Showing posts with label observations. Show all posts
Showing posts with label observations. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Monday, June 14, 2010
Plan for Primary Research
Since I have a very broad topic to work with, coming up with a plan for primary research seems a bit putting the cart before the horse. However, I have considered a few strategies in order to delve deeper into the needs of the community. I don't have a specific solution yet to my problem of sustaining a healthy community, but I can do formative research to define what that really means.
The best way to approach this problem would be to focus in on one specific neighborhood or community, and what would be better than my own? There is a wealth of information in the residents and long-term local business owners of this area. The tactics of ethnographic research and marketing research would give me valuable information to inform my design decisions.
1. Visual Anthropology - I would spend a significant amount of time speaking with and photographing people in the community - being with people in real time.
2. Observational Research - focus in on the particular neighborhood, tracking popular and off-the-beaten-track traveling routes through the community.
3. Survey/Questionnaire - both of these would be useful research tactics. There are older residents in my building that have lived here for 30 years that would provide great information on what the community needs are. Also, the flower shop owner on 13th street, the Irving Place painter who sits every day and paints the landscape, the Gramercy Park animal hospital vets, and the owner of the local coffee shop are all sources of community information.
I could ask questions like:
What have you done in the past to connect with people in your neighborhood?
What do you feel is the most valuable part of your community?
To improve this community, what do you think would have the most impact?
How would you map your neighborhood?
What points would you describe on a map and why are they interesting to you?
How would you visually represent your community as a symbol, flag or otherwise?
How do you feel visitors view your community?
How would you prefer to have your community experienced by visitors?
What is something interesting about this community that you wouldn't know unless you lived here for many years?
The best way to approach this problem would be to focus in on one specific neighborhood or community, and what would be better than my own? There is a wealth of information in the residents and long-term local business owners of this area. The tactics of ethnographic research and marketing research would give me valuable information to inform my design decisions.
1. Visual Anthropology - I would spend a significant amount of time speaking with and photographing people in the community - being with people in real time.
2. Observational Research - focus in on the particular neighborhood, tracking popular and off-the-beaten-track traveling routes through the community.
3. Survey/Questionnaire - both of these would be useful research tactics. There are older residents in my building that have lived here for 30 years that would provide great information on what the community needs are. Also, the flower shop owner on 13th street, the Irving Place painter who sits every day and paints the landscape, the Gramercy Park animal hospital vets, and the owner of the local coffee shop are all sources of community information.
I could ask questions like:
What have you done in the past to connect with people in your neighborhood?
What do you feel is the most valuable part of your community?
To improve this community, what do you think would have the most impact?
How would you map your neighborhood?
What points would you describe on a map and why are they interesting to you?
How would you visually represent your community as a symbol, flag or otherwise?
How do you feel visitors view your community?
How would you prefer to have your community experienced by visitors?
What is something interesting about this community that you wouldn't know unless you lived here for many years?
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Inspiration from this weekend/Observation Journal Part 3
3. I was so excited to get an email with a link to David Lynch's Interview project. His son Austin travelled around the country interviewing 121 people in their communities, which results in a soulful look into the essence of America. The focus is on the individuals and their stories, and the interviews are structured in a way that they are able to really speak their minds. It is a beautiful character study - of the people and of our country as a whole. This is an image from the article in Big Picture magazine that I grabbed from the blog of Julie Pepin - the still photographer for the project.
4. Observation Journal Part 3
I'm beginning to understand more what I'm trying to find with my observation journal. I'm very interested in way-finding systems and methods - maps, symbols and images that help people move around in the least confusing way possible. Or I also just like when they're for decoration too.
How gorgeous are those radishes? I couldn't eat them because they had bacon on them but Dean said they were really good.
I took the photos in the subway because I thought it was so interesting that there's this cold and unfriendly sign called 'Neighborhood Institutions' - they list AIGA on there because it's the 23rd street stop. Needless to say, this system could be improved to make people feel more welcomed into the neighborhood. Also the posters tacked on the wall contain line changes due to service and construction but there are a few that could be used for community programs and events! What a great place to introduce people to the neighborhood and give them ideas on where to go.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
A few random observations
Last week I decided to start taking photos of random observations throughout the day. I'm spending a decent amount of time in the subway this summer with the commute to work every day. I might start trying to bike there so I can enjoy the outdoors a little!
