21W785 - Class Syllabus

21W785 - Syllabus

Edward Barrett (ebarrett@mit.edu)
Marie Redmond (mredmond@mit.edu)
TR, 3-4:30 in E53-220

Objective:

Analysis, design, and implementation of various forms of digital communication based on team collaborations (mainly Web-based).

Projects:

Students will be organized into teams of five, each playing a different role within the team. Teams may choose a final project of their own design. In addition, several projects, sponsored by MIT faculty and staff, are available for choice.

Assignments:

Curriculum Vitae (Web version)
Oral proposal of final design project (in-class)
Written proposal of final design project (5 pages hardcopy)
Team review of individual CD-ROM titles (oral presentation)
Final presentation of team projects (oral)
Final hardcopy critique of team projects ( 8-10 pages)

Class Schedule:

Week 1:

9/5 - Course overview; project group formation. Description project roles; student introductions.

Week 2:

9/10 Project group formation continued.

9/12 Project group formation continued. Use of handheld devices. Assignment: one-page description of project due next class (9/17).

Week 3:

9/17 Designing a large-scale Web site: Hagan Rivers, Two Rivers Consulting.

9/19 Overview of site design process, audience/client/developer relationship, creating focus; charting user experience: Deborah Levinson, design lead for Art Technology Group, Inc. Assignment: prepare site map poster and “elevator speech” for next class (9/24).

Week 4:

9/24 Site map presentations; elements of alpha presentations

9/26 Usability studies, writing for the Web: Nicole Hennig, MIT Libraries. Assignment: prepare alpha oral presentation of project.

Week 5:

10/1 Alpha presentations

10/3 Alpha presentations continued

Week 6:

10/8 Alpha presentations continued. Assignment: prepare group cyberspace/new technology reviews for next class.

10/10 Cyberspace/new technology reviews

Week 7:

10/15 NO CLASS

10/17 Cyberspace/new technology reviews

Week 8:

10/22 Cyberspace/new technology reviews

10/24 Legal issues

Week 9:

10/29 Beta design review

10/31 Beta design review

Week 10:

11/5 Beta design review

11/7 Beta design review

Week 11:

11/12 Privacy and the Web: Joanne Straggas, MIT Information Systems

11/14 Project triage

Week 12:

11/19 Managers meeting

11/21 Draft reviews.

Week 13:

11/26 Development time

11/28 THANKSGIVING BREAK

Week 14:

12/3 Final Presentations

12/5 Final Presentations

Week 15

12/10 Last class meeting