Interactive Design as Cross-Disciplinary Practice

As both an educator and practitioner in interactive design, I have witnessed the transformative potential and challenges of integrating emerging creative technologies such as AI, AR, data visualization and computational design into current communication design curricula. These tools offer students exciting new ways to create and engage, but they also demand a fundamental rethinking of how and what we teach in the graphic design programs.

In this presentation, I will share classroom outcomes and critical reflections from teaching with these technologies, highlighting the pedagogical shifts needed to prepare students for a rapidly evolving design field. Courses like data visualization and computational design not only require technical skills, but also interdisciplinary collaboration, contextual thinking and the confidence to navigate ambiguity. These subjects do not fit neatly into the confines of existing curricular and they call for broader and cross-disciplinary approaches to education.

I will also present common barriers to integrating technology in the classroom including fear of learning new tools, budget and accessibility constraints, and uncertainty about how much technical skills such as coding is necessary for design students. Through examples and student projects, I will share how design today extends beyond visual communication, bridging the gap between digital devices and the physical environment, and encouraging students to think critically about the broader context of their work.

This talk offers more interdisciplinary, responsive approaches to design education that cultivate curiosity, adaptability and critical engagement with emerging technology.