Filed under: Minutes
At this stage of the project, we feel it is unnecessary to take anymore minutes. Nadia and I speak daily about the project, so its just not practical to record everything that is discussed anymore. We are basically in the production phase of the project at the moment anyway, so again, taking notes on everything we discuss just isn’t practical anymore.
Filed under: Minutes
Saturday 3 May 2008
Duration: 2.5 hours
Members in attendance: AT, NH
Minute taker: AT
Discuss proposal and assign roles:
- Nadia to add bits to the proposal that the document says she should add.
- Alex to add anything extra about the survey.
- Look at past examples of Design Proposal documents to get an idea of how to add content to certain sections.
- Need to talk to Keith about the following issues:
- How does the lit review fit into the proposal?
- Need to explain the design restrictions, etc.
- Do we put raw research data in, or a summary?
- Discuss the research methods to date.
- Talk to Nicki about printing broadsheets on the school printer.
- Both work on the intro to the proposal.
Discuss design and content of the publication:
- Design to somewhat follow suit of the poster, referencing political posters.
- Tone the language down visually, use of colour, etc.
- Content of the publication:
- Intro to project.
- Intro to initial research.
- Slimmed down lit review.
- Proposal abstract.
- Introduction to further research methods (triangulation)
- Use of imagery as well as text and pull quotes.
- Introduce design solution.
- Document the process taken reaching the solution.
- Show and explain the final outcomes.
- Conclusion of the project, what have we learnt, was it a success?
Discuss design and content of other deliverables:
- All design outcomes must be consistent in look and feel and be relevant to the demographic. Not just in terms of look, but in terms of language use as well.
- Publication:
- Simple, nice, typographic, use of pull quotes and imagery to guide the reader.
- Whatever design we use must be relevant to the project.
- Website:
- Clean, simple, easy to read and digest and navigate.
- Believable, trustworthy.
- Enjoyable experience.
- Not preachy, just informative.
- Broadsheet/other printed media:
- Similar to ‘Is Not’ magazine in terms of being a text heavy document that encourages people to read and engage with it, within a public space.
- Should draw attention, be inviting and encourage dialogue.
- Act as a promotional device for the website/blog.
Filed under: Minutes, Poster | Tags: censorship, manipulation, political poster, politics, Poster, truth
Sunday 20 April 2008
Duration: 3.5 hours
Members in attendance: AT, NH
Minute taker: NH
Agenda
Work on the poster
A lot of our meetings lately have been work-based rather than talk-based. So we thought we would present these images as the minutes for one of our recent meetings.
We presented two concepts to Tony and Nicki (which Alex will be posting shortly, followed by our final outcome), and here is the making of
Concept 1
Concept 2
All will become clear when the final concepts are up.
Filed under: Minutes | Tags: awareness, language, lies, mistruth, misuse, news, truth
Thursday 17 April 2008
Duration: 2.5 hours
Members in attendance: AT, NH
Minute taker: NH
Agenda
Discuss the literature review.
Discuss options for project and decide upon a definitive direction.
Lay out a schedule for the completion of work.
Item 1: Discuss the literature review.
We have decided that the literature review is completed, but may need a few minor tweaks. We still have to complete the bilbliography.
Item 2: Discuss options for project and decide upon a definitive direction.
- Had a lengthy discussion about why we felt lost (lack of direction) and discusssed how to get ourselves back on track.
- Discussed research methods and outcomes that would help us achieve our goals
- Related this project to similar projects completed in other years (eg: second year’s Research Project) – this helped us work out what stage of the design process we were at.
- Bouncing ideas around helped us to better understand what we wanted to achieve – we have come up with a direction that we are both excited about (YAY!).
- We came up with a few possible outcomes and research methods, but came to a conclusion about the one to follow up.
- In order to reach our goal of achieving greater public awareness of language misuse and mistruth, we want to produce a website which will help direct people to truthful/neutral news sources, help them to discern what is true and what is not, allow them to actively participate in polls, etc. to create a dialogue, perhaps have a forum … the details will become clear after further research.
- The research techniques we wish to employ include: observation and discussion (*this is currently a secret*), survey to get initial ideas of people’s reactions and behaviours, and we are yet to precisely finalise the last method, but it may be an artefact review.
Item 3: Lay out a schedule for the completion of work.
Week-by-week timeline
Non-teaching period
- By Thursday: Put up profiles of each other
- By Friday: Devise and send out research survey
- Friday: Begin branding for truth & lies, poster concepts
- By Saturday: Have abstract for proposal completed
- Sunday: Review branding and poster concepts – discuss when we can execute poster together
Week 7
Poster is due on Friday
- By Monday: Come up with any questions we may need to ask Nicki
- Monday: Meeting to discuss project and review progress
- By Friday: Have poster fully refined and completed
- Find sources for *secret project*, materials, etc.
