Unit 8: Assignment
Choose a manual action to automate, or choose an automated process to make manual.
This assignment asks you to consider how what we make as designers effects human interactions on the micro and macro scale.
Note your everyday actions; go out of your way to notice where technology is present. When do human interactions occur? How would the introduction of automation enhance or hinder the interaction. What would the advantages or disadvantages be if automation took over? How can you use sarcasm, exaggeration, appropriated voice to make a point?
For next week: Make a presentation showing your source material, and propose various possible re-envisionings. Your proposal may use: other designer’s work as reference, texts, sketches, actual designs, etc.
How are the scenarios different? What are its effects on social interaction? What is your point of view about technology’s social role through the project you are proposing?
Extended Portion: Create a finished prototype or proposal
Miranda July’s “Somebody,” http://somebodyapp.com
Also see the story about the Horse eBooks twitter account …. http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/09/-horse-ebooks-is-the-most-successful-piece-of-cyber-fiction-ever/279946/
Karen is a life coach and she’s happy to help you work through a few things in your life.
You interact with Karen through an app. When you begin, she asks you some questions about your outlook on the world to get an understanding of you. In fact, her questions are drawn from psychological profiling questionnaires. She – and the software – are profiling you and she gives you advice based on your answers.
http://www.blasttheory.co.uk/projects/karen/