CT200 101/15A (S23)

Content Design and Research

Date & Time:
Section 101: Tuesday 2:10 – 5:00 pm, Spring 2023
Section 15A: Tuesday 6:30 – 9:20 pm,  Spring 2023
Semester: Spring 2023
Professor: Christie Shin
Design Studio: Cynda Media Lab
Program Portfolio: @newcreatives.info (Instagram), Behance
Email: christie_shin@fitnyc.edu
Classroom: Section 101 – C304, Section 15A – C230
Office at FIT: D317 (email to schedule a remote meeting)
Office Hours: Monday 1 to 2, Tuesday 5 to 6, Wednesday 4 to 6
Prerequisite(s):  None | 2 credits, one lecture hour, two studio hours (1 session per week)
Slack: Please join the class Slack channel. This is the main communication hub.
FIT Help Desk: TechHelp

Course Description
This course introduces the fundamentals of design research methods, content design principles, and skills necessary to communicate the findings. The primary goal of the course is to enable students to develop meaningful content and an effective presentation through visual communication. The creative outcomes include both print and digital designs.

* Design tool: We will use Figma as the main design tool, a leading industry-standard design tool, and a real-time collaboration tool.

Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:
1. Demonstrate an understanding of the content design research methods
2. Demonstrate the ability to create visual and textual content to communicate findings
3. Apply fundamental image editing and create digital visual assets
4. Apply fundamental typography and layout principles
5. Create and prepare digital files for print and all screen-based media

Projects
Project 1: Deck of cards
Design cards with visual and textual content. Students start the project by developing textual and visual content through research. Each student designs three cards based on their research topic. The project can be group or individual.
[Specification]
– Subject: Recipes, fitness, yoga, artist, musician, how-to, knowledge-based information, etc. any topic consists of visual and textual content.
– Format: Card
– Dimension: 6” x 9”
– Duration: 4 weeks
– Deliverable: 3 cards per each student (group/solo)

Project 2: Magazine spread
Design a magazine spread with artist information, artwork, and description. Students start with selecting an artist/designer, then research and collect information about the artist/designer. Each student designs a featured artist with their own words and content from the research as the magazine spreads.
[Specification]
– Subject: Featured artist/musician/designer
– Format: a spread (2 pages)
– Dimension: 8” x 10” (single page)
– Duration: 4 weeks
– Deliverable: A spread with artist information, artwork, and description

Project 3: Portfolio (presentation deck)
Create a portfolio presentation deck including biography, artist statement, CV, artwork, and description. Students start with writing the required components and selecting portfolio pieces. Each student builds the presentation with their own visual and textual content.
[Specification]
– Subject: Personal portfolio
– Format: Presentation deck
– Dimension: 1920 x 1024 Pixel
– Duration: 6 weeks
– Deliverable: Introduction/biography, artist statement, CV(exhibitions), contact info, minimum 10 pieces of artwork, and description.

Evaluation
1. Project 1: 25 points
2. Project 2: 25 points
3. Project 3: 30 points
4. Professionalism (attendance, participation, presentation, etc.): 20 points

A/A-: 90% or above (A 95 points above, A- 90-94 points)
B+/B/B-: 89% – 75% (B+ 89-85 points, B 84-80 points, B- 79-75 points)
C+/C/C-: 74% – 60% (C+ 74-70 points, C 69-65 points, C- 64-60 points)
D: 59% – 51%
F: 50% or below

Weekly Outline

Week 1: 1/31/2023 TUE
1. Introduction – syllabus
2. In-class activity
– Figma set up
– Slack set up
– Ice breaker – Fig-jam
– Project discussion
– Figma file set-up (group/solo)
3. Lecture
-Project 1: Deck of cards
4. Homework
-Content development (text & image) Fig-jam

Week 2: 2/7/2023 TUE
1. Presentation
– Content presentation
2. Lecture
– Figma basic 1 – typography
– Google fonts
3. In-class activity
– Content review
– Sketches
4. Homework
– Content review
– Sketches

Week 3: 2/14/2023 TUE
1. Lecture
Figma basic 2 – image
2. In-class activity
– Card design review
3. Homework
– Card design round 2

—— 2/20 Presidents Day – College closed ——

Week 4: 2/21/2023 TUE
1. Lecture
– Layout design – grid
2. In-class activity
– Card design review
3. Homework
– Card design – final

Week 5: 2/28/2023 TUE
Presentation: Project 1: Deck of cards
1. Lecture
Project 2 Introduction
2. Homework
– Select an artist and content research

Week 6: 3/7/2023 TUE
1. Lecture
– File setup
2. In-class activity
– Project 2 content review
3. Homework
– Content preparation
– Layout sketch

Week 7: 3/14/2023 TUE
1. Lecture
– Layout design – typography
2. In-class activity
– Content and sketch review
3. Homework
– Design round 1

Week 8: 3/21/2023 TUE
1. Lecture
– Layout design
– hierarchy & balance
2. In-class activity
– Design review
3. Homework
– Design round 2

