Assignment 5B

As the summer holidays is long for us I have planned what I going to do to stay in touch with my course over they number of weeks that we have off.

To start with I am going to re-vamp my blog as trying to complete ongoing projects I feel I’ve not given the time I should have in making it visually appealing for others to read. Also going to add more about my persona and start follow a lot more of other sights that I am interested in. I will be making more blog entries over the summer and commenting on other peoples blogs hoping they will comment back.

Five books that I will read;

1. Clark, C. Brody, D(2009).Design Studies: A Reader.

This book interested me as when I started the design studies module I wasn’t too sure of what kind of things I was going to be learning about this book will give me further information for starting level 3 as it gives the understanding of the complex roles of design.

2. Brown, S. (2000).Communication in the Design Process.

This book was part of a previous assignment and the subject of design in communication technology interested me so I would like to read more into this.

3. Gladwell,M(2006).Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking.

This book explores the extraordinarily perceptive and deceptive power of the sub-conscious mind.

4. Gladwell,M(2009).outliers: The Story of Success

After reading and enjoying the Tipping point also by Gladwell I feel it’s a good idea to read more of his books.

5. Klein,G(1999)Sources of Power: How People Make Decisions.

This is another psychology book which interests be a lot. Finding out about how people think and making fast decisions is sometime just as good a spending hours deciding on something.

Five people I will connect to:

1. I will stay connected to classmates who have previously been away on foreign exchanges and those who are going to New Zealand for the start of level 3. Finding out what work and projects they are achieving.
2. Once I have completed my twitter account and finally understand how to use it I will look to find a designer maybe in an interior field so that’s its helping me along with my studies.
3. My cousin is a jeweler and live in Ireland and I will stay connected with her although its not my field of design its interesting to now what her up and coming designs are.
4. Over the summer I might contact an interior design studio and try and get some work placement. Even if its only a day a week it will give me an insight into the ‘real world’ if this goes to plan I would stay connected with them for more placement/job opportunities.
5. Finally over the summer I will be connecting with the fourth years in my course as every year we help them with setting up there fourth year degree show. This is very useful as it gives a chance to see the level of work they produce and how much hard work goes into the degree show.

Assignment 5A

In semester one I looked closely at communication through design. Some of the ways people connect through design is by use of graphics, word of mouth, interiors and mainly through technology. After researching further into the technology aspect I found products that were designed for communication and how design relates to the topic of 'connectors'- people who bring information/people together.

As part of my secondary research I expanded and collected information using cross search and the library. I looked mainly at a mixture of journals and books. A couple that interested me a lot were, Halonen-Akatwijuka, M. (2010). Organizational Design, Technology and the Boundaries of the Firm. Economica. This journal looks at how business rely on technology. Also, communicating in general through a business prevents there being problems or any 'hold- ups'. The other journal was Mamaghani, F. (2010). The Social and Economic Impact of Information and Communication Technology on Developing Countries: An Analysis. International Journal of Management. This journal looks at how technology is improving developing countries. It indicates that ICT has a positive impact on growth in developing countries, both socially and economically.

In many ways this demand is driven by and reflects the acceleration in the pace of change in the world around us. When you consider that not long ago Newspapers were the primary source of “News”; that 85 years ago events happening in World War Two (only hundreds of miles away) wouldn’t be reported for days; that Sunday Shop opening was illegal, it is easy to see how some of the changes we take for granted have significant cultural impact and need to be carefully communicated / managed.

Where there is a tension between the subjects is perhaps in the presumption that Technology is the answer and the means to the end – ie with more sophisticated technology, faster systems, wider access comes the solution. Clearly the point promoted by one contributor warns against this in so far as the need for localisation is far more than simply translating a global message many times over for instant transmission / consumption in multiple territories.

The danger associated with merely driving connection by technology alone is that all of the cultural and social sensitivities may be at worst ignored or at best devalued. In this scenario for our businesses the end result is not effective communication.

To investigate this issue further I will be using this topic to look further into creating a research proposal based on how we rely on communication through the design of technology. As I have already look at some secondary text research I’m going to focus mainly at primary research techniques such as observations, interviews and visual experiments.

To have basic starting point I would first use the service design tool of mind mapping to give me a head start on what sort of outcome and area of research I was looking for. This I would refer back to after conducting the rest of my findings.

My first primary research would be to observe how people use technology to communicate. I would first identify two main situations; a typical business day and a typical average Day basis.

I would observe each situations separately but asking myself the same questions. What sort of technology are people using? Is the same object people are using? How are they using it ? why might they be using it ? how often do I see people using it ? is there more people than not using it? Does it look like a natural thing to be using? Is it easy to use ? how affective is it? Does it disturb anyone else? All these questions would help me find out some in depth research as I am finding it out for myself and not just reading what other people have written so I would end up with my own personal views.

