Interaction Glossary

What this is

Interface Crit is a short, recurring warm-up we’ll use at the beginning of each class to practice noticing and critiquing the interactions that shape our daily lives.

Rather than starting with theory or tools, we’ll begin by examining the designed systems we move through every day, often without noticing them. This exercise trains observation, language, and critical thinking, and helps connect design concepts to lived experience.

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Participation expectation: Each student is expected to actively engage in Interface Crit throughout the semester and to share at least one observed interface during class.

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Why we’re doing this

Interaction design is not just about screens or software. It’s about how systems guide behavior, communicate intent, handle error, and shape experience over time.

This exercise helps you:

• Build fluency in the vocabulary of interaction design
• Learn to observe behavior in design, not just aesthetics
• Understand how interfaces embody assumptions, values, and constraints
• Practice giving and receiving critique in a clear, constructive way
• Develop the habit of seeing interaction design as something that exists everywhere, not just in class readings and projects 🙂