Week 8
Presentation of Poster 2 on Monday
Aim to do *secret* experiment on Friday
- By Monday: Have presentation prepared for Poster 2
- By Wednesday: Create *secret project* and any other material required for social experiment
- Think about the design of the website and any content that may go on it
Week 9
- Execute the website
- Finishing touches on proposal document
Week 10
Proposal is due on Tuesday
- Website to be uploaded
Week 11
Discussion board finishes
Week 12
Week 13
Lecture visualisations due on Friday
Presentation of final outcomes on Thursday
Final outcomes due on Thursday
Blog due on Friday
This will be added to when some things become more concrete.
All the secrets will soon become clear.
Monday 14 April 2008
Duration: 2 hours
Members in attendance: AT, NH
Minute taker: NH
Agenda
Discuss progress on the literature review and work on it.
Discuss progress on timeline and redefine goals for the next few days.
Item 1: Discuss progress on the literature review and work on it.
• Each showed the research we had done and discussed it.
• Discussed the structure of the essay and how the research we had fit into it.
• Expanded on the research we had.
• Discussed a timeline for the completion of the essay
(and other components of the project).
Item 2: Discuss progress on timeline and redefine goals for the next few days.
To do tonight
• Each add something to the blog
• Alex to make a start on the literature review
• Nadia to write up minutes
• Write profiles of each other and send to each other
Tomorrow
• Alex to continue the literature review and send to Nadia
• Alex to start structuring the proposal
• Both think about ideas for the poster
• Think about research methods (think about a survey)
• Alex to call Nadia
Wednesday
• Nadia to continue the lit review and proposal
• Both think about ideas for the poster
• Nadia to call Alex
Thursday
• Meeting regarding the lit review and proposal and poster
Filed under: Minutes | Tags: art, awareness, belief, communication, deceit, design, false truths, perception, politics, power, research, satire, truth
Friday 11 April 2008
Duration: 2.5 hours
Members in attendance: AT, NH
Minute taker: AT
Agenda
Decide on group name and establish blog.
Define positioning statement and end goal.
Draft literature review structure.
Discuss where we are going (research methods/techniques and outcomes).
Draft time line for the next week.
Item 1: Decide on group name and establish blog.
False truths.
Item 2: Define positioning statement and end goal.
Nadia: Overall theme truth, within that a strong theme is politics. What we are trying to do is work out what people perceive as being the truth and what factors influence their beliefs.
Alex: The overall theme as a perception of truth and the understanding of truth and what influences people’s actions based on what they’ve heard. If they were to hear something that they thought was true, what was the basis of their belief?
Goal is to find out what motivates people to believe a ‘truth’? Create awareness and present what is believed to be a truth in a non-biased way.
Nadia: Uncover deceiving language for what it is. Show truth behind this language that covers up what is true.
Group: Categorising the types of language into groups according to their emotive qualities. Break down what words are used where, in what media, by what type of person (politician, media spokesman, etc.) and what people they are targeting.
In society today, the presentation of this issue is mostly satirical. It’s not taken very seriously, but we feel it is a serious issue. We want to give people the tools to be able to tell what they can and can’t trust, through public awareness. We want to nurture the minds of society, allow people to be freethinking. Let people judge on the truth, not on a lie.
Truth is not static, it’s dynamic.
Tone of our message needs to be neutral and human (easy to read and understand, comprehend).
Item 3: Draft literature review structure.
Rough outline of paragraphs:
• Introduction:
o Language, everybody uses it to communicate, but the way its used and perceived differs between people.
o What is truth?
o Those who manipulate language are generally the powers that be.
• Powers that be 1: Politicians
• Powers that be 2: Media
• Powers that be 3: Powerful social and community figures. (church, authority, etc.)
• Conclusion (where to?)
Item 4: Discuss where we are going (research methods/techniques and outcomes).
Hands on research: using a set of words on cards and asking people to sort them into categories (provided or not). This will give us an understanding of people’s perceptions and emotional responses to particular uses of language. Could be applied in an online survey as well.
Item 5: Draft time line for the next week.
Tasks that need to be undertaken next week are:
• Literature review:
o Collating research quotes into draft sections.
o See if we need to research further to fill gaps.
o Informally write the bulk of the text.
• Proposal brief:
o Think up ideas for research methods and outcomes. What are we trying to find out, what is the data we desire, what can we do with that data? (research and how it leads to design outcomes)
o Start writing and forming a draft of sorts.
