User:Marlon/Graduate Research Seminar/thesis/draft

Thesis template

This is a draft. Reading list here.

Name/title

Abstract goes here.

Introduction

From proposal final:

And do these templates, while giving users the option to customize and personalise, not just generate a mass of homogeneous content? With my background in Graphic Design, I have often encountered templates and created them. They're a part of the work that cannot be avoided, from style guides to "industry standard" software programs.

• Their restrictions and limitations can both liberate and limit the people who use them.

• Templates make a job easy, but tend to generate similar content.

• They are beautiful, but promote imitation.

Work

Older, newer, newest:

Theory

Template culture

This graduation year I am looking into template culture, inspired by a Samsung smartphone commercial that promises its customers a chance to 'design their lives'. Mobile phones, apps and social networking sites are branded as services we can use to express ourselves online or to display our distinct personalities. But in reality, there is something quite depersonalising about it: we are all taking the same type of pictures on the same type of phone and uploading them to the same website.

Not only do these devices and websites guarantee some kind of palette to 'paint your life' more beautiful, but extra features will help users manage every aspect of their busy lives. Not manage, compose! A semblance of control is promoted, not just related to lifestyle, but over the use of these applications as well. You decide the content, style and the presentation. But is this promise fulfilled or are they not just templates (or interfaces, filters, themes) with minimal customisation options? And do these templates, while giving users the option to customize and personalise, not just generate a mass of homogeneous content?

Imitation, the norm, copy, the standard, the original, homogeneity, liberating or limiting?

Template

The Dutch word for template is 'sjabloon', its original meaning is 'modelvorm': a mold or stencil that, for example, is used to draw the same shape over and over again. In a more abstract sense, the word can be applied to anything that is conventional and often imitated or repeated.

Limitations, restrictions, the mould, sjabloon, stencil, content vs form, easy, user-friendly

Lifestyle/experience design

Advertisement, promotion, trend

Downloadable design

Graphic design, new image making culture, prefab, downloads, user/producer, amateur, tool, app, download

Conclusion

Ambiguity, good/bad templates