Special Topics in Graphic Design: Open Source Design Spring 2018 Syllabus 2 Reading 1 7 The GNU Manifesto Open Source Design Manifesto Open Source Design is now Open Design On Being a Unicorn: The Case for User-Involvement in F/LOSS Designing Open Source This is the First Day of my Life The Problem With Open Source Design Reading 2 17 The Cathedral and the Bazaar Reading 3 36 Autoprogettazione? Designer as Author Utopia is No Place Reading 4 47 Counterculture & Anti-Design: Postmodern Appropriations of Utopia The Global Style: Modernist Typography after Postmodernism Beyond the New: A Search For Ideals In Design The Whole Earth Catalog Reading 5 58 Vernacular: How Buildings Learn from Each Other Hacking Clothing: An Interview with Susan Spencer Friendlier Forks Specimen Reading 6 82 Awkward Gestures In Defense of the Cultural Commons Open Source as Culture/Culture as Open Source In Practice: RestructWeb Reading 7 91 Giving Things Away is Hard Work: Three Creative Commons Case Studies An Authentic Commons is not a Temporary Affair Oxygen’s Project Coordinator Nuno Pinheiro Interview Making the Switch Reading 8 103 Indigenous Domain: Pilgrims, Permaculture, and Perl 1 Special Topics in Graphic Design: Open Source Design GD 399.01 abandon whatever methods we have covered. I do Fridays not aim to proselytize. My main desire for you is 9:00am–3:00pm not to replicate my ideas and practices and beliefs, 3 Credits but come up with your own methodologies and BR206 systems and aesthetics that make sense based on your thoughts or understanding. Everything I will Kristian Bjørnard present is in the service of you coming up with [email protected] your own philosophy of Free/Libre/Open Source 507-301-8402 design and your own methodologies for your design practice. Office: BR309A Office Hours: Requirements Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays / 9:00am–5:00pm — Regular Attendance. Fridays / 3:30–5:00pm — Successful completion of all projects on the due (& by appointment) date(s). https://github.com/gd399-osd — Class participation. I will do my best to respond to your emails within 24 hours. — Completing readings and participating in discussions. Catalog Description — You should be doing at least 3 additional hours Special topics courses are developed to cover emerg- of work outside of class each week … ing issues or specialized content not offered as part of the core curriculum. These courses, typically not Attendance offered continuously in the department, provide Attendance and participation is mandatory. Arrive students and faculty the opportunity to explore on time to the start of each class and after each new content and course formats such as working break. Students who have the equivalent of more with community partners or corporate clients. than 3 absences are no longer eligible to earn credit for the course. Topic: Open Source Design. Irregular attendance or habitual tardi- This course introduces various facets of Free/Libre/ ness will lead to lower grades and, ultimately, to Open Source and demonstrates how its principles probation or dismissal. In the case of extended and philosophies can be applied within the visual illness or other legitimate absences that may keep design field. Students become familiar with history, the students from attending a class for more than trends, theories, and ideologies, along with practi- three meetings, students must contact the Student cal design needs. The main outcome for this course Development Specialist in the Division of Student will be a book and website the students will collab- Affairs so that instructors can be notified. orate on creating using all F/LOS content, tools, etc. If you miss a class, check the course web- documenting the term’s investigations. site (Canvas, or even better our class GitHub repo). Info will be posted each week on what we discussed Course Structure & Objectives and instructions, files, and readings that might be I’ll be presenting my ideas, philosophies, and work- needed. If you have additional questions please con- ing methods to you over the course of the term tact me immediately; don’t wait until the next week. (along with the work of other designers and think- You will still be expected to present or be prepared ers). You’ll be made to work in some of the ways I’ve for the following class after any absence. found useful in regards to how I think about “Free/ It is also important you show up to class on Libre/Open Source” in my design practice (this is time and prepared. We’ve got a lot to cover and it sort of a new interest of mine, so mostly there will sets the whole class behind when any of you shows be outside information, speakers, readings, etc. and up late. However, being late — even 2 hours late — is then just in and out of class experimenting). While favorable to not coming at all. I ask that you honestly and non-judgementally try these out, once the class is over you are free to Syllabus 2 https://github.com/gd399-osd Participation Materials You are expected to take an active part in this — A reliable way to transport and backup digital class. Come prepared to discuss readings and the works; strengths and weaknesses of your classmates work — Other materials may come up, I don’t foresee a (as well as your own). You are expected to offer, as lot of materials being required… well as accept, constructive criticism. The ability to effectively articulate and explain your ideas and Due Dates design decisions is a critical skill that you must All projects are due at the START of class on the develop. Treat your classmates professionally at all assigned due date. Projects turned in after that will times. We will have some sort of critique almost not be accepted. I repeat: Late projects will not be every class period and when we are not lecturing/ accepted. This means you will earn a zero for a late critiquing/doing demos you will be expected to project. If you will be unavailable on a due date work on the current project/experiment in class. make arrangements to turn it in early or by email This allows you the benefit of real time feedback during that class period. You are responsible for from both your peers and your instructor. Take turning in work on time regardless of attendance. advantage of your class time; the constant inter- Do keep in mind that something is better than change of ideas leads to better, stronger design nothing, so if you aren’t finished at least bring what solutions (& a better understanding of our world). you have so far to critique. In the case of school closing, projects will be due at the start of our next Technology Statement regularly scheduled class meeting. This course will use F/LOS tools. Nothing from Adobe, no other propietary fonts or software, etc. Grades will be allowed for the creation of projects, experi- Merely completing a project is absolutely not a ments, and new tools in our class setting. guarantee of a passing grade! You will eventually be hired based on your portfolio which art direc- In-class Technology Use tors will review and compare to other designer’s During class hours, please don’t chat online, send/ they’ve seen before hiring someone. Your ability check messages on phones/computers, check emails, to set yourself apart in concept and execution will communicate or browse content on social media determine your success in this field both academ- networks, nor browse the web for content that does ically and in the real world, so let’s practice that not relate directly to class. Please stow cell phones now. Be bold. Don’t be afraid of “failing” a project; out of sight! Failure to comply with this rule may be afraid of just unenthusiastically completing result in deductions from your final grade. the bare minimum requirements of a project. Your grade for the term will be an assessment of Complaints how completely you have explored your ideas, Students are encouraged to discuss complaints and researched each project, the success of the design concerns regarding a class, project or grade with me in solving the various assigned problems, unique- first, during my office hours or at a time chosen by ness, embracing of F/LOS, CRAFT and presentation. our mutual consent. Issues that students do not find to be resolved should then be reported to the Depart- A+ A A- Superior ment Chair (Brockett Horne, [email protected]). B+ B B- Above Average C+ C C- Average Readings D+ D D- Below Average The readings for this course are all in this booklet or F Failure else will be provided as links for reading online. We will have in class discussions each week following Plus or minus may be used. However, for purposes a reading. The readings will also be helpful in the of obtaining a quality point average, each grade formulating of your own opinions and ideas around category is assigned the following quality points: F/LOS as it pertains to design. They should also influ- A = 4 / B = 3 / C = 2 / D = 1 / F = 0 ence the Free/Libre/Open Source design decisions you are making on other projects through the term (For more information see the Statement of Aca- (and hopefully beyond). There is a sizeable amount demic Standards in the Student Handbook.) of reading, but nothing is too complicated or crazy. It is all in service of us thinking hard, researching, — Class participation is paramount & should show Syllabus and experimenting. marked progress in the student’s ability to talk about design intelligently & constructively.