Dissertation Summary

I really enjoyed my dissertation!
I enjoyed researching it, thinking about it, writing it, editing it, formatting it and even referencing it.

The subject I explored was anthropomorhism. And no, I did not look at animals dressed up as humans!
What I did look at was how humanizing technology helps us to get to grips with how to use it and makes user experience more efficiant and enjoyable. I explored and learnt so many interesting facts about anthropomorhism that I had not known before, and considered social, religious and design perspectives on it's use in digital media. I think it's emergence in technology design is a truly exciting field, and really found the psychology between human-computer relations fascinating.

Based on my research, I developed the opinion that Interactive technology is inherently anthropomorphic in its existence due to the roots of its invention and its purpose of improving relationships between humans and technology.

Triggering anthropomorphic thinking is a key way of increasing understanding of new technological artefacts and soliciting interest in them, which can be of benefit to a wide range of people. Therefore, consideration of anthropomorphic forms ( which can present themselves both obviously or extremly subtley) when designing and developing interactive technologies is an important factor in ensuring that they are designed in the most functional and user-friendly way possible. These forms should be considered whether they are being purposefully implemented or not, as it is almost dangerously natural for humans to cognitively apply mental models and stereotypes to new situation, including new technologies in order to develop an understanding of them.

Not all cultures view the world in the same way. Different groups of people have conflicting positive or negative opinions regarding both anthropomorphism and the development of new technologies, and there are also many religous groups that can be offended by the use of anthropomorhism (though this was an area I tried to touch on as minimally as possible, as it is such a complex area in itself and begs the introduction of theomorphism which is a seperate are from what I wanted to discuss).

Anyhow, I think it is important for designers to consider their target audience when developing interactive technological designs, to ensure that they will be used in the most functional way possible, and therefore be well received by their target audiences, and considering anthropomorhic form is a great way to help with this.

Spectacular Time and Comfort Thesis

For todays session on Guy Deboards 'The Spectacle' I read chapter 6- 'Spectacular Time'. Upon reading over it for the first time, my reaction was a mental image of a cartoon question mark, and a very confused facial expression. Reading it over for the second time in more detail, I began to understand that he was discussing different 'categories' of time and their relation to human existence. From the second reading I extracted the impression that he was discusssing time as being a commodified, non human entity, and that humans are divided into workers and producers. The producers control the time of the workers, and rather than paying them with money for labour, they are rewarded with recreational time when they are not working. He talks about holidays and annual events as being false, periods of time that mark nothing other than human publicity of them. This ties in with his idea that only the present exists, and the past cannot live on in our memories, therefore memories do not exist in time.

Moving on to the class discussion, and gaining an understanding of the essence of the text as a whole, I still do not feel able to analyze the chapter in definite detail, however I did extract a better grasp of the meaning of the chapter I read, and began to interpret what Deboard is saying as the following:

Time is something that both exists and doesn't exist at the same time. It is a natural passage that cannot be denied, yet it is not human, and the 'boundries' that humans apply to define it are false. By boundries I refer to dates, monthes, years and public holidays. I think what he is saying is that these are all just names that humans apply to the concept of time as a way of trying to define, as it is something so vast and undefineable that humans cannot fully comprehend it.

From what Deboard says, time is an ever changing and developing 'present', and I have gained a better understanding of this by relating it to theories I have been reading about Guthries comfort thesis and familiarity thesis. Roughly summerized- both terms refer to anthropomorphism as the act of humans applying humanized mental models of the world to interpret unfamiliar concepts / objects / events. Comfort thesis suggests that the reason for this is that it's a way to make humans feel better about themselves, and more secure in our environment. It helps stoke our egos as a species. Familiarity thesis suggests the reason for this is to comprehend and control things we don't understand, or fear, to try and find some sense in them and make outrselves feel more secure in our existance.

I think these ideas can be used to interpret what Deboard is saying as the idea that the word time is a label which refers to a humanized understanding of something undefinable. This label is an attempt to understand the concept of time better, from a humanized perspective. The reason he refers to it as a 'spectacle', is because we as humans have no real control over it, and though we make a show of measuring it, using it, labelling it and talking about it, we can never fully control it.

