Aug 28

Week1 Response

The readings made me consider a host of inconsistencies between how we use and perceive social media. I think that they stem from the problem that users have created a disconnect between how they interact and express themselves online, as opposed to reality. Similarly to how natural user interfaces are different from the natural actions they leverage, people think about what they say differently when they are saying it over facebook. Maybe this developed from a social perspective in the same way that touch interfaces developed unique conventions on their own. One example could compare how we only use hashtags in social media, to how we understand that pinch to zoom only works on tablets. This might be a stretch, but I think it could help to predict where social media as a whole might be heading.

On the other hand, the reading on privacy made me sway between two points of view. It’s clear that the accessibility of our personal information influences how we portray ourselves online. Stacy Snyder’s story is an example of the events that lead to users developing this edited behavior. However, I think that this is a positive and a negative thing in the end. On the positive side, a web that never forgets our digital footprint can encourage us to be “better” people. On the negative side, we are all trying to becomes this ideal person and are loosing what makes us individual. Therefore, facebook to me feels like a showcase of the fake versions of my friends.

Finally, the reading about the differences between facebook’s and google’s design philosophies just made me very skeptical. Both companies are trying to control and overwhelmingly powerful amount of information and are claiming that they can keep that power in check. But in today’s society and market, I don’t see that defense as being possible. I can’t deny that using my personal preferences often improves my web experience, but I don’t see why that information can’t remain locally protected by the user.

Aug 28

The Future Freaks Me Out

Well, that was sunny.

Concerns about privacy and privacy education naturally occupy some rather large real estate in my mind. I’ve been working with teenagers in formal and informal education for 10 years and it constantly astounds me how little they know about what should be on the internet and how to create positive internet reputations (which just means reputations at this point in history) for themselves. There is no thought that perhaps those pictures containing underage drinking shouldn’t be posted all over Instagram and maybe they’re going to regret that everyone can find that picture where they are scantily clad on Facebook. Jeffrey Rosen is absolutely correct that the web never forgets. Teenagers have been disciplined in schools, rejected from camps and universities, fired from jobs, and more because their brains haven’t fully developed and they make poor life choices that they choose to share with the world, the web over.

But honestly, it’s not just kids, as the article points out. The problem is that in this culture of oversharing, we’ve been conditioned to do just that. I remember when I made my first AOL screenname, I wasn’t allowed to use any information that would allow someone to figure out who I am. I used an obscure nickname given to me by a camp counselor when I was seven that played off my last name and the last digits of my birth year, resulting in “emercon87”. The year was probably a mistake, but you had no idea who I was based on that information. Now my email address is my full name. My usernames on various sites and all social media is my full name. A quick google search tells you exactly where I’m from and what I’ve been up to, since about 2004. I’m certainly no celebrity, so you can spare yourself that little exercise, but suffice it to say, I’m vulnerable out there.

Jeffrey Rosen’s concerns and those outlined by Fred Vogelstein haunt me. Potential employers can find any lapse in judgment I’ve put out there and Facebook and Google together own me. They track my every keystroke and internet scavenger hunt. The ease of Google Wallet and signing in with Facebook for everything has been tremendously enticing. But the price may just be too much. They know what I buy, what I’m considering buying, who my friends are, and more. In fact, they probably know more about me than I do. They have algorithms to predict this stuff; I have YouTube to protect me from having to think about me.

Given all this, it’s almost darkly comic that we can be saved from all this just by being taken over by robots. Wall E is a way out. The intelligent robots that will soon rule our race (as Bill Joy described) will fix everything, right? No autonomy, so nothing matters.

Seriously though, the fact that this is all not just plausible, but effectively imminent is pretty terrifying. How do we stem the tide? Scientists (and we) will continue to develop technology that will render us useless and we aren’t stopping that any time soon. So, cheers. Might as well have a drink and post it on Twitter.

