Context Definition;
An interactive space that utilises a holographic personification of a person, using Software Agent and A.I. technologies, that promotes collaboration between students/ Community. The agent will be an interactive focal point that enables people to come and gather in an relaxing environment.
Goals & Outcomes;
Goal: To determine user behaviour
Outcome: to understand user behaviour
Goal: To see if target group makes uses of the new interactive space
Outcome: Users participating in the area
Goal: To assess the spaces area to promote/ develop collaboration and communication between participants
Outcome: To see how the users communicate and collaborate in the space
Goal: To see if the target group benefits from the development of the space
Outcome: Idea of how the space is beneficial to users
Aspects to be Evaluated;
(1) Whether the interactive product enhances the space while promoting collaboration & communication between users.
(2) Whether the interactive product meets the ideas/ concepts i.e. is the space relaxing, does it provide what we intended it too?
(3) Whether the users can understand the concept of the idea.
Participants;
A varied demographic of the student community
Location;
A controlled environment at the hands / lab controlled environment
Tasks;
Whether users can utilise the prototype made available.
Methods;
Wizard of Oz
Observational
Retro perspective
Co Discovery
Inquiry
Friday, 4 January 2008
Design Review - Other Products
The idea is to review other designs and ascertain how they proceeded in their own design process.
The GOCCIA: Domus Academy; Summer Session 2007 Design for electronic Tools, Experience and gesture; "The Goccia" Project leaders, Claudio Moderini & Silvio Cioni.
http://projects.domusacademy.net/te/goccia/index.html.
The GOCCIA: Domus Academy; Summer Session 2007 Design for electronic Tools, Experience and gesture; "The Goccia" Project leaders, Claudio Moderini & Silvio Cioni.
http://projects.domusacademy.net/te/goccia/index.html.
The Goccia uses a contextual top level approach by brainstorming keywords relevant to the concept such as "presence, and keeping in touch" A premise of the Goccia is to "Share information continuously in informal ways".
The Goccia design concept uses pictures of relevant current/already on the market to portray the services the Goccia will use such as "Walkie Talkie, mobile, PDA, and Flickr"
They also show graphical representations of how the Goccia will be used, a representation of the main premise of the gestures.
The Concept generation utilises storyboards and sketch's of the Goccia inaction and how it will be used.
The prototype show the final product and gives an idea of the market product, there is a detailed diagram pointing out the features of the product and a brief description of the products functions.
It makes use of stating the materials and colours that would be used within the product, it gives the user a visual representation of that they would see and feel.
Several slides of the presentation show the device in action and shows its multiple functionality and its innovative design.
It makes detailed noted on how the Goccia will be interactive and provides the key features of the interaction.
The use of persona and scenarios is apparent and is used coincide with "real life" pictures of the Goccia working in the real world.
The Goccia design approach is very interesting and its dimensions are very similar to the type of concept (ideas) that we as a group are trying to achieve. The steps taken by the Goccia work extremely well and i believe it show the idea in a well rounded way to the audience. The Goccia approach is a good point of reference for a good design.
William Carter.
Electroland Interactive Walkway (Fort Lauderdale, Florida 2005)
http://http//electroland.net/flash.php
Electroland is a company focusing on the usage of technology to enhance experiences in public spaces. Its Interactive Walkways project features a glass pedestrian bridge with a field of LED lights embedded in resilient walking surfaces. Sensors detect the presence of people and the system triggers interactive light patterns on the walkway floor.
The project is very much user orientated, with the aim of using technology to connect people with their surroundings and other users of the space. Although the technology exists to implement the project, and there does exist basic implementations of the design (see site), the project is very much conceptual. The challenge is to develop what appears on the surface as a gimmick (i.e. light show) into a more of a functional and interactive experience.
One such development could be to implement RFID data into the design. This would allow the installation to adapt to the personal setting of its users. It could even introduce the various users to one another, or if you are in a hurry you could choose not to interact with the space.
There is also a safety critical aspect to the design. Is the cost of adoption worth the benefits i.e. does the interactive aspect of the design jeopardize the structural integrity of the bridge?
This project raises many issues that can be incorporated into the group design. This is due to the fact that the Interactive Walkway is dealing with a similar, environment orientated, design scenario, which asks the question: How do you make an existing space more interactive to its users?
