DESIGN 369 A: Visual Systems

Learning environment

Consider this class an open forum for ideation and discussion. Debate and sharing of ideas are part of the learning process and will benefit you and the rest of the class. During class critiques you will be expected to present your concepts clearly and explain your process. The most successful students start with the basic assignments and go beyond them on their own initiative: trying out new ideas, experimenting with new processes, and working hard to understand the principles in new contexts.

For every class you are expected to be ready to take notes, work on projects, or critique assignments. Do not use social media/texting during class. Joining late will be taken as a sign of lack of interest, and a lack of respect for your colleagues. You are expected to remain in the classroom (or online session) for the entire lecture, work session, or critique, unless notified otherwise. 

If you are ill or for any other reason must miss class, arrange with a classmate to help update you in order to keep up with the class. If you must be absent (legitimate excuse), please email me beforehand, and see me during office hours.

Excusable absences will not affect your grade, but it is your responsibility to complete work on time for reviews and critiques. No incomplete will be given except in a case of incapacitation or other extraordinary circumstances.

Participation in Class

Be in class every day, on time, prepared with your work. Participation is essential to learning and success in all classes. In design classes, participation is figured as part of your grade. Chronic lateness or insufficient preparation is seen as a lack of interest and lack of respect for the instructors and your colleagues. You are expected to remain in class for the entire studio session unless otherwise dismissed. If you miss class due to illness or emergency, notify your instructor, provide documentation, and set up a timeline to complete missed assignments and exams.

You are responsible for all assignments and information covered in class, regardless of your attendance. 

Canvas, Zoom, & Figma/FigJam

We will use Canvas for assignment details, submissions and class announcements. Relevant readings and references are available on the course homepage. 

We will use Zoom for scheduled office hours (please sign up for slots in advance), and for optional additional peer critique sessions.

At times, we will use Figma/FigJam for shared boards to facilitate critiques in class, and share on classroom screens. Figma is available for free for educational use. Information is available here: https://www.figma.com/education/

Software & services

We'll work across a whole range of media which will require many different softwares (which you should hopefully be familiar with at this point!). In addition to Figma (information in section above), you will also likely want to use apps in the Adobe Creative Cloud including, but not limited to, Illustrator, After Effects, and Premiere. There may be times in the quarter where you will want to use more specific prototyping software such as ProtoPie (free for education), Principle, or others. You may also want to leverage other free or paid tools you come across during the class.

Digital Storage and Back-Up

Please archive all files while you work. You may use cloud-based storage services, jump drives, external hard drives, servers, etc. Make multiple copies of your work in your physical possession and the cloud to prevent issues associated with server access, failure, etc.

Projects are due on the dates listed regardless of technical failures and/or emergencies.

Masks and eating/drinking

Current UW policy is that masks are recommended but not required (particularly in the first two weeks of the quarter). If you are feeling ill, please stay home. Drinking in the classroom is permitted, but please keep eating to a minimum.

For up to date information on health and safety protocols and COVID-related topics, please visit the SoA+AH+D COVID-19 Updates and UW's COVID-19 Facts and Resources.

First Day Attendance Policy

Instructors assume that if you are not present for roll call on the first day of a Design course you have decided not to remain enrolled. Therefore, you will be required to drop the class. This policy applies to all students: in-state, out-of-state and international. Note that U.S. Visas for international students may be revoked if students are not on time for the beginning of the academic quarter: https://ois.usc.edu/new-students/arrivingintheus/

Also note that a delayed return from Summer, Winter or Spring Break is not considered a valid excuse. The starting times and dates of UW instruction are published well in advance each year, enabling all UW students to plan their schedules accordingly. For more information on why this policy exists please see: https://art.washington.edu/design/first-day-attendance-policy

Examination Schedule + Attendance Policy

Final exams are scheduled by the University and cannot be changed. Students are required to turn in assignments and take exams based on the timeline provided in the class syllabus. If I have scheduled an in-person final critique/project turn-in, all students in the class are required to be present. An individual student will not be permitted to submit work early and skip the in-person final unless there are exceptional personal circumstances. Note that the desire to leave early for holiday travel or personal reasons does not qualify as an exceptional circumstance. More information here: https://art.washington.edu/design/final-exam-attendance-policy

Materials Fees

• All art, design and art history classes have materials fees billed with tuition.
• Fee amounts and justifications are listed by class in the quarterly Time Schedule.
• These fees cover the purchase of materials, academic support, and equipment provided for students in each class.

Copyright

The School regularly displays student art and design in a variety of ways to highlight the quality of our students and their learning. This is traditional among all art schools and we assume that by participating in UW School classes and activities students have no objection. 

If you have concerns about the use of your work, please contact Academic Advising and Student Services (206–543–0646 or uaskart@uw.edu)

General Policies

Read and review the full list of School of Art + Art History + Design Policies.

