I N F LU E N C E Thematic Project By
Ben O’Donnell
www.benodonnell.com hello@benodonnell.com +447834230309
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Glasgow School of Art Cubesats - The Social Dimension Partner: Clyde Space Individual Project
BRIEF
CONTENTS Discover & Define 06 07 08 10 13 14
Brief CubeSat Research Step Cards Cultureberg Workshop Environmental Research Voting & Polling Research Develop
16 20 23 24 28
Design Opportunities Concepts Final Concept Thinking Through Making Visual Language Deliver
29 32 35
CubeSats- The Social Dimension This project provides a framework for you to investigate alternative ways of interacting with low earth orbit small satellites; and an opportunity to design imaginative artefacts, services, environments, experiences and interactions. Small satellites or CubeSats can undoubtedly facilitate such designs, and in this project, you are being asked to consider ways in which they can be used to both reveal and address the development of social and personal dynamics, which will, in all likelihood, connect people-people, people-things, and things-things. More specifically, you are being asked to speculate r egarding the ways in which small satellites can shape design experiences in various contexts - e.g. domestic, tourism, mobility, urban, rural etc.
Final Product Device Screen Walk Through Reflection
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DISCOVER
RESEARCH
Week One
CubeSats & Space
The project launch started with an introductory briefing of ‘CubeSats - The Social Dimension’ where in short, we were asked to work in small teams during week one, before continuing the project individually and develop a proposition using CubeSats to facilitate an opportunity to design imaginative artefacts, services, environments, experiences or interactions. Based on “the alternative now” our role as the designer was not to solve an existing problem, or improve upon the status quo looking from a technical or engineering stand point, but we were to develop an idea around how existing or emerging technologies could be used to mediate imaginative personal or social behaviors and interactions.
Week One involved desk research in our small tutorial groups around the themes of Small Satellites (CubeSats) with the intention of capturing insights of emerging societal shifts
The project launch was led by Andrew Strain from Clyde Space, who during this time, gave us a brief background on the topic of small satellites (CubeSats), a history of the Space age and also went into some details of the technical capabilities and uses of CubeSats. This presentation was a good time to ask Andrew questions and draw from his experiences, gaining any advice from his time within this industry. Although the project brief specifically stated the project outcome should not have a technical or engineering dependence or focus, I felt it was important at this early stage of the project to understand what exactly we were designing to work in collaboration with. Personally having little experience or knowledge on the vast topic that is Space I felt this was a weakness and so firstly began to research into the overall topic of CubeSats, looking at their position and relevance within the realm of Space.
My first port of call was to understand as much as possible and get an overview of Cubesats uses and technical capabilities. In doing this I would have a good grasp on the potential functionality and to what limits the project could be pushed.
SKETCHNOTING
This technique was introduced to me on exchange by my tutor at the time, Christina Wodtke, whilst studying in a class in which involved a lot of reading. Each week we where encouraged to summarise the numerous chapters read down into one or two pages, summarized in the forms of sketches and notes. Often overwhelmed by large amounts of information and struggling to summarise and include all the main points, especially in research
stages, I felt this practice was a crucial addition to my thinking and working process. This has been a key tool I’ve implemented and incorporated into my design process ever since. Shown below is a extract from a sketchnoting session in which I summarized my early research of CubeSats, their uses, positioning within the Space Industry and some of their real life uses today.
orbiting 200km-300km
connectivity to remote areas Military Projects
CubeSat
Biological experiemnts
Mass no more than 1.33k per unit
10cm
10cm
Used as secondary payloads on launch vechiles
MAIN RESOURCES OF RESEARCH 2014 Nano/Microsatellite Market Assesmenthttp://www.sei.aero/eng/papers/uploads/archive/SpaceWorks_Nano _Microsatellite_Market_Assessment_January_2014.pdf Application of CubeSathttp://www.academia.edu/8679320/Applications_of_CubeSats.PDF
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Average cost $100,000 per unit
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DISCOVER
STEP CARDS Producing Step Cards, we all came together to share our own individual areas of interest and research in groups. Initially starting off, I began with a broad outlook, beginning by exploring the use of CubeSats today and in the near future. By separating the collective research into small manageable sections based either on Social, Technological, Environmental or Political, it was easier to pull from the vast amounts of information patterns, opportunities and personal areas of interest.
