Month: October 2017

ASSIGNMENT: Response to Interactive Environments & Experience Design

Firstly, I am really amazed that how Timothy can actually remember each holes that the synthesizer can produce. The combination of different holes results in many way of playing with the frequency and beat. I really like the variety that this art piece can provide to the audience which there will always be a new combination of making the music. Its just as simple as everyone can make music!

One important point from this project was that it is really simple that you just have to plug in to the holes and something changes. Through the participation from my classmates, at first they seems quite unsure to play with the synthesizer however slowly they actually simply just play around with it. The interesting graphical image give us feedback about the frequency that actually was quite fascinating to look at. The change of movement flashing image really caught my attention which makes me really wants to try it, however after awhile I felt my head was aching probably due to the change of high pitch or frequency.

During Timothy’s presentation, he surprise me about his past experience where his art piece was affecting the dolphins near by due to the frequency from the synthesizer leaves me with deep impression. Indeed an artist would face various problem especially during outdoor exhibition. I am really impressed when he lower down the volume and did some changes to his piece in order to protect the dolphins which I felt that flexibility is very important. The provided environment is something we cannot change but we can make adjustment to the artwork. We also need to think about what can be done to optimise the experience for the audience yet still remain the core essence of the art work. Thankfully he shared this important points and giving us heads up about anything can happen during outdoor exhibition.

Lastly, from Timothy’s presentation I have learnt a lot from his personal experience that I can put in to good use in our iLight installation. He had consider many aspects for his art piece from the measurement of the box, user experience to interact with his art piece and even making adjustment due to unforeseen circumstances. I am sure we are given a wider perspective on the importance of small details would makes a great difference.

ASSIGNMENT : Diary of behaviour of Mobile Phones

DAY 1

create a diary of when, why and what you use your mobile device for. Observe how others are using their mobile devices. What are the most common uses and where do you see these behavior?

In my everyday life, when I wake up the first thing I would do was to checked my phone whether there is any messages or notification from my social media. Followed on by leisure scrolling and after that would be my game time “Mobile Legend”! This game actually took quite a lot of my time surprisingly as each games would last about at least 10 – 20 mins.

I also observe that when I am stuck at the work I do, I would tend to check my mobile devices more frequently. Probably an act that hoping that would have some idea sudden struck into my head. When I was commuting I would use my mobile depending on my mood if I was bored or if I wanted some “ME” time I would restrict myself from using but plug in with my earpiece. Where I can get some deep thoughts going in my head.

As for my observation from others, you can really see most of the people are using their mobile phone when they are commuting. I felt this probably to help them past their time during the long journey and to avoid this awkward staring with other commuters. Some also make use of their time catching up with friends and family which reflect that we are living in a busy city.  While for the youngster around my neighbourhood tend to play games together sitting beside the basketball court. This new form of bonding session are quite different from my era which I find it quite interesting! They would communicate with each other and came out with some plans to attack opponent.

DAY 2

Do not use your phone, computer or electronic device for 24 hours. Create a diary documenting and describing the difference in your behavior patterns. How did you do the things you would normally do with your phone? What other alternative behaviors did you develop? What else did you notice about the difference in behavior?

I have tried this experiment while staying over at my cousin house with her. We almost forgot what we have this plan in the morning but luckily we have set the reminder! We actually like the “disconnection” because we can actually engage more with each other. Usually we would converse for awhile and browse our mobile and continue to converse again. As for this times, although without the mobile phone we feel we can engage in the conversation better without distraction. The burden of mobile is that you actually has the responsibility to reply them after you have read. It has become a manners and expected to reply messages. Whereas when our mobile phone is off the burden felt lesser, most probably was due to our “last seen” can show our timing so we have a valid reason for not replying.

I also feel that I live the moment more as compare to using my mobile. A bigger part was when using my mobile phone I feel is just like multi-tasking, you have to connect to your mobile and settle whatever that need to be settle whether is a group project or family matters. After that you disconnect to your phone and engage in real life which the switch process actually feels tiring to me now.

