D|MA 161B: Dynamic Web
Monday & Wednesday 2:00 Pm - 4:50 PM
Kinross South, S128

 

"The artist is always engaged in writing a detailed history of the future because he is the only person aware of the nature of the present."

~Wyndham Lewis

Dynamic Web explores creative production through networked multimedia environments, focusing on the World-Wide-Web. It is intended as a follow up to the beginning Introduction to Creative use of the Internet class, and is required for the advanced class. This studio course combines creative exploration, active learning techniques and in-class dialog in response to particular concepts and issues. Students view and critique work of media artists and designers using digital technologies on the Internet. Equally important is the discussion of issues related to mediation/remediation, the phenomenology of interactivity, experience design, interface theory, usability, theories of representation and production, and virtual and mixed realities. Hands on instruction introduces students to the basic technologies enabling Web-based production of 2D online spaces. Students will do self-directed research and development on those technologies they find most useful for their project development. Emphasis is placed on creative content, experimentation and independent thinking. An example of how transdisciplinary creative practice is incorporated in this studio course are the “organic-electronic devices” resulting from the fusion of essential features from one or more biological life forms and a web-based or wireless electronic device that are designed by students in the course.

Ruth West
E-mail: ruth.west6@verizon.net

"The medium, or process, of our time -- electric technology -- is reshaping and restructuring patterns of social interdependence and every aspect of our personal life. It is forcing us to reconsider and reevaluate practically every thought, every action, and every institution formerly taken for granted. Everything is changing -- you, your family, your neighborhood, your education, your job, your government, and your relation to "the others." And they're changing dramatically."

~Marshall McLuhan

• Introduction to the course
• Viewing net artworks
• Go over grading scheme, course outline, major assignments

• None

• Assignment 1

• Presentations: Creative Vision statements and portfolio pieces

• Review: HTML/Web basics in Dreamweaver
• In class work on sketchbook using Dreamweaver.

• Assignment 2

• Visual Culture/Cultural Imperialism/Internet: global village or multinational corporate marketplace?

• Flash MX: file types, toolset, drawing, , basic animation, tweening types, timelines, testing

• Assignment 3
• Flash MX: Help lessons (getting started, illustrating, text )

• View: Assignment 3 -progress

• Flash MX: Symbols & Instances, keyframes, multi-tweens, motion guides, bitmap video/vector

• Assignment 3
• Flash MX : Help Lessons (symbols, layers, animation, buttons)
• Flash MX: Tutorial: movie start to finish

• Holiday. No class today.

• Media/Mass Media: McLuhan /Hot & Cold Media
• Viewing: Devorah Sperber
• View: assignment 3 - progress

• Flash MX: bitmaps, buttons, movie clips, ActionScript basics

• Flash MX help tutorials
• Continue assignment 3
• Interactive Experience: Definitions and Criteria
• Reading: see "Interactive experience" assignment details
• Midterm: Assignment 4

• Mediation/Remediation
• View: Assignment 3 - Completed Projects.
• Viewing: Joshua Davis, Whitney Net Art Portal, Net Art - Idea Line, Rhizome.org

• Flash MX: ActionScript, continued.

• Flash MX tutorials/help topics : ActionScript.
• Continue assignment 4.

• Interactive Experience: Definition & Criteria for Interaction Design
• View: Assignment 3 - completed projects

•  Flash MX: ActionScript, text, sound, video, publish/export

• Artist statements: reading & analysis: elements, criteria & structure

• Interactive Experience: Definition & Criteria for Interaction Design - continued.
• View: Midterm Proposals

•  In class work on midterm projects.

•  Midterm proposal due today.

• Artist Statements - Elements
• View:Brain Ball/Interactive Institute, proce55ing.net, farfar.se, Manny Tan, Glen Rhodes, Jamie McDonald, Scott Snibbe, Jennifer Steinkamp

• Continue work on midterm projects

• Artist Statement : reading and analysis - Due Monday February 10, 2003
• Continue work on Midterm

• Guest Presentation: David E. Kelly Productions
• Artist Statements -Deconstructing Elements/Analyzing Structure
• Viewing: WebMutant v1.0; Seol Euna, Keeblers' Instant Messaging Bot, Instant Messaging wars, Virtual Humans, Design is Kinky, K10K, Surfstation, Shift, Threeoh

•  N/A

• Continue work on Midterm projects and artist statements
• Creative Cognition in Design - reading

•  Midterm Project -In Class work

•  None

• Final assigned:
• Final due date: Wednesday, March 12, 2003

• Holiday. No class today.

• Midterm presentations

• Final Project Research
• Viewing: Donald Norman, Jacob Nielsen, IBM Usability and Design, Interaction Design, Web Interface Evaluation, Mental Models & HCI, Ben Shneiderman (UI), Universal Usability, UI Design/Yale, Usable Web, Usability Methods Toolbox, IDEO Design, Gameboys that play music, Segway Human Transporters, SpaceHab, Inc.

•  None

Reading selections:

• Quality Technical Information: Paving the Way for Usable Print and Web Interface Design
• The Semantics of Usability
• Interaction Design & Prototyping
• Conceptual Models
• An equilibrium of value
• Dare we define user interface design?
• User interface design and china
• The cult of cute

• Final project proposals
• Usability

•  Dynamic Instances

•   Continue Final project, reading assignment for March 3, 2003

• Final Project - in class work
• Discussion of usability and interface design articles
• Usability questions - group discussion & readings

•  Site Overview

• Class Online Gallery - Design
• Final Project - in class work
• Usability tests due today

• Final project - independent work

• Final project presentations