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Color Workshop Wrap-Up (and related ideas)
During this course I began to develop an awareness of subtle colors in my environment. For example, the million different whites that are available or the various different yellows developed from the reflection of sunlight. In my future work as a designer, I would like to explore the concept of beauty in the mundane, everyday observations that are so easy to take for granted. I've discovered that there can be beauty in the most banal of things and I would like to explore my everyday environment more deeply to discover the details, colors and experience that I would normally just pass by.
There are a few ideas that this concept reminds me of. First, Tara Donovan is an incredible artist that uses everyday items in her artwork to create ethereal spaces and environments. She transforms drinking straws, styrofoam cups, scotch tape and fishing wire into billowing, organic shapes and experiences.
Tara Donovan
Second, this concept is loosely connected to a localization movement encouraged by many people including John Thackara (and reinforced by the most recent Good Magazine neighborhoods issue). He emphasizes the importance of place, and where things come from as an integral part of what they are and how we connect with them. (the slow city movement is an interesting side note on this topic. To become a slow city there are certain restrictions so that nothing is outsourced and resources need to come from within the boundaries of the city as much as possible. A real grass-roots anti-globalization effort.)
Lastly, and most relevant to a graphic designer, Thackara encourages people to be with "real people, in real places, who are changing their lived material reality" - this is more beneficial to society than just emitting messages. This is a crucial point for designers, since we may be the biggest message-senders of all.
This also reminds me of a bumper-sticker that I may still have (from my Colorado days)! It is a Margaret Mead quote: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, concerned citizens can change the world; indeed it is the only thing that ever has."
There are a few ideas that this concept reminds me of. First, Tara Donovan is an incredible artist that uses everyday items in her artwork to create ethereal spaces and environments. She transforms drinking straws, styrofoam cups, scotch tape and fishing wire into billowing, organic shapes and experiences.
TTara Donovan
Second, this concept is loosely connected to a localization movement encouraged by many people including John Thackara (and reinforced by the most recent Good Magazine neighborhoods issue). He emphasizes the importance of place, and where things come from as an integral part of what they are and how we connect with them. (the slow city movement is an interesting side note on this topic. To become a slow city there are certain restrictions so that nothing is outsourced and resources need to come from within the boundaries of the city as much as possible. A real grass-roots anti-globalization effort.)
Lastly, and most relevant to a graphic designer, Thackara encourages people to be with "real people, in real places, who are changing their lived material reality" - this is more beneficial to society than just emitting messages. This is a crucial point for designers, since we may be the biggest message-senders of all.
This also reminds me of a bumper-sticker that I may still have (from my Colorado days)! It is a Margaret Mead quote: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, concerned citizens can change the world; indeed it is the only thing that ever has."
Friday, April 2, 2010
A few things I learned from Giovanni Marra (Pantone)
We had a great guest lecturer in class on Tuesday - Giovanni Marra, Director of Corporate Marketing for Pantone. First let me say that he has a great job - studying color, travelling to exotic destinations for research, selling color to top names in fashion, design and other industries.
It was interesting to learn about the need for consistency of lighting in color evaluation. For example, fashion labels choose a color and need to match it with the one their manufacturing facility created, so they determine the standard lighting in order to match accurately. (there's a formula like D50, D65, or cool white flourescent but that's beyond my understanding).
Marra thinks color trends repeat every 15 years or so, then he mentioned that aqua is back in style from the 70's. That was a LOT longer than 15 years ago, however the mid 80's are very much in style again and that was about 15 years ago. Teal defined the 80's more than any other color.
It was surprising that fashion leads trends nearly three years in advance. Pantone looks to labels like Versace, Prada, etc to determine the hottest new colors, and then predicts them two years in advance. Trends are also based on socio-economic issues (yellow to combat drab and depression, because it's uplifting, warm, orangey and fun). Then these color predictions may be a self-fulfilling prophecy because they are never wrong. The color trends trickle all the way from Prada to Walmart in a matter time.
One point Marra made that I agree with very much - we tend to take color for granted because we are surrounded by it at all times of the day, everywhere we go. This is true for so many things.
Some descriptions of yellow from his color presentation: luminous, joyful, spiritual, original, and optimistic.