Insight
On producing this first set of Step Cards, I iterated on these topics another couple of times, producing more sets of Step Cards exploring further and in greater detail into specific areas of interest and topics I saw potential in. As mentioned before, I believe the tool and process of Step Cards is very benificial and works well for my design and thinking process. This way of organisation and layout really lets me lay all the content out, and pull out the important information.
Insight
The price of Free services.
With a heavily reliance and use for the internet world wide
“...Facebook trackers are just about everywhere on the Internet. But because most of Facebook’s 1.49 billion users routinely access the service through an app, the ads cannot be hidden using one of the many blocker tools now topping the download charts on Apple’s App Store.” - Bloomberg
including world event news, remote education, weather forecast etc, many technology companies are exploring uses and ventures to provide this service to romote areas across the world, eg Facebook- Sahara desert.
Many Technology compaines when providing free services sell users data to marketers, advertisers or highest bidders, a new modern day business fairly new in the last yen years. This data can be made more accurate by the use of satelites with a number of tech compaines already putting this into practice.
Not only providing a lot of value, the business opertunities are lucritive aswell, will that tech company being the sole or majority internet provider in that area. This not only means sole dominance of the market, but most likely partnership and sponsorship interests.
Indicators
Indicators
1. New, highly lucritive business model using and relying on
1.Nearing world wide use of internet, providing a number
data of users.
of key uses to remote areas including- weather forecasts,
2. Tech companies valued at billons, have the means and
world news.
resorces to develop these satelites at ease, improving their
2. Good business sense for companies as they are sole and
product or business in long run.
only internet provider in that area, meaning little or zero
Links
Links
http://edition.cnn.com/2012/08/23/tech/web/big-data-acxiom/ http://www.pcworld.com/article/2986988/privacy/the-price-of-free-
https://phys.org/news/2016-05-microsoft-grants-internet-remote-areas. html
Data to Capital
Now 2017
Technology companies with the users and influence, sell their users preferences, choices and decisions to marketers
P
Internet to remote areas Technology companies experienting with satelites and high altitude ballons to provide internet access to remote areas
Insight
Insight
Within remote areas of Africa, with little technology and
Open source is giving those in a non professional sense
poor transport capibilites, is there safer and more reliable
to experiemnt and learn in a field that has previously
ways to transport key materialsrelyied on so much in these
been remote and far fetched from the every day person,
areas. Including water and medical supplies. Can these
eg ‘Rocket Science.’ Space being a very popular topic
goods be tracked by satelites to provide a more accurate
Now 2017
P
Now 2017
S
expeically with younger children, this can infleunce and
representation of where they are
encourage future technology advancements and jobs,
Indicators
Indicators
1. War torn countries with unstabilitity and little order
1. Open source popular, with more and more resources
2. Charities funded by ventures with 100% of doations
2. Often charity and organisations encourage such
going to the chairty work, eg Charity water could
development by provinding sponsorships and and grants to
potentially benefit from this.
education etc
Links
Links
hobbies etc.
https://www.charitywater.org/?utm_medium=ppc&utm_source=adwords&utm_campaign=brand&utm_content=believe&gclid=Cj0KEQiA-_
https://www.charitywater.org/?utm_medium=ppc&utm_source=adwords&utm_campaign=brand&utm_content=believe&gclid=Cj0KEQiA-_
Tracking of key supplies In relation to Charity work within Africa. Water & Medical supplies.
Near 2017
E
Open source More and more resource are becoming open source,
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CULTUREBERG WORKSHOP
WEEK T WO
The Cultureberg Workshop led by Santini Basra and Studioandthen.com was a great way to look at the research we had gathered, and translate this into rich ground level scenarios and stakeholders. The one day workshop was split into three sections; Synthesis of Clyde Space Thematic Project Now- analysing and organising the collected research in relation to now (the current situation). Creation of Next- generating a new future based context, alternative to the present, and finially Development and Reflection - a backcasting exercise, examining the trajectory between the ‘Now’ and the ‘Next.’ Overall the purpose of these processes were to help transition out of the wide scope of desk research, and help find specific and unique design opportunities.
