Midterm Evaluations

Click here to download your (updated) evaluations to date.

Please note the following:

• The document has four pages: a summary of your evaluations to-date, followed by evaluations for Exercises One through Five, Project One and the first two parts of Project Two.
• The TOTAL in the summary is your midterm grade. If it is below 60%, you will be receiving an official Mid-term Warning email from me on or before February 25.
  
• In many cases, your midterm grades are poor because you have not labeled your work correctly. It is extremely difficult to locate specific blog posts. This is the purpose of the labels. If you feel that you have not been evaluated for work completed, please send me a single email message ASAP with the links to the post(s) in question, and I will update your evaluations accordingly.
  
• Several of you have not completed parts 1 and 2 of Project Two. These are giveaway grades! 5/5 was awarded to any student who posted five substantial toy ideas that were reasonably clearly communicated; similarly, 5/5 was awarded to any student who posted substantial constructive feedback. I will still be accepting toy proposals and feedback, but you must email me and let me know that you have made a post, and your posts will be subject to a late penalty of 25%. It will be difficult to pass Project Two without these two posts. In some cases, I can see that it was difficult to give substantial feedback as a result of insubstantial ideas. If you feel that you have been unfairly penalized as a result of this situation, please post feedback to a different set of proposals and let me know.

In general, I try to be as transparent and open as possible regarding evaluation procedures, and I welcome any questions you might have. This is not, however, an invitation to complain or attempt to renegotiate your evaluations. Evaluations are non-negotiable, except in the event of an error on my part.

I hope you're having a good break, and I look forward to testing your toy prototypes next week.

-Jesse

Exercise 9 - Karan Receipt # 16

Prose:

Okay okay..better go get my grocery done.. Don't need too many things, never do. Looks like I dont need a list; its the same everytime. I enter the store. I head straight into the veggie aisle without looking around for any damsels in distress.. I get here, I see what I want. I sprint, speed walk to those crispy juicy pears. I pick myself four knowing they will last a week and quickly make my way about the the snacks aisle. I pick up some crackers but just as I am leaving..I see a pile. A pile of something shiny. Something colourful. Its her. Its them. My childhood collection of cars I never had. Oh oh im going to buy them. I pick four to my liking but right before I put them in my cart I think..do I need these..do I? Expensive but they are needed. Oh well I can cut back on some food this week. I head to the international foods; buy myself basmati rice and some thai jasmin rice knowing I only love to eat pears and rice because I am on a very tight budge. And now my favourite, I head off into the coffee/tea section with a million varieties I head straight for the mint green packaging. This is what I have my pleasure in. This mint tea here.

He is indeed a grown man. From the outside. 

He is an artist; stereotyping? me? Yes. 

He seems to have almost no budget for anything and yet he doesn't buy too many things.

A knack  for tea while painting? Why not.

Child? Why ofcourse. On the inside that is, why else would he buy 4 toy cars for 6.99$ each..

image: [http://www.scientificillustrator.com/art/portrait/boy-painting.jpg]

Exercise Nine - Jeannie's Receipt #2 Narrative

PROSE:

Blame it on childhood trauma or a Freudian mishap, either way I have never gotten along with raccoons. Maybe it was because their thick black eyes are eerily similar to a psycho ex-girlfriend who fancied buffing her own in that same stupid way.

Getting rid of these pests involved careful crafting. I took my newly bought waffle cones, biscuits, cake and crisps and laid them in a consecutive row trailing into a dustbin. There, I hacked a roasted chicken and pegged them into the ground. I blasted some whip cream over the top for good measure.

Taking a sip of my beer, I stood back and marveled my work. It was beautiful. Nothing, man or animal, could resist this bait of epic proportions.

I grabbed my shovel and hid, waiting for the bastards to come my way.


VISUAL:




















(Photo courtesy of http://www.sxc.hu)

Exercise Nine: Receipt #8

Narrative 1

- Breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day. Is it really? The hassle of going about it can drive a person absolutely crazy. Getting up earlier to prepare it and arrange the time to sit down and actually eat it. Normally you see people on the road eating their damn breakfast because they would rather sleep in than wake up early to have this incredibly important nourishment, more important than lunch or dinner.
Wouldn’t it be ideal if we didn’t have to go through this, or we just didn’t have to go to work at all. Or at least go to work at more human hours like during the noon, just around lunch time. Eat lunch, and THEN go to work. Maybe people would be more happier with their jobs if this was the case.
Breakfast= Evil.

