Luke Johnson

Study families within the Pasadena area to understand how streaming, real-time media influences their behavior, vocabulary, social interactions, and perception of the world.

After receiving the assignment and establishing the bounding terms of Conversation, Stickiness and Existence Value, we divided into three teams to Conduct Interviews, Create the Probes and Facilitate the Use of Technology. I was a member of the Interview Team.

After the probes were returned, our class began the analyzation process. Taking a special interest in the playdough probe, I dove head first into understandng the dynmic ways in which families communicate. Specifically, I became interested in those unspoken conversations that take place between family members.

At the time of this writing, we have once again divide the class into two groups: one that will continue the analyzation and interpretation of the probes while another group will examine the technology the will be used for the second round of research. I am part of the technology team.

Without a prior knowledge of design research, this semester has been my baptism by fire. And as a recent convert, this mode of design has opened a whole new way of perceiving my craft.

In many ways, design research fits my analytical background of a pre-medicine and political science education while quenching my innate urge to create. Yet this semester has drawn more questions than answers. In particular, I am still having trouble letting go of a bias towards statistical significance. The creation of thoughtful probes and my frustration in their analyization has not come easily to me.

Yet by the end of the term I began to finally make headway. Specifically, I took away three findings: Conversation as Metaphor, Body Position as Interface and the Empowerment of Voice.

As we move forward into next semester, I am interested how technology can be used to change the rules of conversation. By changing the rules, does this in turn begin to change the dynamic within homes? And when you begin to change the dynamics within homes, does it allow you then to address those conversations that are unspoken?

A question mark without words.

Dedication to exploring constraints.

If you can figure out the why, then you can create an intervention

Tolerance for ambiguity.

How can design by used as a means of discovery.

What is an ordinary family?