Paul Rowe.
Momento: Domus Academy; Summer Session 2007 Design for electronic Tools, Experience and gesture; "Momento" Project leaders, Claudio Moderini & Silvio Cioni. http://projects.domusacademy.net/te/momento/index.html
The Concept
“Momento” is a mobile device used for enhancing social relations. Taking the form of a compass, “Momento” is in short a social networking tool which “navigates you through life”, enabling the user to make new friends on the move and keep in touch with existing ones, no matter where they are in the world. Features include the ability to perform messaging, gain internet access and audio and video file sharing. The information then received/stored on “Momento” can then be transferred to various social networking services.
Design Process Brief
The design brief for “Momento” was to create, “A personal tool for capturing and sharing the daily experiences and for creating a personal content-based blog/broadcast. An integrated media environment and a publishing platform for content hunting, filtering and aggregation: a dynamic personal mediasphere”
The Design Process
The design process for “Momento” consited of the following stages:
1. Problem setting
2. Concept generation
3. Mid review
4. Concept development
5. Presentation
The concept generation and development stages involved the design team initially researching a variety inputting tools and mechanisms available and widely used today, such as touch screen computers, digital voice recorders, a compass, satellite navigation etc. Brainstorming was used to generate this information, with the utilisation of a picture collage to display the thought process.
From here numerous sketches and diagrams were produced by the team, considering a multitude of concepts and platforms.
The final concept was then agreed and a feature diagram was created in order to demonstrate “Momento’s” device functionality, systems and services and format/display.
Finally a storyboard was created in order to produce a “real-life” simulation of “Momento’s” application in various settings. Scenarios were utilised to illustrate how the user would interact with the system.
Conclusion
The design process applied in the development of “Momento” serves as a useful guide on how to approach this project. The use of scenario, storyboarding and the generation of a feature diagram are particularly useful aspects which could be employed during our design process. One additional point that may be of use is the “mid review” stage mentioned. This could prove to be a valuable step in the process, specifically in terms of iterative design.
Richard Hamer
Group Scenario
Group Scenario: "i Browse Site" - "i Agent".
Joanne is a 20 year old drama student originally from Essex, recently moved to Preston to study at UCLAN. She has a limited amount of experience with computing technologies.
Joanne is looking for a part time job after spending all her student loan. She is wondering whether her dramatic skills are transferable into a job role in her local area. She visits the “I Browse”, that replaced the praying hands memorial in 2008. She enters the “I Browse” hub at which point the “I agent” (a holographic anthropomorphic personification of a person) activates due to her close proximity, she sees 3 other people in the hubs cubicles next to her, each accesses their own individual version of the "i agent". The “I agent” tries to access her personalised profile, dependent on reading her student identification card. The system notifies Joanna that “I browse” cannot access her profile without her identification card, unless she knows her personal identification number and password located on her identification card, which she doesnt. The Agent still offer to assist in any general enquires that she may have. She leaves the hub and goes to do some shopping, on returning home she find her identification card which reminds her of the experience at the “I Browse” site. So she decides to come back to the “I browse” site with her card and try again. Joanna steps back into the hub and the “I agent” reads her identification card and accesses her personalised account.
Joanna asks the “I agent” to find local jobs based on her profile, the Agent cross reverences her profile with the database of local jobs from the Bridge job centre. The results are displayed in the palm of the “I agents” hand. She can access relevant data by selecting the required results.
Joanne is a 20 year old drama student originally from Essex, recently moved to Preston to study at UCLAN. She has a limited amount of experience with computing technologies.
Joanne is looking for a part time job after spending all her student loan. She is wondering whether her dramatic skills are transferable into a job role in her local area. She visits the “I Browse”, that replaced the praying hands memorial in 2008. She enters the “I Browse” hub at which point the “I agent” (a holographic anthropomorphic personification of a person) activates due to her close proximity, she sees 3 other people in the hubs cubicles next to her, each accesses their own individual version of the "i agent". The “I agent” tries to access her personalised profile, dependent on reading her student identification card. The system notifies Joanna that “I browse” cannot access her profile without her identification card, unless she knows her personal identification number and password located on her identification card, which she doesnt. The Agent still offer to assist in any general enquires that she may have. She leaves the hub and goes to do some shopping, on returning home she find her identification card which reminds her of the experience at the “I Browse” site. So she decides to come back to the “I browse” site with her card and try again. Joanna steps back into the hub and the “I agent” reads her identification card and accesses her personalised account.
