Syllabus (as of 12/22/05)

Course No/Name: ATEC 4370.004 Topics in Arts and Technology

Course Title: Principles of Design and Visualization
Instructor: Chip Wood, Visiting Associate Professor
Contact Options: chip.wood@utdallas.edu JO 4.806/972-883-2785 cell 469-544-3085
Class Day & Time: Fall Semester 2005/Thursdays 12:30pm – 3:15pm
Location: HRA 1.104 (Mac Lab)

Course Description
This class is an overview of design principles and practices common to most design professions,
to give students a foundation understanding of design rules, laws, and guidelines that they can use
throughout their education and career pursuits. Students will learn the language of design, how to
think like a designer, how to judge between good and bad design execution, and where to go for
additional resources of specialized design practice. Students will also learn how to use rapid
visualization methods to explore, delineate and communicate original ideas of their own. These
skills will compliment and enliven other structured learning courses in the ATEC program.

The course work will consist of:

• Weekly textbook reading assignments from – Universal Principles of Design, by
Lidwell/Holden/Butler) and The Rapid Vis Toolkit, by Kurt Hanks
• Weekly lectures and class discussion
• Weekly research to identify examples of design principles in practice
• Keeping and maintaining a sketch/reference/ideation notebook (Thinkbook)
• Weekly lab sessions to learn and practice visualization techniques
• A semester-long design and visualization ‘Portfolio’ project (see figure 1.0 below)
• A semester-long ‘Special Interest Network’ project (see figure 1.0 below)

Course Requirements
• Attendance to all classes
• All assignments need to be completed on time
• All students need to participate individually and as a contributing member of the class,
especially in sharing discoveries with one another

Grading Procedure
Because this course’s emphasis will be on providing the student with an awareness and
understanding of Design methods and practices through experience, it is very important that
students participate individually and collectively to insure that everyone has a successful leaning
experience. Therefore, students will be evaluated on attendance, participation in class,
assignments, and the quality and quantity of work completed from week to week. Assignments
will be discussed throughout the course, with specific requirements spelled out. See grading
breakdowns at the end of this document.

Classroom Conduct
• Students are to focus their attention on the subjects at hand in the classroom, i.e., lectures,
presentations, discussions, and set aside all other activities.
• All open communication (talking) should be relevant to the subject at hand and have
value to the class as a whole.
• Competitiveness between students will be friendly and encouraging at all times.

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 • All other rules of behavior will be discussed and agreed to by the class on the first day.

Academic Ethics
Any form of disruptive behavior or scholastic dishonesty, such as plagiarism, cheating, or
copying other’s work will not be tolerated and may result in loss of credit.

Drop Procedures (see http://utdallas.edu/student/registrar/calendar/)

If you are unable to complete this course, you should withdraw from it. Withdrawing from a
course is a formal procedure, with a specific published deadline, which you must initiate. The
instructor cannot do it for you. You must do this through the Registrar’s Office.

Course Schedule & Outline

Figure 1.0

1/12 Class 1 Introductions, syllabus, overview, goals, expectations, textbooks, supplies, etc.
Lecture/Discussion: Art & Design / Establish a Personal Vision
Assignment #1a: Find examples of design principles introduced in class and send
digital samples to instructor before next week (be ready to explain to class).
Assignment #1b: Start Phase-I Portfolio Project / Identify a personal professional
goal and a semester project that would help you achieve that goal. Schedule one-
on-one interview with instructor to discuss—complete by Class 4 (see below).

1/19 Class 2 Lecture/Discussion: Design Principle – Less is More

Assignment #2: Find examples of design principles introduced in class and send
digital samples to instructor before next week and be ready to explain to class.

1/26 Class 3 Lecture/Discussion: Design Principle – Form Follows Function

Assignment #3: Find examples of design principles introduced in class and send
digital samples to instructor before next week and be ready to explain to class.

2/02 Class 4 Class Sharing: Short explanation of your professional goal and portfolio project.
Lecture/Discussion: Design Principle – Design Process
Assignment #4a: Find examples of design principles introduced in class and send
digital samples to instructor before next week and be ready to explain to class.

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 Assignment #4b: Start Phase-II Portfolio Project / Build a ‘morgue’ of visual
reference materials to inform and inspire (continue throughout semester).
Assignment #4c: Start Phase-II Networking Project / Research and identify
contacts in your chosen professional area of interest (continue throughout
semester).

