Project: Design is a game
Date: 20090907-20090930
It was a first project in Interaction design programme first year.
We were going to design a board game to know the whole design process including Interview, Research and Reflection part.
Week 1
Interview skills
We had an interview with 3 person in Sogeti a consultancy specializing in local professional IT services.
List all the dilemmas we found in their working process.
“Decision making in time limit”
Portrait
Storyboard
Presentation
Week 2
Playing toy bricks together, try to feel collaboration in these games.
Rebuild a new group
We pick a new dilemma (grow or not grow, closeness and communication problem), which is not the original one I got from the interviewing. But I think the new one would inspire us.
We felt this board game should play with 2-4 players who are your opponents or collaborator. There would be hundreds tactics jumping out of people’s heads to win. Thus the game can be played lots times.
We listed all the games we like such as Monopoly, Chess, Uno (a card game), Five in a row and etc, try to find out why people like to play. We agreed that there are some key words should used to characterize our game like strategy, simple, fun.
We agreed to put the company professional situations behind the game. People would learn something after playing it, but would not get it from the surface obviously.
Brainstorm in green room with a whiteboard and lots magnet pins
Set down one direction and made a “mock-up”
After testing the concept and discovering where it failed and succeeded, we received most feedbacks that complaining this game is too difficult to understand how to play at the first time.
Refine the rule and test the balance
Prepare the materials, cut and sand 160 wood cubes
Week 3
Make 4 copies of paper match box for this game, Apply a coat of primer, spray cubes with paint.
Incised the board with laser machine
Design the instruction illustration.
Final test
Week 4
At the end of this project, I received the all the evaluation forms from the students played this game BQB. Of course, it’s a successful game and the word “fun” is frequently mentioned by people. And they also like the idea of 3 dimensional moves.
There are also some comments about the weak aspect I collected,
“It took a while to figure out the instructions.”
“The instructions was not easy to understand, could be improved.”
Reflection of this project.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Saturday, September 26, 2009
The Critical Friends Process
Every student-and educator, too-needs a trusted person who will ask provocative questions and offer helpful critiques.
Once trust has been established, the critical friend and the learner meet together in a conference. One successful process to facilitate conversation is the following:
1. The learner describes a practice and requests feedback.
2. The critical friend asks questions in order to understand the practice described and to clarify the context in which the practice takes place.
3. The learner sets desired outcomes for this conference.
4. The critical friend provides feedback about what seems significant about the practice.
5. The critical friend raises questions and critiques the work, nudging the learner to see the project from different perspectives.
6. Both participants reflect and write.
Once trust has been established, the critical friend and the learner meet together in a conference. One successful process to facilitate conversation is the following:
1. The learner describes a practice and requests feedback.
2. The critical friend asks questions in order to understand the practice described and to clarify the context in which the practice takes place.
3. The learner sets desired outcomes for this conference.
4. The critical friend provides feedback about what seems significant about the practice.
5. The critical friend raises questions and critiques the work, nudging the learner to see the project from different perspectives.
6. Both participants reflect and write.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Criterias of a good game
1. Interesting theme
2. Good mechanics ( High anxiety factor, players should take a risk which influence their personality situation )
3. Good Graphics and Design
4. Clear rules
2. Good mechanics ( High anxiety factor, players should take a risk which influence their personality situation )
3. Good Graphics and Design
4. Clear rules
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Interview Guide
Starting the interview
1. Introduce yourself, your purpose and your interest.
Here is an example of beginning: "We're design students from design school. My name is... We're interested in finding out more about... If it's okay with you, we'd like to ask you a few questions about your work"
2. Ask for information about the company, its competences.
3. Ask the person you interview for his present or past innovation project and his role in the company.
Using props to facilitate the interview
1. Tangible Relationship Models
Ask the person you interview for example: Can you build a model of your value network or relations with other parties that are involved in your present or past innovation projects?
Ask them to use the material in the provided toolbox. Give them 10 minutes for the task and observe what they do.
2. Process Map
Ask for a process map: Offer the person you interview an empty sheet of paper (A3) and ask them to try to draw a timeline of the process of their present/last innovation project: When did you start? What were the most important decisions, and when did they happen? Who was involved? What was the most exciting point of the project? And the most frustrating? Why? etc.
Going to depth
1. Remember to ask open-ended questions.
2. Ask for examples as often as it fits.
3. probe for detailed stories and let the interview emerge
4. Relate to what you observed in the tangible relationship modeling
Did they hesitate with a certain connection? Which material did they choose for which connection, and why? Who are the different actors? Why are the actors chosen? Are there the same actors in each innovation project? Which role do the actors have, and how do they contribute? ...
5. Refer to the process map: When and where did relations play a role in the innovation process? Which dilemmas occurred?
6. Relate questions about the innovation climate to what you saw and heard.
7. Ask what the person you interview thinks to be the most important dilemma in the context.
1. Introduce yourself, your purpose and your interest.
Here is an example of beginning: "We're design students from design school. My name is... We're interested in finding out more about... If it's okay with you, we'd like to ask you a few questions about your work"
2. Ask for information about the company, its competences.
3. Ask the person you interview for his present or past innovation project and his role in the company.
Using props to facilitate the interview
1. Tangible Relationship Models
Ask the person you interview for example: Can you build a model of your value network or relations with other parties that are involved in your present or past innovation projects?
