Imaginability by Sean Griffin

Imaginability, a new idea of city planning, can be used as a guide for building and/or rebuilding cities for both the architect and a person living in the city. There are different elements of imaginability including social meaning, history, its title, or function. These elements are reflected in physical aspects of a city’s image. Physical city elements include paths, edges, districts, nodes, or landmarks.Paths are something in which we are familiar. They are important features for customary travel, but vary with familiarity to them. When running along certain areas, their importance can increase or decrease. Sometimes their function also obtains a purpose, such as cuts on a freeway cause a driver to increase focus. Edges are commonly seen as boundaries between two areas. Districts are large different sections or areas of the city wthout any really physical boundaries separating them. People or objects within a district generally have at least one common identifying character. whether paths or districts are the dominating elements depends not only on the individual in the city, but also the city itself. Nodes are important in clarifying nearby elements and giving a transitional breakpoint. However, nodes dont always give a sense of direction. Landmarks are a point of referennce to the observer. Landmarks usually are easily visible and stand out, and are essential in finding your way. All of the elements in the image of a city are connected or related in one way or another. They give character and help each other to create the overall image of the city.

Interactive Design Sketchbook Summary Chapter 2 by Mackenzie Osborne

Chapter two of Bill Verplank’s Interaction Design Sketchbook illustrates the importance of the design process, interactions, solutions and what can come of it. Throughout this chapter, I learned about what a paradigm was and how it is used in the design process. Also, I learned about Verplank’s four step process. This was the most important piece in my opinion because it can be used in millions of situations. The process goes as follows: first, the designers are motivated by a problem they see or they are inspired by a situation or product. In the first step, they also decide on what the ideal goal for the project will be. Next, they find a metaphor that connects the motivation (idea) to the end goal. Along with the metaphor, you also need a variety of models of what we are trying to do. Then, the designers work out a step-by-step process of what needs to be done. They also need a model that ties all of the process together and clarifies it. You must have a clear picture of what the consumer is thinking about and a good understanding of what they need to know to make a good model. Finally, the designers decide on what kind of display they need and how to arrange everything. This is where they get to represent what they are manipulating and show a map of the controls to the display. This process is often complicated, so it makes a good team process. Working together as a team will make products better off in general.

Interactive Design Sketchbook Summary by Brittney Beckham

Sketching is the first step to designing something. This has been made much easier with the application of computers to design, on which you can constantly modify and adapt your work. Being able to draw requires being able to see and imagine. The application of these three things is an idea sketch. During the brainstorming process you cannot criticize because that causes ideas to die prematurely. You have to work with multiple ideas at a time so you can compare and critique them against each other.

            Industrial design grew as a profession as new products needed to be created. Plastic provided excessive design freedom, with its ability to be formed into nearly anything. Interactive design is designing for people’s needs. It answers “How do you do?”, “How do you feel?”, and “How do you know?” It is important to consider what those you are designing for are expecting. Path knowledge is step-by-step instructions for a certain task. Alternatively, maps are a good way of expressing how to perform a certain task. Maps include landmarks, districts, edges, paths, and nodes.

            In design you must look at a variety of scenarios with many alternatives. You mustn’t design in a strict order, as many designs start with the solution and then consider what the solution is solving. An extension is what comes between your environment and you. An example is that clothing is an extension of the skin. Bringing computers in as extensions creates competition between three things: brains, tools, and media, all three of which computers are. 

            I believe that the points given in this excerpt were quite useful. Creating sketches and constructively critisize your team's work. Do not overly criticize, for the idea might die out at hand. It is important to consider your audience and the environment around them to fully understand what your solution will be solving. 

An Ethnography Primer Response

Ethnography is a tool for better design. Designers help inspire and provide utility for people.  Designers must also have empathy for their audience and understand the relationship between what they are producing and the meaning that the product has for others.  Most designers should work towards creating outstanding products that satisfies the user. “A designer should care about ethnography because it can help produce more compelling, innovative design that really connects with the users-in a way that creates delight” (Rhea 2).

            Ethnography involves observing people in their natural environment rather than in a formal setting. “Ethnography is observing people’s behavior in their own environments so you can get a holistic understanding of their world” (Yu 5). Applying ethnography in design allows designers to create more compelling solutions. It allows us to see beyond our preconceptions and see patterns of behavior in the real world. We understand both rationally and intuitively.

            Ethnography observes visually compelling real and meaningful without being staged. It allows us to discover meaning.  It allows us to make communication more powerful. Ethnography enables s to create for the global marketplace.  A big part of it is also observing reality, what people say is not what they do. Identifying behaviors provide clues to where the problems exist or originate.

Ethnographers don’t just ask questions. They look into a small group of people rather than studying people as a whole.  All in all ethnographers combine solid social science training with business smarts.

What is ethnography? Response

Ethnography focuses on the search for meaning and making sense of the human condition. They often study people in different ways to go beyond what’s on the outside and search for a deeper meaning.

While observing the user it is important to consider the cultural norms. In other words, what “makes sense” to the audience? Another thing to look for is the processes of how cultural activities let us design and convey message to people at the right points in their journey. Meaning surrounds everything we do. Ethnography helps uncover how the meanings around the world come about. Be sure to look for what is going on in physical space such as body language, posture, and interactions between people.

The overall steps within the ethnographic process focus on how to begin by defining the problem, and finishing with a defined opportunity. I found this very similar to the points given in the Design Moves. The steps within the design process are nearly identical in terms of how to begin, and how to finish.

Design Moves Response

Chan Screven is a behavioral psychologist who showed Sharon how to prototype and user observe. Sharon had trouble designing things that could be understood by the audience. She couldn’t tell if she could communicate with them.  Chan told her that it was possible to interactively communicate with the audience by working with users that could generate vital innovative work. She now works at a design institute where they observe middle school children, identify problems and then develop prototypes that they bring to classrooms so kids can interact with their new designs. Sharon will show us ideas of how to change the design of design.

            Designers accessed social science to help develop their prototypes. The problem is trying to apply scientific research in the act of designing. Ideas remain abstract and removed from their actions. Sharon decides to develop a more organic and integrated designing process where the designers become fieldworkers and interact with the prototypes themselves. This changes the design process from being immersed and isolated to being more tangible and able to have users participate. Now the user is an important part of the process. The goal of this shift is to distance the prototype and the development of knowledge through pragmatic, actionable observations.

            Prototypes could be considered material conversation between the user and the designer. Objects help out understanding. Begin the design process with identifying the problem. It doesn’t always require observation. Discovering and developing the problem should not be trivial. Prototypes help develop information and critique design ideas before the team becomes too committed. This design process was given the name human centered design, because it focuses on human satisfaction with the objects and experiences designers strive to create.

            I consider her method of prototyping and taking down-to-earth observations to be effective. I find her points about interacting with the users to be a great way to truly discovering where the problems originate. This process only allows the growth of the prototype to ascend. Her passage gives true evidence as to why the process was given the name of human centered design.