Led by Santini Basra & Studioandthen.com
CULTUREBERG WORKSHOP
Above: Bingo moment during mapping session of stakeholders
Illustrations: ‘Studioandthen’
ENVIRONMENTAL
studioandthen.com
GROUP
Having looked more closely into commodities and the environment uses of CubeSats in the research stage, I started off the morning by joining the Environmental group. The first step was to analyse and organise the research as shown in the images to the right. The workshop was built under the premise of deconstruction from the ‘tip of the iceberg,’ in order to reconstruct new future scenarios from the bottom up as shown below. January 2017
January 2017
Clyde Space Thematic Project
Clyde Space Thematic Project
January 2017
Clyde Space Thematic Project
Clyde Space Thematic Project
Here & Now Litany
Systemic Causes
Worldview
Myth & Metaphor
studioandthen.com
“LOOKING BENEATH THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG” studioandthen.com
studioandthen.com
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studioandthen.com
Involving a number of tasks and activities the days objective was to use the research gathered to see ‘what is happening,’ whether this was through examining current issues and problems and creating our own news paper articles on specific topics within this. The next step was to look at the ‘Systemic causes,’ who and what caused this, those involved and what relationships are there? The next objective was ‘worldviews’ and dominant values, looking at the dominant and marginalised opinions and views of relevant stakeholders. Finially was ‘what lies at the deep emotional level,’ whether this is deep stories, cultural
HERE & NOW Trust in NGOs
Cultural Shifts
Accept and understand others perspectives
Less reliance on oil Awareness Engagement
Investment in renewables Self sufficient within family groups + small communities
THEN & THERE
The workshop finished, coming around full circle with a task asking each group to capture the essence of a future landscape with the use of props, whilst also mapping out as shown to the left, a time line of how we could reach and proceed from the ‘here and now’ to the ‘then and there.’
I believe this workshop was incredibly benificial to the sucess of the project, and in pulling out key and unique design opportunities at this stage. At points through the process as shown in the top image above, areas or ideas would just click with me, especially during mapping sessions of stakeholders where key insights would pop out through the relationships between stakeholders and other groups.
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E N V I RO N M E NTA L
WORKSHOP TAKEAWAYS As mentioned before on the previous page, the Cultureberg Workshop was an invaluable event for me, adding a lot of structure, bringing out and cementing a number of specific and unique design opportunities on which to base and lead forward my project. For me, I believe the processes of deconstructing a situation or topic, and then constructing a new alternative scenario through the Iceberg method worked
CHINA AIR QUALITY INDEX well within my thinking and working process, and there are a number of key new skills learnt during this workshop that I will take forward and implement in projects and my design process to come. One of the tasks that stood out and spoke to me most was the scenario and stakeholder mapping exercise, where in groups we were encouraged to layout all stakeholders and map the different relationships between each group. In doing
this we were able to look deeper into why and how these relationships where dependent, reliant or in control of others. Through these mapping exercises, I personally pulled out two topic types that resonated with me, these were:
THE HUGE ENERGY CONGLOMERATES ARE OFTEN AT THE TOP OF THE FOOD CHAIN. WITH A LARGE AMOUNT OF POWER & INFLUENCE, THESE COMPANIES ARE OFTEN OUT FOR CAPITALISTIC GAINS, RATHER THAN THEIR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT. ENVIRONMENTAL
From identifying a number of potential design opportunities, I began to explore and research into these areas separately in detail. Researching into environmental issues firstly, I came across an app shown as an example in the 2016 documentary, ‘Before The Flood.’ This App named as ‘China Air Quality Index’ was a simple app marketed at China’s smartphone users, with the function of sending users push notifications when air quality in their area exceeded the health recommendation levels. I found this product and concept interesting, as it not only allowed the public to gain more real time information on their surrounding environment, but it also had an ethical push on the high carbon emitters and energy giants prompting and encouraging them to keep to regulations. It raised the question for me, could there be a way in which high pollution emitting companies could be held more accountable for their actions by perhaps implementing or encouraging transparency. In the long run this would not only have a positive influence on the environment, but also encourage trust from the public and perhaps alter the public perception of these large conglomerates.
Above: Screen taken from China Air Quality Index App
“HOLDING POLLUTERS AND HIGH CARBON EMISION COMPANIES ACOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS, BY INCOURAGING TRANSPARENCY”
THERE IS A LOT OF PUBLIC MISTRUST AND DISLIKE FOR THESE ENERGY GIANTS.
