Objectives

This interdisciplinary and process-oriented unit revolves around digital games, digital gameplay, and digital game design. The unit builds on an interdisciplinary approach, addressing media studies, information studies, digital design, didactic design, interaction design, aesthetics, experience economy, and rhetoric.

The aim of the unit is to gain insight into, critically reflect on, and productively put to use knowledge and competences within an interdisciplinary environment in the development of digital games: from simulations, to educational and serious games. Design element of games will be discussed within an interdisciplinary environment that will strengthen the student’s capacity for problem solving, in a generative way.  It will explore digital games as phenomenon, as practice and as design. In this way, the acquired theoretical, analytical, methodological, and product-oriented skills and competencies are put into play and put to use within an interdisciplinary working group setting (for the case studies and scenarios) and for the individual student.

The unit consists of equal amounts of taught components (theory about & analysis of digital games) and case studies and scenarios (development & presentation of conceptual products in relation to digital games) that come together through reciprocal theoretical-practical ‘learning by doing’.

Learning Outcomes

After completing this unit, the learner will be able to:

• Develop a theoretical, analytical, and methodological appreciation of digital game theory;
• Employ practice-oriented, hands-on, conceptualizing approach towards digital games as a designed object, aesthetic expression, interaction form, user experience and cultural product;
• Demonstrate fundamental theoretical, analytical, methodological and conceptualizing competences in the treatment of digital games;
• Convey and present knowledge as products (e.g. written assignments, oral presentations, production of ‘design-concepts’ or ‘proof-of-concept’);
• Analyse, explain and critically reflect on a chosen digital game through the use of theory and empirical knowledge;
• Evaluate and critically discuss a problematic subject matter within the chosen digital game through putting forward relevant focal points in order to propose a solution to the problem in the form of a ‘proof-of-concept’;
• Analyse and qualify the ‘proof-of-concept’ through applying theory, building an analysis model, and carrying out an analysis of the produced concept;
• Refine and critically evaluate the produced ‘proof-of-concept’ through techniques such as workshops, user tests, heuristics, qualitative methods or other tools;
• Present the result of refined product to peers.

Teaching Methods/Technologies:

The unit alternates between lectures, theoretical, analytical and methodological workshops, student presentations, project processes in groups, fieldwork, group challenges, and problem-based learning.

The unit is designed as a stepwise process where the student moves from:

1. theory about and analysis of digital games;
2. to analysis and conceptual design of the elements of digital games;
3. to theory about and analysis of the conceptual product;
4. to production of and critical reflection on the conceptual product;

In this way, the course alternates between equal amounts of theory and practice.

Objectives

This interdisciplinary unit addresses how principles of literary, visual, or oral storytelling challenge and enhance the conceptualisation and construction and experience of digitally built worlds connecting to real-world places, locations, and landscapes. Applying principles of storytelling to digital worlds across multiple platforms will help define and innovate the shape of these worlds. Focused on the underlying belief that technology and narrative create a feedback loop, with one constantly improving the other, this unit will be based on iterations of ideation, conceptualisation, and prototyping to integrate critical insights that will push on the boundaries of established beliefs and the regulated time-space we live by, in the connectedness of datafied space and localised place.

The objective of the unit is to critically reflect on and creatively put to use theories, ideas, and practices of how digital world-building and storytelling are interrelated, and to practice these insights in interdisciplinary group environments connecting the arts, media-focused information science, and interaction design, and seminal elements of the humanities and social sciences (e.g. literature, visual culture, cultural theory, experience economy, and cultural politics studies). Telling stories for digital worlds and for blended spaces entail knowledge of spatial and visual regimes, knowledge of ways of telling stories, skills in collecting, sharing, and presenting stories that will connect a physical location (place) and a multi-connected, datafied space. This will—in a project and case-oriented way—integrate practice and production skills with competences in structured interdisciplinary group work and convey knowledge and practice in how disciplinary knowledge contributes in interdisciplinary ways across domains and sectors (public innovation for citizen engagement and cultural creative institutions, tourism and destination development, creative industries and economies).