Joanna asks the “I agent” to find local jobs based on her profile, the Agent cross reverences her profile with the database of local jobs from the Bridge job centre. The results are displayed in the palm of the “I agents” hand. She can access relevant data by selecting the required results.
Concept Selection
After completing various stages in the design cycle, the group finally reached a concencous regarding the concept.
"A.I. holographic Software Agent that provides information to students"
Based on this concept, the group produced two thought showering Maps, detailing the Agents functionalty and Design,
Concept Map 1:
Concept Map 2:
Inidvidual Scenario
The group created individual scenarios related to their thought showering maps, it was hoped that in completing this process a concept will be found that all members of the group liked, enabling us as a group to proceed onto the next step in the design cycle.
Individual Scenario 1
Asifa is a 3rd year Muslim Student who commutes to University 3 days a week for lectures.
It is a warm spring day and Asifa and her friends have an hour before their next lecture and want somewhere to go to relax and enjoy the weather, David is tired and would prefer to rest on the grass he knows he burns easily. Lucy recommends Source bar beer garden but Asifa would prefer to suggest somewhere other then the bar.
They decide to go to the ray of light, and each is able to do varying things within close proximity. Asifa and Oliver are feeling lively and interact with the holographic images. David sits by them but falls asleep on the cushions and chairs provided in the space. Lucy and Rachel decide to sit in the open section of the light and find themselves chatting to the boys to the left of them.
Before they realise the hour has passed. Asifa and Oliver stop for a second to admire their work and rallies the troops. David wakes up feeling much better after his nap in the light. Rachel exchanges numbers with the boys she was talking too and leaves for lecture.
Arron Harrison
Individual Scenario 2
Jim is the head of marketing for the student union at UCLAN. He wants to advertise the bridge job centre in the students union to new student who may not be aware of the facility. Usually it is advertised though a blanket email campaign however Jim wants to make the experience more interactive to individual students. Jim uses the new interactive hands to post current job vacancies.
Students walking through the space can use the space to find jobs relevant to their CV. Jim plans to use the space to advertise future events planned by the student union tailed by the student’s individual profile. This uses the database contained within the new interactive hands space to cross reference with an advanced database which cross references student’s profiles with current job opportunities.
Paul Rowe
Individual Scenario 3
Chen is an 18 year old student from China and has just enrolled on the BA (Hons) Business Studies at UCLan. He has never been to the UK before but has a fairly high standard of English and has passed his IELTS level 6 (a prerequisite for international students wishing to study for a UK Undergraduate degree). Chen chose to study in the UK as he saw it as the perfect opportunity to broaden his experience and further develop his English skills. UCLan was his first choice of institution due to its high reputation back home in China and so by studying here he would increase his career prospects quite considerably.
It is a Saturday morning and Chen has just finished his first week at UCLan. He has already made a couple of friends and has explored the campus, so feels pretty optimistic about his future here. Some of Chen’s friends from his home town in China have also come to England to study and are based at Manchester Metropolitan University. Chen has arranged to go and meet up with them today and see how they are settling in. Also with it being his first time away from home it would be nice to see a familiar face.
The only problem is, due to the excitement of the previous week (enrolment, paying fees, induction lectures, settling into halls of residence etc.) Chen forgot to ask one of the ‘Buddies’ (international student advisors at the University) how get to Manchester from Preston and the University was now closed, with it being Saturday. Chen, therefore, asks his flat mates if they can help and they inform him that there is a train station nearby but are unsure of the timetable. Just then Chen has a brain wave. He remembers that during his induction tour of the University he was shown a student electronic information point, located near the Computing and Technology building. He didn’t really pay much attention to the specifics of how it worked because there was a lot to take in that week, but he figures this has got to be his best chance of finding out how to get to Manchester, and so he sets off for the information point.