In conclusion..... the text was very heavy in terms of comprehendability, and though I did extract some ideas from it as described above. I'm completely willing to admit my interpretation does not fully address everything he says, and may even miss the point he was trying to make entirely. Never the less, it was my interpretation, and I think the idea that humans try to define time in order to control it is an interesting one. Perhaps it stems from fear of death.

Exam Project

Progressing well with the exam project. Really got into this afternoon and found a lot of inspiring research. I'm letting myself be flexible with my ideas this week and will commit to one to develop next week. At the moment I'm interested in stereotypes of technology and how they are a result of mental models that affect long term use.

Thoughts on exam brief

It's been a while since I last used this blog, which is a shame as I do enjoy using it. I find it helps me focus my thoughts and ideas before I writre them up in my sketchbook. However, I've been really busy with lot's of 'extras' recently, mostly work experience opportunites( I was personally requested for for two of them, which was nice. It's great to feel that all the work experience I've been doing so far has given me a good reputation) and job hunting research for this summer, so I haven't had much time to post. However, that is not a reflection on my attention to the project. I've been quite firm with myself about making choices, and very introspective regarding what I would enjoy to do most/ what would benefit me the most / what fits in with my years work the most / what inspires me.... and I am keen on the idea of creating an animation that examins human / computer relationships in some way, possibly looking into peoples first impressions with each other, and applying that to first impressions of technology and the effect it has on userability in the long term. I don't want to be too specific in the brief though, as I would like the ability to develop and explore my research further with regards to the 'angle' I will have and the treatment I will write myself.

Regarding the dissertation, I feel it is finished now, and just needs grammer checking and a bit of fine tuning. I spent five hours harvard referencing and citing...I'm a bit worried I'm going to need to re-do that now after Wednesday!

Summery of current priorities

Back at uni now after having been away for two weeks. Over that time I have spent alot of time working on an animation for SNS/SLN, and have been working on my dissertation. I also taught myself how to send an invoice and have been doing research into career paths and possible future employment.

My commitments for this final semester are university are:

- Completion of the client proposal project (evaluating my research)
- Finishing the dissertation and getting it bound
- Referencing and evaluating all my research for the dissertation
- The exam project
- Doing work experience with Wired Sussex (one day a week throughout April)
- Continuing to do work for Student Network Sussex
- Going to a college in Lancing to give a talk about my experience of Foundation Degrees with Aim Higher Sussex
- Going to Lewes College to take photographs of a foundation degree conference with Sussex Learning Network
- Re-doing / updating my online portfolio website
- Updating my CV and beginning to apply for work for after graduation

Easter Break Update

Have been working every day of the reak so far. I got the D & A D parcel sent off, though I made some alterations first to improve the print quality. Since then I have been working on the animated information screen I proposed to my client for the client proposal project, which will be used in schools and colleges at career events being held by SNS/SLN later this year. I have also nearly finished the dissertation. I need to add a little bit here and there, and format it properly with creditied quotes, and write the conclusion, which will be about 800 words, as I have written 6000 so far, and I need 200 for loose ends within the essay. I will look into places to print and bind it over the break. Also, I taught myself to and wrote my first ever invoice, and have been doing alot of careers research as part of the client proposal project, so, very busy, despite it being the Easter break.

By the way, if anyone is interested in exchanging dissertations with me to proof read and get a fresh perspective on each others work please let me know.

Creative Catapult Review

This was a wonderful experience. I'm really glad I signed up for it.

To re-cap, it was set up by Wired Sussex in conjunction with Kanoti, and held at the Lighthouse. Briefs were given by the BBC in January, and we, the attendees (students and graduates interested in aniation and illustration) were divided into four groups of four and given two months to work toegther on a pitch for the BBC.

Yesterday we had the final workshop, in which we all pitched to the BBC, and then given an evening seminar aimed to guide us in building confidence and start building our careers, whether or not we knew what we wanted to do.

The experience of working in a team and pitching to the BBC was not only a rewarding one, but an enjoyable one, and it was great to meet such a diverse range of professional practitioners and other students and graduates.

I left the event feeling truely inspired, enabled and empowered, and am very glad to have attended.