The unit consists of equal amounts taught components (theory about digital storytelling and datafied space and analysis of digital worlds and blended spaces) and case studies and scenarios (development and presentation of conceptual products in relation to digital world-building and storytelling) that come together through reciprocal theoretical-practical ‘learning by doing’.

Learning Outcomes

After completing this unit, the learner will be able to:

• Develop a theoretical, analytical and methodological appreciation of storytelling in digital worlds and blended spaces;
• Employ a practice-oriented, hands-on, conceptualizing approach towards digital worlds and storytelling as designs, aesthetic expressions, interaction forms, user experiences and cultural creative products;

• Experience as a participant in a group interdisciplinary theoretical, analytical, methodological and empirical approaches in order to strengthen, sharpen and nuance the appreciation of own skills and competencies;
• Demonstrate fundamental theoretical, analytical, methodological and conceptualizing competences in the treatment of digital worlds and storytelling;
• Conceptualise, contextualise and present knowledge as products (written assignments, oral presentations, proof-of-concepts, and pitches);
• Analyse, explain and critically reflect on case examples through the use of theory and empirical knowledge;
• Evaluate and critically discuss problem areas within case examples and to propose solutions to these problems in ‘proofs-of-concept’;
• Refine and critically evaluate the produced ‘proof-of-concept through techniques such as workshops, user tests, qualitative methods or other tools;
• Present results in structured and contextualised ways (e.g. pitch and pitch material) to user groups and peers.

The student will master in-depth knowledge of a defined area of research and practice-oriented methods within this area of knowledge. The student will master analysis of chosen problematics within the chosen area of research and master the application of tools related to this area of research. The student will master collaborative workflows for concentrated project-processes, and how to work independently and practice-oriented applying knowledge, competences, and skills in problem solution.

Teaching Methods/Technologies

The unit alternates between video, PowerPoint, Prezi and audio lectures, case examples for analysis and tests, guides for project processes for groups and group presentations, collaboration through blogs and wikis, advice and templates for fieldwork and user studies, and written group challenges to enhance problem-based learning.

Objectives

This unit is designed to develop students’ knowledge on 3D computer graphics and virtual reality in arts and culture, providing them with solid technical skills in different methods and technologies for the production of three-dimensional computer-generated visualisations and virtual reality experiences. In this unit, the history, debates, state-of-the-art, and future challenges of 3D visualisation and virtual reality in the cultural and creative industries will be presented. Students will learn how to do research for the 3D modelling and digital reconstruction of different datasets, how to use a diverse range of methods and industry-standard software to model different environments, how to record their decision-making process and appropriate metadata, and to how to use Design Thinking approaches to ideate and prototype virtual reality experiences for different fields and sectors. By the end of this unit, students will have the ability to use computer graphics and 3D modelling tools to design, prototype, and build visualisations, and virtual reality experiences for arts, culture, creative industries and related fields.

Learning Outcomes

After completing this unit, the learner will be able to:

• Demonstrate a good knowledge and understanding of the theory and practice of using 3D computer graphics to model and create virtual reality experiences;
• Position their 3D graphics and modelling work within theoretical, practical, and methodological traditions;
• Evaluate different tools and methods and their products as well as the benefits and challenges of implementing such technologies for European cultural heritage;
• Gather, document, and analyse cultural heritage/creative industry datasets to construct 3D models;
• Use a wide range of computer graphics and modelling tools to produce 3D visualisations and virtual reality experiences;
• Ideate and prototype virtual reality experiences;
• Apply professional standards and techniques of 3D computer graphics modelling;
• Critically approach real-world case studies and scenarios and employ the most appropriate tools and practices to design solutions for the cultural and creative industries.

