schedule.md

DM-UY 1143 Ideation and Prototyping

Spring 2026 • Katherine Bennett • Mon/Wed 2:00-3:50 • In-person room 309 @ 370 Jay Street

Schedule

How to Read This Schedule

This schedule outlines the arc of the course, not a checklist to be completed. Many assignments and projects span multiple weeks and are assessed based on _week-to-week development_, not completion alone.

Weekly work is evaluated relative to the previous week. Stagnation counts as non-submission.

This is a _process-based course_. You cannot “catch up” by completing multiple weeks of work at once.

* GitHub and Slack are the official sources for all assignments, deadlines, and updates.

* This schedule may evolve in response to the pace and needs of the class.

Most readings and exercises are meant to influence ongoing projects. You are expected to reference and apply them beyond the week they are assigned.

If a week of posts shows no meaningful development from the previous week, that week will be evaluated as below satisfactory regardless of effort.

Each weekly post must include one sentence identifying how you responded to feedback from the previous week (if you received feedback from anyone).

week	In Class	Do For the following week (Assigned on Date Listed and evidence of the process needs to be posted on your process site the following Saturday after the week ends 9:00 AM EST)
wk 1: Jan 21 & 26 >This week establishes your baseline. Depth and range matter more than clarity.	Course introductions and orientation Overview of course structure, expectations, and grading philosophy Discussion: creativity as a process (divergent, convergent, lateral thinking) In-class exercises focused on expanding idea space Recommended Resources Process Site setup (completed together in class; Post your URL to Slack int the channel #studentsites)	Setup & Orientation Join Slack Acquire sketchbook and required drawing tools Complete course survey Obtain Show Your Work by Austin Kleon and begin reading Reading & Reflection Rohde, Sketching: the Visual Thinking Power Tool Brown, The Miseducation of the Doodle Post a reflection responding to the articles (not a summary). Focus on what challenged or resonated with you and why. Process Work Create a dense, exploratory mind map regarding yourself, interests and background. This should demonstrate range, curiosity, and associative thinking. Ideally do this on a white board or digital surface or using Miro. Write a reflection exploring: Interests from childhood Long-standing fascinations Topics you return to in daydreaming or play (This reflection establishes personal input streams for project topics for the semester.) ^^Post all before January 31 9am ^^
wk 2: Jan 28 & February 2 Add/Drop Dealine: Feb 2	Group discussion: mind maps Screening: The Creative Brain (David Eagleman) Process Site skills: uploading and annotating images Iterative Object Launch & InClass exercise	Reading & Reflection Read letters to the next cohort (Slack resources) Post a reflection responding to themes or advice that feels relevant to where you are now Start Reading "Don't Read This Book" - Chapters 1 - 3 Write a short analysis on The Creative Brain, focusing on ideas that shifted your understanding of creativity Process Work Iterative Object Project Week 1 Post under Iterative object: Which topic you choose and walk us through your sketch & thoughts (as well the following): Post documentation of your process and outcomes Time Management: Introduction to actionable tasks and task management ^^Post all before February 7 9am ^^
wk 3: February 4th & 9th	Tool for creativity: Yes, And (imagination, attitude, openness) Discussion: Assumptions and idea formation (James Webb Young) Collecting as a creative practice Cabinets of curiosity Observations from Iterative Object Process Time Management: Time Blocking & Task Management	Reading & Analysis Finish Reading "Don't Read This Book" - Chapters 1 - 3 Process Work Re do: Iterative Object Project Week 1 Yes And analysis: Write about a personal Yes, And experience. What shifted? What surprised you? I am looking for the effort attempted and the substance of your analysis Time Management: Time Blocking & Task Management post an anaylsis of your useage of this for the next post date ^^Post all before February 14 9am ^^