Narrative 2




(Photos from http://www.sxc.hu/)

Claudia receipt 7

Okay, so it's 5:00 if I do a quick shop before I get home then I can have dinner ready at 6:30-7:00 and be able to watch the new Buffy the Vampire Slayer with Amy at 8. That only gives us an hour to cook and eat...better make soup tonight. I am on a diet anyways. Should I pick up something else for Amy? No Cal your making her dinner, she doesn't need to eat meat. I won't have time to go shopping again tomorrow because I'm seeing Nick so I better get some more soup for lunch...soup is not really enough. I'll pick up some green beans and melba toast for a snack.

I know I have to be quick but since I'm here what else do i need ohh! Custard, my favourite better get some milk as well... my parents are coming over next week so tea, more milk and sugar for the cake. Toilet paper is running low, God, I'm thirtsy. Hey! that custards on sale same with Blue Band margarine, never heard of it better stick with Becel. Well I am making that cake, I'll get both. Okay 5:45 making good time I'll just get some dish detergent and then I'm done. Ah! Look how long that line is better get some water. Well I've been good this week I can get a pop...okay fine a Sisi orange, probably healthier. I can't believe in few months it will be Story's last issue! Where else can I read new short stories...I better google other magazines tonight after Buffy, if I even remeber. Oh! I almost forgot Amy wanted me to pick her up that magazine...what was it, not sports illustrated, come on where are the sports magazines. Oh her we go Football International I guess that's the one and it's only 6:08, Buffy here I come.

Claudia's Toys

1. small ball you roll in your hand making different colours swirl together

2. dice you can wear as accesories (earings, keychain, on cellphone, on belt loop) when you see friend or stranger with dice you both roll your dice and play together 

gun= took a shot 

bullseye= let your guard down

X= you are blocking

2 guns= points won that round are doubled

+1= you gain a point

-1= you loose a point

if opponent roles any side but block and you role a gun you gain a point, if you role 2 guns you get 2 points

if you both roll a X, bullseye or 2 guns no points are won

3. different coloured hats with a counter for "killed" and counter for "dead" side by side. This a game you play solo but incorporate the world around you into it. 

for example if your hat is blue your enemy is orange. When you see someone with a blue sweater you get one point on the "killed" side. This means you killed an enemy troop.

If you see someone with an orange shirt you get a point on the "dead" side. They have killed one of your troops.

You play up to 30 and you win or loose depending on which counter is at 30 first.

4. Subway take over game- A solo game you play on the ttc based on observations of passengers.

the game is played in a book with the TTC subway map on one side and a list of observations that equal either winning subways stations or loosing subway stations on the other.

 for example: seeing a trenchcoat equals taking over osgoode staion

seeing a gameboy equals your opponent wining victoria park staion...ect.

5. on each face of this turning cylinder is a different texture. Play with it in your hands 

Karan Toy Concept

Karan, Margarita, Kyla, Steph, Jeannie

NICOLE designer fashionista

LOVES:
graphic design
her MAC computer
magazines
blogging
fashion
vintage clothing

HATES:
Pijama pants in public
Crocs





WEARS: Make up, skinny jeans, boots, blazer jackets, vintage clothing
EATS: Fruits, veggies and nothing messy
LISTENS: Indie, metal, pop songs (guilty pleasure)
LIVES: near Queen St. in a small apartment with 2 room mates
_______________________________________________

JOE go with the flow artist

LOVES:
thrift stores
hanging out in a cafe
coffee
cigarettes
video games

HATES:
gossip magazines
chocolate
carrying his portfolio

WEARS: whatever is clean, graphic Ts, jeans and sneakers
EATS: Beer, McDonald's, whatever is in the fridge (mustard and crackers)
LISTENS: classic rock, new rock, alternative
LIVES: with his parents in Mississauga

Exercies 8, by Andrea, Gretchen, Christian and Garrett

Exercise Eight- Olivia, Claudia, Komal, Andrea

PERSONA'S

Daniel (male)