Aug 28

Facebook: the Selfie ReInvented

Instead of improving on or redesigning Facebook as it stands, I want to create a project that makes a point about how Facebook is used. I find it so interesting how people portray themselves on Facebook. My concept starts with idea of the selfie. Which is not common among ALL users, but among many. With so many of us, the thought of how we look, where we are,and how we will be received is of huge importance on Facebook. I am guilty of this, as are most of my family and friends; and quite honestly anyone who uses social media in my opinion. It is human nature to be aware of how we present ourselves to the public and Facebook is no exception. I want to explore this concept of our “social media persona” by creating an app/software/plugin that seemingly gives the user the ability to perfect their online persona while mocking our desire and ability to do so.

 

Goal: Create a humorous portrayal of the importance we place on our “Social Media Persona” Giving users assistance in creating a well represented FAcebook profile.

 

Possible mediums:

1. A website created around a Facebook Profile building service, similar to a CV builder :

http://www.yourcvbuilder.com/

PRovding levels of service: photoshop for pictures, guidelines for the perfect selfie, advice on what to post etc…

2. A physical structure, that is a much more kitsch and obvious mockery. A mirror that comes with different options of celebrity faces/bodies, clothing, that you can switch out for when you take a selfie.

Aug 28

Week 1 Reading Assignment

MAJOR STUDIO READING ASSIGNMENT: 1

 

While at face value, these reading samples are well out of each other’s topographical realms there is a certain flow that leads from the capitalization of social and technological identity to the natural flow of humanity. Humanity as defined by both the individual and the whole is a finite entity and while it is sometimes a leap, I believe the selections have an implied connection.

To make this connection we will begin by creating “variables” for the ideas in each selection. Rosen’s, “The Web Means the End of Forgetting”, hits at the beginning of this connection by showing the evolutionary step from the group think mentality to the social (network) think mentality. This shows that ideas of morality, justice, good and evil, and many other social norms and abnormalities for that matter are being classified by a technological consensus. With almost immediate access to information both trivial and imperative we are being bombarded with new ideas and thoughts on how and why we can live our lives. Sometimes even as we get these ideas we get the placement of social hierarchy that comes along with it. Not only that we are becoming defined by the record of our actions and not our intent or the simple courtesy of circumstantial forgiveness.

This unforgiving-forgetting social think connection,  as pointed out by Joy, in “…The future Doesn’t Need Us”, is a form  of technological immortality in innovation.  Within many of his apocalyptic visions of the future it begins with the “free market” or capitalization of this advancement, which is noted in Vogelstein’s “The great Wall of Facebook”.  As Google and Facebook vie for control of the data or thought patterns of societies social collective mind, we begin to see the connection bud between the frivolous nature of social networking and the Doomsday crying of Joy.

 

At the end of the day, two trains of thought, as far as use, generally mark the advent of technological advancement: social change and military application.  While social networking and the communication revolution of the Internet have changed the very nature of what we consider community, period, it is also undeniable that the possibilities for exploitation or endless.  Psychological warfare can win wars as surely as WMDs, a fact that has been proven time and time throughout history. What better resource for this battle of the minds the collective social compass of society.

Finally, if this social collective mind was the natural evolution given the advent of the Internet, then what is the next step when applying Joy’s idea of technological and biological merger? As Norman points out in “Natural Interfaces are not Natural” many of the acts of communication we form, even in the innovations of our new smart phones are not natural. Arguably, the only natural way to communicate would be in the format to which we begin our ideas we wish to communicate: thought. The next step, in my mind, achieving both immortality and maximum communication is the technological connection of biological beings in a hive mindset, both metaphorically and physically.

If this does become the case and machines are simply an extension of the hive minds need for sustenance then this could possibly break the cycle of dystopian society and present a viable utopia. This said, there is much to be loss. The draw back of any hive society is that the individual is lost. In the bombardment of billions of minds instantly connected by thought and not the illusion of instant transmission formatted by the very quick but un natural interface of the internet, will we be able to even differentiate between these individuals any more then we can differentiate between the firing of different synapses in our own brain?

