Course Syllabus
- Sarah Frick
- Email: fricksc@miamioh.edu
-
Office: LAWS 203B or online by Appt.
- Office Hours Tues–Friday 1–2pm
- Use this calendar to schedule an appointment (please fill in details)
I am ALWAYS eager to chat with you about anything related to the course. I'd prefer that you email through Canvas Inbox.
IMS 254 provides an understanding of design principles that are central to the creation of digital solutions and interfaces. Design is a deep topic, but we will cover the design process as well as introduce key concepts in typography, color, layout and design strategy. While the focus will be on applying these concepts to interaction design, they are applicable to many different disciplines.
In this course you will:
- Analyze the importance of design in our society and its role in innovative businesses
- Apply design processes
- Use visual elements to communicate
- Apply color theory to reinforce concepts and moods
- Build effective layouts and grids using composition and spatial relationship theories
- Think critically to provide feedback on design pieces
- Identify and apply typography anatomy, classification, and character
- Explore higher-level design thinking
- Online Text of The Non-Designer's Design Book (Fourth Edition) by Robin Williams
You can access this for FREE from Miami University Library:- Visit Miami University Library Database A-Z Page
- Click on Safari Tech Books Online
- Search for: The Non-Designer's Design Book (Fourth Edition) by Robin Williams
* I highly recommend purchasing a hard copy of this book but it is not required for this course.
- Adobe Illustrator
-Can be purchased with Student Discount here or here
-Miami University Labs and Libraries also have Adobe Creative Suite
- This is a fully online course. You will be expected to keep up with work at a very fast pace. This is a 16-week course offered in four weeks. That essentially means you will be doing 4x the work each week as a regular semester course. In hours, expect to work 40 hours a week. Expect to log in to the course every day.
Projects= 50%
A grading rubric will be provided with each project outlining each phase of the project.
-
Project 1: Visual Lexicon
Through rapid sketching and ideation, students will create a lexicon for visually explaining concepts.
-
Project 2: Deep Dive
Students will engage in an IDEO-style deep dive to solve a problem and develop a printed black and white poster presenting their solution.
-
Project 3: Event Branding
Students will get deep into type, color, and remix to develop a color poster with an integrated visual branding campaign.
-
Project 4: Branding You
Students will apply design concepts to develop their own personal brand and goals.
-
Project Critique: Through peer review, you will provide a constructive visual critique of on one of your peers' projects.
Discussion Board Assignments= 25%
You will be posting to the Discussion Boards multiple times in each module. These are very important for the design process as you will be sharing your work with your peers and receiving feedback before moving forward to the next stage in a project.
You will also respond and react to at least 1 of your classmates' postings offering them concrete suggestions or additional ideas, and/or references to other materials.
Quizzes= 15%
Quizzes in this class are used more for self-check of concepts before moving forward.
Exercises= 10%
Additional assignments will be turned in as smaller building block assignments that lead up to your projects.
Assignment Grading
A detailed rubric will be provided with each project and exercise, but this is an overview of my grading standards.
- A: Superior execution; maximum originality; highly imaginative, original, and experimental; a fantastic level of craft and attention to detail.
- B: Strong execution and originality; imaginative and experimental; consistent in work ethic; above-average level of craft and attention to detail.
- C: Average execution; some imagination and originality; lacks some consistency in the level of craft and attention to detail.
- D: Poor execution; limited originality; poor level of craft and attention to detail.
- F: Fails to execute to minimum standards
Late Work Policy
For each day late you are on an assignment, you will be deducted 15% of the total possible l grade for that assignment down to 0%.
I accept late work when there is an extenuating circumstance and you talk to me in advance.
Course Grading
Percentages
- Projects 50%
- Discussions 25%
- Excercises 10%
- Quizzes 15%
Letter Grade Definition
|
Range:
|
|||
|---|---|---|---|
At Miami University there are two core principles: love and honor. Those principles should not only be applied in the face-to-face classroom environment but in the online course space as well. Diversity has many manifestations, including diversity of thought, opinion, and values. We encourage all learners to be polite and respectful of that diversity and to refrain from inappropriate or offensive comments. If the inappropriate or offensive content is either emailed or posted on the class site, the teacher may recommend college disciplinary action. Students guilty of academic misconduct, either directly or indirectly through participation or assistance, are subject to disciplinary action through the regular procedures of the student’s home institution. Learners, as well as faculty, should be guided by common sense and basic etiquette. Criticism should be presented in a positive light. The following are good guidelines to follow:
- Never post harassing, threatening, or embarrassing comments.
- Never post content that is harmful, abusive; racially, ethnically, or religiously offensive; vulgar; sexually explicit, or otherwise potentially offensive.
- Never post, transmit, promote, or distribute content that is known to be illegal.
- If you disagree with someone, respectfully respond to the subject, not the person.
Remember that “tone” can usually be detected accurately in verbal communication, but often can be misunderstood in electronic communication. Because of this phenomenon, we encourage you to err on the side of politeness.
*adapted from Regents Online Campus Collaborative
Academic Integrity is at the heart of the mission and values of Miami University and is an expectation of all students. Maintaining academic integrity is a reflection of your character and underpins your learning and understanding of the course material.
Cutting corners or cheating in this class will result in cheating yourself out of learning. This class is a foundational course in the major. If you do not understand the concepts learned in this class, you will struggle in your future classes and in your career. Cheating now may lead to a future of cheating and other unethical behavior to cover up the fact that you didn’t learn what you were supposed to learn. Try your best, manage your time well, ask questions, and be ethical.
Academic integrity is a partnership between me, as the instructor, and you, as the student. My role, as the instructor of this course, is to facilitate learning and to provide you with clear guidelines and feedback to help you maintain your academic integrity. Your role in this course is to take responsibility for your learning and to complete all assignments in an honest manner and ask for clarification from me if you are unsure of how to do so.
Maintaining academic integrity comes down to how seriously you take learning, being responsible for your own learning, and the choices you make about what kind of student you will be. I promise to uphold my end of our academic partnership in this class, and I hope you choose to do the same.
Miami Student Guide to Academic Integrity
Suspected Dishonesty
Any suspected instances of academic dishonesty will be handled under Miami University’s Academic Integrity policy. It is a student’s responsibility to read this policy. Please note that a lack of knowledge or understanding of the appropriate academic conduct is not an excuse for committing academic dishonesty.
Students who are found responsible for committing academic dishonesty will receive a sanction that ranges from a zero on the assignment to an F in the course, which could contain the AD transcript notation. Students who are found responsible for committing two acts of dishonesty (academic or Code of Student Conduct section 102 (Dishonesty) automatically will be suspended from Miami University.
Miami University is committed to ensuring equal access to students with disabilities. Miami's Office of Student Disability Services (SDS) assists students in determining eligibility for services and accommodation planning. Miami's AccessMU provides resources and guidance toward equal opportunity for all individuals. Refer to Miami University's Accessible Technology Policy for definitions and additional information.
Students who are entitled to disability-related academic adjustments, auxiliary aids, etc., must register with SDS to receive accommodations in university courses. Please understand that formal communication from SDS must be presented prior to the coordination of accommodations for this course. For more information, students may contact SDS at (513) 529-1541 or via email at sds@miamioh.edu.
View the accessibility statement from Canvas Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT).
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
|---|---|---|