A Brief Synopsis and examples from Projects in the Spring 2009 Graduate Studio in Graphic Design
Combining Motivations and Attributes of Experience in an interctive (online) moment
The purpose of this set of 3 projects was to isolate a moment in an interactive experience and to explore how we might influence that experience.
1/ Decision Making
Often the decisions we make are based on distilled information, and we rarely fully understand the implications. But, what if we were forced to? What if the decision making process, and the depth of its consequences, were presented to us in such a way that we were forced to confront the complexity? These were some of the questions that I was considering in this first exploration.
2/ A Comprehensive View of Voyeurism
This was conceived of as a widget that would allow you to see all of your friends, and get quick status updates over the course of 24-48 hours. The size indicates the amount of activity on any given site. This part of the project was different in that the motivation had to change. In my example, the widget shifts at the end to show an image of the ‘viewer’ (or voyeur)
3/ Information revealed :: an exploration in multiple environments
The third installation in this project sought to explore how we ‘dig’ for more information. And the ability of the online (digital) environment to allow access to information outside of the particular environment that the user is in. For instance, what if there was a ‘secret button’ on the new york times website (aside from the dictionary one that exists) that would act as a portal to deeper relevant information outside of the website environment: to blogs, individuals flickr albums—access that is normally curated by the news source itself.
Typography Interface
Inspired by Joanna Brzowska’s textile work and use of technology, I speculated on the possibility to create clothing that could pick up on the physical characteristics of the persons body (temperature, heart rate, vocal level) and reveal messages based on that. In particular, could we use that for those who are less able to communicate in traditional terms (babies, animals, etc.)?
One of these days, when I get my presented project in order, I’ll post it. For now, this is the real deal. Deal.
An Interface of Interfaces
Our second project was to define a genre of interface, create a taxonomy of that genre, and then design an interface that allowed someone to explore that taxonomy. I chose gauges.
Taxonomy key:
1.
line regularity = absolute data –> suggestive data
(eg: digital numbers are absolute, the airport symbol on your computer is suggestive)
2.
line width = human influence on the interface data
direct influence –> indirect influence –> informational only
(eg: user has direct influence on outcome of the speedometer; user has no influence on an outside thermometer)
The Interface
In the end, the idea of monitoring, and the monitoring necessary to keep track of and maintain these instruments and interfaces was of particular interest to me. What if the interface required the user to keep track of it, to monitor it, or it would start to break down? It became a sort of a ‘game’ the way often games gauge user ability.
A Taxonomy of Gauges from Tania Allen on Vimeo.
Intervening in an Existing Interface
Do we communicate differently online? What if an interface could (and did) respond to not just what you were writing, but also how you were writing it. And, the more that you ignored it, the louder the interface itself became.
