Course Syllabus

Jump to Today

Each year we adjust the course around class size and group projects. What follows is a base plan. NOTE: Time will be blocked each Friday for teams to work on their projects supported by the teaching staff. During the course of the semester we will introduce a mix of team management and prototyping tools to support your work. You are, however, free to use whatever is familiar and comfortable to you.

Class 1 (9/6)

Modeling the Process in 3 Weeks

• The Big Picture: conception through implementation 

• Civic Engagement: Defining Problems in a Complex Situation

Before Class

Even though it's our first class, we will be launching into a 3-week sprint to get you familiar with the process of evidence-inspired innovation you will use with your own projects later in the semester. Come ready to be wonderfully and productively (just a little bit) uncomfortable.

Class 2 (9/13)

From Problem to Theory of Action

• We’ll share problem definitions and organize around common themes.

• We’ll start diving into the research to identify potential theories of action.

Before Class

• Read the pieces on Theories of Action.

• Use the links provided as a starting point to explore the civic engagement situation and define the problem(s) you want to address.

• On the Civic Engagement Discussion Forum, POST the problem(s) you want to address and why it/they matter.

Class 3 (9/20)

Theory of Action to Prototype

• Review your theories of action and the evidence underlying them.

• Now, let’s test something with some very, very rapid prototyping.

Before Class

• On the Theory of Action Discussion Forum, POST a preliminary Theory of Action to drive your innovation. Restate the problem. Connect your theory to evidence (there may be a leap in the translation of evidence to your action)

Class 4 (9/27)

Your Turn

• We will debrief our 3-week sprint and set expectations for your projects.

• We’ll work on team formation and hopefully start the situation exploration and problem definition.

Before Class

• POST and explore areas of interest for your projects.

Class 5 (10/4)

Situation and Problems (Problem-Based Design)

• Team building exercises and sharing.

• Tools for research.

• Work on first main deliverable: Situation description and problem(s) statement. Support with data and evidence and include the audiences and context involved. This deliverable describes the problem, NOT how you are going to solve it. Graphic representations are always helpful.

Before Class

• POST a summary of the situation your team will be addressing. List team members and any initial thoughts about the problem(s) you will be tackling. Things may still be vague and team members may have different notions of what problem interests them. That’s fine and normal. The teaching staff will create a discussion forum for each project team where you will post deliverables and progress reports for the rest of the semester.

Class 6 (10/11)

Contexts and People (User-Centered Design)

• Team pairings to check your thinking and work so far.

• Start working on your next deliverable: Theories of Action.

• Think about scale. How well will any theory of action translate to different contexts?

Before Class

• POST your situation description and problem definition(s) on your project discussion forum. In addition, give us a sense of the audiences and contexts your project will be targeting. Stories and pictures can help situate us (and you) in the various settings where the action will be happening.

Class 7 (10/18)

Testable Theories of Action (Evidence-Based Design & Design-Based Research)

• We’ll work on clarifying your theories of action and turning them into testable elements.

• Start working on prototypes

Before Class

• POST links to research and notes about your evolving theories of action. “This research has me/us thinking that….”.

Class 8 (10/25)

The Development Process

• Case study (Upbeat)

• Prototype work

Before Class

• POST updates to Theories of Action and links to prototypes (including sketches)

Class 9 (11/1)

Iteration and Feedback

• Pairing for prototype testing.

• Prototype iterations

Before Class

• POST summaries of prototype testing, feedback collected, and revisions you have made or plan to make to your theory and/or your innovation.

Class 10 (11/8)

Implementation

• Case study

• Flexible fidelity - what is it for your project?

Be Prepared

• POST thoughts about what conditions are most likely to undermine the success of your project in the field.

Class 11 (11/15)

Validation

• Case study

• Construct definition and data collection 

Be Prepared

• POST a description of what data, observable behavior, etc would count as evidence that your project is working.