FEW INDIVIDUALS HAVE THE POWER TO IMPACT THE MASSES EVERY DAY LIVES. POWER COMES IN NUMBERS. A PIVOT OR CHANGE IN PUBLIC OPINION IS OFTEN THE MOTIVATOR FOR DECISION MAKERS TO ACT. SOCIAL & POLITICAL
Image above: Inquisitr article, headlined, “Air Pollution: China and India ranked among world’s worst in Air Quality”
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VOTING & POLLING The second area of interest was ‘Voting and Polling.’ I firstly began the research by looking into the history of voting, and discovered that in general the overall way of voting in most cultures had changed very little over the last couple of centuries. Apart from digitalizing the voting processes at polling stations in some countries and states in recent years, very little had changed. This raised the question to me, in a world that is ever changing and evolving, does this old fashioned and outdated voting system suit the world today? In recent years, a number of high profile cases have been associated with such aspects to the voting system, for example the 2016 presidential election which was overshadowed by a number of scandals, security issues and hacking claims. With such catastrophic potential faults, is it any wonder that in todays age, less people vote now than they ever have. With this I began to explore the reasons why people decided not to vote, as shown below.
WHY PEOPLE DON’T VOTE UNIMPRESSED OR DISINTERESTED IN POLITICIANS (LACK OF TRUST). PEOPLE ARE OFTEN LAZY AND DON’T WANT TO MAKE THE EFFORT TO TRAVEL AND GO TO A POLLING STATION. MISTRUST OF CURRENT SYSTEM (RECENT PUBLICISED MEDIA COVERAGE OVER THE SECURITY OF THEIR VOTE.)
Image above: Wired magazine article, headlined, “The Polls are all wrong”
https://www.wired.com/2016/06/civis-election-polling-clinton-sanders-trump/#slide-1
With so much content and media attention on the 2016 presidential campaign and election, I began to explore further into the US voting systems, and came across a very interesting yet quite disturbing article produced by wired magazine, based on how the polling system in the US, “Has been suffering a crisis of insight over the past decade, with Sits methods becoming increasenly bad at telling which way America
is leaning.” This is due to an outdated system that relies on random digit dialing, in a country that is seeing a continuous steady drop in landline use. The article shows that in 2014, 60% of Americans used mobile phones, meaning polling firms could only reach three out of five Americans. (Government regulations make it very expensive for polling firms to call mobile phones.) This in contrast to 1970 is like night and
day, with 70% answer rates, as compared to 0.9% in 2016. On that, the article stated that, “An elderly white woman is 21 times more likely to answer a phone poll than a young Hispanic male, so polling projections are often inherently misrepresentative.” Clearly this system doesn’t work properly and raised the question for me, how could we perhaps get more of a real time accurate reading of peoples opinions.
WHAT WOULD BE AN INCENTIVE TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO VOTE? PERHAPS -
FINES & DISCIPLINE FOR THOSE WHO DON’T PARTISIPATE. COMPULSORY PARTISIPATION TO BE DONE ON THE SPOT, THEN AND THERE. RELEASED PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE OF THOSE WHO DIDN’T PARTISIPATE.
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DESIGN OPPORTUNITY 68% OF US ADULTS HAVE A SMART PHONE
Could every US state have their own CubeSat?
+
concept further into the form of a very simple app, that users could answer questions sent to them from politicians, decision makers or through public submissions. Through a very simple interface, the user could answer ‘yes or no,’ either agreeing or disagreeing with the statement or question asked. Through the use of a
FINED FOR NOT PARTISIPATING
1
HIS NON PARTISIPATION MADE PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE
YES OR NO ANSWERS
USA
10
CA
-+ USE BINARY systems to make sure data collected is as small as possible For such a large population
WOULD YOU PASS A BAN ON ALL FIREARM POSSESSION IN NY?
HAS AND OFTEN USES MOBILE PHONE
ANSWER YES DECISION SENT TO STATE OUR COUNTY CUBESAT
YES
NO
ANSWER NO
TOM
CAN ATTEND POLLING STATION
ANSWER YES DECISION SENT TO STATE OUR COUNTY CUBESAT
DOESN’T OWN OR USE MOBILE PHONE
REUSING OLD PHONE BOOTH SPACES
LOCATION CAN BE SHARED
VIDEO OR PHOTO RESPONSE CAN BE SHARED ON SOCIAL MEDIA
PERSONAS
SARAH
ANSWER NO
INSTALLED SCREEN INSTALATIONS ON STREET CORNERS
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mobile phone I felt the product would gain more engagement, therefore giving more of an accurate overview of population perception of that state. As shown below, I produced two Personas showing the possible use the product could have. As shown in Sarah’s persona, I took into account the alternatives for no phone.
