Research and Notes

Designer as Author,
by Michael Rock

Summarised Notes after the group reading.

Designer your own Graves,
by Dmitri Siegel

Dissimulations,
by Andy Cameron

Import & Export,
by Lev Manovich

Universe Strikes Back,
by Ellen & Julia Lupton

Theory at Work,
Contemporary Design

Design Your Own T-shirts (for £29),
Topman,
Oxford Circus

A great way of learning and understanding things is through experience. Lara said, "Do not be passive, explore, enjoy and interact with things". Here are some of my findings about interaction by the process of interaction.

("Design your own T-shirt for £28")

("selections of patterns of which you are limited to chose from")

So the idea behind this is that for £28 they advertise that you can design your own t-shit. The digital screens pictured above, are used as sort of like a canvas on which entices the consumers/users to experiment and explore within their "freedom". There are only certain amount of patterns and colours to chose from. Once you have finished designing your t-shirt the templates are then sent to the Printer (the man on the phone behind the till) of which is printed onto a blank t-shirt.

This is a good example of theory put into practice. The "design your own t-shirt" idea sort of reminds me Dmitri Siegel's theory of "Designing our own Graves" (shown above on the reading list). In this particular idea we saw the designer setting up a canvas (the touchscreen device, advertising, patterns and colors) for the users "templated mind". It is within Dmitris belief that within this "prosumerist" culture people are starting to buy in more and more to the habit of "D.I.Y (Do it yourself)" nature, consumers/users are always in favour of the "idea" that they are in control, therefore buying their own labour. His solution was, to stop designers from being left behind within the culture of D.I.Y and advanced technologies, we must place our selves as the Masters/Architect/Authors/Pioneers of this D.I.Y culture. This actions are shown within this interactive idea, where the designer acted as the maestro, selling t-shirts by offering the "templated mind" of the users some patterns and colours to play with.

Another Theory of which i can relate this work to is through Andy Camerons, "Illusion of Interactivity(shown above)". Interaction is almost all the time portrayed and advertised to the users as a sense of "freedom" where users can manipulate and navigate through digital/physical source and whatever they feel like. On the other hand, in some occasions designers uses Interaction as a tool of "selling" not "freedom", in this case like what Andy Cameron said "It is precisely the absence of choice and freedom that interactivity would appear to conceal". With the examples that I have given above, the designers sucks the users into designing their own t-shirts by advertising and offering them interaction. Little idea that the users have is that, the designer has always had control over them, offering them a set of template that are 'only' available to them if the designer says so. So in reality they are actually "limited" to how far they can take their design.

What is the theory around it?

Interactive Restaurant,
Inamo,
Soho

Me and my family went out for dinner for my sisters 19th birthday when "suddenly" stumbles pass this interactive restaurant, Inamo, who uses "E-tables" is "the Worlds first interactive food ordering system".

("On table, touchscreen interaction")

The interactive table. We were given instructions on what the table does. Diffrent icons on the table can lead to diffrent things, completely non-linear. There is a option for starters, main course, set meals, side dishes, drinks and other activities (games/change wall paper, kitchen cam (watch the chefs cook your meal), bell icon(to call a waiter), check the bill, call a cab service). We were "given" the freedom to chose and take control of what we eat and what we do with our tables.

"Interaction gives the customer full control of their dining"

What is the theory around it?

This is almost the same as the "Design your own t-shirt" concept, they use a sort of similar way of interacting with their consumers. Once again Andy Camerons theory of false "freedom" and Dmitri Siegels theory of "D.I.Y" and "templated mind" relates to this interactive ordering system, hich gives the illusion of "control" to the user/consumer.

("Inamos' Ordering system, touchscreen interaction")

"Before I De..",
On wall graffiti,
Borough

One day i was walking from Borough towards St.Pauls when i saw this, on wall canvas graffiti "Before I die". The idea is to write down anything you wish to do before you die, as you can see from the image below, that this piece of work aroused many people as more and more people add on it.

This is another prime example of people wanting to take control over design. you can see from the picture above, all the designer has to do is this time offer them a physical template on which users are free to write on.Similar to Chris Milks Digital Interactive projects, Once again this is provoked by peoples D.I.Y mentality.

Licensed by the creative commons, this project allows people to share their personal life/feelings to the other people(strangers) around them, a free sharing culture. This idea could potentially promote better understanding and communication around a community. This project also touches on Lawrence Lessig's ideals of "having less free becoming more free", as there are set of rules that the authorities/government must look over for the benefits of these project (Creative commons licensing and possibly to certain extent the tolerance to vandalism). This Project can also act as template for artists and designer to come together to come up with ideas that can communicate to the users in new ways.

For more information, about "before i die.." project toggle through the webpage shown below.

("Before I Die.." boards, physical interaction)

What is the theory around it?

"Before I Die" website.

(Click on "The story" navigation to see more board like the one i found in the above picture).