communication theory // website production // 4.29

in class
work day – continue progress on final website design


final critique structure – wednesday april 1

• don't forget to email me your url again, as well as a parent's email address

• websites will be loaded in my browser before class

• each student will have seven minutes for feedback, led by guest critic ian tirone, kcai GD 2010. yay!

• no need for a verbal statement. we will let the work speak for itself and see how a first-time user responds. we will let ian work his way through the site on his own terms.

comm theory // webpage roughs // 4.24

in class

hand out soph review project sheet
Q and A as necessary

desk crits on web page iterations and final annotated process example.
(your digital process example should be 90% resolved by now)

homework
select a final webpage direction to pursue.
work on it!

final website link and an email address for one of your parents is due to me by 5pm tuesday april 30.

comm theory // documenting communication // 4.22

in-class

desk crits on process examples and annotations

exploring options
approach various ways to address the digital annotations in your process example. the design should be informative, clear, engaging, and visually consistent with the larger visual approach to your website.
• 5 iterations, minimum
• select one step with the most complex annotation to use as a sample for your iterations
• design the iterations to fit within your existing webpage layout
• sketches posted to blog by end of class

overall “communication theory” web page requirements
• visual(s) of your personal model (this may be re-colored or re-designed slightly to fit in with your overall webpage design if you so desire)
• annotated process example of how your theory plays out in real life (mentioned above).

homework
digital annotations
• select ONE direction from the in-class exploratory exercise.

• work out multiple fairly detailed sketches of your “communication theory” page on your website. include the above mentioned required content.

• your process example must correctly identify at least 1 communicator A/B (or sender/receiver), channel, message, noise, feedback, context.

• identify/break-down contextual factors using emmert/donaghy's 3 parts to processing (the communicator's perception > reasoning > motivation). refer to the davis reading for details on what these mean if you need help.

• identify/break-down noise using shannon/weaver's 3 levels of problems (technical, semantic, effectiveness) as mentioned in the "visual communication" reading

comm theory // documenting communication // 4.17

in class

brief presentations on communication models (approx 1 hour total)

collaborative brainstorm 
list various tasks that people perform online. for each task list (a) the end goal as well as (b) several online locations one can perform this task. Tasks should take several steps to complete (e.g. Pay e-bills on umb.com).

homework

cyber shadow (option a)
perform a basic task online or on your smartphone (brainstormed during class). be both the “user” (performing the task) and observer (taking notes, documenting, taking screen grabs of each step along the way). when documenting, be both thorough and detail oriented.

• document 1 complete exchange in multiple steps. 

• tools: screen capture tool (e.g. “shift command 4” on your laptop. press "home" and "on/off" simultaneously on your iphone. you will hear a camera click), note taking and analog annotation tools (e.g. stickies, highlighter).

• print screengrabs and clearly annotate the various components of the communication process that occurred during the exercise.

• bring physical print-outs with analog annotations for review. you will be translating annotation to digital next class.


real world example (option b)
find existing examples of the communication process (and all of its various components). select from the design artifacts list. when documenting, be both thorough and detail oriented.

• document 1 complete exchange in multiple steps.

• tools: camera or scanner, note taking and analog annotation tools (e.g. stickies, highlighter).

• print documentation and clearly annotate the various components of the communication process that occurred during the exercise.

• bring physical hard copy with analog annotations for review. you will be translating annotation to digital next class.

comm theory // model refinements // 4.15

in class

review davis reading

desk crits on models in progress

refine annotations and examples

prep for final crit of models next class

homework

finalize model

photo document if necessary, fit to color 11 x 17 and print for group crit

post final model to your blog

final model deliverable for crit

if you have a physical model: finalized model, professionally crafted and annotated. 

if you have a digital model: 11 x 17 color print, professionally crafted and annotated, pinned to the wall.
for your blog: a good-quality image posted along with a brief explanation of why you chose to include the components you did for your model. 

edit: 

for presentation: explain how and why your model is similar and different from previous models.
hint: this requires understanding of those models from the readings.
statement should be no longer than 3 minutes long.

this brief statement will be graded based on the following course objective: articulate research and demonstrate critical analysis, in both visual and verbal formats

example: my model is similar to emmert/donaghy because it has two communicators who both send and receive messages (this is the how part), rather than a sender and a receiver, which implies that communication is one-way. it's obvious that everyone both sends and receives messages constantly, so it's important to acknowledge that in my model. (this is the why part)

comm theory // model refinements // 4.10

in class

review 3d and digital models

document both directions to your blog

homework

select one model, expand, detail, and iterate 

read remainder of davis reading

select three possible examples for each component of your model

write and design brief annotations to each component of your model to help clarify ideas for those unfamiliar with communication theory

comm theory // model-making // 4.8

in class
review reading / lecture

now that you have a good background in various modes of thinking about the communication process, take the rest of class to
- consider if and how any of these models differ from contemporary communication processes. did shannon/weaver, emmert/donaghy, and berlo not account for the interwebs, cell phones, texting, and ipads? how might you design a communication model for today? would your model look any different from theirs or include different factors?

- begin constructing your own physical communication model. keep in mind how meredith davis said that models influence the way we think and act.

homework
continue making your analog model. finish and bring to next class.
design a digital model illustrating the same concepts. print 11 x 17 color for quick group crit on wednesday.

communication theory // reading // 4.3

for next class, read “visual communication” by baldwin, pages 20–27, 32–33

(available as an e-book in the right sidebar of this blog)

read davis “communication models” from the start to page 25, "treatment (style, aesthetics)".
this reading is on the right sidebar of the blog.

based on the initial davis commentary on models, bring to class a wide range of materials to use and share in a model-making session. bring what you want and share what you want, but here are a few suggestions:
- paper: trace, white, colored
- board: chipboard, foamcore, cardboard (scraps are fine)
- connectors: string, yarn, wire, toothpicks, etc
- adhesive: glue stick, elmer's glue, rubber cement, etc
- anything else that occurs to you