wk 4: February 11th & 17th	Observations from Iterative Object Process Discussion Don't Read This Book Ch 1-3 Time Management: Time Blocking and task management	Reading & Analysis Start reading Don't Read This Book - Ch 4: Work: Create a Routine Process Work Iterative Object Project Week 2 Time Management: Time Blocking and task management ^^Post all before February 21 9am ^^
wk 5: February 18th & 23rd	Observations from Iterative Object Process Future Project Launch Spectulative Design Investing In The Futures Class Exercise Time Management: KanBan Technique	Reading & Analysis Finish reading Don't Read This Book - Ch 4: Work: Create a Routine Read Speculative Everything (see Slack for the link) Chapter 1. This chapter will situate the Future Project, giving it context, as you are developing a speculative future. Do not skip it. How does this change your idea of making as well as your ideas of design? Process Work Iterative Object Project Week 3 Time Management: KanBan Technique ^^Post all before February 28 9am ^^
wk 6: February 25th & March 2nd	Observations from Iterative Object Process Investing In The Futures Class Exercise Time Management: this is a 2 week study Inventory Audit: Capture & Note time usage in 20 minute increments	Reading & Analyze Feedback for two of your classmates Start reading Don't Read This Book - Chapter 5: Projects: Leave Out Extras Process Work Iterative Object Project Week 4 & 5 post the outcome of the exercises from class on Feb 2 - Flyer for your object, plus exercises. How did this impact your perspective post a short reflection on what you took from the Investing the Futures game, with reference to Speculative Design and The Future project. What questions do you have? What connections are you making? How is this shaping your approach to The Future Project? Mind Map Topics to explore in your Future Project. (post under "Future"). Post all maps! Get specific! You are not selecting a final topic yet. Then, get more specific about them. Do some web research in contemporary media - venerable news sites, websites (see approved list) etc. (post under "Future") Include a short analysis articulating: * Which directions feel compelling * What questions remain unresolved You are not selecting a final topic yet. Time Management: this is a 3-4 day study Inventory Audit: Capture & Note time usage in 20 minute increments ^^Post all before March 7 9am ^^
week 7: March 4th & 9th	Observations regarding The Future Project Assumptions Introduction: Moodboard & Stakeholders Time in Class : Categories & mindmaps Time Management: this is a 2 week study Inventory Audit: Reorganize your time	Reading & Analyze Future topic: Now get more specific about it. Do some web research in contemporary media - venerable news sites, websites (see approved list) etc. (post under "Future"). Find three sources of interest. Reference the source and write brief notes how it's of use to your project. Include a short analysis articulating: * Which directions feel compelling * What questions remain unresolved Finish Don't Read This Book - Chapter 5: Projects: Leave Out Extras Process Work Begin devloping a moodboard that helps to decribe your Future World Begin to Identify Stakeholders within your topic with reference to this world. Create a mindmap or list new: Pick 5-7 elements/layers out of the 10 (see slides slack: Speculative Futures Exercise) to integrate into your world. What are they? How do they work? (just like in the game, the category cards.) Start to develop INITIAL mindmaps or lists for each of these categories. What are you assuming about your topic. See the Miro board example Use this as a template. Do an extensive investgation of your assumptions. What are the dangers in these assumptions? How are they impacting your research? (post under Future Project) Time Management Inventory Audit: Take inventory over 3-4 work sessions for 20 minutes. Document it. Then, Reorganize your time to get the most out of it with reference to your goals. ^^Post all before March 13 9pm ^^
Spring Break March 16-20		Relax Have Fun
