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Interactive Shakespeare http://cct205groupproject.wikispaces.com/


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HISTORY OF THE INTERNET
Amazing visualization of the history of the internetz. enjoy :)

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=**Lab 1 Assignment**=

*Personal Change camp Idea
Everyone has different ideas on effective learning methods, naturally as everyone has unique learning styles and preferences inside the classroom. In order to address the different backgrounds, and varied requirements in the classroom that depend heavily on the student, the subject matter, and the institution a change camp type event would be beneficial in categorizing and understanding the diversity of the users.
 * If I were to organize a change camp event, I would base this on eLearning through virtual environments.

Utilizing a change camp style event when attempting to learn the impact on the end users is effective since the target audience has the opportunity to actively impact the design and implementation of an eLearning environment. When designers and engineers are set with the task of developing a complex system, it makes obvious sense to listen to the users. Also, a collaborative environment is effective in highlighting differences between user groups. Not only does this allow the designers to better understand their target audience, the users themselves are able to better envision how an eLearning environment can have an effect not only on their own learning experience, but how it can effect their peers as well. I feel that learning is best done through collaboration, so a change camp event in it self would be an easy way to prototype an eLearning environment which would aim to increase collaboration and interaction between students and instructors without the limiting factors of the physical classroom.**

=Lab 2 Assignment=

OLPC neo-colonial trojan horse

 * The OLPC is truly a neo-colonial trojan horse by using it's wireless technology, internet connectivity, and collaborative software to offer the third-world; an area where there lacks the infrastructure to be a part of the globalized world, and opportunity to mobilize through learning and knowledge with out the physical limitations present in developing nations. Just as french, and english created colonies in africa from the propagation of their respective dialects, the OLPC is a language, or mobilizing tool that allows communities across developing nations to use each other, the users as the network of knowledge. This creates a channel amongst all OLPC users that offers the anonymity of the internet where users are free to speak their mind, to organize each other through common interests and to simply communicate and connect with the rest of the world.

The OLPC is not just a computer, it's a forum for knowledge that is created amongst users that work in a similar way to the forums and blogs work to mobilize users of common interests. The OLPC's function matches its form in the purest way as it not only exists as a tool within a class room for knowledge, but it also brings users that would otherwise only have face to face contact as a means of communication a forum for discussion and interaction- a luxury that we, the developed world often foresee every time we engage in social media.**

=Lab 3 Assignment=

Is the iPad revolutionary

 * The iPad i believe is not revolutionary, it simply is evolutionary in the sense that it bridges the gap between the MacBook and the iPod Touch to create a user experience that is mobile, simplified, and gesture based like the iPod touch and incorporates some of the more advanced CPU intensive functions of a laptop into a sleek tablet. The general formula of the iPod touch has been adapted to the larger screen of the iPad to create a similar user experience. Home screens with your favourite applications and core functions are displayed with a larger resolution, the ebook, and media organization is handled by itunes, and gestures act in a similar function.

Now to talk about some features that separate the iPad from the iPod or the MacBook is the form factor of course, but the design of the form factor more importantly is based around traditional print media. It is a near letter sized representation that is very well suited for online magazines and publications. I think this is definitely the core value of the iPad as it allows users to view PDF files in a life like format allowing control with familiar gestures. This is huge for online publications as now they have a fully interactive and powerful format for them to push ebooks that not only display scanned versions of their favourite publications, but to allow interactive embedded advertisements, articles and to seamlessly integrate print with streaming media for a more robust reading experience.**

=Lab 4 Assignment=

***Social media: Does it keep the user connected or disconnected from society?**
I believe that there isn't a set answer to this question. I believe that he answer lies more in context, as in what kind of context does twitter, or facebook have within your social circle? Looking at past technology, it was clear that users made choices on software platforms based not only on their immediate needs and interests, but on the recommendation of friends and other trusted sources. Likewise, when considering social media one must not decide to use a form of communication based on buzz, rather they should chose a mode of communication between their peers that allows for simple and easy communication amongst your peers, rather than choosing what appears to be the most possible. Even though twitter and new social media sites appear to be taking over the world, the effect is largely magnified due to the fact that progressive technology gets covered much more often than older communication platforms like MSN messenger, or IRC (Internet relay chat). They way I see it, one would only be disconnected from their social circle if they choose to switch their means of communication from the means that is largely popular within their group.

The other argument is that regardless of platform or preferences amongst your peers, using the internet to engage in two-way communication seems foolish when one can simply call or visit their friend in person. Yes, going online and signing into a social media site to engage in conversation with someone you see all the time seems useless, but when your friend lives thousands of miles away or has a schedule that is the complete opposite of yours, the role of social media sites become apparent. Unlike real-time chat programs, new social media sites are not limited by the function of time or distance.

The idea that social media disconnects or connects one from society boils down to how much one uses a social media website. A heavy user will generally seem more disconnected from reality simply because they use a virtual mean of communication as their primary avenue. A light user will seem more connected with society simply because they do not use a computer. It is all relative to your social circle. If your social circle prefers to go on raids in WoW instead of going to the dance club, then generally a virtual means of interaction will be more beneficial to the group. One has to decide which world they can participate more freely and effectively in and as a result will be a truer reflection of self. The virtual and real world are not mutually exclusive, rather the connections between the two depend heavily on the type of connections one has established with his or her surrounding peers.

