The College for Creative Studies in Detroit will host the inaugural CCS Summit in April to highlight the emerging field of interaction design, which will be the focus of a new master’s program coming in the fall.
“When people think about interaction design, they usually think about the iPhone or Android smartphones,” says Sooshin Choi, provost and vice president for academic affairs at CCS. “But interaction design is important for every industry.”
The summit will bring together seven speakers from companies ranging from Ford Motor Co. to Walt Disney Imagineering. A speaker from Nike, for instance, will discuss the future of wearable technology, Choi says.
By showcasing Detroit, Choi is out to prove the Motor City it is a viable option for those who want to pursue an education or career in interaction design. “People think you should go to California or somewhere else, but why not Detroit?” he says. “We have the automotive industry, and the automobile is a great example of how interaction design (such as pressing a button to start your car) can change driving to make it safer and more enjoyable.”
In addition to the new interaction design master’s program, the college will offer the CCS Color and Materials Design program, the first of its kind in the U.S., this fall. “We’re anticipating 10 students (in each program) this fall, and expect to see the programs become bigger in the coming years,” Choi says.
For more information about CCS Summit Designing Interactive Experiences that Delight and Engage, to be held April 14 at the A. Alfred Taubman Center for Design Education, at Cass and Baltimore, click here.