PERSONAS
0
Having carried out extensive research and looked into a number of different areas, at this stage I felt that I had pulled from the vast amount of information strong and solid key issues to address within a design. Facilitated by a CubeSat I aimed to encourage voting, whether this was through the use of incentives or enforcement through a penalty system. I felt it was important to create something that would give more of a real time overview of the current public perception, and to implement some way of encouraging transparency and perhaps trust through the use of the developed product. Continuing on the exploration of the US voting and poling system, I developed a concept as shown below, based around location use. Looking at the USA as a whole I developed a concept that relied on a CubeSat for each State (in case shown below California.) With 68% of US adults owning a smart phone, I felt a mobile app would be a good avenue to explore, as this enabled me to access a huge majority of potential population.
However, to access all this data, it would require a vast amount of resources, and so I explored avenues in which the least amount of data could be collected from each user. As shown I explored the avenues of Binary system, exploring the use of ‘zeros or ones, pluses or minuses or yes or no’s.’ On that I developed the
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LOCATION CAN BE SHARED
VIDEO OR PHOTO RESPONSE CAN BE SHARED ON SOCIAL MEDIA
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IS A MOBILE APP THE RIGHT PRODUCT?
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notifications, used to alert user of mandatory voting that day.
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“The right of EEA and Swiss citizens in the UK remain unchanged. The Government wants to protect their status, subject to reciprocal protection for British citizens living in other EU countries Your Data One
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Could I combine both a simple binary form of voting (with one tap of a yes or no) and a more fun, gamified way of voting. Would this increase engagement, whilst also improving partisipation numbers? I need to look into the ways people are engagging and expressing their views and beliefs. Why do people share, that they’ve voted on Facebook, Snapchat or Twitter? Is this something to be proud of, and if so, can people be made to feel even more proud of their actions.
From exploring my design opportunities I feel for the next area of my process, I jumped ahead of the gun, designing quite detailed app screens (as shown to the left through wireflows.) With an interest in mobile app design and excited by the prospect of my design opportunities, I had jumped too soon into the workings and usability of the app before settling and cementing how and what the app would be used for specifically. As shown, I looked into the three areas of Environment, Polling and Voting, exploring how a user could work their way through the app, for example the process and technicalities of voting on a phone screen setting. Although carrying out these aspects too soon within the process, by exploring how the user would transition and work their way through the app made me realise and re-evaluate the use of a mobile app in this context. It encouraged me to question, was a mobile app screen the correct and right medium to vote, pole or express opinions properly from? On a device with a multitude of untouched apps and such a small screen, would the app be engaged with and used, and to what other extents could users opinions be expressed through, perhaps more physical tangable alternatives?
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CONCEPT THREE
CONCEPTS
With an emphasis on encouragement to engage, Concept Three was based off an exploration into the idea of gaming through voting, polling or expressing opinions. Through this concept I explored why people play games and the emotional attributes associated with supposed ‘North Stars’, the secret to the success of a game. Although an interesting topic, previous research had suggested that often voters and pollers where grateful for their privacy in this context. With important and possibly life changing topics, I wanted to avoid producing something that was silly for the entertainment factor, and focus on how each individual user could be valued toward a bigger goal, and so didn’t feel this was the right direction to take.
Deciding that a mobile application was perhaps not the best medium to build a product for my contexts, I began to explore and concept a number of alternative ideas with an emphasis on more of a tangible and interactive component and influence. With a key mission of encouraging more people to vote, pole and engage with their surroundings, I felt an important aspect to any of these designs would come down to their appeal to the public audience, with a necessary emphasis on engagement.
CONCEPT ONE
With Concept One, I explored the topic of Environmental issues and developed an idea around transporting the user to another location, with the intention of bringing awareness to a potential ordeal or issue located in that region of the world (Eg air pollution at the heart of China.) Through the use of visuals and sound, the capsule as shown to the left would remove the user from their surroundings of the outside world. It an interesting concept of removing a user from their surroundings and transporting them to another simulated environment somewhere else. However I felt the idea might become too gimmicky and tacky, more as an experience for entertainment purposes rather than something that would stick with the user and encourage them to perhaps make their small difference by an action or choice.
