PROJECT 8 :: FINAL CRITIQUE

for our last critique of the semester, each student will interact with a peer’s work and provide commentary about that project, addressing what works well, what does not, and so on. after initial feedback, the rest of the class may provide input. each student will have eight minutes total, with the last two minutes given to a statement by the creator. that statement about your work should directly address one question:
- in what ways does your work clarify the communications process beyond what a printed diagram can do?

before 8am
- place a final swf file named “lastname_na_project8.swf” in my CAS dropbox.
- place three screengrabs and a written version of your statement on your blog.

yay! done.

PROJECT 8 :: USER FEEDBACK

on or around monday nov 29, you will need to connect with two kcai freshmen (individually), show them your project, and ask them to fill out this feedback form. turn in the form at final critique.

please review this form before taking it out and let me know if the questions seem odd, or if i need to ask additional or different questions. i think this will get you some good feedback but one never knows until it's out there. thanks!

PROJECT 8 :: FINAL DESIGN WORK

for monday, nov 22, i'd like you to have tightly composed digital, color storyboards of three simple tasks the user might engage in. these are called "task scenarios" and helps designers to imagine how people will experience their work. each storyboard should utilize a minimum of three frames. here are a couple of examples:

a freshman looks at the starting state of the piece, clicks on "sender", reads some explanatory text, and closes the text.
or
a freshman is looking at the "noise" video and turns on three additional sound files at once, then turns two of them back off.

by monday, you should have a very strong idea of the final direction of the work, including all the basic functionality you want to include and near-final compositions. post images of your three task scenarios to your blog.

PROJECT 8 :: NON-LINEAR NARRATIVE

using your individual schematics from visual language class as a base, design and produce a non-linear, viewer-controlled narrative so kcai freshmen have a solid understanding of the communications process. you should take full advantage of the screen-based interactive medium to clarify, augment, annotate, and provide examples of the communications process.

see the following links for interactive info graphics.
news graphics on newyorktimes.com
a nice piece on the 2010 fifa world cup
where americans are moving on forbes.com

requirements

• documented user feedback from two freshmen at the semi-final stage, so you have time to revise before final critique.
• provide two examples of how the communications process works.
• 1024x768 flash file.

considerations

• how can you best take avantage of this medium to inform a viewer/listener/reader in ways that other media (posters, books, print in general) can not?
• what form might examples take?
• how do you integrate new layers of information without overwhelming the user?

project objectives for grading

• apply knowledge of narrative, its manipulation, and application across media in non-linear form
  (how well do you construct an interesting experience?)
• apply the communicative potential of the various temporal elements (duration, motion, and transition) and communication channels (image, text, voice, music, sound effects) to classroom projects
  (are the channels you’re using giving different types of useful info?)
• apply deeper technical understanding of flash, photoshop, illustrator, and video / sound software and apply to the production of classroom projects
  (does the project function properly?)

due
wednesday dec 1
a digital file should be dropped in my cas dropbox and three screen shots with learning statement posted to your blog. filename “lastname_NA_project8.swf”

PROJECT 8 :: SCHEDULE

mon nov 15
refined, finalized schematic due as a color print to tyler.
initial brainstorm on clarifications, augmentations, and examples. lots of iterations.
visit senior MX presentations.

wed nov 17
garrett demo on flash actionscripting
refine concepts / design

mon nov 22
design / production

wed nov 24
thanksgiving break

mon nov 29
semi-final production piece due. prep for showing freshmen.
homework: take feedback forms and discuss project with freshmen. make changes based on feedback.

wed dec 1
final crit. turn in swf and feedback forms.