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Course Evaluation Criteria

• Understanding, developing and defining concepts, working within problem requirements

• Completion of work on time, following required criteria

• Exploring a range of different solutions, ideas and directions for each project

• Executing a high level of craft and finish

• Effective oral and visual presentation skills

• Personal development: self-motivation, researching, problem-solving, pushing boundaries

• Class participation and contribution, including presentation and discussion of work in class

Design Division Grading Criteria

3.8–4.0 is given to a student who has exhibited the highest possible performance in all aspects of the course—final projects, the design process and participation are excellent. This student independently seeks out additional information on design and is highly committed/passionate about their work.

3.4–3.7 is given to a student who exhibits superior performance in all aspects of the course—the final projects, design process, and participation are uniformly of high quality. This student has a thorough understanding of all concepts presented, and is motivated to improve and succeed.

2.9–3.3 is given to a student who has good performance in most aspects of the course. This
student follows a thorough design process, has good design work, and consistent participation that reflects a clear understanding of almost all concepts being presented.

2.5–2.8 is given to a student who has fair performance in the course. The final work is adequate, with a design process that reflects the minimum needed to complete assignments. Participation and motivation are moderate.

0.0–2.4 is given to a student with poor performance in the course. Projects are incorrectly prepared, incomplete or missing. This student does not understand the majority of concepts presented and rarely participates in class. This student is not prepared for subsequent courses in design.

The percentage to 4.0 scale employed in this course for undergraduate students is as follows:

*Note: A minimum grade of 2.5 is a benchmark for the Design major. A grade of lower than 2.5 will result in a meeting between the student and the Design faculty to review the student’s performance in the class, and to discuss whether appropriate progress through the Design major can be achieved.

Late Assignment Policy

Two points will be taken off if the assignment is turned in after the posted day/time of the deadline (i.e., if the the deadline is Oct 4, 2:30pm, if you submit anytime after 2:30pm it will be considered late). One additional point will be taken off for each additional day the assignment is late.

If you anticipate needing additional time to complete an assignment, please contact the instruction team in advance as much as possible (ideally 72+ hours before the due date) and we will work together to agree upon a reasonable accommodation.

Incomplete Grades

To request an “incomplete” grade a student must have been in attendance and done satisfactory work through the eighth week of the quarter and satisfactory proof for the instructor that the work cannot be completed because of illness or other circumstances beyond their control.

More information from the UW Office of the Registrar: registrar.uw.edu/students/incomplete-grades/

Grade Appeal Procedure

• If you think the grade you received is incorrect, contact the instructor to discuss your concern.
• If not resolved, make an appointment with the Director of Academic Advising, 104 Art,
  (206) 543–0646. 

Academic Integrity

The University takes academic integrity very seriously. Behaving with integrity is part of our responsibility to our shared learning community. If you are uncertain about if something is academic misconduct, ask me. We are happy to discuss questions you might have.

Examples of cheating include but are not limited to:

• Allowing someone to complete an in-class exercise or project for you.
• Completing class work for someone else.
• Copying the work and/or writing of others.
• Using an AI tool and presenting the work as wholly your own without citation or reference.

For more information about reporting academic misconduct: www.uw.edu/cssc/report-it/

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is using the creations, ideas, words, inventions, or images of someone else in your own work without formal acknowledgement or permission. This applies to written papers and research as well as to art, design and architectural images.

Getting design help and inspiration is not design plagiarism. The following examples are NOT plagiarism, we allow and encourage these behaviors:

• Asking someone to suggest improvements to your project, then acting on those suggestions.
• Asking someone to help you with a digital or manual technique that could improve your project.
• Meeting with other students to discuss a project or brainstorm ideas.
• Looking at other design work to analyze how and why it works or does not work.

We do encourage you to look at design work in order to get general ideas that you substantially adapt. Designers do commonly get inspiration from other designers’ work. The key is to make any design idea your own through substantial adaptation. For example, it’s perfectly fine to see a pattern of dots on something—a dress, a painting—and be inspired to use dots on your own project (a book cover). However, the book cover should use those dots in a unique way. The dots should not be a mirror image/exact copy of the original inspiration.

Students found to have engaged in academic misconduct may receive a zero on the assignment, or other possible outcomes.

Instances of plagiarism will be referred for disciplinary action to the Vice Provost for Academic & Student Affairs.

No UI or Component Kits

This class is about crafting beautiful unique visual systems, so please refrain from using any pre-existing UI or prototyping component kits, and limiting stock imagery and assets to receive full credit.

