Home

Problem Log

Date	Problem	Strategy	Result
27/3/07	Steve has suggested I re-write my research proposal as a comic. David agrees this is a good idea. The issue is that comics take a looooooooong time to write and draw and I have one month to get this finished.	After some thought I have decided that the only way this will work is to adopt an extremely simple style. Not only does simplicity fit with both McCloud and Cheng's models of comics as a medium to communicate ideas but it takes less time to create (at least for me). Soooo the multiple dynamic perspectives of Stan Lee are out. In fact perspective is out. This will need a very simple approach similar to permanently side-on frames of Charlie Schultz. There is no way I have time to thumb, sketch, tighten and ink all this. I don't know enough about these practices to be able to work with them at speed so I need to filter this with something I am comfortable with, which is graphics. If I work with vectored images in Flash or Illustrator I can quickly and easily develop and swop features, poses, limbs etc, without having to re-draw them. This should speed up the production of panels. I still need to script and thumbnail the comic before I can work through this. So I need to: Script and thumbnail the research proposal as a comic starting with the bits that need work, mainly the objectives. Create a simple style for the comic. This will involve sketching up at least one character, as with McCloud, to indicate what kind of aesthetic this will be. Create the comic by applying this style to the thumbnails. Sanity check the result with at least 3 people.	01/04/07 I've worked out what will function as a style for this. I'll need to make sure I don't get lazy and write for what I have rather than write what I need and then draw what I don't have. I will work on the script on the train this week and see where it goes. Words are less scary than panels at the moment.
20/2/07	I need to define what I will do with any data collected in the relflective portion of the research project in order to round off my research proposal.	Part reflection, part contextual review, part luck.	I am going to use at least Neilsen's Heuristic approach, probably combining this with traditional software design user acceptance testing. This latter will employ a use case testing approach combined with a more free-form collection of opinions and suggestions. Contrasting these results with a trend analysis technique should determine the success or failure of the interface, and highlight areas for further research / development.
5/1/07	I need equipment. If I'm going to undertake a proper investigation of the styles and techniques of various notable comic book artists then I'm going to need the correct equipment with which to experiment. It's not enough to do this electronically. These systems and strategies all carry with them elements which are inherently derrived from the tool with which they are created and although some artists do work entirely electronically most still do not. These items will include: A lightbox A proper set of sketching pencils Windsor and Newton series 7 sable brushes in sizes 2 and 3 maybe 6 as well Black Indian Ink White Opaque Hunt Crow Quill Mapping Pens 102 and 106 Rotring technical pens in sizes 0.3, 0.35, 0.5 and 1 Eraser Bristol art board or watercolour paper	The web is a wonderful thing for sourcing exactly what you need. I found all of this without too much bother.	I am now fully stocked, at this stage with the exception of the Bristol board which I still need to get some of. I'm also about £200 poorer.
3/12/06	First interface design is causing me more issues that I thought it might. I've sat down a couple of times to begin this and have realised that I'm not sure where to start.	Apply specific and familiar methodology. I'm going to use software development model,view,controller thinking and design the back end data model first as it's the most abstract part and the easiest to alter as the need arises.	At least I've got started. I've modeled some XML blobs to hold the data model for my resources. These will transform well into whichever type of interface I plug on top. Revision 20/3/07 The bare bones application is more or less complete. Its been constructed using a variation of the model, view, controller development pattern allowing any number of interfaces to be designed and bolted on without the need to alter the operation of the application.
Date	Problem	Strategy	Result
3/12/06	The testing ethics issue. I'm concerned that in order to evaluate the effectiveness of any interface I build I'll need to evaluate research participants' subconcious usage of it. If that's the case then making participants aware of that before the testing will very likely contaminate the results.	I have decided that as David wants us to be prepared to discuss elements of ethics, I'll write up this problem and present it to the group as a topic for discussion. Hopefully the answer may well reveal itself in this discussion.	We'll see on the 5th. Revision 5/1/07 Not entirely sure this will be necessary anymore. In anycase the result of the discussions I've had with David since this presentation have led me to beieve that this will not be a particular issue and that I was being much too literal in my approach to this. Revision 20/3/07 I've decided the best approach to testing this would be to use Neilsen's Heuristic approach, probably combining this with traditional software design user acceptance testing. These approaches can both be performed under conditions of fully informed consent which will satisfy any ethical considerations.