=**Lab 5 Assignment**=

*"If you have something that you dont want anyone to know, maybe you shouldn't be doing it in the first place"

 * This statement is true to a certain ext ent in my opinion when dealing with publishing news or actions on a social media site, lets use facebook as an example. If a user is posting images, text, or any sort of information regarding illegal or harmful actions then of course I can agree with the above statement and simply say that the user should not engage in these tasks if so. When considering more sensitive personal information, then this statement is a bit flawed. All of us who use facebook have very diverse range of relationships with our facebook friends. Some are random users ho have added you because they hold some interest with certain content on your page, or you might simply know them exclusively online. Some of our friends we see everyday and some of our friends live hundreds of miles away. Because the level of trust and friendship across facebook friends varies so much, a user must always consider the wide range of friends they have added when publishing anything to their public profile. There are various security settings that allow the user to filter certain types of posts to specific users but I believe the first line of defense does lie in the fact that the user must be aware of their privacy settings, and who exactly they are targetting this information towards. Regarding data mining pertaining to search engines like google, I believe that there should be some level of monitoring involved. For instance, if the government suspected a specific user as a "terrorist" I would not disagree with monitoring their search items to investigate. I see the information super highway, aka the internet as a highly public domain and thus individuals should handle themselves as they would in a regularly monitored area. If one has sensitive or personal information to share with another person, they should avoid writing down things and simply discuss verbally. Once a user starts recording information, the user acknowledges that they are the author and can be quickly retrieved and duplicated by a third party. Simply discussing personal things or engaging in what some people call "gossip" is simply hear say, there is no way to accurately duplicate and trace back this type of communication.

An interesting article reagarding Google's search algorithm http://gizmodo.com/5477889/inside-googles-secret-search-algorithm **

=Lab 6 Assignment=

**"Power is not only what you have, but what an opponent thinks you have"**

 * I believe this term has importance when considering branding, or developing a public image for the appearance of superiority, distinction, power, and inspiration. Many of the individuals within an organization would hardly feel the need to tell everyone they see about how wonderful their employer is, but an iconic symbol, label, or other sort of visual artifact can. With careful marketing, public relations, and other development, companies, business, and individuals can project authority over their field of expertise.

This concept also relates to everyday life in general where individuals who are more assertive, participatory, and confident have more opportunities at success. Naturally, these individuals are able to project these qualities and are able to manage, or develop teams much more efficiently by being able to interact with a wider range of individuals in a wider range of situations. It would be difficult to lead a team without possessing these qualities, as a shy or timid leader would not be able to address the numerous issues and expected conflicts.

In essence, one must be careful to not only possess forward thinking qualities, but also to understand the appropriate ways to communicate their intentions.**

=Lab 7 Assignment=

***Identify an implementation that you think best demonstrates web 2.0 and explain why**
Web 2.0 was an important step in the development of the world wide web as it moved authorship and control from the few wealthy early adopters and enthusiasts, to the average user who could log in at any time to create, participate, and control their experience in an easy manner. Now that technology has become easily affordable for the developed world, the internet has the infrastructure to support authorship by storing countless blogs, social media sites, photo albums, chat logs, and various other user created content. With this sudden power shift, the illusion of the user controlled experience has been inflated when large web sites often record and mine information for important marketing data or usage information.

The web site that best demonstrates web 2.0 to me is Facebook. It is truly amazing to see how Facebook developed from a social media site that aimed to connect fellow university students to a full fledged social media monster that has continued dominating the social media market stealing users from other social media sites like myspace, who has felt the hit the hardest. Users are able to interact on numerous levels, from being able to connect with old classmates, co-workers, and even future co-workers. Groups allow unfamiliar users to associate over common interests, fan pages allow celebrities and other popular figures to advertise or gain support, and Facebook chat allows user to chat in real-time. Although there are some businesses and corporations advertising in facebook, without the user support and interaction they are deemed useless. The active support over time instead of in an instance like a typical ad banner, proves to be important as it not only reaches the direct user, but through information feeds to all the user's friends as well.

=**Lab 8 Assignment**=

*E-learning
Bloom's Taxonomy involves the consideration of creation, evaluation, analyzing, application, understanding, and knowledge. I believe this taxonomy is especially important in an e-learning environment but the one implication that must be considered is the presence of having an actual, physical student in the classroom as a learning tool to develop social skills and manners that otherwise cannot be communicated or implied through text or digital mediums. My belief is that E-learning will not be created to replace the physical classroom, but to supplement the current classroom as an extra curricular learning tool. If it is to be implemented successfully into the education system, I believe that it MUST start off as an after school activity or team just like the basketball team, yearbook committee, or the debate team. Once these students can be used to test the effectiveness of the e-learning application, they must also be compared with other teams so some sort of competitive method in the e-learning tool might be necessary to fuel development.