Aug 28

Week 1 Reading Assignment

The article “Natural User Interfaces Are Not Natural” brought to mind a lot of design concepts that , much to my dismay, I had never stopped to question. The use of the one-click, right-click, two-click, three-click options with a mouse seems practically innate to me at this point. Though, when really thinking about its operation, it doesn’t make that much sense in terms of human interaction. And even something as simple as that has created user confusion. When switching from PC to Mac (or the reverse, heaven forbid :)) it is an adjustment that the user has to get used to. Anyhow, it seems that the goal of interface design is to relate to the user in the clearest and most efficient way. So it is the obvious direction to move towards human centered-interface. As the article accurately describes, gestural interaction is a big step in the right direction, giving the user multiple ways of interacting with their device….though there is still a long way to go. Human interaction is expressed through multiple mediums. To interact we use physical gestures but also incorporate facial expressions, body language, verbal language, and a multitude of other psychologies to communicate. For devices to have the ability to engage with truly human centered interface our technology must advance in the way of forming more cognitive and conscious devices.

 

It may seem a long way off that common everyday devices could be created with this power, but as Billy Joy explains in his article – intelligent or conscious robots are not that far off in the future. It seems only logical to want to create more human centered devices and thus before we know it may be facing the reality of intelligent robots.

 

To draw another connection in terms of human centered design, it is so interesting to see how Facebook seems to be taking that same approach by making the internet a personal experience. Facebook has big visions of (and the correct platform to do so) to turn the internet and its infinite amount of information into a user centered personal experience. So again, we see this desire within design to relate with the platforms, software,devices that we are designing.

 

Is it so, that the more personal an experience can be, the better the experience? IT seems the answer is yes, and I agree. Though, my next question is if we are continually trying to create human centered design, doesn’t that mean we will still never surpass the issue of user error? Even when humans interact with each other they make mistakes, they misread each other or miscommunicate. So if, or when, we get to the point of interacting with devices on a cognitive level won’t there inherently still be user error, missed interaction or miscommunication? I am left thinking that no matter the advance of technology and design, we most likely will never escape the problems of user error; whether that be as simple as device interaction, or as problematic as an intelligent robot species presenting a lethal threat.

 

Aug 28

Social Network Redesign – Concept

Social Network Redesign: Project Live Grid

Design Statement:

The goal of this project is to create an all-new type of social network that is more real and humanistic than existing popular networking such as Facebook and Twitter. I hope people to move their body and use their hands a little bit more, instead of just sitting in front of their computers all the time; additionally, the program will help friends know each other’s schedule better. This network is not built to be an all-in-one, instead, it is a handy tool to build real close relationships between friends and families by pushing them into an offline life.

My concept is to use live webcam as part (maybe majority) of the interface to monitor a certain (or not) area of the user’s living environment, where the user can have some sort of setup of objects that relate to his/her recent activities, showing who he/she is and what he/she is doing at the moment.

Feature 1: “Live Grid System” (real life interface), where users post content onto their webcam shots, which in a way, is a new type of “organic” and live interface. By live sharing people’s beloved “secret objects” or stuff they recently interested in in real life, they become less “digital” and more approachable. Elements posted will become floating modules in the real life “grid”.
Feature 2: “Sign Me Up”, which is basically an unconventional appointment system. Each user has a calendar of his/her schedule within a certain period of time (e.g. a month), and he/she can input date & time when he/she is available or not, if not, whether he/she wants to be met at the event place or not, etc. Friends are able to find spots when the person has an empty schedule and where they can possibly meet him/her in person by clicking “Sign Me Up” button. This feature encourages both meeting offline and making phone calls, which brings friends somewhat closer.

* The problem with webcam, of course, is you never know what people’s going to show, and the content can change any second, where administration and spam/inappropriate content report system is important.