Teaching Methods/Technologies

This unit will consist of lectures on the theory, background, applications, and state-of-the-art of the methods in the form of Powerpoint presentations with voice-over, written and audio-visual tutorials, how-to exercises, quizzes, and interactive assignments. It will focus on methodological aspects of 3D modelling and virtual reality via hands-on exercises as well as individual and collaborative projects. Bibliographic and online resources will allow students to delve into the field and effectively respond to short- and long-form writing assessments. Case studies and real-world scenarios that require entrepreneurial and business skills, including team-work, decision-making, synthesis, ideation, prototyping, and problem solving will help students to develop their research capabilities and further their skills in 3D modelling and virtual reality. In this unit students will primarily use open-source, free for education, and industry-standard software and platforms, including but not limited to Blender, 3dsMax, and SketchUp.

Objectives

This unit is designed to develop students’ knowledge of the theory and practice of digitising material culture by producing computer generated and printed 3D models. Technologies and methods for recording tangible cultural heritage, including artefacts, buildings, and landscapes will be covered, placing particular emphasis on the field of computational imaging; a field in computer science that studies the computational extraction of information from digital photographs and has democratised the process of capturing, preserving, disseminating, and promoting heritage. 3D printing and its different applications in the cultural and creative industries will also be examined. 3D recording and 3D printing methods will be presented both theoretically and practically, discussing the history and the state-of-the-art, best practices and protocols, and characteristic applications from various fields. Students will develop skills in the use of digital 3D recording and printing tools and methods and will have the opportunity to use Design Thinking to apply their knowledge to real-world case studies and scenarios. By the end of this unit, students will have the ability to use digital tools and methods to record, present, and disseminate material culture in both digital and physical three-dimensional forms.

Learning Outcomes

After completing this unit, the learner will be able to:

Demonstrate a good knowledge and understanding of the theory and practice of using digital technologies and methods to digitise, disseminate, and promote material culture in three dimensions;
Critically evaluate different tools and methods and their products as well as the benefits and challenges of implementing such technologies for the European cultural heritage;
Put theories into practical effect, design solutions, and solve problems related to specific heritage scenarios and case studies;
Apply professional and industry-standard techniques for the three-dimensional digitisation and printing of material culture;
Use a wide range of digital tools for recording, visualising, and disseminating cultural heritage;
Respond critically to scenarios, case studies, and research questions by employing the most appropriate tools and designing the most effective solutions;
Plan, design, implement, and evaluate 3D recording processes and products;
Apply 3D recording and printing skills to creative and cultural industries.

Teaching Methods/Technologies

This unit will consist of lectures (via text and video) on the theory, background, applications of 3D recording. State-of-the-art methods will be covered via powerpoint presentations with voice-over, written and audio-visual step-by-step tutorials, hands-on and how-to exercises, quizzes, and interactive assignments. Extensive bibliographic and online resources will allow students to delve into the field and effectively respond to short- and long-form writing assessments. Case studies and scenarios from cultural heritage, creative industries, and related fields that require collaboration, synthesis, analysis, and problem solving will be used to enable students to put into practice the theoretical concepts and best practices taught in the lessons. In this unit students will primarily use open-source, free for education, and industry-standard software and platforms, including but not limited to Agisoft Photoscan, Autodesk Remake, RTI Builder, RTI Viewer, MeshLab, and Sketchfab.

Objectives

This compulsory unit takes the student through practice-based processes and technologies that will structure workflows for and identify gaps in innovation processes while providing methods in entrepreneurship. The unit will provide the tools and practices for moving quickly from Idea to Action, through structured and hands-on methods for iterative prototyping, testing and validating solution-oriented ideas. The student will practice prototyping, mockups and prototypes as tangible ways for products to respond to user needs very early in a product’s life.

The unit will introduce, demonstrate and put new technologies into use to validate ideas, and to quickly provide new perspectives in the process of an idea taking form using methods such as mockups and role play. Learners will master the practice of failing forward by practicing iterative validation, so moving onto a new idea or the next iteration becomes a structured and plausible process.

The unit provides practice in pitching, structuring, and delivering presentation material as background for the pitch (e.g. executive summaries, market analysis, business plans).