On arrival at the Computing and Technology building Chen approaches the information point. An instruction is written on the screen which says, “touch screen to activate”, in a variety of languages, including Chinese. Chen does as instructed and a welcome message appears, prompting him to select a language. Although Chen has a decent standard of English and normally enjoys testing out his language skills, he is in somewhat of a rush and so decides to select Chinese. Once he does this a menu appears giving him a variety of information options, including ‘events on the surrounding area’, ‘university timetables’, ‘university opening hours’ etc. Chen is unsure which menu to select but notices a search field on the top of the screen so selects this. Upon doing so a touch keypad appears and so he enters the word “trains to Manchester” in Chinese and presses the “ok” prompt also present on the screen. The screen then generates another menu with a list of various options, one of these being “train times from Preston to Manchester.” Chen selects this option, using the touch screen and is then prompted to choose the time of travel. Chen selects the option for the “next available train” and a list of times appear for trains travelling to Manchester, from Preston, over the next couple of hours. “Brilliant!” Chen thinks. There is a train in the next hour, which leaves him with more than enough time to get to the train station. However, there is just one small additional problem; he doesn’t know where the train station is. Therefore, before Chen leaves the information point he uses the “back” button prompt on the touch screen to return to his previous search results and browses through the remaining options. Sure enough at the top of the list, is the option for “directions to Preston train station”. Chen presses this option and a map appears on screen, directing him to the station from that exact spot. Chen is very pleased. He now has all the information he needs to make his journey. Finally, before Chen leaves the information point, he selects the “exit session” button on screen and it closes down, by displaying the message, “thank you for using the student information point, goodbye.” Chen then sets off on his journey.
Richard Hamer
Individual Scenario 4
David is 19 years old, he is completing a degree in computing and has a high knowledge of technology including computers. He has been informed by his friend Mark that Mark and his other friend James will be late and that they should meet him at the WALL. The WALL is the new interactive hub that replaced the praying hands memorial. They all agree to meet at this well known public/ student location. David arrives at the WALL and takes a seat under the sheltered area where he sees a group of students chatting, David begins to read the graffiti written on the wall, the wall is made of clear glass. The graffiti is not of public defecation but a feature of the WALL that users are able to interact with the WALL and post their own graffiti tag.
David stands up and walks over to the interactive control panel which senses him in proximity and activates the available features. He selects his text font and colour and writes a message on the interactive wall, he then access the paint feature using his finger he goes on to draw a picture. He then posts the image to the WALL. The wall does not allow him to post the image as the content is not appropriate, this being one of the security features within the WALL, (image recognition) he edits his images and resubmits. His friends finally arrive and they sit down together and chat.
William Carter
Individual Scenario 1
Asifa is a 3rd year Muslim Student who commutes to University 3 days a week for lectures.
It is a warm spring day and Asifa and her friends have an hour before their next lecture and want somewhere to go to relax and enjoy the weather, David is tired and would prefer to rest on the grass he knows he burns easily. Lucy recommends Source bar beer garden but Asifa would prefer to suggest somewhere other then the bar.
They decide to go to the ray of light, and each is able to do varying things within close proximity. Asifa and Oliver are feeling lively and interact with the holographic images. David sits by them but falls asleep on the cushions and chairs provided in the space. Lucy and Rachel decide to sit in the open section of the light and find themselves chatting to the boys to the left of them.
Before they realise the hour has passed. Asifa and Oliver stop for a second to admire their work and rallies the troops. David wakes up feeling much better after his nap in the light. Rachel exchanges numbers with the boys she was talking too and leaves for lecture.
Arron Harrison
Individual Scenario 2
Jim is the head of marketing for the student union at UCLAN. He wants to advertise the bridge job centre in the students union to new student who may not be aware of the facility. Usually it is advertised though a blanket email campaign however Jim wants to make the experience more interactive to individual students. Jim uses the new interactive hands to post current job vacancies.
Students walking through the space can use the space to find jobs relevant to their CV. Jim plans to use the space to advertise future events planned by the student union tailed by the student’s individual profile. This uses the database contained within the new interactive hands space to cross reference with an advanced database which cross references student’s profiles with current job opportunities.
Paul Rowe
Individual Scenario 3
Chen is an 18 year old student from China and has just enrolled on the BA (Hons) Business Studies at UCLan. He has never been to the UK before but has a fairly high standard of English and has passed his IELTS level 6 (a prerequisite for international students wishing to study for a UK Undergraduate degree). Chen chose to study in the UK as he saw it as the perfect opportunity to broaden his experience and further develop his English skills. UCLan was his first choice of institution due to its high reputation back home in China and so by studying here he would increase his career prospects quite considerably.
