My Learning Philosophy by lou suSi
I wrote this short description around my thinking around teaching, learning and academia
My hop... more I wrote this short description around my thinking around teaching, learning and academia
My hope is to give you an idea of how I curate learning experiences for the people I teach and collaborate with as a mentor, educator, learner and friend
Teaching Documents by lou suSi
This final assignment for the course 'Innovation and User Centered Design' I taught for Brandies ... more This final assignment for the course 'Innovation and User Centered Design' I taught for Brandies Graduate Professional Studies in Autumn 2015 asks the students to actively reflect back upon all the work they produced for the semester and capture 3 major key highlights through photo documentation, critical writing, supporting thought and theory from the course texts and the participatory online discussion forum.
This syllabus contains all relevant information about the course: its objectives and outcomes, th... more This syllabus contains all relevant information about the course: its objectives and outcomes, the grading criteria, the texts and other materials of instruction, and of weekly topics, outcomes, assignments, and due dates. Consider this your roadmap for the course. Please read through the syllabus carefully and feel free to share any questions that you may have. Please print a copy of this syllabus for reference.
This course will introduce you to the foundational concepts and methods needed for designing succ... more This course will introduce you to the foundational concepts and methods needed for designing successful digital interactions. In addition to focusing on the design of visual systems for user interfaces, we will cover the IxD process, the IxD
Books by lou suSi
‘American Cheese: an introspection’ — the very first official exhibition for the new movement in ... more ‘American Cheese: an introspection’ — the very first official exhibition for the new movement in cyberSurrealist art and design — reached out to each participating artist with a call to explore object-based pieces expressing a certain sense of kitschy humor. The rather subversive goal of the original founding curators and investigative agent provocateurs centered around creating something unusually bad in the name of art— to perhaps bring out what might be considered the worst in us all.
Like André Breton’s original literary research and criticism of ‘Black Humor’ as conducted within the context of the Surrealiste Internationale nearly a century ago — the cyberSurrealists seem bent on inspiring what they refer to as future fetish objects in attempt to perform some sort of subconscious self-analysis of our social dynamics. With ‘American Cheese,’ we take a closer look into strange facets often colluded with the very notion of ‘what’s funny.’ At the heart of it all is an ultimate curatorial strategy that created a playful, fun and engaging experience for the gallerygoing audience that came out to Doran Gallery for ‘American Cheese’.
mediaLuscious Design + Art Review showcased the work of MassArt's Dynamic Media Institute on Satu... more mediaLuscious Design + Art Review showcased the work of MassArt's Dynamic Media Institute on Saturday, March 5, 2011 in MassArt's Pozen Center.
DYNAMIC MEDIA INSTITUTE is the future-forward thinking graduate design program at Massachusetts College of Art and Design. Students at DMI leverage the latest new media technologies to transform seemingly ordinary objects and traditional artworks into innovative, experimental interfaces exploring the future of communication and designed participatory experience. Graduates of DYNAMIC MEDIA INSTITUTE earn an MFA in DESIGN by: conducting critical design and academic research; prototyping and actively designing physical and virtual work; and writing, designing and producing a design thesis book that contributes to the future of art, design, technology and society.
Here's my theory — the central premise of my thesis, right up front and center:
I am a user-ce... more Here's my theory — the central premise of my thesis, right up front and center:
I am a user-centered design research practitioner. The world is filled to the brim, perhaps even overflowing, with systems. We can think of ‘The System’, if you will. But I like to simply refer to a world of ‘found systems’. These ‘found systems’ set certain limitations on our behaviors. We are expected to behave in certain ways, to play along with the rules. Some of these rules are explicitly stated in trifold brochures, in legal terms of privacy and other documents or footnotes. And then some of these rules are simply implied. For the most part, we tend to color within the lines, salute the flag as it goes by, and do what we’re told to do.
But there are certain amazing opportunities available to all of us that only appear to be just outside our reach. We sometimes live blind, deaf and dumb to the myriad ripe chances to instigate joy and change in the world. All we need to do is actively test the systems.
As a living ‘user’ of the ‘found systems’ of the world, my ultimate goal is to assume certain personas and ‘test’ the systems, looking for areas of unintended usage and improvement to report back to The Bureau of cyberSurreal Investigation.
The information I glean produces controversial discourse. My personal interest in the build up and release of psychoSocial tensions drives my first-person commentary based on qualitative data collection — hopefully resulting in humorous insight into our supposed ‘progress’ as a society dealing with The Information Age.
