Workbook

Ergodynamics Workbook

[What is it?]

It’s a ‘brain tool’. Workbook activity is an essential part of creative design. You will find that students who use it correctly will produce significantly better work than those who don't.

Window on your mind:
Most people have a thick bone-like structure around their brain [skull] which inhibits direct access to their thoughts. Talking and writing, in an attempt to explain the brains internal workings, can only ever be partially successful. Images, spaces and interactions are physical things, they are best experienced and not described. Draw it!

[What should it look like?]

The workbook should be an A4 clip folder containing plain paper. Do not use lined paper! pages should be removable. Some bits will be immaculately clean and tidy [see Collaborative Communication], other bits will be messy and indecipherable [see ‘Compost Heap’ paradigm]. It will be submitted on line as part of your website.

[What should I do with it?]

...101 things to do with a workbook...You will: draw in it; do very little writing; stick things in it [images, maps, diagrams, adverts, postcards, photographs, etc]; plan things in it; brainstorm in it; illuminate others with it; communicate your ideas through it; think through it; organise things in it.

You will keep ‘one’ workbook! When you need to submit workbook material for a module assessment remove it from the workbook and hand it in [see Assessment]. Maintaining a single workbook will encourage you to develop ideas across the range of ‘IDAT’ modules. You should treat the Programme as a ‘whole’ and not as a series of separate ‘objects’. Your Workbook should help you do this.

[What will it do for me?]

You will find that you will develop your workbook technique to the point where it becomes a vital part of your production process. It will help you plan projects, communicate your ideas to others, and articulate your ideas to yourself. You will find it essential when you come to prepare your portfolio. Your employer will find the practice extremely encouraging. You're employer will most probably expect you to maintain it throughout your placement.

[Who will look at it?]

You will, frequently; staff will, frequently. You will explain your ideas through it, and your progress will be monitored and measured by it; members of your production team will, frequently. You will show them how your mind works and what you are thinking.

[Assessment]

Students are required to keep an active workbook for most ‘IDAT’ Modules. The Workbook is often assessed separately, as a major component of a module. You will notice that many modules have deadlines requiring the simultaneous submission of workbooks. Simply select the sheets relevant to each module [photocopy stuff that overlaps], put them in a folder and hand it in to the module assignment box. Staff will see your entire workbook during tutorial sessions. You will not normally be required to submit the entire workbook, only sections. Your workbook sections will be returned.

[Designing Multimedia]

... is a frighteningly complex thing to do. To maintain all the elements of the design process in your head is impossible. You need to articulate all the elements individually. These include: the interface design, the content, all the branches, all the interactions, all the icons, all the scripts, all the colour palettes, all the sprites, all the jump to files, all the fonts, all the copyright references, all the sounds, all the music, all the ideas...

[Hypertension]

...the result of bad planning is commonly known as Hypertension. If you do not try to control the project on paper you will get lost in hyper space or...

[Multimediocrity]

..you will produce Multimediocrity. There is an awful lot of it about. You did not join b-DAT to get away with Multimediocrity. Mediocre icons, Mediocre fonts, Mediocre screen design, Mediocre images, Mediocre interactions...

[Drawing?]

...what is drawing? You will have lectures which explain it. However, your workbook activity will require you to develop a drawing technique. This does not mean pretty drawings of flowers, etc. Try using collage techniques, use photocopies, cutups, a variety of pens, pencils, etc. Just be creative! What does that mean? Well...

[Ideas Generator]

...your workbook should be an ideas generator. Putting things in from a variety of sources in a variety of styles may not mean much at the time. However, you will soon find that the accumulative effect will allow you to make associations and realise things you would not have previously thought of. Serendipity is a wonderful thing.

[Collaborative Communication]