I think the observation technique would work really well as I am getting first hand evidence from different situations. I don’t think interviewing people would work as well as I believe sometimes  it can give you inaccurate results as some people get nervous talking one on one or even try to give you the answer that they think you want to hear which wouldn’t help my in my findings.

The second primary research would be to carry out a visual experiment. To do this I would take a small group a people and take away their own modern device that allows them to communicate with others. I would then give them an older version which wasn’t so up-to-date and ask them to go about their same business. Then I would take the device away completely and get them to carry out the same thing again. Once the experiment was over I would ask them a series of questions. How they got? Did they find this easy to have no technology for communicating? Did they like the idea of not being able to be disturbed? Did it hinder their everyday/business day situation?

I think this sort of research technique would have its advantages and disadvantages. I might have a struggle getting people to part with their communication device for a start also some people might not want o take part in an experiment. However the advantages are that it would let people see how much they rely on technology these days and would probably struggle without it.

I feel my primary research would benefit me more for my design proposal rather than factual information gathered through my secondary research.

Perhaps therefore the conclusion to be reached is that the message has to be paramount; our ability to connect as people is essential; and that technology should be the supporting rather than driving mechanism through which we effectively deliver these desired outcomes.

Quiz and Karaoke Fundraiser

Well it comes to a point when we all need to put in some effort in raising money for the 4^th year degree show. Unfortunately for us being 2^nd years and the only course in Dundee University having to raise the money for them.  Three of us got together and held a quiz and karaoke night on Saturday which ended up being a lot of fun and a good night to be had. With a little alcohol involved and an all round buffet to eat it became a good get together and not a spare seat to be sat in! From selling tickets for the night and raffle tickets we raised £235! 

Activity 4C – Piecing it together – Discussion and notes

The one thing I found was current through all my interviews was that everyone thought it was addictive. This was interesting as this was clearly the all round perception on going to bingo. Whether old or young the public seem to think the same thing. Even if the person had/hadn’t been to bingo. Some also agreed that it was to socialise with others as sort of a meeting place.

Is this just how its embedded into peoples minds? Or does everyone actually have the same views?

After my interviews I decided to discuss with some of my classmates my findings. Having listened to each others’ results and taking notes, we found that everyone had the something in common. This was there was a main answer from each participant linking up to the same result. For example, what people treasured the most always linked back to it belonging to a loved one. We then discussed whether maybe we were asking the wrong questions or even the right questions but in the wrong way.

We chatted to another group who were also discussing their findings and they found the same things. I found another person studying the bingo topic also coming up with the word addiction a lot. I decided look into some secondary research and I came across a book called An Unsafe Bet?: The Dangerous Rise of Gambling and the Debate We Should Be Having by Jim Orford. This book discusses how gambling is a danger to public health due to its addiction potential.

I felt this book was very useful as it also discusses the extent of gambling and its effects on society, which links back to my participants being most concerned about the thought of bingo being addictive.

Activity 4B – conduct the interviews

I used a semi-structured approach for this activity. This meant that I could have questions for the interview but also have room to add in more questions to get more details in specific areas if I needed to. I used a service design tool to help me with my interviews so that they were not just a passive conversation but also an active situation. The tool I used was affinity diagram, which is used for gathering and organising large amounts of information and data.

It used by starting with a statement of the problem, then the participants write down their ideas on small pieces of paper.  These then become the physical instrument to work with and arrange them into there correct groups. 

For each of my interviews I asked my participants to answer some questions and after discussing them I asked then to write their answers on sticky labels. I asked them to right there positive answers in green pen and their negative answers in red pen. Then organised then into the correct order and stuck them down onto a piece of paper.

I practised a trial run on my sister to see if the questions i was asking gave me the right results.

Here are the results from the three unknown people i interviewed……

First interview 

John Brough 

Painter and decorator 

John had not been to bingo before.

He thought that people enjoy going to the bingo to win and for the social aspect of it, however thought that people go because its a habit and its stereotyped and old fashioned.

Gathered that its a majority of older women that go because men are happy to have time to do there thing and in a n old fashion sense there was nothing else for women to do.

The desire to win money back entices people to keep playing. 

Second interview 

Charlotte Smith 

Primary teacher

Charlotte had been to the bingo before.

She also thought that people enjoy going to the bingo to win and for the social aspect of it, however thought that people go and also lose money.

Gathered that its a majority of older women that go because bingo was around long ago and has become a habit, now young people cant be bothered and have no money to play.

The plain thought of winning is the main reason for enticing people to continue to play and loose track of time.

People go to the bingo to meet other people and to go for a bite to eat.

Third and final interview 

Dayna Brindley 

Student 

Dayna had also been to the bingo.

She thought that people went because everyone has a chance of winning you don't need a certain skill to play it.

As the game is not physical or energetic Dayna thinks this is the reason its a majority of older women that attend and thinks that it would be boring for young people.

Again the thought of wining something is enough to entice people to keep playing, however it addictive and you end up wasting your money if you lose.

