We are seeking two Instructional Aides to support SI 582: Introduction to Interaction Design (Fall 2026). This is a non-student position.
The role begins July 20, 2026, ahead of the semester start, to support a course-wide accessibility initiative. This start date can be negotiated. Prior to classes beginning, aides will convert existing course materials, including lecture slides, PDFs, and other documents, to meet university and federal accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG guidelines). During the fall semester, aides will assist with instructional support, student engagement, course logistics, grading, and ongoing accessibility needs as they arise.
This position offers meaningful experience at the intersection of interaction design education, digital accessibility, and course development within a collaborative academic environment.
Course Details
In this course, you will learn methods and skills involved in designing and prototyping interactive systems. We will cover the design process from the initial formulation of a design problem to the creation of digital prototypes. This is a lecture, reading, and lab-based course centered around a design project carried out in teams. The class structure is a mix of design activities, lectures, and design critiques of project work. The project-oriented activities and assignments allow you to make progress on your design project and practice interaction design methods and skills. You will work both individually and in groups.
Learning Goals
After taking this course, you should be able to:
- Apply a systematic design process ? move from identifying and framing an interaction design problem through research, ideation, prototyping, and refinement.
- Create effective and user-centered interaction designs by employing core design concepts, usability principles, and best practices across different platforms and contexts.
- Integrate ethical and societal considerations into design choices, including privacy, accessibility, inclusivity, and equity, to reduce the chance of perpetuating existing inequalities.
- Communicate design concepts persuasively ? at multiple levels of refinement (sketches, prototypes, specifications) ? to peers, instructors, and external stakeholders.
- Curate a professional portfolio project that demonstrates your ability to design and prototype an interactive system, enhancing your employability and internship opportunities in interaction design and related fields.
More information about this course can be found on U-M?s Course Catalog via Wolverine Access.