Study Interaction Design - Te Tohu Paetahi mō te Hoahoa - Bachelor of Design
Develop expertise in interaction design for a range of contexts, technologies and platforms. Work on a variety of design projects and access our outstanding facilities.
Interaction design covers design for digital web platforms (desktop, mobile and other devices), app design and product interface design. It can also include design for information systems, wayfinding and navigation, digital dashboards and controls, as well as wearable technologies, augmented and virtual spaces.
You’ll work individually and in teams to combine knowledge of human-centred frameworks, complex problem solving and visual systems to create design solutions to current and future challenges.
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This is part of the Te Tohu Paetahi mō te Hoahoa - Bachelor of Design.
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Interaction design integrates the principles of visual and other forms of communication, design, creative thinking and user-experience design (UX design) processes, with appropriate media and technologies to design efficient, effective, pleasurable and meaningful interactive experiences.
Year 1
You’re introduced to user experience and interface frameworks and processes including prototyping, idea analysis and user experience research methodologies. You’ll learn about UX and UI principles, information architecture, design systems and technologies.
In Semester 1, you study the following core courses:
- DESN511 Introduction to Design Practice
- DIGD507 Mahitahi | Collaborative Practice
- DESN512 Making and Media
In Semester 2, you study:
You’ll also start your courses from your second major, your minor(s) or elective courses.
Year 2
You’ll work on studio projects and workshops to:
- Advance your understanding of creative processes and techniques, and employ lateral thinking to develop concepts, functionality and design systems for navigation within communication channels
- Integrate UX and UI principles to deepen knowledge of communication strategies, graphic conventions and typographic systems
- Develop communication design strategies for brand, navigation and content management
- Integrate narrative structures, communication design systems and theories
- Explore methodologies within industry contexts and practices
- Develop a portfolio
You study the following courses:
- INRD611 Interaction Design Practice II
- INRD612 Interaction Design Practice III
You’ll also continue to take courses from your second major, your minor(s) or elective courses.
Year 3
The focus this year is the major self-directed design project you complete. Projects can be individual, in partnership with another student or undertaken as a group project.
You study the following courses:
- INRD711 Interaction Design Practice IV
- DESN711 Integrated Design Practice
You’ll also continue to take courses from your second major, your minor(s) or elective courses.
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- Interaction designer
- Digital web designer
- User interface designer
- User experience designer (UX designer)
- App designer
Interaction designers work collaboratively with a range of other professionals, including software engineers, industrial designers and product managers.
Other majors in Te Tohu Paetahi mō te Hoahoa - Bachelor of Design
- Covers a range of creative processes and technologies for interaction and user experience design
- Design for web, apps or interactive products and systems
- Explores what makes a good user experience
- Future oriented
- An interaction designer
- Interested in improving human experiences
- Having strong skills in digital technologies and other areas of design
The information on this page was correct at time of publication. For a comprehensive overview of AUT qualifications, please refer to the Academic Calendar.