Critical aspects of this course, are diverse and multifareous forms of reasearch; as well as creative methods to communicate and present information. This assignment is a first pass at both of those aspects.
You are to "discover" your classmate which you are paired with. Use a variety of research methods (see below) to design & create a visual map that represents them given their background, training, discipline, and personal circumstances that led them to where they are today and where they are going. This visual map metaphor should be thoughtful, considerate and informed by your research and ideation process. It should not be chosen blindly.
Document the entire process. Remember this class is all about the process. Show all of the drawings, sketches, notes, documents, and materials. Post to your Process site under "Early Other Assignments."
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Review your classmate's care package, input map, constant input/output choices assignments and social media presences. Take notes.
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Read the Terry Gross article on how to create interview (See the link in the schedule).
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Design a thoughtful questionaire or survey based on this research.
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Review the Universal Methods of Research (UMR) found in Slack. Adopt 2-3 methods of research to learn more about your assigned classmate. Formulate these to be appropriate to your classmate. For example, specific photo diary prompts (hardest part of their morning, most delightful part of day, most trusted friend, etc); going to their favorite places and studying those locations for 30 minutes noting observations and details; shadowing your partner through various locations of their day that you are not familiar with. Figure out which ones you are going to do. Design them. Plan when you are going to execute them.
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Post the questionaire/survey, and the layout/plans for the 2-3 UMR methods that you are going to undertake. Tell me about your plans and write a small reflection of what you are thinking and where you are at, after doing the above.
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Set up a time to "meet" with your partner within the next 5 days, as well as scheduling in the other research activities.
- Write a reflection of the outcome. Post any documentation, images and/or sketches that have transpired since the previous stage.
- Considering your research from Stage 1 & 2, conduct 2-3 brainstorming or ideation exercises that we have discussed in class regarding the map metaphor. This could be "How might we...", 5 Why's, Bad Idea Brainstorm, or Crazy Eights. Mind-map different mechanisms. Go deeper to explore each. Sketch and post about these. Give us context.
Some examples/ideas are (but NOT limited to):
* a subway map,
* a territory map,
* a thematic network,
* user journey map,
* a table of contents of a book,
* an index in the back of a book,
* a menu on a webpage,
* a tree,
* etc
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These exercises should help you have a wide vocabulary to choose from, in creating this metaphor. Sketch ideas and concepts first in order to explore them.
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Pick a metaphor and design it! Produce the final result compiling your design with your research.
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Post the documentation from your process above, and write a short reflection about it.
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(1) To gather a wide variety of information, through various means (RESEARCH, COLLECT, ABSORB...) to broaden your research mechanisms. I'm looking for you to stretch and to develop your skills beyond their current limits.
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(2) Post interview gatherine: Show your process for thinking of a mechanism to describe this person. Your reseach should be informing this process.
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(3) Design the mechanism with which to present that information VISUALLY (BRAINSTORM, REMIX, DESIGN, VISUALIZE, SHAPE, FORM, CONNECT, BUILD).
Post this to your site under "Early Other Assignments". This includes research notes, questionaires, survey documents, images, sketches, brainstorms, etc. It's important to show ALL the documents that tell the story of your process. <--- This is what I'm ultimately grading.