Design argumentation in academic design education

Abstract

In this paper we explore design argumentation as a resource when teaching interaction design in a university setting. We propose that design argumentation can help bridge between practice-based design education and theoretical issues from university curricula. Building upon the Toulmin model of argument, we outline the idea of design argumentation and report on initial experiences from interaction design teaching. We discuss how this approach can be instrumental in teaching students how to build up a shared design vocabulary in order to formulate valid claims when arguing for and through their design work based on empirical, theoretical and material grounds.