Students explore strategies and practices of turning cultural observation and analysis into design projects with instantiated outcomes. By investigating the ways in which design blurs the lines between the public and the private, students learn to assess and identify patterns of social practice and change and to communicate those patterns using design methods. Typically, students complete a short, intensive project and a longer, more exploratory project. Special emphasis is placed on students’ ability to articulate a well-founded design brief and to assess the most appropriate forms of response. Students also familiarize themselves with the design process for complex projects done by collaborative teams. They examine workflow and process in order to build a sound foundation for creating innovative design.