Aug 28

Reading Response Week1

Always observing others behaviors is interesting and also important to rethink our
interface design approach how people gesture when they eat food, read books, or
watch television. Studying natural senses are hard because it is more like studying
people’s inconscious system than conscious system. Also, there are culture differences which
sometimes make confusion of understanding each cultural gestures. Therefore, interaction
and interface designers might need to consider basic rules to design in global. According
to the article, “Natural Interfaces are not Natural”, I could thought how we need to think
for human-centered interfaces but every interfaces do not need to be natural. Then, what is
human-centered interface? Thinking for humans’ needs or convenience or rights or desires
or sensibilities?
In these days, people are getting in to a new media world which is extremely different from
the past. Our life patterns are changing very fast in every second, every moment. In contrast
to growth of technology development, new social network system awareness, such as how to
use social network in a better way or what can be dangerous part of using it, has hardness
to catch up the speed of development. For example, Facebook make people’s life change.
Every people are getting used to post and share their private activities in public, and also
people surf Facebook feed to look others private activities. Therefore, now we can guess
people’s life from the Facebook clues. However, I want to ask whether the information on
Facebook reliable or not. Can we trust all the information on the Facebook? In my opinion,
Facebook information can be reliable because people can judge information’s reliability
from looking where the information come from whom, but also it can be very dangerous because
on-line web information is also easy to fake people. In addition, Facebook is becoming
search engine that nowadays Google has been threaten. Facebook is more active and real-time
resources than Google, and people can verify information from facebook account rather than
search by Google to get resources’ website. Moreover, when people follow resource facebook
account which they are interested in, they can get information in a real-time moment when
something new just posted on facebook while we have to search information to check new
information every time in Google engine. However, easily accesible and real-time information
are occurring lots of problems nowadays like gossips and rumor spreading in a second without
verification. From the reading,”The Web Means the End of Forgetting”, the author says that
because of the information what we post keep remaining forever, people will change their
behavior that means it affects people’s life. In specific, some work place started to check
facebook when they hire a new worker, and people started to make several Facebook account
to prepare for this. How can we judge people’s personality by checking their facebook?
Why don’t we forgive some of mistakes people make in web?
In my opinion, we need to rethink what can be the real human-centered interface for Facebook
by considering human rights.

Aug 28

Reading Responds day1

Social networking is a new world to people, this world development rapidly, it is a chance to rebuild your new image, and strangers could judge you with social networking’s profile, you could show what makes you looks good.

 

It’s like a new language, most people in Facebook use their actual ID, the real name, and they post their real experience to share with friends. Other websites could use Facebook account to log in, Facebook is more like your internet ID, you hold Facebook, and you have access to anywhere based on internet. But is it a good thing for us in actual world? Facebook hold huge amount of personal data, like the column on the right, Facebook will analyze each person’s data, to recommend the product that should be interested, this is a great marketing means. Twitter plan to do the experiment about simulation people, use the information of people left on the social networking, like how he speak, the place he usually went to, and according to the photo he upload, to create 3D people. The second season of Black Mirror, telling about a story of after a man died, technology could create a simulation people, as the real man, not just appearance, even voice, how he speak, his memory is same as the real man, according to social networking’s recording that things the man post on when he alive. It sounds horrible.

 

Technology allow us to use gesture to control device, make it more natural, convenient and directly. Nowadays, most people could use gesture and familiar with it, even a 5 years old girl would click the screen of iPhone by finger. We still have to learn some rules about gesture, if you use the natural and comfortable gesture, maybe it could not work. Gestures based on different culture, different personality, maybe designers should find a way to fit for people’s habit, more important, we should learn the rules of gesture like another language that access to the world of technology.

Aug 28

Facebook Redesign and Reading Response

Facebook Redesign

Our social life can be extremely diverse, and we have developed different sides to deal with our different social positions since when we were small children. Most of the time we show quite different faces or personalities and characters to our teachers, friends, co-workers and family members. But when this diversification comes to our digital social applications, such as Facebook, it can be a problem to organize and classify them in different categories. Facebook has tried to help its users classify their friends by putting them in additional smaller categories, but putting our friends on Facebook in different groups and managing those groups can be very frustrating.

My concept for a Facebook redesign is to try to find a way to for its users to manage their own personality sides more easily.

We do not really need make groups because people already make themselves into “ groups” by inputting their basic information on their own profiles. Facebook can use that information to analyze each person and put them into groups for us. I want to design a function that can use keywords to filter and add exclusivity to a post. We can just simply use “#” with a keyword. For example: when we want to post something related to our school and only want to show this post to our classmates, we can  type in :

“ Does anyone know how to submit our homework to the DT blog #Parsons#New  School ”

Then Facebook will help to analysis who on your Facebook has “Parsons” or “ New School” in their profile information and automatically show this post only to them.

