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DCART498 is a design studio class where students work on User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) design projects with a strong focus on inclusion and accessibility. This studio course, open to DART and CART students for the 2024 winter term, integrates participatory and co-design methodologies. It provides students with a unique opportunity to engage with real-world challenges and design needs of disability organizations, their members and individuals in their community. The heart of this course is a collaborative framework where students work closely with our community partners. These collaborations and the design approach of DCART498 are grounded in the lived experiences of our partners, who will be the students’ design clients,
presenting genuine challenges they encounter daily or during specific events or moments in their lives. This collaboration with clients ensures a strong experiential learning component and will foster a deeper understanding of real-world accessibility needs.
Students will form teams, each paired with a client. The dynamic of working in teams, guided by client needs, aims to mirror real-world professional interactions, providing experience in client-designer relationships and helping the students share and reflect on their observations. The primary objective for each team is to develop design solutions that effectively address the challenges posed by their clients, focusing on creating more accessible
and inclusive user interfaces, experiences, products or workflow solutions. Teams will be assembled to represent complementary DCART skills. Since we will engage with multiple organizations from Montreal, teams will be formed so that at least one team member speaks French.
We will match your DART or CART background with the specific challenges provided by our partners. The studio format of DCART498 is wider than practical design work. It also encompasses a comprehensive exploration of theoretical concepts integral to inclusive design.
These include accessibility principles, universal design, Graham Pullin’s notion of resonant design, and examining both the social and medical model of disability. Additionally, the course explores the intersection of disability with the arts as a resource for finding creative solutions to unusual challenges. It explores the concept of ’disability gain,’ where the seemingly unique accessibility solutions are viewed as valuable and enriching for the larger public. Inclusion and accessibility perspectives will help you critically examine mainstream UX and UI design. These valuable perspectives will widen your understanding of how interface and interaction design impact a broad range of users beyond the mainstream.
An essential course component involves students presenting their project progress in class. This not only aids in developing presentation skills but also ensures individual accountability and reflection within the team dynamic and helps share the insights gathered individually with everyone in the class.
The assessment structure includes a mid-term assignment, where students will submit a progress report summarizing their initial observations and insights gained from working with their clients. The final assignment is more comprehensive, requiring students to compile a project report with illustrations. A condensed version of the report will be presented on a
website, showcasing the final design solution and the journey taken to reach it, highlighting research, iterations, and client feedback. We will rely on Moodle as our primary digital learning platform. All class presentations must be uploaded to Moodle so that students have continuous access to all presentations.
Additionally, our reading materials will be systematically organized and distributed through Zotero. Zotero will streamline accessing academic papers and will foster an organized and efficient learning environment. All students are strongly encouraged to join our dedicated Discord channel, an informal space for real-time discussions, brainstorming, and sharing ideas, resources, and insights beyond the classroom setting.