In my overall experience, disconnect [our mobile phones] to connect [our current real life moment] was more important to me. After this experience, I would limit myself to check my phone lesser and concentrate on what’s happening right now. Lesser time in browsing web can also buy me more time for sleeping time and definitely help to prevent my eye sight getting worst.

RESPONSE: CH 1 from Jonas Löwgren and Erik Stolterman, Thoughtful Interaction Design

RESPONSE

In the reading, the authors brings out the importance and ability how designer can makes a difference which in turns the responsibility designer held. Going beyond usability and usefulness for interaction design, a thoughtful designer with great ability to create designs that are appropriate to the solution.

A thoughtful designer is about being reflective and able to examine the purpose, outcomes and benefits of doing design in various ways. Where good judgment and critical skills are needed to determine what is appropriate approach. I also agree with the authors that the idea of “good design” are too complex to achieve consensus as it was in relation to many ideals. Yet, constant thoughtful reflection will improve the designer’s design ability.

Design would impact people’s lives where the decisions and action from the designers will affects their choice for action or even influence them. Every new design they have seen changed their overall experience of the world giving them the small scale perspective. From digital artifact of promoting products or meaningful quotes that will leaves them with impression that would manifestations into ideological ideas. Thus, designer has certain significant power in influencing people in their everyday life. While this power comes with responsibility while working with contradiction and dilemmas. The authors pointed out about client hold the responsibility for the outcome as well as the designer who produce the work which I find it very relevant across design industry. As the professional accumulate knowledge from experience helped the designer to produce the design works. Designers should have more confident in pushing for good design by trusting their own judgment. The authors also mention that being a designer does not mean to get rid of all obstacles but develop something that has lasting quality in the most suitable and creative way given with exiting condition which I personal agreed. Designers can’t possibly solve every single problem yet in that particular situation what can be done or change was more important.

In conclusion, a good designer requires not only the normative approaches but also a reflective mind that will constantly redefine what is good design to improve design ability. They understand that theories, concepts and ideas are the basic while challenge themselves in various aspect and working out the appropriate solution from all given condition. Knowing the responsibility that it would have significant impact on the society to design people’s lives.

 

 2 examples of good examples of thoughtfully designed user experience product/project

1: Singapore ticketing machine

Source: https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FgvfDFUAXzs/TwVdkfC40jI/AAAAAAAAK4I/o3StsMJv170/s640/IMG_2884.jpg

In the earlier days of public transport uses the magnetic fare card and manual machine, commuter need to slot the card in and press the distance of fare themselves. This also results in confusion of the distance fare where commuter would just press the lowest fare amount. The action of pressing this manual machine slow down the whole process that would effect the overall commuting experience. This few secs would added up which become a delay for the bus timing.

source: https://mustsharenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/EZ-Link_2a-1.jpg

Whereas for the ez-link card machine it was introduce in 2002 for the transit payment on public transport. The contactless stored value card objective was to speed up the passenger flow on the gantry and buses. Each individual trip will be calculated by the system and deducted automatically. The flow of commuters are also recorded in each bus through the tap machine so to cater according to the needs in various hours. Moreover the use of the Ez-link has extend to be use as payment for ERP, carpark fees or even retails outlets. This help us in multiple ways of payment while having a single card for transportation.

2: Erasable Pens 

Since young I would carefully write my notes and homework using pencil so I can erase it when I written something wrong. Until we are require to use pens the problem occur, even using correction tape would leave visible marks that will still annoys people who has OCD. Thankfully erasable pens are invented now and getting more and more popular! The ink uses 3 types of chemical compounds when heat friction is produce the chemical would mix together to produce the change of colours. Although its a very simple product but it helps people with OCD a lot that would made their written experience more effective! They solve the common problem of writing mistakes can be corrected easily without any visible trace.

ADM-DIP GREEN – Development Process

RESEARCH

Over the past few week we have meet up to discuss on how we should do about for the recycled materials. The problem we face was how do we make it not look like a recycled material or trash. We did some research before we start exploring with plastic cups.

