░░░░░░░ WEEK 15 ░░░░░░░

Final Setup

For my final setup, I decided to keep it similar to the Open Studios display. Initially, I considered adding extra collaterals like brochures or posters, but I realized they wouldn't significantly contribute to communicating my work.

I made adjustments to the artwork labels by creating larger versions without descriptions. During Open Studios, I noticed that few people read the labels, and there wouldn't be time for assessors during Viva to go through them. Since the descriptions were already included in the video, repeating them on the labels seemed redundant.

Reflecting on my previous setup with acrylic boards, I felt it was too simplistic and didn't align well with the visual language of my video. To enhance the speculative design aspect, I went to IKEA and found a metal plank to display my publications, adding depth and visual appeal to the setup. This change didn't take long, and I also secured pedestals to add height and layers, creating a more dynamic presentation.

Overall, I preferred this setup over the Open Studios one as it felt cleaner and more aligned with the project's theme. Plus, I didn't need to use a black bar to cover the Mac, making the setup look more polished.

Final Viva Setup

Preparing Deliverables

The final aspect I needed to focus on was my presentation slides. Comparing them to my past slides, I realized how much my project had evolved, making it necessary to start from scratch rather than reusing content. Fortunately, my catalogue of making served as a valuable reference for documenting my body of work.

I made several adjustments, including revising the background, rationale, and presentation approach to better fit the current context of my project. Instead of using the same dissertation approach, I chose a format that aligned more closely with the project's context. I also took the time to summarize my reflections, covering key learning points, challenges faced, and acknowledging achievements.

The next task on my list was creating the cover document. I developed a single-page document that met the specifications outlined by Andreas, ensuring it encapsulated all necessary information succinctly.

As I prepared the files for submission, I encountered challenges packaging my TouchDesigner working files. Despite attempting to use a virtual file system and manual packaging methods, the complexity of the files made it difficult to ensure everything was fully packaged without missing or malfunctioning components. Additionally, the file size was several gigabytes, which posed challenges for uploading to Google Drive. After discussions with Andreas, I decided to upload screen captures of my working files instead.

I meticulously reduced all file sizes and organized them in a structured manner before submission. Although the total size still exceeded a gigabyte, I ensured it was downsized without compromising quality. I believe that after investing time in this process, it's reasonable to expect my work to be viewed at a desired quality.

Cover Document

Final Reflections & Closing Thoughts

Challenges Faced/Overcame

To reiterate, my project objective is to use design to prompt people to reflect on algorithm curation dilemmas. One significant challenge I encountered was assessing the effectiveness of each artefact in achieving this goal. Given the diverse approaches of each artefact and the complex nature of the project’s topic, quantitatively measuring effectiveness proved difficult. Despite these challenges, I made an attempt with Artefact A by conducting a thought experiment and devising a scale to measure the gain in algorithm literacy within the discussions sparked by the artefact.

The second challenge I faced was streamlining data acquisition. Since much of the data used in my artefacts was sensitive and not readily downloadable, I had to retrieve it gradually to circumvent security measures, even though I had permission from the data owners.

Another challenge directly corresponds to the nature of my project topic. Algorithm curation dilemma is an immensely complex topic to cover, which brings forth challenges to simplify  while at the same time, achieve my project’s objective. To tackle this, I took a different approach by centering my work around personal data. Instead of delving into detailed explanations of algorithm dilemmas, I designed the artefacts to directly engage with people’s personal data. This approach allows individuals to experience firsthand how algorithm dilemmas interact with their data. As a result, even without a full understanding of these dilemmas, they grasp the implications, opening avenues for meaningful discourse.

Learning Points

I was constantly faced with disappointments when I couldn’t achieve what I had in mind. To me, if I set my mind to do something, I will do everything I can to achieve it. With deadlines the pressure just adds on every single day. After looking for deadend solutions to my problems, I’ve wasted a lot of time and needed to adapt. I quickly learnt how to manage my expectations then and try to work within my limitations. I think understanding limitations allowed me to reason with myself, and not get to upset about shortcomings.

My time management has never been a problem, however, during this project, I realised how it could’ve been a weakness instead. Knowing that I don’t have enough time, I decided against starting another prototype altogether. Andreas introduced me to the concept of ‘small and big mountains,’ metaphorically illustrating the varying time and effort required for different tasks. This perspective shift allowed me to maintain consistent quality across artefacts, prioritizing aspects beyond sheer time investment.

During mid-semester, I brought up to Andreas about my struggle with the roles I play in this project. My project played a big part in assessing where I stand as a student, potential employee, and creative individual. I was having trouble trying to balance out my involvement in these roles but through time, I was able to navigate them without constantly thinking about them. I guess in the end, they were unrealistic worries should be sorted into the category of things that would figure themselves out.Learning Points I was constantly faced with disappointments when I couldn’t achieve what I had in mind. To me, if I set my mind to do something, I will do everything I can to achieve it. With deadlines the pressure just adds on every single day. After looking for deadend solutions to my problems, I’ve wasted a lot of time and needed to adapt. I quickly learnt how to manage my expectations then and try to work within my limitations. I think understanding limitations allowed me to reason with myself, and not get to upset about shortcomings.

My time management has never been a problem, however, during this project, I realised how it could’ve been a weakness instead. Knowing that I don’t have enough time, I decided against starting another prototype altogether. Andreas introduced me to the concept of ‘small and big mountains,’ metaphorically illustrating the varying time and effort required for different tasks. This perspective shift allowed me to maintain consistent quality across artefacts, prioritizing aspects beyond sheer time investment.

During mid-semester, I brought up to Andreas about my struggle with the roles I play in this project. My project played a big part in assessing where I stand as a student, potential employee, and creative individual. I was having trouble trying to balance out my involvement in these roles but through time, I was able to navigate them without constantly thinking about them. I guess in the end, they were unrealistic worries should be sorted into the category of things that would figure themselves out.

Acknowledging Achievements

My project has changed and evolved so much from the first day I ambitiously chose the topic of algorithms and approaching it using speculative design. At first, I was rather skeptical about my decision as it was a rather complex topic to digest and a lot of research was needed to understand it before I could even attempt to contextualising it with design. However, putting a lot of time into it paid off, evident in my ability to carry conversations about algorithms in curation during Open Studios. 

I never imagined myself finishing a total of 3 Artefacts seeing as I have never touched TouchDesigner prior to this project. Initially, the project only consisted of Artefact A which I had intended to gradually build on. I am really proud of myself for pushing on to create 2 more artefacts, at the same time achieving literacy with the software. 

There were a lot of self-doubts along the way in regards to time, code literacy, and my general knowledge in the area of algorithms. But Andreas’ constant push for more allowed me to break these mental barriers. Having been through this, I strongly believe if faced with the same doubts in the future, this experience will serve as a reminder that I’m capable of getting over this significant mental hurdle. 

Concluding

I view my project as something that, if understood, is appreciated, and even if not fully grasped, viewers can still glean something meaningful from it. While I acknowledge that my project may be challenging to comprehend without a foundational understanding of algorithms, I believe viewers can still appreciate the visuals and the effort invested in its creation. I’m particularly proud of being able to make my project more accessible to everyone.

The positive feedback and comments from my ideal audience made me feel that all the effort I put into this project was worthwhile. I’m immensely thankful for all my friends who supported me throughout this entire FYP journey, from providing data to assisting logistically. I’m also grateful for Andreas, who constantly pushed me, trusted my process, and patiently dealt with my complaints. From the bottom of my heart, thank you all.