Class 12 (11/22)

Project Presentations

Be Prepared

ENGAGE us with some element of your project
 December 11

Final Project Team Deliverable Due

Final Individual Reflection Due

 

Course Requirements and Expectations

Weekly Postings

To help move your thinking and projects forward, there are weekly deliverables. Most are related to your projects and will be posted on public discussion boards dedicated to each project. We can learn a lot from each other, but only if we expose our thinking and our work. It is expected that each team member will make regular contributions to the discussion boards for their project.

Readings 

In addition to doing research related to your project, you are expected to review the readings and other materials posted for many classes. The posted materials may include research studies, case studies, or other background information for what will we do in class that week. They will facilitate your engagement in the learning.

    Weekly Class Participation

    Feedback is critical to innovation and iteration. That means students need to share their ideas and work as well as their responses to the ideas and work of others. We recognize that not all students feel comfortable engaging in dynamic classroom conversations, and some students might be overly comfortable speaking in front of others. We expect students to engage with their peers and with other teams, in class, in person, or through discussion boards.

    Peer Reviews

    Once the projects get started, each student will be assigned as a peer reviewer for another class project. The job of the peer reviewer is to provide regular feedback, encouragement, questions, and thoughts on that project’s discussion board. You will likely be surprised at the overlap of issues across projects.

    Use of Resources

    Your T522 teaching team has a lot of experience, and we enjoy supporting student projects. Use us, and take advantage of the other faculty, technical support, library personnel, and the other wonderful resources in and around HGSE, including each other. We are here to help you become more resourceful and more comfortable stepping into the unknown.

    Out-of-Your Comfort Zone Learning

    Harvard students aren’t typically comfortable with failure. Innovation, though, requires it. Research provides guidance, but you must still take steps into the unknown. Most of those initial steps will be unsteady at best, but each stumble feeds your learning, providing evidence to help you adjust your theories and your implementation of those theories. We encourage you to step out of the familiar not just with your projects, but with your own knowledge and skills as well. When working with your project team, don’t do what you already do well. That’s practice. We want learning.

    Final Individual Reflection/Self-Assessment

    T522 centers learning and coursework around the team projects. Each team will establish and articulate a research base supporting a plan of action for the team’s project. Each team will also create and test prototypes of elements of the project. Some prototypes will move the project forward; some may move it backward. Consequently, the “look” and depth of team projects may vary dramatically. Some students will come to class with a strong vision and robust technical skills and will move a project through multiple prototype and feedback cycles. Other students will take longer to coalesce an idea, and some will find that their plans simply do not work and that they need to return to the beginning. That’s the nature of the innovation and iteration process.

    It doesn’t matter where your project ends up; it matters what you learn from the effort.

    The teaching staff will support and provide feedback on your efforts and progress. We will help you reflect on your experiences. Our aim is to facilitate your growth and learning.

    At the end of the course, you will be asked to self-evaluate. You know best the level of effort and attention you maintained over the semester. Here’s what to consider:

    • Did I complete the course deliverables thoughtfully and by their due dates?
    • Did I contribute to my team project consistently, in a timely manner, and with full effort? If team dynamics broke down, did I seek to resolve issues and maintain productivity?
    • Did I seek new challenges and learning opportunities?
    • Did I monitor, support, and seek to learn from the other team projects in the course?
    • Was I a contributor in class discussions?
    • Did I solicit guidance from the teaching staff, classmates, and others to support my project and learning?

    Team Final Deliverables

    • A visual presentation of your Theories of Action, including the underlying problems you are addressing. It could be a slide show, an infographic, a video, a text document, or something else. Create something that you think will be accessible to the key decision-makers for your project.
    • A summary of your iteration process. Again, the format is up to you. The summary is an opportunity for you to reflect on the process and your learning as a team.
    • A collection of prototypes. We've likely already seen what you tested, so use this requirement to organize your work into something that might go into a portfolio you can show to others.

    Course Summary:

    Date Details Due