2/09 Class 5 Class Sharing: Report on progress with networking.

Lecture/Discussion: Design Principle – Aesthetic Bias / part 1
Assignment #5: Find examples of design principles introduced in class and send
digital samples to instructor before next week and be ready to explain to class.

2/16 Class 6 Class Sharing: Update on progress with networking.

Lecture/Discussion: Design Principle – Aesthetic Bias / part 2
Assignment #6: Find examples of design principles introduced in class and send
digital samples to instructor before next week and be ready to explain to class.

2/23 Class 7 Class Sharing: Update on progress with networking.

Lecture/Discussion: Design Principle – Psychology and Aesthetics
Assignment #7a: Find examples of design principles introduced in class and send
digital samples to instructor before next week and be ready to explain to class.
Assignment #7b: Start Phase-III Portfolio Project / Explore visualizations for
your project for next four weeks.
Assignment #7c: Start Phase-III Networking Project / Develop valuable
conversations with newly forming network of contacts (continue throughout
semester).

3/02 Class 8 Class Sharing: Report on progress with networking conversations.

Lecture/Discussion: Design Principle – Dimensional Perception
Assignment #8: Find examples of design principles introduced in class and send
digital samples to instructor before next week and be ready to explain to class.

3/09 noClass Spring Break

3/16 Class 9 Class Sharing: Update on progress with networking conversations.

Lecture/Discussion: Design Principle – Aesthetic Toolbox / part 1
Assignment #9: Find examples of design principles introduced in class and send
digital samples to instructor before next week and be ready to explain to class.

3/23 Class 10 Class Sharing: Update on progress with networking conversations.

Lecture/Discussion: Design Principle – Aesthetic Toolbox / part 2
Assignment #10: Find examples of design principles introduced in class and send
digital samples to instructor before next week and be ready to explain to class.

3/30 Class 11 Class Sharing: Update report on portfolio presentation objective and progress
with networking conversations.
Lecture/Discussion: Design Principle – Usability Factors
Assignment #11a: Find examples of design principles introduced in class and
send digital samples to instructor before next week and be ready to explain.
Assignment #11b: Start Phase-IV Portfolio Project / Final visual rendition for
presentation in Class 15 (see below).

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 Assignment #11c: Start Phase-IV Networking Project / Visualize a map of your
growing contact network.

4/06 Class 12 Class Sharing: Update on progress with networking conversations.

Lecture/Discussion: Design Principle – Information Architecture / part 1
Assignment #12: Find examples of design principles introduced in class and send
digital samples to instructor before next week and be ready to explain to class.

4/13 Class 13 Class Sharing: Update on progress with networking conversations.

Lecture/Discussion: Design Principle – Information Architecture / part 2
Assignment #13: Find examples of design principles introduced in class and send
digital samples to instructor before next week and be ready to explain to class.

4/20 Class 14 Class Sharing: Update on progress with networking conversations.

Lecture/Discussion: Design Principle – Cosmic Aesthetic Realities
Assignment #14: Show application of design principles in final project
submission next week.
Hand in Visualization Thinkbook for examination by instructor

4/27 Class 15 Final Exam: Portfolio Project Presentation & Networking Report
• A digital copy (CD-R) of Presentation to instructor
• Presentation to class

Grading Scale
A 91-100 Excellent
B 81-90 Above Average
C 71-80 Average
D 61-70 Poor
F 00-60 Failing

Grading Weights
60 Points Assignments (15 at 4.0 points each)
10 Points Visualization ThinkBook (evidence of use throughout semester)
30 Points Final Report & Presentation

05 Points Extra Credit for selection of book & one page description of why
it would be valuable for the rest of the class to read

Attendance & Tardy Policy – Attendance is mandatory. Lack of attendance will affect your grade
because absences will not only leave holes in understanding of the lesson contents but also
degrade the benefit to other students in regard to sharing researched materials, discussions and
work sessions. Coming to class late or leaving early will also be counted as absences without
prior approval from the instructor. Excessive absences can result in grade penalty or even failure
of the course; three unexcused absences will result in an adjustment in the final grade down
by one level (ex. ‘A’ down to a ‘B’).