Source: https://www.jupiterartland.org/artwork/tara-donovan

This artist uses mass white plastic cups and stacking them together to create the uneven surface which looks like mountains. We felt that it’s really beautiful but not feasible in our case as the amount of cups would be a problem for us.

source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/361132463840346526/?lp=true

We really like the innovation in this piece that created into a dress. It explore different methods of cups by squash it, stacking and also stick them side by side to create the sphere which we find it there is potential that we can explore in. We also see hope in creating something interesting from this piece!

source: http://www.suckerpunchdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/CDR_Mockup3.jpg

Sticking the cups in one plane are also quite interesting to create shapes. This piece also cut some of the cups in the middle to create variations, however we felt it lose the classy look. Something we take note in creating our piece.

source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioJYPMvJ1gE

We also look into how the effect would look like when LED lights is added. Transparent cups can trap the light at the tip better then coloured cups. It is also a material that we can collect around our school.

source: Pinterest.com

We also came across this melting plastic effect that we can explore on. However, burning plastic would give off carbon monoxide and toxic gases to the environment which did not fit the sustainability theme.

 

EXPLORATION 

We first starts to explore the shape of the cups by cutting it into circular shapes and sticking them into different size and levels. The view from top look more aesthetically pleasing as compare to the side view. Overall form did not catch our attention so we decided to move on.

Referencing from our research, we starts to explore on stacking up the cups. We cut the edge of the cups to create the petal like forms and stack it up in different direction of petal. The end result giving us a form of rose.

After a few attempts we arrive with this flower form which we find it interesting and has less representation of plastic cups. It was a combination of 2 cups stacking up with the petal interlace together. We also tried using the plastic bags as an additional material but we feel that the complexity of the flower form would be sufficient which the additional material would look too heavy.

In overall, we chosen the flowers form for our installation as the flower to symbolise the earth because it is a natural product of the earth. When we place it altogether it would create a field of natural like art piece that would be attractive even from afar.

Device of the Week #03 – Pilobolus: Art without authorship

Pilobolus was created for a social experiment on how social dynamic works and how individual can make decision which can affect on the overall result. It explore on how everyone can participate in the art with the combination of effort. They created 250 wired umbrella that can be lit up in different colours and projected all of them on to the screens.

I really like how they use simple device of controlling LED lights result in the aggregation effort in order to make this art work! Giving the audience choice to choose the colours and a togetherness experience which was a different approach from other art.

However, instructions was given to the audience in order to complete the images. I am really curious about what will happen when there are no instruction given so for the audience to explore the art piece themselves. Then it would invite more interaction between them and the results would be diverse as the result will be projected.

In additional, wireless connection could be added in the umbrella devices to link all umbrella together to create variation such as spreading of the light colours like “disease”. Or even it can be sold to the public, when one umbrella cross by another umbrella, it can detect each others and cause the LED to start blinking. As to create small little interesting moments that we might not experience before. Also, when computer recognise each umbrellas as pixel that will create many possibilities such as visual effects of linking all of them together to make an image outline.

In conclusion, Pilobolus had show us how human can work together in group to produce an art piece using the light up umbrella device. The aggregation effects can be use in many ways such as playing games and making a linked outline images.

Final Project: Idealisation #01

One of the earliest form of seat furniture was stool, a simple furniture that we still can see around us. The purpose was simple, providing a resting platform for us. Yet, it has been always been there so I though it will be interesting to play with things abnormally. For the final project, I have decided to build a interactive moving stool! I wanted to explore the concept of Anthropomorphism on an object that are familiar to everybody.

The chair will be added with PIR sensor [passive infrared sensor] to detect the presence of human. When human walk closer the chair will waddle away and giving feedback like “I’m not your stool!”. In this project I hope show that sometimes things are not as what we think, we might jump to conclusion too often or expecting everything to be the same way. In fact in reality it might be really different.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1on49-c23Tuau_oZRWH2FKwXbfIBdSh1EqumaM-Q64f8/edit?usp=sharing