test one: review [a quick guide to study]
Week One: [things you should know] 1) What is ―critical design‖ as opposed to ―affirmative design‖? 2) In what ways is design ―ideological‖?
3) How might critical design create opportunities for social responsibility in design today? 4) Be very comfortable with Dunne+Raby‘s arguments as presented in ―design as author‖
Week Two: [things you should know] 1) What is the ‗everyday‘? In what ways might it be defined? 2) What is the relationship between ‗material culture‘ and the ‗everyday‘? 3) How is ‗everyday‘ design different from ‗heroic‘ design? 4) Be familiar with some of the more significant ‗threads‘ in Nicholson Baker‘s The Mezzanine.
Week Three: [things you should know] 1) What is a placebo and what is the ―placebo effect‖? 2) What did Dunne and Raby hope to achieve (or learn) with their ―Placebo‖ investigation? 3) In what ways did the ―placebo‖ objects change participants understanding or experience of their environment? 4) Be familiar with the basic characteristics and findings of each of Dunne+Raby‘s ―placebo‖ objects.
Week Four: [things you should know] 1) What is the panopticon? How does it function? 2) Why is the inmate of the panopticon an ―object of information,‖ but ―never a subject in communication‖? 3) In what ways might ethical concerns be raised for design with the increasing use of digital surveillance—from CCTV to Google‘s cookies? 4) Be very familiar with Foucault‘s ―Panopticism‖ and the basic tenets of Dr. Gurevitch‘s presentation on ―Google Earth.‖
Week Five: [things you should know] 1) What is the principle aim of Bruce Mau‘s ―Massive Change‖ project? 2) How can good design practices influence good business practices and vice-versa? 3) How can small changes produce globally significant results? 4) Be very familiar with the case studies detailed in the selected readings from Mau‘s ―Massive Change‖
Sample question 1: How might Dunne+Raby‘s strategies of critical design and value fictions provide a means to greater social responsibility within design?
Sample question 2: Why is the everyday often overlooked in design? How can knowledge of and appreciation for the ―everyday‖ help inform the design process?
Sample question 3: What parallels might be made between Google Earth and Foucault‘s argument regarding ‗panopticism‘? What might be some of the ethical implications of Google Earth‘s view of the planet? positive and negative?
Study strategies: 1) review your notes from each week‘s assigned reading/s—what were the most important points/arguments? highlight these 2) review each week‘s lecture and powerpoint – what were the main points emphasized? which arguments were given the most attention? how do the images reinforce the themes? 3) identify key ideas, arguments, people, images for each week 4) be familiar with the basic principles and themes covered since the beginning of the course 5) try to see if you can identify commonalities or themes and arguments that can be applied over more than one week‘s topic ** you are responsible for all material covered in lectures, tutorials, and readings since the beginning of the term and you may be tested on any aspect of this material – prepare wisely!
Strategies for the test: 1) read the question carefully; then read it again 2) look closely at any illustrations provided—what do the pictures tell you? 3) quickly write down words, names, ideas that come to mind on scratch paper 4) determine your argument—what is it you are going to try to prove? (should be suggested in the question) 5) use your evidence—from lecture, reading, and tutorial notes 6) read through your answer completely when you are finished to see if you left anything out and that it makes sense 7) **remember, its not just ‗quantity‘ it is the ‗quality‘ of your response—less is often more