Concept Two was an extension of Concept One, using the similar idea of transporting the user to another simulated environment. Only in this case, each user would be transported to a new and individual place. Through the use of a window and curtains each user would draw and open the curtains before being given a snapshot visual into another place in the world. The visuals could be curated to display and bring aware to environmental issued faced by somewhere on earth, but by bringing it to outside your window, the intention was to insinuate the issue was more close to home than you thought. I liked this concept, especially in the case of insinuating or suggesting environmental issues could soon have an impact on that user, even though it may be currently affecting another region of the world.
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CONCEPT TWO
CONCEPT FOUR Based on my original design concept to come from the design opportunities, I was still positive about the use of a CubeSat for regional purposes (as shown to the left – New York City.) I liked the idea that each region, state or county could own their own CubeSat, and this would have the responsibility of collecting the overall voice of that area. Although not a mobile app, I questioned how else this data could be collected at a pace and from enough users that a realistic overall result and overview was given.
CONCEPT FIVE
Concept Five was a continuation of Concept Four, in which I explored the use of a regional CubeSat, to collect the overall views and opinions of an area. In this case, it was in the form of a device attached to a wall in a busy public place. Believing this medium was a better alternative to a mobile app version due to its size and interaction ability, I questioned where should such a device be positioned, and what incentives would encourage users to interact with it.
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FINAL CONCEPT Finally through my research and concept generation I came to a conclusion that I wanted to develop a product that answered two main issues: 1) HOW CAN THE PUBLICS OPINIONS BE COLLECTED OVER A REAL TIME PERIOD? (As an opposite alternative to the political system of the times with major decisions or elections held every few years.)
Through the moodboard as shown, I explored the idea of positioning a device in diferent public spaces, to increase awareness and provide the largest opportunity for the public to interact, as these spaces would see the largest amount of human traffic. Through this medium I also looked into working examples of how public spaces had already been hacked to provide a service or response. Alternatively I explored unused spaces, to look for opportunities I could perhaps repurpose or alter to once again bring value and engagement with, perhaps similiarly to like they once had.
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I believed this idea was strong. It had solid and cemented reasoning behind it, and with the aid of a CubeSat and hubs positioned within the right areas, I believed this concept could be used to gather and give an accurate overview of each individual community and perhaps be used as a tool to help aid and solve issues more specific to the needs and viewpoints of the individual communities.
2) SECONDLY, HOW COULD POLITICIANS AND DECISION MAKERS BE HELD ACCONTABLE FOR IMPLEMENTING THE PUBLICS RESPONSES AND OPINIONS? On that, I developed a concept as shown below based on the idea of a ‘hub system.’ Each area e.g. Glasgow, would own their own CubeSat which in turn, would monitor a number of hubs
positioned across the city in key centralised public areas. These hubs would be interacted with by the public, who would in turn vote, poll and express their opinions on issues key to their local area, providing a platform in which it gave people a voice, and collectively contributed towards a positive infleunce on their community.
GLASGOW CUBESAT COVERAGE
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SKETCHBOOK WORK As mentioned in my previous Collaborative PPJ, this year my sketchbook style and design process altered un-intentionally to produce rewarding results. Having previously used sketchbooks to display final higher fidelity drawings and sketches, this year I treated the sketchbook more as I diary to document every aspect of projects, whether this was early brainstorming sessions, or planning the look and style of the
final project exhibition. As shown, rather than using sketchbooks for neat summaries, I have used the tool to document, organize and plan. Caring less on the overall appearance and aesthetic, this change in process has increased my workload greatly, and has been a key tool in the development stage, increasing my concept generation, and in the long run I believe producing better products and ideas with strong foundations and rationale behind them.
Although not set in stone, I believe this project was the first brief where I acknowledged a set design and working process coming together. Perhaps this is a way of working I have identified as my own design process. An idea that previously I had found quite confusing and disjointed, If there was anything to take away from this project, it would be that my way of working was more established and defined.
“I’M NOT WRITING IT DOWN TO REMEMBER IT LATER, I’M WRITING IT DOWN TO REMEBER IT NOW.”
Aaron Draplin
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DESIGNING THROUGH MAKING
Above: working in paper to develop structures and device aesthetics
Through this design process, I set out a list of attributes on which my final design must be based and take into account:
With the intention of developing and designing a device people could interact with in public spaces, I first began this section of the design process by working in paper forms. A tool I personally find very valuable, at this stage of the process. The pactice of working in paper often allows me to work out any technical difficulties in the form before moving up to larger scale models, whilst often also opening up new and alternative design and aesthetic routes to follow. Wanting to keep and develop around the aesthetic of space and CubeSats, I felt working in greys and angular forms suited the aesthetic and created interesting and alternative shapes that could potentially be used to engage users.
