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TEACHING AND RESEARCH TOPICS
Interaction Ivrea is not a scientific institute; neither is it a business school in the traditional sense. It is a new kind of institute that combines research, design, and business. Its fundamental aim is to develop new service concepts, new skills and new people to use them.

Interaction Ivrea graduates will be expert in the design of communication services that are technically feasible, culturally desirable, and economically sustainable. Often, they will be authors of entirely new business models.

Interaction Ivrea will connect the strengths of Italian design, particularly in fashion and industrial design, with key issues of human computer interaction worldwide: wearable computers; connected appliances; information and the city; knowledge management and representation all areas which depend on communications infrastructures and services.

The Institute itself will be an ongoing design project, with a focus on three themes: building as interface; connecting with the city (Ivrea); and Institute as website/website as Institute.

For details of the year one diploma curriculum, click here.

HOW THE KNOWLEDGE WILL BE SHARED

Knowledge dissemination will be a core process at Interaction Ivrea, commanding a substantial proportion of its time and resources. The Institute will develop multiple channels for knowledge and know-how sharing - with its industrial and business Associates, and with the broader community. These methods will include: the opportunity for staff to join projects; special interest conferences and workshops; expertly moderated newsgroups and mailing lists; management-targeted briefings and papers; educational activities and ad-hoc training; reading lists; abstracts, summaries, links; high-profile annual public events, and show-piece lectures; publication in academic journals and mass media.

 


  OUTLINE CURRICULUM YEAR 1
  to start October 2001
   
  Emphasis Practical work   Knowledge and
understanding applied
  Skills gained
  FOUNDATION: Phase 1   Exercises   Design   Programming fundamentals
  Introduction to the key concepts of design/technology/business Case studies   Culture   Prototyping tools
Communication   Web design
Business   Compositon
        Technology   Presentation skills
      TRIP            
  DESIGNING DESIRE Phase 2   A people–driven project   The design process   Teamwork
  People and their social context Introduction to the design process   Cognitive psychology   People–centred design methods
Ergonomics   Interactive demonstrations
Fashion   Brainstorming
      TRIP            
  HARNESSING TECHNOLOGY Phase 3   A technology–driven project   Computer technology   Basic electronics
  Understanding its potential and constraints Communications technologies   Interactive prototyping
Web technologies   Project management
Sociology of technology  
      TRIP            
  THE ART OF THE BUSINESS PLAN Phase 4   A people/business–driven project   Intellectual property   Designing a business plan
  Making products economically viable Analysis of case studies   Interactive prototyping
Brands and marketing  
Service design  
The e–economy  
Sociology of the media