This would be my final blog entry for project; supercow, i.e. design studio i. Definitely not my last entry, because I’ll still try my best to keep the blog going. it’s been one hell of a semester, especially having to go through studio i. At the very start, I must admit that I was rather lost by the whole subject, which was interaction design. I never knew what it was, and how we as communication designers would be involved.
Since the last meeting, I had typed out the introduction, and the final outcome. I had also drafted out the essay and compiled the different parts that my group members did. Chloe and Candy worked on personas and scenarios, whilst Vita worked on the survey part.
Note to self; do a self check on,
- thoughts about the project
- how we did it, why we did it
- how each step we went through was useful
- any interesting discovery?
- reflections
Today was a crucial meeting. We had to discuss our final essay, compile each of our research work, and delegate jobs to one another. We also discussed on each of the personas that we created, and talked about the final outcome of “Product X”, as mentioned in the video. Vita also showed us a video on Nokia’s Technology, which was quite a good reference that definitely helped us in finalizing “Product X”.
We also had consultation with Blair, which was more of clarifying our doubts, and queries on what was expected of the essay. Since this project is about Interaction Design and going through the Design Process, Blair mentioned that we had to focus more on;
1. How we applied the design process into the project
2. Talk about readings and how it helped us
3. Mention briefly how the final outcome is going to work
More info can be found on my group’s wiki page.
We didn’t really have a meeting, just merely gathered our ‘homework’, for the consultation with blair. Just thought I should still record what we’ve done. Each of us came up with different personas/senarios for the different age group. I was working on the elderly, so I came up with “Uncle Bob”. The above are my scribbles/rough ideas. Do view the simplified/neater version here.
*Personas/senarios did help in the decision making process, where by we question, and lay second thoughts on concluding which is a better choice of a proposed device. It gives a clear view on how we can amend and make it better.
Yesterday, Tania showed us the “LIVE + WORK with Stefan Sagmeister” video, and talked about the “on the binge” project by Sagmeister which I posted up a few days back, over here. There was also a reading which she mentioned, another of Hillman Curtis film of Sagmeister, which can be found here.
I spent my morning reading on Sagmeister’s diary, when he was in the “my year of graphic design without client” period. How he did his own self reflection on his projects, the things he sees that inspires, the projects he would like to do, etc. It shows how much aspirations he once had, and still have. In his journal, he mentioned, “keeping a diary supports personal development”. Thats what Tania encouraged us to do.
When I first knew that I had to start up a blog, I was merely blogging for the sake of it. Now I think I’m enjoying it, because to me, it’s like an archive of what I’ve found, what I’m doing, etc. Just like how I’ve defined the word blog on the left column of this page. Reflections, ideas, videos, works of others, there’s just so much to write about, in which would help us as a designer. I’m sure the next time when I look back at all my blog entries to reevaluate, it will be a fun one. There is just so much more to learn and absorb.
“Editor’s note: This tragedy has driven many of us to put our lives on a better course by reevaluating how we spend our time”
*UPDATED 16MAY08; Not forgetting, another video worth watching and archiving, thought I should just include this here. “Stefan Sagmeister: Yes, design can make you happy“, from TED talks. And this is the “Life Instructions“, that Sagmeister was talking about.
I fell really sick so I wasn’t present for this meeting, but I’ve received a note from Candy, of what the rest of the group had discussed with Blair.
She said that during consultation, Blair wanted them to work on personas and scenarios. As for personas, my group members had split 4 different group of users that are mainly made up of students, junior employees, senior employees, and the elderly. They had given me a task to work on the elderly group, so I had to come up with a name, his/her characteristics and personality. With that in mind, I have to write a brief description for this particular elderly character, and think of the kind of system which suits him/her.
Candy also gave me a very good example. For instance, since I’m working on the elderly age group, I have to think of a really easy way/soulution so that they are able to use the product, because I have to keep in mind that the elderly may not be familiar with the latest technology.
That should summarize up meeting nine. The next group meeting would be on the 14th of May, after class.
Got this off AIGAdesigning. An online archive of case studies that demonstrates the value of framework through real-world projects.
I saw a video by Gillian Crampton Smith, on the different aspects of research study in interaction design from Innovationsforum. She compares a design project and a research project, then proceeds on to the types of projects that have different insights. She then questions, “giving existing technologies, what different approaches could be taken to make it (a specific project) more usable, more useful, more satisfying?” I reckon that this a good point to dwell on. Being aware of the various approaches that can be taken, i can improve on my current/future projects in context.
In short, the video below, which was mentioned during the presentation by Gillian, is about how ideas are generated during a class/workshop, ‘Strangely Familiar: Repurposing Everyday Devices‘ in Interaction-Ivrea. I think the hanging alarm clock is quite interesting, which, once again relates back to my group project on Time Management.