If there were an ideal way to use the knowledge learned in class to an easily modifiable, adjustable, and easy to use application that can test the students on their knowledge after school or at home, it would set up a space for students to practice, test, and compare their knowledge with other students, and classes. It would be interesting to see how teachers abilities to affect growth on students' knowledge would be compared to students' scores or performance in the learning tool.

= = = = =Personal Narrative=

Navaneethan Sivabalaviknarajah CCT205 – Digital Innovation and Cultural Transformation Personal Narrative: My First Design Job Two weeks had passed since I started my co-op position at Research in Motion as a conceptual user interface designer. It was a huge opportunity for me to finally experience the life of a designer working for a cutting edge technology company. The job challenged me and immersed me with brilliant ideas and people; I was convinced before I even started that it was my dream job.

I wake up at 8:00 am everyday and drive the short 5 minute route down University Avenue and turn on Philip Street into RIM Campus. RIM Park is massive. The complex is composed of over 10 multi-story buildings, dominating the surrounding landscape. My position at RIM held me responsible for being a part of the Concept Group’s Advanced Ergonomics Team. It was me and Behzad, a mechanical design co-op working with two product designers, Jerome a PhD in electrical engineering, and Ryan an MSc in mechanical engineering. The group was lead by Steven, an 8 year old veteran of the Concept Group who on his very first co-op term independently developed a fully functional phone prototype. Every full-time member of the team has the skills to develop phones from concept to working full function prototype within a few months. I was the only non-engineering student on the team; I had a graphic design background. The job duties were a grey area at first. Being a part of a multi-disciplinary collaborative team required the team members to be flexible. I knew my strengths were in interface design, but my team members saw me as the graphic design whiz. It was a flattering title, but it meant that I would handle designing project summaries, presentation posters, design documents, diagrams, logos, and various other non-interface development related tasks. I never turned down an assignment, I loved being able to work so closely with such cutting edge concepts.

Two major interface design projects had been given to me and I had neared completion of one, which was assigned to me by Ryan. The other project assigned to me by Jerome was something I worked frequently on, but because it was in early stages of development, it required a lot of careful planning and evaluation. The project aimed to develop a mobile device for the youth market with a focus on social media. This had been Jerome’s first major device since joining RIM a year ago, so he held it with high regard. Jerome would assign me an application or function, and I would develop detailed wireframes portraying the different states of the device as the user interacted with them. He expected flow charts with device screen shots that were near production quality due to my graphic design background, which proved to be troublesome in hindsight.

Jerome and I booked a meeting room to present my findings to him on a weekly basis. I would spend long hours toying with current interfaces, and once I had an understanding of the current implementation I would work towards refining and developing interactions for the new concepts. After spending long hours researching and designing the wireframes to visualize the interactions with my newly developed interface, Jerome would critique. During our first few meetings he would point out aesthetic qualities like colour selection, gradient direction and font choice before critiquing any of the functional components that I worked so hard on of my newly developed interface concepts. This was frustrating because he was critiquing my style rather than critiquing the new components of the interface. I would gladly take the advice, improve upon my mistakes and then book another meeting to discuss the project. He wanted me to learn through reiteration. Jerome felt that I would learn interface design most effectively by pumping out as many concepts as possible, instead of focusing on making a few quality prototypes. It took me longer than it should have to speak to Jerome about my problems with our meetings because I trusted his academic background and I was scared to hinder my chances of getting hired in the future. Meeting after meeting, Jerome and I continued to disagree about various design choices until we ended one meeting in a yelling match, bringing our snail like progress to a stop.

With a month remaining, I knew I had to fix things between me and Jerome if I wanted to complete my part of the project. I decided to email Jerome with a few of my concerns. I outlined the need for clearer expectations and constraints so that I don’t get lost on the wrong path. I wanted positive reinforcement when I was doing something right, instead of constant criticism about fine details that aren’t crucial to my main ideas. Most importantly, I outlined the need to move the meetings from hour long arguments in a board room, to valuable discussion at my desk where Jerome and I could work on developing the user interface on the computer screen together.

Thereafter, Jerome would visit my desk whenever free to sit and work with my user interface prototypes. Our disagreements were solved on screen by simply opening two windows and comparing both our ideas while making changes along the way. Small details or features that needed changes were executed immediately, and were no longer the focus during meetings. We were able to work together allowing Jerome to explain his reasoning in a concrete manner, while I was able to better communicate my cutting edge ideas by showing them on screen. Our ideas and changes were tested and implemented immediately instead of wasting time waiting for meetings to discuss our ideas.

The boardroom meeting atmosphere proved to be ineffective when discussing interface design prototypes. I helped my team member re-evaluate his strategic power by moving his meetings from the overly formal, business atmosphere of the board room to the desk of the designer. When working on prototype sketches that are heavily dependent on core features, it is beneficial for the engineer to work collaboratively right beside the designer. Jerome realized this quickly and we became much more effective as a result. We finished the project successfully and presented our findings to a VP. My fellow team members were happy with my performance and offered me another 4 month term in the summer, I can’t wait to go back!