week 05. outlining website uses + privacy levels.

I've been focused on basically the outline/site map of the website itself this past week. The last post was of the current three interaction options of storytelling, in the general meaning. I started to think about the connection/interaction of users on the website. The main thing that came up was the idea of privacy levels for memories. My initial thoughts are that there are no friends or connections that you make on the website, we are simply all together—so in a way everyone is already "friends" or connected. Each post can be only visible to author(s), visible to all users, visible to only those who have the link to the memory (basically for sharing with people who do not have an account or specific users that you give the link to).

This next week, I am going to wireframe out more of these interactions and moments of experience in the website. I also am going to start thinking about what actual pieces I want to have created by the end of the project, other than the website look + feel. I need to start the first stages of branding/naming too.

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WEBSITE.
4 main uses.

1. creating a memento based on the memory
pdf.
artsy video.
book.
poster.
card.
other.

2. connecting with users.
email.
commenting on posts/memories.
co-authoring memories.
creating an artsy video based on another user’s memory.

3. posting a memory.
written content.
audio.
video.
imagery.
combination of the four.

4. finding a memory.

search via tags/topics.

search video storyteller/author.

search via post time + date.

randomize.

most comments.

privacy/share levels.

you’re automatically in the mixing pool, there are no friends.

profile (everyone can see it).

memory (only author(s). link only viewing. every user can view it.).

memento (only author(s). link only viewing. every user can view it.).

the wireframes take 01.

first way to interact. 

post a story, similar to how you would post something on Facebook. The user has the ability to post written text, video, sound clips/music/voice memo and/or photographs. This is more in the act of having documented the event.

second way to interact.

create a souvenir based off of correspondence that you have had while a part of this website. You can create a poster, magazine, book, card, etc with full emails that you have sent back and forth, quotes from the emails, comments that you posted on the website or other imagery that you've sent or received on the website.





third way to interact.
create an experience based on all of these bits of materials that the user has collected. This is more of a creative, artsy or emotional expression of the event. Moreso this is the fun part and not super documentary focused, but emotion, feel, texture of moment that is being recreated.

week 04. the cold/flu.

I learned this week that when the mind gives up on a body, that is often when the cold/flu sneaks in.

My hope is that over the weekend my health comes back to where I can think more, as it is currently sketchy and disconnected. I need to find my content this weekend that I will be mainly working with and then start the branding of my website/book/magazine/degree project. I wish that I had more to type, but really this cold/flu took over everything.

constantly in place.

It’s funny to me that this project has been moving, like my life has been since I’ve been out here in the MO. I keep hitting some form of roadblock and wanting to derail. I’ve been struggling with this idea of how I will obtain content to use in my website and then where to find a test audience, for the feedback later. I have been letting the deadlines rule me and not taking them. I am more afraid to fail then I am excited to succeed.

I need to figure something out with what I’m doing with content; I think that’s the main thing that I’m struggling with. Where is this information/stories that I’m pulling from? I really need to figure that out this weekend to get myself back on path, whatever that path really is.

What I still believe about my project is that: it will focus on interaction between individuals, there will be more than one way to experience the content, there will be a way to communicate + build connections, it has to be deal with storytelling.

Here’s to hoping I have another post soon about what I am actually doing; or will at least know by Wednesday when that poster is due.

week 01 + 02 presentation.

De Sando Degree Project Presentation 01

week 02. the struggle is real.

pre week + week 01. this is where I stand.

The PRE-week before the semester, aka winter break allowed me time to look around at similar websites and apps replicating what I wanted to do for my senior degree project. Also, I started to read articles and a couple books about the technology, current design layout + interactive options, and storytelling in general. My main focus was on attempting to narrow what I specifically wanted my project to cover. I wanted to find the best way to get two different crowds of individuals to interact. What I really ran into though was the issue of not knowing people’s technology skills, as well as if these individual had a desire to join such a community.

I know that personally I am interested in community building, learning stories and interacting with individuals, many of which are often older than me. There is so much potential for information distribution between various age levels or generations and I want to find the best way to establish this connection.

Over the past 7 years in college, I have realized how much I truly crave that interaction, storytelling and connecting with those highly intellectual or dedicated individuals. Recently, I have started to wonder though, if it’s just me that has this need for that connection and if my project is aiming to an audience that does not exist.

I was initially interested in this project because of this friendship that I had created with one of my professors from community college. Through our correspondence, over the last three years, I have realized that not only has it been a friendship that has helped me but also him. He has been a bit of inspiration and motivation that has kept me constant over the past years. Yes, I have had other supporters, but he’s not family, so it’s even more important to me because it is entirely of his own will. We both have had our own share of scarring events in our life, but it’s the connection over those events even if not spoken in full story.

The main project forms have been website and annual/biannual magazine. My research has led me to look more into advertising award winners such as The One Show Interactive + Communication Arts Magazine Winners. I read Participate:Designing with User-Generated Content + I’m in the middle of The New DigitalStorytelling: Creating Narratives With New Media. I’ve been learning about different types of storytelling over the years as technology has developed, which has been making me question if my current focus is where it should be or if I’m far off.

The feedback that I have received when describing my project to individuals has been a positive one + seems as though people can see it moving in different directions, which has also been leading me to question if I am focused on the correct topic.

Similar websites that I have been looking at that are starting to be what I want is Remember, Cowbird, Blinkbuggy, Ancestry + Facebook's Timeline feature. Two iPhone apps that I was briefly looking at was the Lucid Dreaming App + Morpheus Dreams App. Now, I realize that neither are the storyteller that I was speaking about above, but it's another form of making connections + saving stories.

To Do.

This next week I need to figure out what my focus + audience is soon and research more. Keep myself on a solid track.