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As shown above, I worked in paper to develop structures and interesting device aesthetics. This process although quite difficult working in such small scales, in the long run allowed me to plan and was a good practice to have for later when finalizing sizing for the final models. By working in paper I was able to work out and have a better understanding of angles and test how this could be incorporated into its surroundings. Designed as one whole unit or shell, I felt this design choice allowed for easy mounting to walls or vertical structures in public spaces. Working in 3D models allowed me to work with this scale, and test the device for use in different scenarios.
BE DESIGNED IN SUCH A WAY THAT PROVIDES SOME PRIVACY WHEN USING THE DEVICE.
(From past research, users strongly appreciated the privacy of their vote.) Hence the ATM styled side panels. HAVE AN INTERESTING ASTHETIC TO ATTRACT USERS. USE A SAFE AND SECURE WAY OF ACCESSING THE DEVICE.
DESIGNED TO WITHSTAND THE ELEMENTS AND BE LOCATED OUT DOORS.
Although an unusual shape and style, I really did not like the outcome of this particular design, feeling it matched too much the aesthetic of a coffin, through its long elongated body. I quickly began designing and altering the shape, looking towards other forms.
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VISUAL LANGUAGE FINAL PRODUCT
Above: Initial Logo ideas
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When looking to the visual language, I felt this specific element would be a crucial one in inviting and attracting users to engage with the device. Influenced by MIT’s Media Lab logo, which is designed with “three intersecting spotlights that can be organized into any of 40,000 shapes and 12 colour combinations using a custom algorithm.” I felt this idea of individuality and one logo never being the same was very interesting.As shown left, through the use of an altered ‘People make Glasgow’s colour palette, I developed a logo thats simple design was meant as a representation of the different stages of the process of Influence. From the CubeSat in orbit monitering the hubs, community members using these hubs, and then their thoughts and opinions are sent to the politicians and decision makers of the areas to impliment and make these positive changes. I personally like the simplisity of the Influence logo and name, believing with little work, it could have implimented ideals like that of MIT’s Media Lab logo, with individual hubs having slight alterations with in their logo, dependant on their location and individal to that community.
Cubesat hub Users
Decision makers
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SHELL LIKE DESIGN FOR PRIVACY INTERACTIVE TOUCH INTERFACE
FINGER PRINT SENSOR
USE OF CUBESATS Not solely targeted towards public transport spaces, I did feel that placing and locating the Influence Hubs in areas of high volumes of commuters may increase engagement with the device. This comes down to two reasons. One, that many people travel through these spaces, and two the locations are waiting points, where the public are stopped and waiting for the next bus or train. From the research stage of the project, I found out that 37% of Glasgow commuters would travel to and from work through the use of public transport, so felt by placing a Influence hub at central public transport spots of local areas, this may gage a pretty accurate overview of the community feelings and viewpoints TH E M ATI C - 3 0 - J A N 1 7
Through the use of CubeSats, each individual Influence Hub would be monitored with the CubeSat carrying out two separate roles. The first, is storing each individual users finger print, used to sign in and log on to each Influence device. With every human being having their own individual fingerprint, this type of security use is hard to replicate, and why many modern day smart phone manufactures use this technology for security of users data. Much like the smart phone manufactures, users fingerprints would not be stored by Influence, but they would be stored remotely by the use of the CubeSat. Secondly, the CubeSats other role is to account for each individuals opinions, votes or polling tendencies, safely and securely sending this information to politicians, MPs or decision makers, with the power and resources to implement these ideas.
COMPARISON WITH ALTERNATIVES TODAY
In comparison with the three types of major mediums used to gather such data today, I believe the Infleunce Hub trumps these alternatives in every way. Letters through the door are almost always not returned, Online surveys are often annoymous and unrealible, whilst public elections only come around every few years.
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DEVICE SCREEN WALK THROUGH
The user firstly engages with the Influence Device, by placing a finger on the touch pad located at the bottom of the device, before being logged into their account. Alternatively as shown a standard sign in can be carried out for new members, or if login fails through the fingerprint sensor.