Another example: when we want to post something that only relates to people that live in or have lived in certain cities or locations. we can type in:

“ Does anyone know any good restaurants in Shanghai?#Shanghai#China”

Then that information will only be sent to your Facebook friends who lives or have lived in Shanghai.

 

Natural User Interfaces Are Not Natural:

My niece got her iPad when she was four years old, but her parents were not even amazed at how fast a four year old child had learned those touch screens gestures so fast and without any help from adults. Although gestural interaction is the new excitement in the halls of industry, this kind of interaction also has been inherited in our genes since our ancestors started to use their hands. In our digital world, GUI is presented in a very complex way; but from my understanding based on the example about my niece, gestural interaction design should be easily accessible and naturally learned by people. This is the reason why Gesture and touch-based systems are very well accepted today and have become popular in very short time.

Great Wall of Facebook:

 

A very interesting anecdote about the competition between Facebook and Google is that both companies have changed the way we access and choose our needs from many resources. Facebook has grown so fast because it has developed an innovative way connect people to other people and provide an enormous source of personal data. Also, in a more broader way Google helps us connect to relevant information that we want to access to. Although it seems that they both started to develop from the same field to compete with each other (such as  Google+  becoming a popular social website), they still play different roles in our daily lives and both are very important for us .

I think the internet users will benefit in the future from this kind of competition between major internet companies. In the future, these kinds of competitions for social experiences will create more user friendly experiences and we can get more personalize resources or searching tools.

 

Why Bill Joy: The Future Doesn’t Need Us:

Should Human’s Technology replace human or will technology will replace human by offering highly intelligent robot and computers? This is the main issue in article that author wants to discuss with us.

In my opinion, I think Technology can be only operated by human themselves and run only in a very designed and semi-limited fashion. Humans will always be the only inventor and in the position to update information, functions, commands and revise, provide, create innovations for any kinds of future devices. So I don’t think technology will replace us in the future. On the contrary, human will play a more significant role in the consumption and invention of technology.

 

 

Aug 28

Facebook ReInvented

There are two main issues I aim to address in my facebook update. The first is the isolation that facebook users may feel when constantly engaging online instead of face to face with others. Not only are we spending less time with each other, but most users present a very polished and edited version of their lives to the internet. It is not uncommon to see a picture of a user taken from a particularly flattering angle (probably one that no one would ever see from), with a status depicting the perfect weekend. If you scroll down a little further you may even see a video from a cool new band. What we aren’t seeing, what is not being posted, is a picture of this person on their couch watching tv, we aren’t hearing about the huge zit that just appeared on their forehead, and we aren’t seeing the video of the (insert lame music here). We have found a way to isolate and pick and choose what parts of our lives we want people to see. This has added to the isolation that one may feel when actively using social media sites like Facebook.

The second issue is that when we read what others have written, it is often difficult to discern tone, mood, or any other speech indicator. The aural personal touch of communication is lost. Facebook has recently added a function that when a user posts a status update they can indicate how they are feeling. I suggest that we integrate an audio aspect to Facebook statuses and comments. You may receive hundreds of “happy birthday”s on Facebook but really most of them are all the same. Literally the words “happy birthday” written over and over again on your wall, to the point where it has become meaningless. With the audio addition to facebook you can hear all the different voices of friends around the world.

The way it would work is that there would be an option to voice record a comment or status and with speech to text service, the status or comment would be typed out and ready for submission. The voice would be recorded and stored by Facebook and would be accessible just by scrolling over the text.

Here’s what I mean:

(Sorry, the resolution is all wacky, i’ll show a better version in class)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoCh8c7K4Ys&feature=youtu.be

Helpful articles:

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2012/05/is-facebook-making-us-lonely/308930/

http://www.worldcrunch.com/culture-society/social-envy-study-finds-facebook-causes-depression-and-isolation/zuckerberg-social-network-health-depression-fb/c3s10718/