Interaction Design

Interaction design is an exciting field at the cutting edge of technology innovation. Interaction designers aim to create experiences using products, services and environments that are not just useful and functional, but often expressive and desirable.

Learning interaction design is a matter of building a repertoire of methods, skills and theoretical perspectives. Importantly, you will also develop a sensitivity to the critical role of stakeholders in design, the implications of design in society, and your own sense of interaction aesthetics.

Innovative, considered and well-executed design adds value to products and services. Interaction designers seek to understand the people and situations they are designing for, and, drawing on their mastery of interactive technology and forms of interactivity, design artefacts and experiences to improve situations.

During the programme, we will conduct extensive research, sketch, prototype and test — not just to get the right design, but to get the design right. Designers very often take the role of advocate for the user, and are skilled in mediating complex issues and relationship with stakeholders involved in the design and production process.

Interaction design starts with new students every autumn semester. This programme at Malmö University is not like other digital-design related educations. We set ourselves apart in three main ways:

The design of interaction

We understand interaction design as part of the tradition of design, with a focus on the design of interactivity — not just how an artefact looks or what it does, but how it responds and how it feels to use. Exploring and expressing interactivity requires technical skills. As such, you will have to opportunity to acquire and develop basic programming skills throughout the programme. We teach programming in a way that is relevant for interaction design and that any motivated student can learn. You will prototype interactive experiences across a range of devices and platforms, including for web and mobile.

The products and services interaction designers create are not just software. We have a strong tradition and world-class facilities for working with physical formats, and you will learn techniques such as laser-cutting and 3-D printing. Together with basic electronic skills and a microprocessor, you will be able to develop concepts related to the Internet of Things, wearables and other forms of smart products.

You won’t just make good-looking mock-ups, you'll bring your ideas to life.

Responsible, sensitive design

To design is to make a change in the world; whether the designer intends to or not, their work has wider implications. Our education instils a responsible, sensitive design approach which takes issues of ethics and sustainability seriously, and focuses on design with human values in mind. Moreover, at Malmö University we have a strong tradition in participatory design approaches, designing not just for users but with users and other stakeholders. Interaction design can be done not just for commercial purposes but also to serve and challenge the pressing societal issues of our time.

Research-based teaching

At Malmö University, you will not only pick up the applied skills of an interaction designer — conducting fieldwork, programming, making mock-ups, creating concept videos, and so on — you will also engage with cutting-edge forms of interactivity and deep, theoretical perspectives on design and interaction. You will develop reflective, critical approaches, understanding not only how to create, but also when and why (or why not). This is particularly important in a technology-related field such as interaction design, where developments happen quickly and practitioners need to be able to make sense of new technologies and shifting practices.

The fifth term is an elective term. That means you can choose to take a course in a completely different topic but you can also choose to immerse yourself in a specialisation of your choice. Alternatively, by choosing to do an internship, you can experience the professional practice of interaction design and gain valuable industry connections. A further alternative is to study abroad, which can be an excellent opportunity to expand your personal and academic horizons.

The programme's sixth and final semester consists of a thesis. You will undertake a major independent project, the content and quality of which is equivalent to the input level for master's degree studies.

This programme leads to a bachelor's degree in Interaction Design.

Given the growing prominence of good design, interaction designers find themselves in demand. Governmental agencies also value interaction designers in designing and improving access to public services. With an education in interaction design you may be suited for a number of different roles beyond interaction design, including user experience design, user interface design, service design, digital design, web design and much more.

With a focus on teaching contemporary technologies and methods as well as forward-thinking perspectives from research, you will adapt well to a changing labour market and be well-suited to continue your education through a master’s programme. During your education, you will gain collaborative experience with industry partners as well as your own peers, by working on a variety of different briefs through which you will develop your project management skills.

Our students have gone on to careers in leading companies such as Anima Connected, Arduino Verkstad, BitCraze, Cybercom, Fjord, IBM, IDEO, inUSE, Massive Entertainment, Sony Mobile, TetraPak, Topp, Ustwo and Visma.