wk 8: March 11th & 23rd	Time Audit - How did it go? + next steps Observations Regarding Future Project Development * Headlines, Business, Advertisement exercises Creating Proper Annotations - MLA Assumptions Who, What, When, Where, Why, How? (5WH) The 5 Why's & using it to help deepen your understanding and research Concept Maps & Inclass Exercise Research techniques : Universal Methods of Research	Reading & Analyze * Feedback for two of your classmates Read Show Your Work! Ch. 1-3 Process Work Collect 2 resources regarding your maintopic of your Future project & give a short analysis of their use & importance with reference to your project (post under Future Project) Collect 2 resources regarding some of your categories topic of your Future project & give a short analysis of their use & importance with reference to your project (post under Future Project) Develop your Stakeholders and Moodboard considering your research. What do you notice about the complexity & diversity of your Stakeholders? (post under Future Project) Begin developing your Concept Map for your Future Project. What do you not know at this point with reference to your topic? What research can you do to strengthen your project? (post under Future Project) Time Management Inventory Audit: Look over how your time was spent. Then, Reorganize your time to get the most out of it with reference to your goals. Try the new design out for 3-4 days. ^^Post all before March 28 9am ^^
wk 9: March 25th & 30th	Timelines Sticky Steps Ethics Exercises Future Artifact Time Management: Willpower	Reading & Analyze Feedback for 2 of your classmates Read Show Your Work! Ch. 1-3 Process Work Begin to develop a timeline for your Future Project. What areas might you need to look into further? What are you realizing with reference to time and your topic? (post under Future Project) Pick 2 UMD exercises and design how you will do 1 of them. Go beyond your comfort zone and do not choose a technique already discussed in the course. How will they strengthen or change your project? Identify 3 other resources for your project. Discuss how they will help your project. Post your Ethics exercise work. How does this impact your perspective of the Future Project? How does this inform new possibilities and new things to research? Future Artifact Time Management: Willpower Energy Mapping: Observe your energy throughout several days. Document. ^^Post all before April 4th 9am ^^
wk 10: April 1st & 6th	Personas Artifact Thing From The Future Storyboards Time Management: This is a two week study Energy Mapping: Reorder your tasks appropriate to your energy mapping	Reading & Analyze Give feedback to 2 of your classmates Read Show Your Work! - Ch 4-8 Process Work Execute 1 of your UMD's. Post a Design Autopsy. What would you revise? What did you learn? Design 2nd of your UMD choices. What else do you need to prepare for this? Futher develop your Concept Map, Stakeholders, Moodboard and Timeline. How is your project developing? What areas need to be addressed? What pivots and changes are happening? Draft 2 personas Future Artifact Time Management: This is a two week studyEnergy Mapping: Reorder your tasks appropriate to your energy mapping ^^Post all before April 11th 9am ^^ ^^Post all before April 19th 9pm/21:00 ^^
wk 11: April 8th & 13th	Storyboards Future Presentations launch Time Management: Hybrid! Design your own with what's worked. Tell us about it.	Reading & Analyze Feedback for two of your classmates Read Show Your Work! - Ch 4-8 Process Work Execute 2nd UMD. What was learned? What should you revise? Develop and Iterate your Personas Mindmap an artifact from this world and use the Crazy Eights exercise to explore possibilities to prototype. Begin drafting a storyboard. This is to be a story that takes place in your world. It is not a rationale for your world, nor how your world came into being. Future Artifact Time Management: Hybrid! Design your own with what's worked. Tell us about it. ^^Post all before April 18th 9am ^^ ^^Post all before April 19th 9pm/21:00 ^^
wk 12: April 15th & 20th Last day for Pass/Fail: April 16th	Observations regarding Future Project In class feedback	Reading & Analyze * feedback for two of your classmates * Read Show Your Work! - Ch 9-end of book Process Work Develop your storyboards further Iterate your personas to high fidelity Future Artifact Future Presentation Brainstorm ^^Post all before April 25th 9am ^^ ^^Post all before April 26th 9pm/21:00 ^^
wk 13: April 22nd & 27th	Inclass Feedback sessions	Reading & Analyze Read Show Your Work! - Ch 9-end of book Process Work Research & Develop your Future Presentation Brainstorm Finalize your Storyboard ^^Post all before May 2nd 9am ^^^^Post all before May 3nd 9pm/21:00 ^^
wk 14: April 29th & May 4th	Future Presentations & Artifacts	Process Work Iterate your presentation and develop what is needed. ^^Post all before May 10th 9pm/21:00 ^^
wk 15: May 6th & 11th	Post all remaining work and autopsy's by May 10th n9pm/21:00 to your sites	HAVE A GREAT SUMMER