Thesis thoughts (I need a better system for this)
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Nicole Sylianteng
Oct 8, 2012, 11:49:56 PM10/8/12
to Thesis
From my discussion with Amit a while back, I liked the idea of bridging the gap between the new and the familiar.
I don't know why, but for some reason I have these thoughts on making something using "low high tech"
I am discovering a lot of physical hindrances with the people I'm tutoring, but that isn't really where my interests lie. I am more interested in the difficulties that arise due to differing mental models. Metaphors would be useful here. Technology that adapts to the user and not the other way around.
Guri Venstad
Oct 9, 2012, 12:06:27 AM10/9/12
to nicole.s...@gmail.com, Thesis
I think we can all learn something from this article:
Nicole Sylianteng
Oct 11, 2012, 4:44:16 PM10/11/12
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Tuesday:
My friend and I had a discussion about my topic and she kept prodding me about why i was looking at older people. She said her husband's grandfather is 92 and has an iPhone. It might have to do with the fact that he was once a NASA engineer. We talked about how it would be interesting to talk to those people. The ones who are older but still in touch.
Wednesday:
Feeling torn about the "research" and what I would make. I'm feeling a disconnect...
Thursday:
I'm finding myself second guessing myself and assuming I know what I'm going to hear from certain people I'm planning to talk to. Feeling stuck in the weeds. This is NOT how I want to feel. A dear friend told me I should take on these characters in this order: explorer, artist, judge, warrior.
- explore new things
- artist is creative
- judge is the one that nitpicks
- warrior is the one that has the discipline
Got in touch with someone at the senior home and showed her my past projects. She said I should have a discussion with the professor if I was more interested in more advanced / cognitive barriers. I think she was concerned that one of my students is at a very basic level and I was looking at something more "advanced".
Emailed both the professor and her assistant, showed them past projects, and set up a time to talk tomorrow or Monday morning. Talking to a lot of people tomorrow (Friday) to get more of their stories, perspectives, what they want to do, what got them interested, etc. Focusing more on the cognitive barriers/disconnects.
I think I've been really scared to show them stuff I've done and get feedback, but I think this is what will bring the making and the goal back into the picture.
"Can curiosity be taught?"
"What is the problem I want to tackle -- the people/their mindset or the interfaces?"
On Mon, Oct 8, 2012 at 11:49 PM, Nicole Sylianteng <nicole.s...@gmail.com> wrote:
Nicole Sylianteng
Oct 21, 2012, 12:41:39 AM10/21/12
to Thesis
Sunday-Wednesday:
There is a scene in Goodwill Hunting where Matt Damon sees a girl he likes and Robin Williams asks why not talk to her? Matt Damon then plays the scene out in his head, and ends up playing their entire relationship (that doesn't in the slightest bit exist yet) in his head. He still hasn't talked to her.
I think that's what I'm suffering from right now. I'd like to think of it more as "What do you want to start?" rather than "What do you want to do?" (of course this will never completely escape us, but it's hard enough as it is.) Maybe I should just start with anything. Like with what Amit and I talked about at the start to get that out of my system?
Thursday:
Feeling really stressed out. This is not how I want to feel during thesis. Decided to just take more action. Asked my relatives how they currently store their passwords and if they could share a photo. Many of them put it in spreadsheets since there are so many. Some keep it on their computers and others print them out and put them in their wallets. Some thoughts on a tangible user interface.
Friday:
Spent almost all day at the home. Planted a Wired magazine on the newspaper table in their library, and stood by spying. No interesting reactions yet. Accidentally left it there.
Saturday:
I want to be in my element, and have fun during thesis. I kind of want my thesis to be an excuse to do all my side projects. Read a lot of stuff today about Curiosity and Playfulness which is present in a lot of my work, and actually, all of my life. Kind of connects to my thoughts on whether curiosity can be taught. There is a lot of research done on Curiosity and playfulness in children, but not much in older adults.
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