Side note: be on the lookout for everything Africa, which is supposed to be the next biggest trend. One of my classmates brought up the problem of an entire culture becoming a trend. Does this diminish the value of the culture in a way, turning into a commodity? Quite possible, but I suppose it depends on the application of this culture in the design. If it is inspiration for a new product line, I'm not sure if that is disrespectful; but if a company decides 'Africa is so hot right now, let's call this 'Safari' and proceeds to use colors and textures stereotypically African, that is rather awful. It's the intention that matters.
It was interesting to learn about the need for consistency of lighting in color evaluation. For example, fashion labels choose a color and need to match it with the one their manufacturing facility created, so they determine the standard lighting in order to match accurately. (there's a formula like D50, D65, or cool white flourescent but that's beyond my understanding).
Marra thinks color trends repeat every 15 years or so, then he mentioned that aqua is back in style from the 70's. That was a LOT longer than 15 years ago, however the mid 80's are very much in style again and that was about 15 years ago. Teal defined the 80's more than any other color.
It was surprising that fashion leads trends nearly three years in advance. Pantone looks to labels like Versace, Prada, etc to determine the hottest new colors, and then predicts them two years in advance. Trends are also based on socio-economic issues (yellow to combat drab and depression, because it's uplifting, warm, orangey and fun). Then these color predictions may be a self-fulfilling prophecy because they are never wrong. The color trends trickle all the way from Prada to Walmart in a matter time.
One point Marra made that I agree with very much - we tend to take color for granted because we are surrounded by it at all times of the day, everywhere we go. This is true for so many things.
Some descriptions of yellow from his color presentation: luminous, joyful, spiritual, original, and optimistic.
Side note: be on the lookout for everything Africa, which is supposed to be the next biggest trend. One of my classmates brought up the problem of an entire culture becoming a trend. Does this diminish the value of the culture in a way, turning into a commodity? Quite possible, but I suppose it depends on the application of this culture in the design. If it is inspiration for a new product line, I'm not sure if that is disrespectful; but if a company decides 'Africa is so hot right now, let's call this 'Safari' and proceeds to use colors and textures stereotypically African, that is rather awful. It's the intention that matters.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Friday, December 11, 2009
Ed Fella on the art of everyday things
Ed Fella talks about under the radar design in this interview with Little and Company. He shows a scrapbook of his substantial collection of everyday items that fascinate him. He admits that professional designers probably didn't even design these things, like take-out menus, ticket stubs, etc but he describes them as a vernacular of everyday design.
These small printed pieces don't get our attention, but we see them everyday. This is why they're under the radar, and Fella has gained an appreciation of something that so many of us take for granted. Although it makes me realize something about design in general - you're not SUPPOSED to notice it. I mean, designers will notice it but not too many other people will notice the placement of type that you slaved for 8 hours over. Is there some design that is more important than others? Is the website of Barack Obama more important than the Metro-North ticket stub that some people use every day? I know for a fact that not much time went into the Metro-North ticketing system, but they probably weren't working with a huge marketing budget.
These small printed pieces don't get our attention, but we see them everyday. This is why they're under the radar, and Fella has gained an appreciation of something that so many of us take for granted. Although it makes me realize something about design in general - you're not SUPPOSED to notice it. I mean, designers will notice it but not too many other people will notice the placement of type that you slaved for 8 hours over. Is there some design that is more important than others? Is the website of Barack Obama more important than the Metro-North ticket stub that some people use every day? I know for a fact that not much time went into the Metro-North ticketing system, but they probably weren't working with a huge marketing budget.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Good Advice from ...
Practice noticing stuff and telling stories. Steve Portigal tells us what we all should know, but is still a challenge. I have for so long wanted to have a blog of everyday observations of life in New York City. I mean, here we are in this place that for many people around the world has daily artifacts of an urban metropolis crackling with possiblility.
I love his advice: "Your log doesn't need to be conclusive, you just need to be observant and tell people what you think, wonder, or imagine." This is freedom from being too smart, funny, or witty (which most of the time I am not). Just some everyday observations...
I love his advice: "Your log doesn't need to be conclusive, you just need to be observant and tell people what you think, wonder, or imagine." This is freedom from being too smart, funny, or witty (which most of the time I am not). Just some everyday observations...
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