20/11/06	Now I've written my objectives it's become clear that one thing that comics cannot provide is subject matter for any representations I might need to or want to use.	Previously I was going to use the basic level metaphor stuff that Lakoff and Johnson discuss. If I'm looking at this interface from the perspective of the comic book, I can use that to inform style, placement and linkage of any visual element which I do think I'll need or I'm not really looking at this type of interface from a comic book perspective but not it's subject. At the moment my position on this will have to be that in the spirit of making an interface which will ease the creation of meaning as I have outlined, that I should proceed along these lines for now. I needn't crow-bar this part of the theory into the general thesis, simply use it to inform the practice.	Hmmmmmm, seems iffy at the moment. I'd better talk to Steve about this. Revision - 3rd Dec 06 Have discussed this with Steve, he thinks I should leave this for now and allow this element to become clearer through the application of the practice. Revision 5/1/07In actual fact this shouldn't matter too much at all. The subject matter should grow from the studies of both the systemic and culture of practice based processes which these artefacts should strive to represent, as described by Paul Dourish 2001. The representing and refining these processes into a single representation is going to be best achived by the use of comic book temporal devices and storyboarding techniques. Basic Metaphor is better placed helping this through a mediation of subject representation which in turn is also mediated by comic book visual styling techniques. Revision 27/3/07 I'm a fool. I've been re-reading "Philosophy in the Flesh this week and I've realised that I have consistantly used the term "Basic Metaphor" when I mean "Basic Level Category". The context in which I've used it is correct, my understanding of it is also correct, but my unfailing knack of forgetting or confusing lables for things has struck again. I need to walk through my research proposal and fix all instances of this prior to handing it in.
28/10/06	Bit of a paradox with thoughts about testing this project. As it is my research and the interface is going to be grown out of the research then the activity the project is centred around is specific only to me. As a result anyone I may ask to assist in testing the effectiveness of the project's interface would not be suitable to comment on it as it would not form a part of an activity in which they would engage. This would mean needing to concentrate on less holistic responses involving things like creation of meaning in individual controls if I want to test this project with other people.	Theorize myself out of a corner and run the revised position past David Smith and/or Steve Thompson to get more perspective on it.	Position revision: In actual fact I think I am proceeding from a misaprehension. If the people I involve in the testing of this project are strictly from the software/web development and/or interface research spheres then the use of such a project would be exactly in keeping with the activity in which they are employed as developers need to research elements of their craft all the time and researchers, like myself, need to examine theoretical positions although not necessarily mine. So the project can can be seen as an element of their practice from this perspective. Revision 27/3/07 Actually this isn't all that relevant anymore due to the testing methodologys I've decided to follow.
21/10/06	Need to consider an evaluation method for my research.	Consult research methods literature. Gain necessary knowledge as to the available options.	It would seem best to allow the nature of the research dictate the best method of its own evaluation. As a result I'm going to hang fire on this until I have solidified the nature and direction of my research.
Date	Problem	Strategy	Result
21/10/06	I have been struggling since the beginning of the practice module with what the "it" which my theory work and research has centred around might be.	Note down ideas that might fit the bill. Discuss this problem with friends, colleagues both academic and professional and anyone else who will listen. Note down their ideas. Decide on a concrete "something" or "somethings" which will sit at the centre of my research and practice. Discuss this decision with my supervisor. Revise as necessary.	Have formulated a proposition. I have discussed this idea with other members of the group, with members of my profession and then with Steve. I can proceed with a web-based interface which is core to my practice which is the facade to a site which contains and is intended to disseminate my research. This approach will keep theory and practice nice and close. The interface will be informed by the theoretical postion adopted by the research the site contains. Or perhaps the site will contain the research position exemplified by its interface.