I have held several design-related research or teaching posts at universities in Chile, the Netherlands, Finland, Denmark, and China. I have extensive experience teaching undergraduate courses on transdisciplinary subjects, using a broad range of teaching methods in studio, web-based, and competency-based learning environments. Below you can find some descriptions of courses I have (co-)taught.
Aalto University, MA-level, 6 ECTS
Teacher: Andrés Lucero
The course will introduce the fundamentals of user experience and interaction design, for MA-level students. Theories, methodologies, and pragmatic considerations on design for the interaction between humans and a wide range of systems and services are covered, from desktop computers to embedded and ubiquitous systems. The course materials consist of slides prepared for each lecture, which are shared with students before each class. Materials also consist of different artifacts created and used by the teacher in their (industrial) research work. Students will be able to apply observation-based research methods to inquire about people's behavior for user experiences; analyze collected data to gain insight into people's needs, which can be fulfilled by a user experience involving an interactive artifact or installation; generate user experiences for an interactive system that address people's wishes and aspirations; build an interactive prototype with a suitable fidelity level to evaluate user experience for a given project; evaluate the overall user experience of an interaction design with appropriate evaluation methods. By participating in the course, students get acquainted with practical methods and tools needed to grow to a role of user experience or interaction designer in industry.
Tongji University, MA-level, 5 ECTS
Teacher: Andrés Lucero
Systemic Innovation involves processes where stakeholders co-create new value using systems thinking to change relationships, interactions, and actions. The course provides a strategic perspective on design within a specific functional area or domain of business with the goal of advancing the abilities of students to strategically operate in and articulate the value of design and designers in the specific area or domain. The functional area or domain of study - including the reading list and modes for assessments - is introduced at the beginning of the course and explored by students through a variety of teaching and learning methods, e.g. lectures, workshops and seminars. Practical assignments are used to support the students' learning throughout the course. The student will learn to recognize central concepts, theories, and methods in systemic innovation and design; analyze the strategic role of design for success in the global market; apply relevant concepts, frameworks and approaches to real-life systemic problems; identify drivers, dimensions, and pitfalls of innovation; present relationships and flows within a system or process in a visual form; show communication skills in various formats (e.g., written, visual, multimedia) and for various purposes (e.g. informing, persuading, justifying).
Aalto University, BA-level, 12 ECTS
Teachers: Antti Hietaniemi, Andrés Lucero, Markku Reunanen
In this studio course, students explore contemporary phenomena through thematically-framed design projects. Building on what the students have learnt in Thematic Studio I, the course supports students in acquiring knowledge and skills to organize design work as a group and in taking a systems view when designing. In smaller groups, students work collaboratively in articulating design challenges in relation to the yearly theme and in devising solutions to real-world problems. The contact teaching in the course is organized around a combination of assignments, lectures, tutoring and workshops. Students will be able to use artistic, scientific and research methods to set goals and directions for their work when designing with and for systems; position users and their interests within broader communities of people and societal systems; explore systems, relationships and flows for use in design; turn ideas into coherent presentations of concepts and prototypes; work in a group setting towards shared design goals.
Aalto University, MA-level, 10 ECTS
Teachers: Andrés Lucero, Antti Salovaara
Interaction Design is the design of the interaction between people and products. The goal of interaction design is to create a product that allows a person to achieve an objective. This course aims to increase students' knowledge on defining the behavior of interactive systems principles, patterns and processes. We will discuss basic principles in information visualization, human cognition and perception as they relate to interaction design. Students will engage in flipped classroom discussions, in-class exercises, lectures, and will be given an opportunity to explore new ideas via group projects. Students do not need to be knowledgeable about the technical underpinnings of prototyping; this class is designed for students from design, social, and technical backgrounds. This class will prepare students identify key basic principles of human cognition and perception and apply them to the design of interactive systems; construct and assess a prototype. Students interested in design, management, and leadership careers will be prepared to systematically assesses the overall user experience provided by an artifact, product or service.
