CRITICAL OBJECTS // PROJECT 2:
ASSIGNMENT:
- Make Critical Object that utilizes Humor as a DEVICE
- Choose a TOPIC, an ATTRIBUTE, and a MOOD
- The technology should be conspicuous and of a high finish (meaning your Arduino / Wires / Motors / etc. should not be visible)
- Document your progress, prototypes, discoveries, and final piece
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PROPOSAL:
THE IDEA
Right off the bat Cody and I wanted to make something that was a simple, but effective object. Inspired by the work we did with design futures and creating artifacts that could belong in a bodega, we also wanted something that could see as a usable consumer device.
After bouncing some concepts back and forth, we thought an interesting and very timely topic to explore would be protest. The past 5 years have seen huge cultural upheavals from many corners of the globe and from more left and right leaning groups alike. One particular subject we closed in on was the effectiveness of digital protest.
In many ways digital protest can be highly effective in disseminating information, mobilizing people to show up in other ways (physical protests, fundraising, boycotts etc.), and garnering support. However, in some cases online protest, especially in regard to social media, can become tools of performance that are used to merely promote the a personal ‘brand’ to a social echo chamber of like-minded individuals. One example that immediately comes to mind is the black square posting that took social media by storm during the BLM protests.
THE OBJECT ITSELF
Our initial plan is to make a device that conveys this disconnect between effective protest and performative activism by taking a toy megaphone, a shape/object that is associated with protest, and turning it into an empty object that serves no purpose other than virtue signaling online.
Designed as a productivity device for the young working professional that is trying to balance it all while also being socially engaged, it will take this concept of empty posting to the extreme by allowing the user to simply press a topic button that will post to BlueSky for them. After pressing the button the user will hear a heavenly tone that rewards their saintly behavior.
CONSTRAINTS
The design constraints we have chosen are:
- Topic: Performative Allyship Online
- Device: Humor – Sarcasm
- Attribute: Interactive
- Mood: Convenience
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IN CLASS EXPLORATION // PROTOTYPING
After discussing prototyping in class Cody and I had a couple of questions we wanted to explore:
- Does the form of the megaphone actually matter?
- What configuration of buttons might make the most sense from a user perspective both as a portable object and as a non-portable object?
ABC
- The item should tell a decent amount of the story without your help
My item needed a lot of my verbal storytelling in order to sell the object which made it less effective in some ways. When thinking about the function of an object, being able to tie it to other objects or actions in the story can make that object ‘speak’ louder. - Think about the small details that can really sell an idea
All in all, the small details of design really matter when it comes to color, material, and contextualizing it in the story. In this case the visual queues from packaging also helped a lot- don’t just think about the design of the object itself but think of it holistically.
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REFLECTION:
Overall…
Things to keep in mind:
- ABC
T - ABC
M - ABC
A
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itp oddities 
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