Week 9: 3/28/2023 TUE
Presentation: Project 2: Magazine spread
1. Lecture
– Project 3 Introduction
2. Homework
– Content preparation
– Layout sketch

—— Spring recess 4/3 – 4/9 – College closed——

Week 10: 4/11/2023 TUE
1. In-class activity
– Content review
2. Homework
– Content development
– Layout sketch

Week 11: 4/18/2023 TUE
1. In-class activity
– Content and sketch review
2. Homework
– Content design round 1

Week 12: 4/25/2023 TUE
1. In-class activity
– Design review
2. Homework
– Content design round 2

Week 13: 5/2/2023 TUE
1. In-class activity
– Design review
2. Homework
– Content design round 3

Week 14: 5/9/2023 TUE
1. In-class activity
– Design review
2. Homework
– Content design round – Final

Week 15: 5/16/2023 TUE
Presentation: Project 3

Keep and backup all the projects that you have done throughout the semester! You must submit all your projects for the final grade no later than the last day of class (Week 15)

Creative Technology & Design (CT&D) Attendance Policyities Policy
Attendance is not optional. If you are going to miss a class, you must contact the professor via email before the class. Due to the quantity of material covered in CT&D courses, the professor will not be able to spend additional class time reexplaining missed assignments or redo lectures. If a class is missed, you must get information regarding missed assignments and lectures from one of your classmates.

  1. Students are required to attend all classes, be on time, and remain for the entire class.
  2. The student who arrives 10 minutes after the starting time of the class will be considered late.
  3. 2 late occurrences = one absence
  4. A student who arrives over 30 minutes late or not returning from the break will be considered absent from the class.
  5. Active class participation is required; therefore, working on projects for a different class, using digital devices for socializing (texting, social media…etc.), or playing video games during class time will be recorded as an absence.
  6. Students who miss three classes for classes meeting once a week, or four classes for classes meeting twice a week, will receive a failing grade.
  7. An excused absence is still recorded as an absence. The difference is an excused absence won’t impact your grade for professionalism and class participation.

Note on Absences: Compliance with Spring 2023 Covid Protocol
For students in a testing protocol:
The Dean of Students will receive regular reports from Health Services for students who have not submitted their weekly PCR test results and are therefore non-compliant. Those students will receive an email each day of the week that they are scheduled to be at FIT reminding them that they have not submitted their information and that they are not permitted on campus until a negative PCR test or vaccination record has been submitted to the health portal. Faculty will receive an email each day of the week that their class is scheduled with a list of non-compliant students enrolled in that class.  If a non-compliant student arrives at class, they will be instructed by the faculty member to leave the campus.  If they refuse to comply, Public Safety will be called by the faculty member to escort the individual off-campus.

Failure to comply with weekly testing does not constitute an excused absence and/or permit a non-compliant student to attend class remotely. Extenuating circumstances will be discussed with the student’s academic department chair and dean.

Syllabi statement on classroom protocols, Spring 2023
The return to campus will mean adapting to new routines and standing together in our shared responsibilities. To support the health of our FIT community, every member of this course will commit to abide by the following guidelines: 

  1. We, the students, faculty, and classroom personnel must wear masks in all indoor FIT spaces including classrooms, studios, labs, and hallways. 
  2. We will wear masks such as N95s or other double-layered masks that cover our noses and mouths. We will follow NYC guidelines for mask-wearing: https://www1.nyc.gov/site/coronavirus/resources/facecoverings.page
  3. If we arrive on campus without a mask, we must pick one up from campus security desks before entering FIT buildings. 
  4. If we don’t comply with this shared responsibility, we will be asked to leave the campus.
  5. We will monitor our health regularly, and, if feeling ill, we will stay home and seek Covid PCR testing before we return to campus.
  6. We will be mindful of spacing issues within the class, and practice reasonable distancing when practical.
  7. We affirm that we, as members of the FIT community,  will provide proof of vaccination or proof of weekly Covid PCR testing results to FIT Health Services as outlined in campus communications.

Creative Technology & Design Policy on Plagiarism
Plagiarism and other forms of academic deception are unacceptable in any CT&D classes. Each instance of plagiarism is distinct. A plagiarism violation is an automatic justification for an “F” on that assignment and/or an “F” for the course. A student found in violation of FIT’s Code of Conduct and deemed to receive an “F” for a course may not withdraw from the course prior to final grade assignments.

FIT Student Code of Conduct
Student Disability Services
Academic Honesty and Integrity Policy
FIT’s Course Withdrawal Policy 
Children on campus policy
FIT-ABLE 
Academic Advisement Center 
FIT Writing & Speaking Studio
FIT Counseling Services
Academic Skills Tutoring Center
Dean of Students Office
Technical Support for Blackboard with Open SUNY Help Desk

Additional Course Information:
Credits/Hours: 2/3
Grade appeal process: http://www.fitnyc.edu/registrar/grades/appeal.php for more information.
Library Resources: FIT Library Databases
Academic Advisement Center: http://www.fitnyc.edu/academic-advisement/index.php
Technical Requirements: High-speed internet and Adobe CC
Textbooks and Required Materials: Lecture slides will be provided every week after class,