Learning Outcomes

After completing this unit, the learner will be able to:

• Fail Faster, by being able to eliminate uncertainties from the very beginning of the innovation process;
• Practice Rapid Prototyping using e.g. mockups, prototypes, roleplay etc. during the concept development phase;
• Experience and present concepts through tangible tools and methods;
• Put the product in focus and move out of the comfort zone through iterative prototyping;
• Pitch and deliver persuasive and fact-based material;
• Experience the Google Sprint 5 day workflow moving the learner from exploration and conceptualization, through building and towards validating in only one week;
• Employ Creative Confidence to help realize one’s creative potential and remove the fear of failure for using new tools and moving out of one’s comfort zone.

The student will become comfortable with structuring and performing workflows for taking innovation towards realisation, using a variety of technologies and tools.

Teaching Methods/Technologies

The unit will be taught primarily through a series of practice-based case studies and scenarios rooted in the Scandinavian Design Thinking methodology. It will take insights from IGNITE’s mandatory Unit 1: Introduction for Design Thinking and Maker Culture, and turn them into tangible and product-focussed workflows. Case studies and scenarios will include text, videos, and exercises. Based on the tools and methods introduced in this unit, students will experience and master a rapid process of validation towards realisation.

Objectives

This compulsory unit will introduce students to the theories, methods, and principles of Open Innovation, Design Thinking and the ethos of Maker Culture. Design thinking combines what is desirable from a human point of view with what is technologically feasible and economically viable. Design thinking has become a crucial tool and mindset that enables projects, organisations and companies to think creatively beyond traditional logical and analytical approaches, helping them to be agile and critically responsive to change.

This unit takes a design-derived perspective on challenge-oriented learning and problem solving and analysis. The unit will provide models for how to generate creative ideas for deriving solutions to problems in a wide variety of contexts and will introduce students to rapid prototyping for product and service-type solutions. The unit will introduce and provide formative evaluation of processes in assembling, managing and performing in creative, collaborative (open) innovation networks, both in-house and external. It will provide human/user-centred understanding to the formulation of problems, and their resolution. The unit will introduce and provide knowledge and skills in visualisation and “data display” as core competencies of designers, entrepreneurs and researchers, which allow meaning to develop and to progress into strategies for satisfying consumer requirements. Overall, this unit will underpin ideation and creativity with collaborative tools and techniques in the innovation process, and will provide knowledge and competences in taking this process towards presentation, actuation and implementation.

This unit will lay the groundwork for the optional units that follow.

Learning Outcomes

After completing this unit, the learner will be able to:

• Master ideation processes and desk research for early validation;
• Lead early stage innovation group meetings that simulate and synthesise team insights into actionable plans;
• Develop strategies for strategic flexibility, choosing technology platforms, working collaboratively, and open innovation;
• Develop design-thinking and visual-thinking skill sets;
• Express the differences in core competencies between leadership vs. followership;
• Apply user-centric design methods as a way of responding to user insights;
• Create visual frameworks to represent research findings;
• Use visual thinking to achieve strategic alignment across organisational elements;
• Use visual methods to categorise and understand field data;
• Transfer field data into visual and actionable design/marketing material e.g. mood boards, style boards, and personas;
• Understand prototyping to communicate solutions and possibilities and take research findings into structured background presentation for pitching (e.g. executive summaries; market, competitor and stakeholder analysis, business plan and models);
• Understand and develop a full innovation strategy using an ideation process, carry out primary desk research, analyse findings and requirements, perform iterative design processes through prototyping, select and plan implementation of a suitable innovation initiative.

Teaching Methods/Technologies

Students will learn through a series of lectures (composed of text, videos, and voice-over screen capture), quizzes and exercises, and real world case studies. This unit will introduce practical methods for design research, brainstorming and idea generation, visualisation, mapping, charting, recording and documentation. The module will integrate developmental and evaluative learning through case studies and assignments. Exercises and case studies will provide students with the opportunity to develop critical thinking, creative problem solving, and visualisation methodologies.