Assignment Overview

In informal groups of three or four you will conduct thematic and design-based research on interactive systems and educational tools that could be used to engage specific audiences in museums and educational centres.

Together you will develop a design challenge and design brief around a particular educational theme that uses imaginative and physical / embodied forms of interaction.

As a group create a design brief (presentation slides) that identifies a design challenge.

You will discuss your design brief with the rest of the class.

You will then individually undertake two in class Physical Interaction exercises and individually develop a lo-fi / mid-fi prototype for a physical / embodied interactive exhibit based on your chosen theme to engage a specific audience at a museum, or educational centre (such as M-Shed, We The Curious, Bristol Museum etc).

You may not incorporate a mobile device or present a mobile app as your final solution, and the most successful projects will not focus on the use of screens and will innovate with any existing technology they utilise.

If you use Generative ML / AI in the production of your prototype you will lose the marks for the elements that you created with it.

In order to do this, you will carry out the following activities:

•    Conduct thematic and design-based research.

•    Create a design challenge and brief.

•    Complete in class Interaction Design exercises

•    Prototype a design solution

•    Document your project in a Document.

Deliverables - December 18th 2025 2pm Blackboard submission The following is a list of the deliverables that must be submitted in order to fulfil the requirements of the brief. Please read the deliverable formats very carefully.

Each student must submit ALL the deliverables:

• Design Brief 10% – Designed slides. (Aprox 200 words)

(Note: As a group, you will discuss your brief with the on w/c October 20th).

Format: Submit ONLY PDFs to Blackboard

• In Class Interaction Design Exercise 6% – In class, in person demonstration of physical interaction exercises.

1.   Show and demo a cardboard physical interface controlling an object on a table

2.   Show a 20-30s edited video of your cardboard physical interface in use.

Your video must have at least two edits.

Format: In class Demo

• A Design Solution / Prototype 70% – Produced in the form you think is most appropriate to demo your design solution and the interactivity that it explores. (Video, animation, physical model, 3d model etc).

Format: Submit your Prototype either: as links in your prototype Document, or as digital artefact to Blackboard, or as a physical artefacts in class. Export 3D Models / Unity experiences as .mp4 walkthroughs (and .exe / .app if you want to). Do not submit 3D / Unity project files. Videos must be in .mp4 format.

• A Research & Prototype Document 14% – A research and prototype

Document (1000 words) which includes links to / images of your final prototype.

Briefly discuss your research. How this prototype meets the design brief you have created and evidence of the design process you have engaged in. Your document should include images / sketches / diagrams and must include a bibliography with live links to each entry.

Format: Submit Prototype Document ONLY as a PDF to Blackboard. Submit any physical artefacts in class and / or links to Prototypes in your Document