Loves: macs, computer programs
Hate: drawing
Wears: hair gel, shops at MEXX and H&M, stripped scarf, p-coat
Eats: vegetables, fruits, wraps, chicken salad and drinks hot chocolate.
Listens to: fiest, wilco, coldplay, alternative pop
Lives: apartment, lives off of spadina, roommate




Tesca aka rainbow peace child (female)

Love: painting with her body, flicker fan (blog), get high
Hate: conservatives, authourity
Wear: skinny jeans, sweet scarfs, bright clothes
Eat: vegan
Listen: sonic youth, regina spektor, art pop, spilled canvas, cat power
Lives: basement apartment, 3-5 roommates

Reference Material: Emotional Design 99-133

In his recent book Emotional Design, Donald Norman attempts to deconstruct fun several times, most usefuly on page 105, in reference to the work of human factors expert and designer Patrick Jordan, when he defines four types of pleasure: physio-pleasure, socio-pleasure, psycho-pleasure and ideo-pleasure.

Click here to download Emotional Design 99-133.

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"Fun and pleasure, alas, are not topics often covered by science. Science can be too serious, and even when it attempts to examine the issues surrounding fun and pleasure, its very seriousness becomes a distraction. Yes, there are conferences on the scientific basis of humour, of fun ("funology" is the name given to this particular endeavor), but this is a difficult topic and progress is slow. Fun is still an art form, best left to the creative minds of writers, directors and other artists. But the lack of scientific understanding should not get in the way of our enjoyment. Artists often pave the way, exploring approaches to human interaction that science then struggles to understand. This has long been true in drama, literature, art, and music, and it is these areas that provide lessons for design. Fun and games: a worthwhile pursuit." (Norman 100)

Exercise Nine: A Meeting in a Supermarket

This exercise is designed to continue to get you thinking in narrative, and about how narrative applies to user experience. Using one of the attached grocery store receipts as your inspiration/evidence, create two narratives. Post your narratives to the blog. At least one of these narratives should consist of more than just prose. Consider images, video, poetry and sound. Be creative! Here's an example of a variety of possible responses to a single receipt.

Your receipt assignments (the page number) are as follows:

Olivia: 1
Komal: 2
Kaitlynd: 3
Christian: 4
Andrea Chan: 5
Catherine: 6
Claudia: 7
Anna: 8
Annika: 9
Margarita: 10
Nicole: 11
Anthea: 12
Wendy: 13
Lesley: 14
Dennis: 15
Karan: 16
Stephanie: 1
Jeannie: 2
Kyla: 3
Andrea Rodriguez: 4
Gretchen Joy: 5
Garrett: 6

Exercise Nine is due at 08:30 on Wednesday, February 25, 2009.

Exercise Eight: OCAD Student Personas

As discussed today in class, your constructive feedback to your collegue's Project Two toy concepts should take the form of answers to the following questions:

How (or how not) is the prototype fun? Here, discuss design specifics of the toy - communication strategies, clever mapping, appropriate affordances, etc. - either in terms of design successes, or missed opportunities (and suggestions for improvement). Make reference to course material presentented to date where possible.

Why (or why not) is the prototype fun? Here, discuss your gut feelings about the toy's "fun-ness." This is a more subjective, synthetic and ultimately difficult question than the previous one. Make reference to our (or Donald Norman's) deconstruction of fun where possible.

Who (or who not) is the prototype fun for? This last question should be answered in terms of personas, summarized below. In short, list the which persona(s) the toy or game would appeal to. If none, posit a missing persona, or discuss why this toy or game is inappropriate for the target audience.

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"Personas (figure 5.8) are a documented set of archetypal people who are involved with a product or a service. . . . To create a persona, designers find a common set of behaviours or motivations among the people they have researched. This becomes the basis for the persona, which should be given a name, a picture, and a veneer of demographic data to make the persona seem like a real person."

(from Dan Saffer, Designing for Interaction, 89-119)

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The "veneer of demographic data" for your OCAD Student Personas will consist of, at a minimum, answers to the following questions:

What do they love?

What do they hate?

What do they wear?

What do they eat?

What do they listen to?

Where do they live?

In groups of four, generate two detailed personas, that consist of a name, an image and answers to the above questions, along with any other details that would help make the persona seem like a real person. Post your personas to the blog. Remember to include the names of all the members of your group in your post.

