, including the vernacular tradition
10	Use of Precedents Ability to incorporate relevant precedents into architecture and urban design projects
11	Conservation and Restoration of Historical Districts Knowledge on historical districts and the gain of conservation consciousness documentation of historical buildings and the understanding the techniques which are needed to prepare restoration projects.
12	Human Behavior Understanding of the theories and methods of inquiry that seek to clarify the relationship between human behavior and the physical environment	3
13	Human Diversity Understanding of the diverse needs, values, behavioral norms, physical ability, and social and spatial patterns that characterize different cultures and individuals and the implication of this diversity for the societal roles and responsibilities of architects	5

COURSE EVALUATION METHOD

Method	Quantity	Percentage
Homework	5	6
Presentation	1	20
Final Exam	1	40
Attendance		10
Other
	Total Percent:	100%

ECTS (ALLOCATED BASED ON STUDENT WORKLOAD)

Activities	Quantity	Duration(Hours)	Total Workload(Hours)
Course Duration (Including the exam week: 16x Total course hours)	16	4	64
Hours for off-the-classroom study (Pre-study, practice)	14	4	56
Mid-terms	1	10	10
Assignments	5	1	5
Final examination	1	15	15
Other			0
Total Work Load:			150
Total Work Load/25(h):			6
ECTS Credit of the Course:			6