It is a Saturday morning and Chen has just finished his first week at UCLan. He has already made a couple of friends and has explored the campus, so feels pretty optimistic about his future here. Some of Chen’s friends from his home town in China have also come to England to study and are based at Manchester Metropolitan University. Chen has arranged to go and meet up with them today and see how they are settling in. Also with it being his first time away from home it would be nice to see a familiar face.
The only problem is, due to the excitement of the previous week (enrolment, paying fees, induction lectures, settling into halls of residence etc.) Chen forgot to ask one of the ‘Buddies’ (international student advisors at the University) how get to Manchester from Preston and the University was now closed, with it being Saturday. Chen, therefore, asks his flat mates if they can help and they inform him that there is a train station nearby but are unsure of the timetable. Just then Chen has a brain wave. He remembers that during his induction tour of the University he was shown a student electronic information point, located near the Computing and Technology building. He didn’t really pay much attention to the specifics of how it worked because there was a lot to take in that week, but he figures this has got to be his best chance of finding out how to get to Manchester, and so he sets off for the information point.
On arrival at the Computing and Technology building Chen approaches the information point. An instruction is written on the screen which says, “touch screen to activate”, in a variety of languages, including Chinese. Chen does as instructed and a welcome message appears, prompting him to select a language. Although Chen has a decent standard of English and normally enjoys testing out his language skills, he is in somewhat of a rush and so decides to select Chinese. Once he does this a menu appears giving him a variety of information options, including ‘events on the surrounding area’, ‘university timetables’, ‘university opening hours’ etc. Chen is unsure which menu to select but notices a search field on the top of the screen so selects this. Upon doing so a touch keypad appears and so he enters the word “trains to Manchester” in Chinese and presses the “ok” prompt also present on the screen. The screen then generates another menu with a list of various options, one of these being “train times from Preston to Manchester.” Chen selects this option, using the touch screen and is then prompted to choose the time of travel. Chen selects the option for the “next available train” and a list of times appear for trains travelling to Manchester, from Preston, over the next couple of hours. “Brilliant!” Chen thinks. There is a train in the next hour, which leaves him with more than enough time to get to the train station. However, there is just one small additional problem; he doesn’t know where the train station is. Therefore, before Chen leaves the information point he uses the “back” button prompt on the touch screen to return to his previous search results and browses through the remaining options. Sure enough at the top of the list, is the option for “directions to Preston train station”. Chen presses this option and a map appears on screen, directing him to the station from that exact spot. Chen is very pleased. He now has all the information he needs to make his journey. Finally, before Chen leaves the information point, he selects the “exit session” button on screen and it closes down, by displaying the message, “thank you for using the student information point, goodbye.” Chen then sets off on his journey.
Richard Hamer
Individual Scenario 4
David is 19 years old, he is completing a degree in computing and has a high knowledge of technology including computers. He has been informed by his friend Mark that Mark and his other friend James will be late and that they should meet him at the WALL. The WALL is the new interactive hub that replaced the praying hands memorial. They all agree to meet at this well known public/ student location. David arrives at the WALL and takes a seat under the sheltered area where he sees a group of students chatting, David begins to read the graffiti written on the wall, the wall is made of clear glass. The graffiti is not of public defecation but a feature of the WALL that users are able to interact with the WALL and post their own graffiti tag.
David stands up and walks over to the interactive control panel which senses him in proximity and activates the available features. He selects his text font and colour and writes a message on the interactive wall, he then access the paint feature using his finger he goes on to draw a picture. He then posts the image to the WALL. The wall does not allow him to post the image as the content is not appropriate, this being one of the security features within the WALL, (image recognition) he edits his images and resubmits. His friends finally arrive and they sit down together and chat.
William Carter
Group Concept Thought Showering Map
Ideas where pooled together to form the Group Throught Showering MAp, the map is made up of ideas related to the individual maps thought to be of most importance when generating new ideas/ concepts.
Group Thought Showering:
Thought Showering
The group decided to each produce a Thought Showering Map containing individual concept ideas. After the individual ideas where collated a Group Thought Showering Map would be produced.
Individual Thought Shower 1
Individual Thought Shower 2
Individual Thought Shower 3 
Individual Thought Shower 4
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