Thesis Mini Study 2, Sketches
For my mini study 2, I continued exploring through sketching. I’ve posted the full sketches after the jump.
Thesis Mini Study 2, Brainstorm
Thesis Mini Study 1, Sketches
I originally thought that I would paper prototype for my mini studies, but I found thinking through sketching and iteration to be more helpful (at least at this stage). This weekend I did a lot of sitting and thinking. And thinking some more. I’ve posted all my sketches after the jump.
Thesis Mini Study 1, Background Research
To segway from my brainstorm of Study #1 into making, I’ve looked at some of the existing organizational tools and research on visual thinking. One of the websites that I’ve come across are the Visual Understanding Environment (VUE), a research project based out of Tufts University, which is an open source tool for concept mapping and that offers a variety of options for constructing content. In the intro video, the presenter describes VUE as “concept mapping meets the digital world.” I think that many of the features offered through VUE could be applicable to organization within a writing environment, especially since many people use concept mapping to construct outlines for writing. In particular I think that the affordances for linking and annotation within VUE are a more targeted way to save and relate information than simply tagging or bookmarking.
Thesis Mini Study 1, Brainstorm
Crisis Crowdsourcing
What is Ushahidi? from Ushahidi on Vimeo.
I came across Ushahidi while doing thesis research on existing tools for citizen journalists. The service started in Kenya as a way for people to report situations of crisis in real time. It includes geotagging so that information can be sorted through quickly, based on who’s posting, where they are, and when they are posting. It was used last year to cover swine flu outbreaks in conjunction with Google Maps. What’s great about this service is that it’s open source, so it can be used as a valuable tool for citizen journalists within their communities.
Break is a-winding down…
Trying to squeeze in some last minute social activities.
On the cusp of thesis immersion
The Decade in Design – Design is a Verb – GOOD
The Decade in Design – Design is a Verb – GOOD.
I remember the days back in 2001, when you could just walk into the Genius Bar at the Apple Store…
LAR Supergraphic Design Competition
The Department of Landscape Architecture (LAR) at NCSU’s College of Design held a design competition this fall, calling for the proposition of a new image for the department in the form of a door transparency. I partnered with a grad student from LAR, Luke Wallenbeck, to collaborate on a design for the double doors leading into the LAR studios. In talking with Luke about the new direction of the program, we decided it was important to highlight the transition from the old way of thinking about landscape architecture to newer, more contemporary conventions dealing with urbanization and global population. Our guiding concept became one of migration and progression.
For the design, we chose to explore abstraction along with movement. We submitted four variations of our design, all four incorporating the LAR abbreviation and a migratory pattern of vector shapes. For two of the variations, we layered the graphics over a Sanborn map of Chicago to create depth and texture.