Use of AI Tools in Coursework

AI is an ever-evolving tool that is becoming more and more integrated many aspect of our lives. As designers we should aim to understand it and contemplate both its ethical dilemmas and innovative potential. You are encouraged to engage with AI actively in this course as a tool—whether something as simple as Grammarly or more advanced tools like ChatGPT's Advanced Data Analysis. However, I do warn that most AI tools in there current form will not generate good enough outcomes to match those that are expected of you in this course. You should still be the author, with AI as an optional aid. If you engaged with AI tools, I encouraged you to test and ponder ethical issues, dig deep and even try to "break" these tools, reuse them in new ways, and discover their vulnerabilities. In every case, please share what you learn, and consider the ongoing conversations about artist rights, plagiarism, and data. Above all, remember that using generative AI (such as ChatGPT, Bard, Midjourney, etc.) to complete coursework without proper attribution or authorization is a form of academic dishonesty. If you are unsure whether something may be plagiarism or academic dishonesty, please contact me to discuss the issue.

Student Code of Conduct

The University of Washington has established rules regarding student conduct. Through the Student Conduct Code, UW students hold themselves to the highest standards of ethics, integrity and accountability. More information at UW Community Standards & Student Conduct (CSSC).

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Access & Accommodations

Accommodations for Varying Abilities

Your experience in this class is important to us. It is the policy and practice of the University of Washington to create inclusive and accessible learning environments consistent with federal and state law. If you have already established accommodations with Disability Resources for Students (DRS), please activate your accommodations via myDRS so we can discuss how they will be implemented in this course. It is a good idea to discuss these accommodations directly with the instructor to ensure that I can help you with your needs.

If you have not yet established services through DRS, but have a temporary health condition or permanent disability that requires accommodations (conditions include but not limited to; mental health, attention-related, learning, vision, hearing, physical or health impacts), contact DRS directly to set up an Access Plan. DRS facilitates the interactive process that establishes reasonable accommodations. Contact DRS at disability.uw.edu

Religious Accommodation

Washington state law requires that UW develop a policy for accommodation of student absences or significant hardship due to reasons of faith or conscience, or for organized religious activities. The UW’s policy, including more information about how to request an accommodation, is available at Religious Accommodations Policy Accommodations must be requested within the first two weeks of this course using the Religious Accommodations Request Form.

Service Animals

• The University has a general “no pets” policy in all of its buildings. However, Service Animals are allowed to accompany their handlers while on campus.
• UW Disability Resources for Students outlines the policies around Service and Emotional Support Animals.

Equal Opportunity

In concurrence with the University of Washington’s core values, and in compliance with State and federal regulations, the School of Art + Art History + Design reaffirms its commitment to equal opportunity. The commitment extends to the recruitment of faculty, staff, and students who exhibit a dedication to creative and academic excellence and who demonstrate the ability to work with a diverse spectrum of populations.

Diversity

The School of Art + Art History + Design fosters a respectful, inclusive community that supports creative and critical expression and scholarship amidst a culture that accepts the value of every individual. The School encourages students, faculty, and staff to engage in healthy dialogue and respect the values and global perspectives of a diverse population. The School promotes and encourages a culture of compassion, understanding, and an obligation to respectful discourse in classrooms, meeting rooms, studio spaces, and beyond. The School’s philosophy is reflected in our engagement with community partners and research endeavors locally, nationally, and globally.

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Safety, Mental Health & Well-Being

Safety, Violence Awareness & Prevention

If you feel unsafe, please contact UW Safe Campus at (206) 523–7233 (SAFE) for non-urgent threats or concerns.

If you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency, dial 911.

Preventing violence, discrimination, harassment, and retaliation is everyone’s responsibility. Here are on campus resources related to violence awareness and prevention:

• Safe Campus
• Concerns about sexual harassment
• NightRide provides a fare-free safe way for U-Pass members to get home at night
• Connect to UW Alert. Register your mobile device to receive instant notification of campus emergencies via text and voice messaging. Sign up is strongly encouraged.

Student Mental Health, Well-Being and Safety

Being a student can be a stressful experience. While this course has high expectations for student work quality, we have explicitly included features of the course to reduce stress and encourage self-care where we can.

If you need support or are feeling overly stressed, you are welcome to reach out to the instructional team at any time. We will do our best to listen and support you, but please recognize we are not trained professionals in counseling.

Specifically to the Design program, former Design student Sara Tieu's Capstone Project on UW Design Health and Wellness is recommended, you can find it here. 

The UW Counseling Center provides a number of options for receiving support, including self-help, workshops, and short-term and long-term counseling.

If you are experiencing a crisis situation after hours and cannot wait until the UW Counseling Center is open, please call the Crisis Clinic at (206) 461–3222 or toll-free at 1–866–427–4747.

If your are having thoughts of harming yourself or suicidal ideation please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1–800–273–8255, or visit UW's Forefront Suicide Prevention program for additional resources.