Aesthetics in Product Design and User Experience

Course content

Investigation of aesthetics in product design and user experience (UX) through the theories and models of aesthetics provided in the fields of art, philosophy, psychology, HCI, and neuroscience. Exploring the concept of aesthetics in relation to beauty, visual perception, cognition, meaning creation, user-product interactions, and usability. Weekly theoretical discussions based on a selection of reading materials ranging from the foundational philosophical texts on aesthetics judgement to HCI-based sources inquiring into the notion of aesthetics of interaction. Practical exercises and written assignments inviting students to deconstruct and rethink the aesthetic experiences of daily products and interfaces.