NDAK23007U Designing Collaborative Technologies (DesignCoTech)

Volume 2023/2024
Education

MSc Programme in Computer Science.

Content

In this course we will explore and experiment with applying new technologies (such as Blockchain, Augmented Reality and the Internet of Things) to support social interaction and collaboration in new ways. Students will start by learning how to study diverse workplaces, drawing on established theories of computer supported cooperative work (CSCW). The goal here will be to learn how to study users and their practices, and to learn from how technologies are used in 'real world’ organisations. Students will then bring these new insights into the Makerspace and start a design process learning how to develop and apply novel technologies in a user-centred way. The overall goal will be to help students to rethink and innovate the future of workplace, and build new collaborative technologies that fit with real users needs.  

The course has three parts:

  • Ethnographic empirical study of a selected workplace drawing on theoretical theories of computer supported cooperative work
  • Design and prototyping collaborative technologies in the Makerspace using user-centred approaches
  • Re-thinking and innovating the future workplace creating design fictions
Learning Outcome

Knowledge of

  • Theories in computer supported cooperative work (CSCW)
  • Ethnographic field methods for design 
  • User centred design in Makerspaces

 

Skills to

  • Analyse the complexities of workplace using CSCW theories
  • Design collaborative technologies for the future workplace
  • Innovate through iterative prototyping in a Makerspace 

 

Competences to 

  • Analyse work practices in real life organisations
  • Design workplace technologies supporting people needs
  • Innovate the future of work 

Research papers. See Absalon.

Academic qualifications equivalent to a BSc degree is recommended.
Learning activities include seminars, workshops, explorative exercises, empirical data collection, where students will work theoretically and experimentally with CSCW concepts for analysis and design. Some learning activities will take place in a Makerspace. Moreover, there will be assignments which will require collaboration with students located at University of Maryland, Baltimore, USA - allowing students real-life experiences with globally distributed work.
'Designing collaborative technologies' is similar to the former NDAK17000U Collaborative Computing (CollComp) and students can only take (and get credit for) one of the courses.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Lectures
  • 24
  • Preparation
  • 32
  • Exercises
  • 24
  • Project work
  • 125
  • Exam
  • 1
  • Total
  • 206
Oral
Collective
Continuous feedback during the course of the semester
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Oral examination, 20 minutes
Written assignment, during course
Type of assessment details
Specifically, the exam consists of two parts:

1. An group report (written assignment) based on the project.
2. An individual oral examination (without preparation) based on the report.

The written and oral examination are not weighted, why only one overall assessment is provided for the two parts of the exam.
Exam registration requirements

Students must hand in a report based on their project in order to be qualified for the exam.

Aid
All aids allowed
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
Several internal examiners
Re-exam

A 20 minutes oral exam without preparation based upon (possibly revised) project report.

If the student is not yet qualified to participate in the exam, then qualification can be achieved by resubmitting the report no later than two weeks before the re-exam date.

The written and oral examination are not weighted, why only one overall assessment is provided for the two parts of the exam.

Criteria for exam assesment

See Learning Outcome.