User:Eleanorg/2.1/Prototypes

Making things. Small things.

Graduate Prototypes

• Photocopied editions

> Aim: See how ppl respond to the chance to deviate when asked to make a copy of a document

> Outcome: ppl made harmless remixes, heavily influenced by the tool suggested

> Assessment:

Need to introduce some motivation to preserve original vs motivation to change it - controversy/conflict.

Not so interested in resulting proliferation of 'remixes' - avoids the difficulty of forming consensus.

• Transcribers

> Aim: See how ppl respond to the chance to deviate when asked explicitly to transcribe verbatim, as a favor

> Outcome: Some did as asked, some made minor alterations, some used as a formal experiment with the medium

> Assessment:

More interesting result as each member of group asked to contribute to a greater whole, before seeing it and w/out being held accountable

Introduction of potentially controversial content provoked more engagement with content - e.g., specific words were changed

Participants limited to reacting against content chosen by me, rather than by each other.

• (residency): Mic-check writing

> Aim: See if 'mic check' technique could be used to produce texts (transcription), and how it might affect/reveal group dynamics

> Outcome: 15 mostly identical hand-written texts and drawings, with minor variations based on individual hearing/judgement

> Assessment:

Interesting confusion created as group doubted what to write down; highlighted how more dominant personalities dictated content of the text

Some used it as a space to make announcements, others poetic gestures/summaries, in absence of a formal group meeting or process

Would be interesting to treat it like a Bohm dialogue and carry on for longer, challenging group to confront silences/boredom/deeper sharing

Other projects

• Dissolute Image