Research Question

Thesis Studio 1 Prof. David Carroll, Louisa Campbell Jiyeon Kang Blog Link (documentation)

I have developed my first idea of “wearable data” which is fashion as an interface of self-data dashboard or an interactive e-textile that reacts to a wearer’s emotion, surroundings, physical conditions. Instead of just displaying the quantified self-data, I would like to investigate further on self-identity. We all have distinct concepts of ourselves, one’s self-identity often reflects on our behavior of choosing from small everyday choices like buying a product, to a lifetime choice like finding a partner.

Impetus & Idea People tend to choose, buy brands which are congruent with their identities or beliefs.

For my thesis, I want to research more on the relationships between self-identity and brand identity to figure how we buy, choose and attract with particular preferences for the brand that has similar identities with ourselves.

From my background in both visual communication design and advertising (marketing), I have a strong knowledge in consumer psychology, brand communication, and branding. As a branding designer, I had always tried to create visual identities which express each brand or company’s message, concept, and identity with integrated research on each brand’s unique selling proposition.

For design research, I will use various research methods. I will first create a hypothetical example semantic network based on research on cognitive psychology, market research. Also, I will conduct surveys, interviews as well as an analysis of my consumption patterns as an experimenter.

Through the research, I would like to implement an interactive design project by utilizing technologies that I have learned in the domain of self-quantification, data visualization wearable technology.

Design Question & Core Attributes exercise How we unconsciously identify oneself with brand identities when choosing.

How personality traits and self-identity affect individual’s brand preferences? : A design simulation and experimental investigations on the congruence between brand personality, self-image, and self-expression.

Brands always tell us something else, not just say “buy me.” Most branded contents, products have a brand identity which accompanies brand image and brand communication. It can be logos, copywriting, package design, slogans, etc. I want to analyze the brand personality and communication messages that those brands try to communicate with a consumer to match them with our self-conceptions.

Image Source : ​http://www.adslogans.co.uk/site/pages/home/hall-of-fame.php

● What kinds of explorations motivate your creative practice?

I’m currently taking Sabine Seymour’s Fashionable Technology to explore the domain of wearable fashion or device which are functional and aesthetic at the same time. Also, With fabrication and physical computing studies, this exploration within the domain of fashion tech will be a valuable investigation for my creative iteration to make an interactive e-textile interface which interacts with a wearer. Also, the current movement of customized fashion (there is a new trend to custom-tailor the technology) also motivated my creative process a lot.

● What conceptual, aesthetic, and technical questions drive this project as a whole?

My previous thesis concept was a wearable art that expresses self-identity.

So, the questions for designing are in line with my new research question as well.

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What if a costume would be an interface that shows quantified self?

What if I wear my personal data as a costume?

How can I create a real-time data visualization that can be connected to a tangible interface?

I wanted to show a wearer’s personal data by utilizing a garment as an interface. I thought It would be a novel, artistic data physicalization project, expanding the realm of visual communication.

I found a similar work regarding visual representation and the use of technologies, from ITP thesis 2016. https://itp.nyu.edu/thesis2016/project/jingwen-zhu

● What are the core uncertainties of your investigation?

The first core uncertainty is how I can figure each random individual’s personality and identity are relevant to each brand. It will require quantitative, qualitative research methods. Or I set myself as a subject for investigating the correlation between my preference for choosing a brand and the brand identities as an example at first.

Bibliography @arselectronica. "Ars Electronica Blog - Wearable Electronics: Body-Borne Technology." Ars Electronica Blog. October 08, 2015. Accessed September 19, 2016. http://www.aec.at/aeblog/en/2014/10/27/wearable-electronics/​.

Achouri, Mohamed, and Néji Bouslama. "The Effect of the Congruence between Brand Personality and Self-Image on Consumer’s Satisfaction and Loyalty: A Conceptual Framework." ​IBIMABR IBIMA Business Review Journal, 06, 2010, 1-17. doi:10.5171/2010.627203.

Bilgili, Bilsen, and Emrah Ozkul. "Brand Awareness, Brand Personality, Brand Loyalty And Consumer Satisfaction Relations In Brand Positioning Strategies (A Torku Brand Sample)." ​JGSM Journal of Global Strategic Management 2, no. 9 (12, 2015): 89. doi:10.20460/jgsm.2015915576.

By Reimagining Reddit Conversations as Epic Verse, What Can We Learn about the Nature of Online Identity? "ITP 2016 Thesis." ITP 2016 Thesis. Accessed September 19, 2016. https://itp.nyu.edu/thesis2016/project/jingwen-zhu.

Perez, Sarah. "Google’s New Project Muze Proves Machines Aren’t That Great at Fashion design."

TechCrunch. September 02, 2016. Accessed September 19, 2016. https://techcrunch.com/2016/09/02/googles-new-project-muse-proves-machines-arent-that-greatat-fashion-design/.

Tugend, Alina. "Putting Yourself Out There on a Shelf to Buy." The New York Times. March 27, 2009.

Accessed September 19, 2016. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/28/your-money/28shortcuts.html?_r=0.

Tutorialspoint.com. "Consumer Behavior Personality and Self Concept." Www.tutorialspoint.com.

Accessed September 19, 2016. https://www.tutorialspoint.com/consumer_behavior/personality_and_self_concept.htm.