Exercise Eight is due at 11:30 on Wednesday, February 11.

Reference Material: Narrative

Click here to download the Narrative presentation.

Annika's Toy Concepts

1. Celebrity Mix-Up
2. Stackable wooden blocks in the shades of the colour wheel
3. Pin the Pony-tail on the Head
4. Pencil with basket to catch eraser
5. Personalized Stress Ball

Lesley's Toy Concepts

1. BalderSmash (drinking board game)
2. Lie Detector: Never Ever Have I Ever
3. Help Britney Grow Her Hair Plant
4. Lacrosse Table (Fooseball Style)
5. Personalized Rubix Cube (Paste On Pictures of Your Friends)

Garrets Game/Toy Design Roughs

Christians Toy Designs

My Five Game Designs

Intelli-Dice

Dictionary of Fun

Tiddly-Facts

Two Truths one Lie: Advanced

6 Degrees; Speed Round

Project Two - Toy Concepts

1 - FINGER SOCCER

slip on & play

2 - CLICKY TONGUE PEN

tongue sticks out when you click it

has moldable arms

3 - MOUSE HOUSE

mouse car

shoot through the mouse hole

4 - PHOTO WRITER

slip image/photo into clear flap

can write on it with washable markers

5 - SKY DIVE

see saw with a parachuted army man

hit down on one end to send him flying

Steph's Toy Concepts

Project Two - Olivia's Toy Concepts

Project 2- Kaitlynd

Project Two- Anna's Toy Concepts

Here you have to place the shapes into the right shaped hole.


Same in here, but you have to get them on the sides.

Here you have to get the ball on the sides.


More simple toy, but with two balls at the end of the string. Have to get both of them inside the tube.

As observed previously from my partner while she was playing with the original toy, she kept on complaining about the pain he wooden ball was causing on her hand. Here the ball is of a soft material.

Project Two - Andrea's Toy Concepts

Project Two Komal's toys concept

Project Two - Wendy's Toy Concepts

01) Decorate throw cushions with washable markers, grab some friends (or enemies), and have a pillow fight!
02) It's a picture frame with sand inside that will create the outline of an image once the sand settles. The top layer is the frame, and the middle layer is a plate with a stencil image in it so that the sand could pass between the frame and the box on the bottom.
03) Plush juggling clubs for the beginner jugglar. Comes in a set of three.
04) Build the frame of almost anything with this. It comes in a package with many more sticks and balls. The ends of the sticks are magnetic as are the balls, so that you can connect and detach them easily.
05) Tomato stress reliever filled with sand; perfect for the angry person. Ever been so aggravated that you just want to pull your hair out? Well save your strands, and throttle this instead.

Project Two - Jeannie's Toy Concepts

MY FIVE TOY COMCEPTS ARE:

1. Something similar to the potato head I always wanted as a kid, but I though it would be fun to use pop. culture things. In my opinion it would be fun to have various figurines like characters from Family Guy, Simpsons, Futurama, American Dad and South Park and allow the user to switch heads, torsos, shoes and various other items. For example you can take Futurama's Bender's head, add Simpson's Homer's chubby torso to it and well you got the idea.

2. I though it would be interesting to make something of a "fun experience". Like many of us have seen in various movies and cartoons where a ball is placed on an end of the platform and then the ball moves around pre-constracted tunnels and "things" setting off different interactions and sounds.

3. As boring as it sounds, I though it would be fun to make my own chess set (or maybe some other classic board game) by making figures out of various celebrities, politicians or cartoon characters (and instead of black and white maybe I can devide it in kids and seniors, or males and females, or politicians against cartoon characters and so on)

4. Another idea I had is to create some type of famous shape, that many of us know (ex. Dali's melted clock) or something else (haven't given it enough though yet). the shape would be all white and with the provided erasable markers so that you can doodle all over it. I think I would have to somehow attach those markers to the shape.

5. Last but not least, I though it would be amusing to create somekind of board game where the 100 Masters (artists) are used as game figure or cards. Although I can't come up with the idea, I really like that students like us can play a game and learn the names of some of the greatest artist. Maybe some type of a card game will do, like UNO...

Exercise SIx- Olivia's Toy

Exercise Seven Olivia and Komal