Ask them to use the material in the provided toolbox. Give them 10 minutes for the task and observe what they do.
2. Process Map
Ask for a process map: Offer the person you interview an empty sheet of paper (A3) and ask them to try to draw a timeline of the process of their present/last innovation project: When did you start? What were the most important decisions, and when did they happen? Who was involved? What was the most exciting point of the project? And the most frustrating? Why? etc.
Going to depth
1. Remember to ask open-ended questions.
2. Ask for examples as often as it fits.
3. probe for detailed stories and let the interview emerge
4. Relate to what you observed in the tangible relationship modeling
Did they hesitate with a certain connection? Which material did they choose for which connection, and why? Who are the different actors? Why are the actors chosen? Are there the same actors in each innovation project? Which role do the actors have, and how do they contribute? ...
5. Refer to the process map: When and where did relations play a role in the innovation process? Which dilemmas occurred?
6. Relate questions about the innovation climate to what you saw and heard.
7. Ask what the person you interview thinks to be the most important dilemma in the context.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
The main different
What is interaction design(IXD)? What is the different between product design and IXD?
Mike, our previous IXD programme director answered these questions in a pretty clear way.
Product design focuses on user, emphasis on "use", so product is the mediator; IXD focuses on "person", emphasis on "social practice", and technology is the mediator.
That's why interaction designers don't make physical products mostly. Their design which is much wider than product can be a web, a method, a service, etc.
Mike, our previous IXD programme director answered these questions in a pretty clear way.
Product design focuses on user, emphasis on "use", so product is the mediator; IXD focuses on "person", emphasis on "social practice", and technology is the mediator.
That's why interaction designers don't make physical products mostly. Their design which is much wider than product can be a web, a method, a service, etc.
Product Identity
The ability of a product, to reflect not only its function, but in what context it is to be used, and perhaps also the image of the company producing it.
Here is a list of identity concepts:
1. The military look
In times of crisis and mobilization, qualities such as durability, practicality, reliability are extremely important.
2. The hi-tech/ hi-price look
Today's successful, urban consumer who could be a stock dealer, older executive or retired sport champion, places great demands on the quality and appearance of the products.
3. Adventure sports- Extreme sports
The adventure sport look is often characterized by the tough, rough, "I can go anywhere any time", deep-water, high-altitude, all-weather image.
4. Toys, tools and fun
Toys are Characterized by clear, basic forms that are easily understood by childre. Shapes are often rounded and sometimes even somewhat clumsy. Functional parts are clearly distinct due to their color and form; knobs and handles may be lager compared with the product itself.
5. The retro look
The retro look is often characterized by visible screws or rivets, brushed metal surfaces, hand assembly as though they were produced in the thirties and forties.
6. The space look
Clean, simple, "white" lines and appearance often characterize the space look.
7. The kitsch and bad taste look
Sometimes, we are interested in strange 1950's patterned t-shirts, olive green and brown household appliances, and kidney shaped coffee tables.
8. Green design
Ecology is a modern idea. Products made of recyclable or recycled materials can in many cases be considered as ecological.
9. The construction site worker
Qualities such as durability, practicality and reliability are extremely important.
10. The sexist image
and so on...
Here is a list of identity concepts:
1. The military look
In times of crisis and mobilization, qualities such as durability, practicality, reliability are extremely important.
2. The hi-tech/ hi-price look
Today's successful, urban consumer who could be a stock dealer, older executive or retired sport champion, places great demands on the quality and appearance of the products.
3. Adventure sports- Extreme sports
The adventure sport look is often characterized by the tough, rough, "I can go anywhere any time", deep-water, high-altitude, all-weather image.
4. Toys, tools and fun
Toys are Characterized by clear, basic forms that are easily understood by childre. Shapes are often rounded and sometimes even somewhat clumsy. Functional parts are clearly distinct due to their color and form; knobs and handles may be lager compared with the product itself.
5. The retro look
The retro look is often characterized by visible screws or rivets, brushed metal surfaces, hand assembly as though they were produced in the thirties and forties.
6. The space look
Clean, simple, "white" lines and appearance often characterize the space look.
7. The kitsch and bad taste look
Sometimes, we are interested in strange 1950's patterned t-shirts, olive green and brown household appliances, and kidney shaped coffee tables.
8. Green design
Ecology is a modern idea. Products made of recyclable or recycled materials can in many cases be considered as ecological.
9. The construction site worker
Qualities such as durability, practicality and reliability are extremely important.
10. The sexist image
and so on...
Saturday, June 6, 2009
hello, world!
Welcome.
It's a personal blog about design, art, and other creative stuff, with a focus on my thinking.
I would like to share what I read or how I do here. I also will quote and organize various design mind and special skills for designers, but I hope it's not a blog to teach everything about design but it provides an innovative frame of mind for design.
I am looking forward to your comments.
Enjoy it.
It's a personal blog about design, art, and other creative stuff, with a focus on my thinking.
I would like to share what I read or how I do here. I also will quote and organize various design mind and special skills for designers, but I hope it's not a blog to teach everything about design but it provides an innovative frame of mind for design.
I am looking forward to your comments.
Enjoy it.
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