Also again people come to socialise and for something to do.

Assignment 4 : Interviews - but not as we know them

Activity 4A – choose a topic

In this assignment we are asked to interact directly with ordinary people in the form of interviews. I interviewed three people who I didn’t know and chose to investigate why people go to bingo. I began with making a mind map on my topic as this helped me decide which questions I was going to ask.

The questions I’m going to ask as a starting point are :

1. Have you been to bingo?
2. What is it that makes people want to go to bingo?
3. Why do you think the majority who play are older women?
4. Do you think there’s anything that would entice you to keep playing and loose track of time?
5. Do you think people go for other reasons than to win money?

Activity 3C: Observe and record

We were asked to choose a location where we have not been before.  This was our primary site and we had to choose a Bingo hall, Football match or Casino. We were then asked to choose another location that we would do it as part of our everyday activities. This was our secondary site and we could choose out of the list given (coffee shop, public library, bus or railway station etc) or one of our own choosing that we encounter regularly. This activity could be completed in a group or with a friend and it was not to be done alone.

Once our primary and secondary choices were made we had to spend some time in the different locations watching people going about there business and observing how they behaved. Also we had to think how we felt being put in a situation where we were made to feel uncomfortable.

Our primary site was the main focus of this assignment and the secondary site provided practise in observation, therefore we had to record our observations in both sites in a way that was appropriate, being careful not to annoy anyone or invade their privacy.

Here is my results…….

A group of us went to the Bingo as our primary site as none of us had been there before. After explaining we were students and as part of our course we were here to observe, the staff were very friendly and helpful. We just needed to sign up and didn’t pay to get in (which was good being a student !). 

We made our way through to the main hall passing through a small room with gambling machines. This room was very noisy with a very “casino like” feel to it. It was all lit up with bright lights flashes at you trying to entice you to play.

At this point I felt quite nervous to carry on into the bingo hall as I began to feel quite out of place.

We carried on into the bingo hall where there was already a game started. This made us very unsure of what to do/where to go/ where to sit. I felt quite threatened and scared to do something wrong as other people coming in seem to know exactly what to do.

There were two levels to the bingo hall therefore we decided to sit upstairs. This gave us a better view to observe and also gave us the chance to take some sneaky photos.

The staff interact with the players quite a lot however, not as much whilst the game is in play. They come round with change and to call out the callers’ numbers.  I got the feeling that their role is to encourage people to spend money but not in a pressurised way, more in a persuasive way as they are in an environment they are comfortable in.  It’s a very uniformed environment I suppose this makes it much easier for the customer to feel like they’re in an environment they understand. The seating layout is designed to be more personal for the customer rather than a very impersonal “church like” experience. The atmosphere is very repetitive as its noisy/friendly with chattering then when the game starts its deadly silent/serious and full of concentration. In between games its like a muttering of disappointment mixed with how close it was to winning/ getting ready for the next game starting. Almost like a circle of expectation, disappointment, daily life going round and round.

My secondary site I choose was a dance class, which I encounter very much as my daily activities. I didn’t manage to take any photos for this site as it wasn’t allowed due to children being in the class.

As this was a more social activity I found it very different to the bingo hall. The first thing I found was I wasn’t nervous at all about observing in this site as I was so familiar with being there. As the dance class is extremely busy if parents and there children are a little late they don’t have a choice where to sit its just where ever there is a space free. However you do get some groups of parents coming early enough to get “their table” and saving it for the rest. Also being a weekly class you start to see people not wanting to sit at a certain table because they know who normally sits there. Almost scared to take that table because they know it’s someone elses territory.  I found in some families the children now just get dropped of and then it’s a case of the children doing the same thing they keep seats for there friends coming in. The atmosphere it very noisy/friendly with parents chattering away over a coffee whilst there children are up dancing. The children behave very responsive to the teacher as they’re wanting to learn more steps and are enjoying themselves.

Activity 3D: Discussion

The primary site we easily discussed as a group finding out what others thought and felt. Most of the group felt the same on the way into the bingo hall (being nervous and scared). However one of my classmates felt quite excited to be going and ended up getting a free book and staying to play a game or too after we left. Another classmate felt the same as me almost, like an outsider. I think this was because the majority of people playing bingo were older ladies and as we are young people customers were obviously wondering why we were there sitting watching and not playing. I think also some people were curious as to why we were taking notes.

As a group we were more than enticed to go back as they came round with deals on other games and free games as we were new members.

The secondary site I discussed with my family. They were intrigued to know what I found out and I was surprised to find that they agreed with me but admitted that they would have never noticed themselves. This just shows you that majority of people don’t think to observe others. After this assignment I have found myself observing people without noticing im doing it, I suppose that is a good thing but I am going to start observing people and situations more thoroughly. Especially with being an interior designer I think it would really help me understand my clients needs better giving them a more suited design.