February 02, 2006
LocalProjects
I've been doing a local projects internship this semester. Local projects is run by Jake, an ITP alum.
For the first couple of weeks i've mostly been doing PostGres and PHP work but there is a plan to work on a personal SMS project which overlaps with my ubiquitous computing class and the local projects internship.
On the side i've been working with Matt and Dennis on a path based project using SMS but we've run into some problems balancing lowest common denominator clients with a rich user experience.
When I talked to Jake about where I was at with the project he gave me a brand new perspective. He said there is a huge chasm between what is possible (technology, where I dwell) and what humans can handle. That gap is bridged by good design, the area I want to start living in. The technology doesn't make any sense to anyone, nor should it for its own sake. I need a new vernacular for the point I am trying to make, to help people connect with each other and connect with the idea. The 'self reporting' points people SMS in are that much more powerful if they are called 'stories'. Not 'send us a point' but 'send us a story'. How do I do that with paths?
If I can come up with something, I have all these resources at my disposal. Jake gave me a few weeks to get a strong idea together and if I don't have anything by then I will start working and see what I can evolve through iterative design. My other classes will inform this process. I also want to get into building wire frames and user scenarios. With a user's perspective, I can build more usable things.
Posted by mb2811 at 10:23 PM