Talks by lou suSi
Besides dreaming up these incredibly ridiculous cyberSurreal fautotypes { see the iStar App image... more Besides dreaming up these incredibly ridiculous cyberSurreal fautotypes { see the iStar App image above as well as Fantasy iPhone and the Batman App up in a specially crafted Facebook Photo Gallery } — I've had the crazy-good fortune to be invited to present out at PechaKucha Night next week. On Tuesday, April 24th I will join an amazing, eclectic line-up of 20x20 rapid-fire talks out at Club OBERON on the outskirts of Harvard Square. My talk, aptly entitled 'The 2012 Human eXperience Report,' discusses the context of one thread of my DMI thesis work with recent evolutionary UX design thought added into the mix. After about 13 of 20 slides of 'setup,' I'll then incorporate the first official qualitative data discovery from a recent public-intervention persona-performance testing one of the 'found systems' I encounter in the world.
Most people think of Design as the product of an activity — as 'The Design'. But my personal and ... more Most people think of Design as the product of an activity — as 'The Design'. But my personal and political stance as a lifelong experience design professional sees Design as something entirely different.
I define Design as a living, breathing and active process to create significance in the world.
At its best, the profession of Design leverages an inclusive, cross-functional design team — along with external, collaborative design participants — in a time-based and extensive set of customized, iterative and evolving design processes that allow us to make thoughtful, critical daily design decisions — contextually, people-informed decisions — that shape, mold and ultimately guide the artifactual remains of all the living work we do.
An additional note for your consideration — I see Design in a far more holistic light than most, and I consider Design to be a wonderful, mysterious force that can help us all — to not merely make a living but to also make a better, more significant life.
Thesis Chapters by lou suSi
what is cyberSurrealism? sets up my original conceptualization for a certain semi-fictional ‘foun... more what is cyberSurrealism? sets up my original conceptualization for a certain semi-fictional ‘found’ art and design movement called cyberSurrealism.
I consider cyberSurrealism to be a continuation of the original Surrealist Internationale from the 1920s as first founded and promoted by the world-renown French poet and artist André Breton. But unlike the first wave of Surrealism, my movement in cyberSurreal research and expression evolves to incorporate elements of cybernetic and dynamic media, including but not limited to works that leverage: microelectronics; both real and simulated technologies; performance and intervention art events; big data and user-centered design methodologies; anthropological and sociological observation and assessment; commentary involving Black Humor and extra-critical discourse of our near-posthumanity.
contextual research eXcerptz from confounded: future fetish design performance for human advocacy
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My Learning Philosophy by lou suSi
My hope is to give you an idea of how I curate learning experiences for the people I teach and collaborate with as a mentor, educator, learner and friend
Teaching Documents by lou suSi
Books by lou suSi
Like André Breton’s original literary research and criticism of ‘Black Humor’ as conducted within the context of the Surrealiste Internationale nearly a century ago — the cyberSurrealists seem bent on inspiring what they refer to as future fetish objects in attempt to perform some sort of subconscious self-analysis of our social dynamics. With ‘American Cheese,’ we take a closer look into strange facets often colluded with the very notion of ‘what’s funny.’ At the heart of it all is an ultimate curatorial strategy that created a playful, fun and engaging experience for the gallerygoing audience that came out to Doran Gallery for ‘American Cheese’.
DYNAMIC MEDIA INSTITUTE is the future-forward thinking graduate design program at Massachusetts College of Art and Design. Students at DMI leverage the latest new media technologies to transform seemingly ordinary objects and traditional artworks into innovative, experimental interfaces exploring the future of communication and designed participatory experience. Graduates of DYNAMIC MEDIA INSTITUTE earn an MFA in DESIGN by: conducting critical design and academic research; prototyping and actively designing physical and virtual work; and writing, designing and producing a design thesis book that contributes to the future of art, design, technology and society.
I am a user-centered design research practitioner. The world is filled to the brim, perhaps even overflowing, with systems. We can think of ‘The System’, if you will. But I like to simply refer to a world of ‘found systems’. These ‘found systems’ set certain limitations on our behaviors. We are expected to behave in certain ways, to play along with the rules. Some of these rules are explicitly stated in trifold brochures, in legal terms of privacy and other documents or footnotes. And then some of these rules are simply implied. For the most part, we tend to color within the lines, salute the flag as it goes by, and do what we’re told to do.
But there are certain amazing opportunities available to all of us that only appear to be just outside our reach. We sometimes live blind, deaf and dumb to the myriad ripe chances to instigate joy and change in the world. All we need to do is actively test the systems.
As a living ‘user’ of the ‘found systems’ of the world, my ultimate goal is to assume certain personas and ‘test’ the systems, looking for areas of unintended usage and improvement to report back to The Bureau of cyberSurreal Investigation.
The information I glean produces controversial discourse. My personal interest in the build up and release of psychoSocial tensions drives my first-person commentary based on qualitative data collection — hopefully resulting in humorous insight into our supposed ‘progress’ as a society dealing with The Information Age.
Talks by lou suSi
I define Design as a living, breathing and active process to create significance in the world.