As shown above to user has logged into an Influence device located on Byres Road, West End, Glasgow. At a glance this screen is an overview of the area with polls, petitions, and public submitted conversations relevant to the West End specifically, before also covering larger further-a-field subjects such as nationwide, or isses in the wide Glasgow area.
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When interested in one specific topic or issue, the user can click to access more detail and information on the topic. As shown the topic above supports the extention of bar and club opeing hours within the West end to encourage and attract more business and consumers back to the area. The user can see an overview on the public perception of this discussion over the last 24 hours, and can decide weither to partisipate with in this topic.
By clicking to vote, the user in this case has the decision of choosing wether to agree or disagree with the idea put forward, by either clicking a yes or no answer.
Once a decision has been made (either clicking yes or no,) a feature is provided whether to share this on social media. Although research suggested that often people appreciate privacy when it comes to their vote especially within the context of politics. A culture shift has begun to happen in recent years where the ability and a sense of encouragement has been promoted by many of the top social media companies for users to express their opinions and voices about their vote. On that, I felt it was important to impliment a feature as shown in which allows the user to record a ten second video response to express their opinions and reasoning behind their view point or decision. I felt a good use of this content could be played continously on a Facebook live page for the community and area, giving a real time look at the opinions and the people expressing their views real time. TH E M ATI C - 3 3 - F E B 1 7
INFLUENCE HUB
REFLECTION In conclusion, with a number of key individual elements, I feel it is important to split these areas up and reflect on them separately. As a whole, I am pleased with the out come of the project and believe it is a strong response to the initial research and design opportunities I identified in the early stages of the design process. In comparison to the mediums used today, to collect overviews of public perception including letters through doors, online surveys and public elections every few years, I believe my concept is a better and more suited alternative to the times today, providing a detailed and real time overview of public perception, with accountability and collective power playing a big role.
INFLUENCE HUBS A fault of my own, on understanding the project brief, I can now reflect that perceiving the statement, “It is imperative that each student produces a series of iterations to communicate design development through making.” I took this statement too much as an emphasis on developing of physical model making. For an end outcome based in a screen format, I now believe I should have focused more time and effort on building more prototypes, rather than working on the physicality and aesthetic of the influence hub as shown through my models and sketchbook work. On reflection I am unhappy with the end result of the shape and aesthetic of the Influence Hub feeling it doesn’t suit the service or product, and as shown to the left, have proposed an alternative concept, building upon the screens already positioned within most bus stops and subway stations across Glasgow. By infiltrating and adding on to hardware already in place, little would need to be altered in interface capabilities, but perhaps some integration would need to me implemented to help answer and involve some of the components I felt were important when using such a device e.g. privacy walls when in use.
APPLICATION INTERFACE I am very happy with the outcome of the interface of the Influence Hub, feeling it functions and works well, serving its purpose of allowing users to share their voice and contribute to positive changes within their areas. I believe it has a simple and easy to use interface that works well within its context.
CUBESAT USE Using the CubeSat as a facilitator to store remotely users fingerprints whilst also collecting their views and opinions securely, it could be argued that the same process could be achieved over the use of Internet, carrying out a similar role. My intention behind this concept was to avoid as much internet use as possible with the Influence CubeSat running of it own network to provide a secure and safe storage of users important and very personal information. With this question of an Internet alternative, I questioned, could this concept be more justifiable outside cities, perhaps in isolated islands or countryside towns? Could the same concept be used as a secure way of avoiding corruption within election systems or used in remote location voting? Shown to the right and over the next two pages I have storyboarded an alternative concept based on providing remote location voting to remote islands where resources such as internet use are minimal. Proposed is an Influence parcel or box that is air dropped to the island where the population use the device to vote, whilst a CubeSat in orbit collects this information.
AIR DROPpED VOTING SYSTEM
REMOTE ISLAND
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MONITERING CUBESAT
ALTERNATIVE INFLEUNCE DEVICE USE
REMOTE ISLAND
This Remote Island has little access to resources including internet use. An Influence Box or device is air dropped onto the Island, enabling the population of this small area to vote securely and accurately.
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On landing the air dropped package is opened to reveal a small compact device that will enable the population of the island to each vote. In order each person lines up to wait their turn to vote,
With the use of a CubeSat tracking the voting device from orbit, data is collected, and the island peoples voices are accounted for.
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NOTES
Ben O’Donnell Product Design Year Four Glasgow School of Art