Aalto University, MA-level, 10 ECTS
Teacher: Andrés Lucero
Evaluation is needed to check that people can use a given product, especially if that design is new. Nowadays, people look beyond a usable product, and expect a deligthful experience. This course aims to increase students’ knowledge about pragmatic considerations on design for the interaction between humans and a wide range of systems and services, with a focus on (prototyping and) evaluation methods. Students will engage in flipped classroom discussions, in-class exercises, lectures, and will be given an opportunity to evaluate a working prototype via a group project. This class will prepare students to identify different evaluation methods, and carry out an assessment of a prototype.
Tongji University, MA-level, 5 ECTS
Teacher: Andrés Lucero
The course consists of a concept design assignment completed in small teams. The assignment will frame design as a competence development and decision-making process. The design assignment will be supported by lectures, literature, tutoring sessions and a reflective essay. A reading package of half a dozen of articles and/or book chapters will be announced in the beginning of the course. The student will learn to understand the role of conceptual design in strategic planning, competence development and stakeholder network management. The student will learn to combine design driven insight with creative collaboration with users and stakeholders. The student will learn to justify, communicate and evaluate a product and/or service design concept.
Aalto University, MA-level, 3-5 ECTS
Teacher: Andrés Lucero
The course will introduce the fundamentals of Interaction Design, for MA-level students. Theories, methodologies and pragmatic considerations on design for the interaction between humans and wide range of systems and services, from desktop computers to embedded and ubiquitous systems. Printed and audiovisual instructional materials are used in the course. Before each lecture, students read a book chapter that introduces theory. At the start of each lecture, there is an open discussion on the topic of the session. The grade is defined based on hands-on exercises, reading assignments, and active participation during the course. The student should show an in-depth practical understanding of interaction design.
Aalborg University, BSc-level, 5 ECTS
Teacher: Andrés Lucero
The aim of the course is to give the student knowledge about the user experience aspect of an interaction design, give knowledge about interactions that particularly prioritize this aspect, and to introduce techniques that support interaction design processes with particular focus on user experience. Students will engage in class discussions, exercises, and lectures. The exam will consist of an individual written assignment. This class will prepare students to explain user experience design principles, guidelines, theories and models; apply techniques such as cultural probes, acting-out, sketching, scenarios or personas; systematically assess user experience. Students will be able to create interaction designs with particular focus on emotional, opinion-forming, and value-forming aspects of the way a user subjectively experience the design and interaction with a product or system.
University of Southern Denmark, MSc-level, 10 ECTS
Teacher: Andrés Lucero
The goal of the course is to learn how to work professionally with user-centered innovation projects. This includes learning the dominant theories of participatory innovation such as design anthropology and participatory design. We will combine the practical application of participatory methods of user studies and user participation with theories about innovation processes in an organisational context. Students will engage in class discussions and work on a larger innovation project in collaboration with a company or organization, which will provide hands-on experience with innovation methods and cross-disciplinary teamwork. Grading will be based on a project report and an oral exam with an external examiner. This class will prepare students to understand theories of user-driven innovation, initiate and facilitate conversations about innovation between employees, users and other stakeholders and organize innovation projects with user participation. Students will be offered rich opportunities to develop their skills in project management and to work in teams.
University of Southern Denmark, BSc-level, 5 ECTS
Teachers: Andrés Lucero, Kerstin Fischer, Maria aus der Wieschen
Designers don’t just create new products and systems; they are responsible for structuring the environments and capacities within which people live and work. To do this well, they need to understand the kinds of problems that arise in the use of designed artifacts and systems, and to be able to design technologies to support (rather than hinder) human activities. This course will help students develop their skills in pinpointing interaction problems with technologies, appreciating the role of artifacts and technologies in the accomplishment of cooperative work. The course will be delivered through a series of lectures and practical exercises geared at enabling students to develop their skills in analysis and design. This course will be assessed based on an oral exam where students will present their design mock-up/prototype. This class will prepare students to understand how people perceive, think and react to signals in the outside world alone and in social contexts - explain the interaction between people, digital products and context.