At its best, the profession of Design leverages an inclusive, cross-functional design team — along with external, collaborative design participants — in a time-based and extensive set of customized, iterative and evolving design processes that allow us to make thoughtful, critical daily design decisions — contextually, people-informed decisions — that shape, mold and ultimately guide the artifactual remains of all the living work we do.
An additional note for your consideration — I see Design in a far more holistic light than most, and I consider Design to be a wonderful, mysterious force that can help us all — to not merely make a living but to also make a better, more significant life.
Thesis Chapters by lou suSi
I consider cyberSurrealism to be a continuation of the original Surrealist Internationale from the 1920s as first founded and promoted by the world-renown French poet and artist André Breton. But unlike the first wave of Surrealism, my movement in cyberSurreal research and expression evolves to incorporate elements of cybernetic and dynamic media, including but not limited to works that leverage: microelectronics; both real and simulated technologies; performance and intervention art events; big data and user-centered design methodologies; anthropological and sociological observation and assessment; commentary involving Black Humor and extra-critical discourse of our near-posthumanity.
My hope is to give you an idea of how I curate learning experiences for the people I teach and collaborate with as a mentor, educator, learner and friend
Like André Breton’s original literary research and criticism of ‘Black Humor’ as conducted within the context of the Surrealiste Internationale nearly a century ago — the cyberSurrealists seem bent on inspiring what they refer to as future fetish objects in attempt to perform some sort of subconscious self-analysis of our social dynamics. With ‘American Cheese,’ we take a closer look into strange facets often colluded with the very notion of ‘what’s funny.’ At the heart of it all is an ultimate curatorial strategy that created a playful, fun and engaging experience for the gallerygoing audience that came out to Doran Gallery for ‘American Cheese’.
DYNAMIC MEDIA INSTITUTE is the future-forward thinking graduate design program at Massachusetts College of Art and Design. Students at DMI leverage the latest new media technologies to transform seemingly ordinary objects and traditional artworks into innovative, experimental interfaces exploring the future of communication and designed participatory experience. Graduates of DYNAMIC MEDIA INSTITUTE earn an MFA in DESIGN by: conducting critical design and academic research; prototyping and actively designing physical and virtual work; and writing, designing and producing a design thesis book that contributes to the future of art, design, technology and society.
I am a user-centered design research practitioner. The world is filled to the brim, perhaps even overflowing, with systems. We can think of ‘The System’, if you will. But I like to simply refer to a world of ‘found systems’. These ‘found systems’ set certain limitations on our behaviors. We are expected to behave in certain ways, to play along with the rules. Some of these rules are explicitly stated in trifold brochures, in legal terms of privacy and other documents or footnotes. And then some of these rules are simply implied. For the most part, we tend to color within the lines, salute the flag as it goes by, and do what we’re told to do.
But there are certain amazing opportunities available to all of us that only appear to be just outside our reach. We sometimes live blind, deaf and dumb to the myriad ripe chances to instigate joy and change in the world. All we need to do is actively test the systems.
As a living ‘user’ of the ‘found systems’ of the world, my ultimate goal is to assume certain personas and ‘test’ the systems, looking for areas of unintended usage and improvement to report back to The Bureau of cyberSurreal Investigation.
The information I glean produces controversial discourse. My personal interest in the build up and release of psychoSocial tensions drives my first-person commentary based on qualitative data collection — hopefully resulting in humorous insight into our supposed ‘progress’ as a society dealing with The Information Age.
I define Design as a living, breathing and active process to create significance in the world.
At its best, the profession of Design leverages an inclusive, cross-functional design team — along with external, collaborative design participants — in a time-based and extensive set of customized, iterative and evolving design processes that allow us to make thoughtful, critical daily design decisions — contextually, people-informed decisions — that shape, mold and ultimately guide the artifactual remains of all the living work we do.
An additional note for your consideration — I see Design in a far more holistic light than most, and I consider Design to be a wonderful, mysterious force that can help us all — to not merely make a living but to also make a better, more significant life.
I consider cyberSurrealism to be a continuation of the original Surrealist Internationale from the 1920s as first founded and promoted by the world-renown French poet and artist André Breton. But unlike the first wave of Surrealism, my movement in cyberSurreal research and expression evolves to incorporate elements of cybernetic and dynamic media, including but not limited to works that leverage: microelectronics; both real and simulated technologies; performance and intervention art events; big data and user-centered design methodologies; anthropological and sociological observation and assessment; commentary involving Black Humor and extra-critical discourse of our near-posthumanity.
We’re no longer designing for an ‘audience’ or ‘viewers’ through our previously static / mass mediated, one-way delivery of the information and designs we’re communicating. Instead, when we consider aspects of interactive engagement for our ‘users’ to experience — we need to thoughtfully dream up the actual stories we’re asking the people in our audience to actively live out. In this talk we discuss the benefits of putting story at the center of a human-centered design approach to improve the design process as well as the quality of the total human experience we’re ultimately all creating through our work.