ID438 DESIGN FOR SUSTAINABLE BEHAVIOR CHANGE

Course Code:1250438
METU Credit (Theoretical-Laboratory hours/week):3 (2.00 - 2.00)
ECTS Credit:4.0
Department:Industrial Design
Language of Instruction:English
Level of Study:Undergraduate
Course Coordinator:Lecturer Dr. DİLRUBA OĞUR
Offered Semester:Spring Semesters.

Course Objectives

The course aims to enable students to:

  • gain knowledge towards current approaches and strategies for sustainable behavior change, as well as emerging roles and responsibilities of designers towards driving change,
  • equip skills and knowledge in planning, designing and facilitating user research and design activities tailored to specific design challenges,
  • learn techniques for translating research findings into ideation phase of the design process through critical analysis,
  • gather knowledge for developing design interventions for sustainable behavior change with a critical reflection on the design solutions’ relevance with the defined design problem,
  • acquire knowledge and skills for effectively communicating their design processes and design interventions with the audience.

Course Content

This course adopts a multifaceted approach through involving behavioral and sustainability aspects with a particular emphasis on promoting sustainable behavior change. Adopting a practice-oriented approach, the course includes literature review and user research for a comprehensive understanding of users' behaviors and addressing design challenges in relation to sustainability; the design and facilitation of an ideation workshop for the generation of diverse ideas aiming to foster sustainable behavior change; and development, presentation and evaluations of the design interventions in relation to diverse problem areas.


Course Learning Outcomes

On the completion of this course the students will be able to:

  • gain a deeper understanding about the approaches towards sustainable behavior change, and recognize their roles and capabilities as mediators for driving change, 
  • plan the user research process, adapt user research tools and techniques, facilitate research sessions, analyze and interpret the received information,
  • transform literature and user research findings into design explorations,
  • develop collaborative and interpersonal skills while addressing issues within team-based problem-solving contexts,
  • communicate their design processes and final design interventions verbally and visually through various means. 

Program Outcomes Matrix

Level of Contribution
#Program Outcomes0123
1Creative problem defining and solving.
2Planning and managing the design process.
3Presenting and conveying design solutions orally, in written and visually (2D and 3D).
4Planning, managing and evaluating the results of design-focused research.
5Contributing to the design of products in order to raise the life quality of the society.
6Generating and applying knowledge to serve sustainable production and life.
7Competency in intellectual and industrial property rights.
8Awareness of and sensitivity towards societal, institutional, individual and contextual differences.
9Awarenes of social and cultural facts and continuous change.
10Competency in economic, industrial and technological developments.
11Continuous development of professional knowledge, skills and approaches.
12Competency in the processes and actions in professional life.
13Adaptation to the different working environments and processes that the profession necessitates, and contributing to the development and improvement of these environments.
14Ability in working within teams.
15Giving importance to interdisciplinary interactions.

0: No Contribution 1: Little Contribution 2: Partial Contribution 3: Full Contribution