• Research methods:
o Formulate ideas for surveys, practical and social observations, and any other research methods we could undertake.
o Undertake one of these methods, or at least put one into motion.
• Poster:
o Think of direction and message that we want to put across.
o Formulate concepts.
o Start making it.
Filed under: Minutes | Tags: art, briefs, deadlines, definition, design, language, manipulation, requirements, spin, topic, unspeak
Sunday 6 April 2008
Duration: 2 hours and 33 minutes
Members in attendance: AT, NH
Minute taker: NH
Agenda
Define and understand deadlines and requirements
Define goals
Establish group member roles
Define the project – think about research methods and pathways (prepare for Monday’s meeting with lecturers)
Discuss work to be completed as a result of the meeting
Item 1: Define and understand deadlines and requirements
Looked at email from Nicki, table on Blackboard and various project briefs:
- Week 6: Establish team blog (402), attend meeting with lecturers (402), Project 1c due (401), Group presentation (401).
- Mid-semester break
- Week 7: Poster 2 due for printing (402), proposal draft text (400)
- Week 8: Poster presentation (402), Project 1d due (401)
- Week 9
- Week 10: Proposal due (400) – according to table on Blackboard
- Week 11: Discussion board (Project 3) ceases to run (400)
- Week 12: Proposal due (400) – according to brief
- Week 13: Presentation (400, 401, 402)
HDG400: Project 2 – Developing a design proposal brief
- Specific and smaller in scale subject-wise
- Triangulation of research methods – 3 research applications
- Discuss and evaluate research findings and incorporate these into the design proposal brief
- Structured written and visual proposal
- Professionally positions the product as a design proposition
- The brief expects you to make two or three different design proposals at the end of the document. No research is to be conducted as part of this brief
- Sell your idea to the reader/client
- Describe what research methods you might apply to better understand your design application and collect visual, statistical and other evidence that might support your ideas
- Idea of the proposal brief is to describe the project we intend to do and how we could apply research to it to get to an outcome (what research, how we would do that research, etc.)
- Submission requirements: CD with all final files in pdf and original format, design proposal brief of 1500 words, journal including research, sketches, notes and progressive printouts showing design development of the research summary over the course of the semester
- Refer to document describing how to write the proposal brief
HDG401: Brief 1d
- Brief to be received from Tony on Monday
Overall, we have much more clearly defined what is required from the proposal brief. We feel that tomorrow’s meeting will clarify a lot for us, and hopefully set us in the right direction. We have realised we have to reposition ourselves by creating a new literature review to solidify our new topic.
Item 2: Define goals
Immediate goals – what we want to get out of this work session:
- Clearly define our direction
- Consolidate and compare individual research
- Make a list of keywords to search for in research databases
- Work out what (if any) new research must be completed
- Reduce stress!
Item 3: Establish group member roles
We intend to establish group member roles at a later stage in the project when we better understand what is required. As a group of two, we feel that formal roles of leader and secretary would not be greatly beneficial.
Item 4: Define the project – think about research methods and pathways (prepare for Monday’s meeting with lecturers)
Define topic:
Truth (in relation to language)
Sub-areas:
- ‘Unspeak’
- Manipulation
- Scare tactics
- Euphemism
- Coverups and censorship (of truth)
- Media influence
- Spin
- Transparency and honesty
- Trust and credibility
- Misconceptions
- Language of power/those in power (authority/politics/media)
What we want to find out:
- Public knowledge and awareness of the above issues
- How much do the public trust institutions of ‘authority’? What will they believe? Who believes?
- What is the ethos of society in relation to truth?
- What ethical issues arise in relation to the above issues?
- What is the effect of knowing the truth? Will it influence change in society (attitudes/actions)?
- Would people recognise the truth if it were delivered to them? Would people believe something that is patently untrue?
- What is the psychology of truth?
- Understand what truth is
- Understand what makes people believe – what informs their beliefs? What powers influence people’s beliefs and perceptions (work, education, religion, family, media, peers, elders, society, etc.)?
What we want to achieve:
- Change public opinion/knowledge/awareness (raising awareness) of the manipulation that takes place
- Create a public forum/dialogue about issues rather than just accepting the information we receive
- Challenge the ‘status quo’
- Empower people with knowledge
Case studies:
- Children overboard
- War of the worlds
- September 11 and war in Iraq (‘war on Terror’)
- Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky
- Watergate
- Sorry day
- Advertising and the corporate world
- Politics in general
- Political campaigns
- Positive speeches: Martin Luther King
Research so far collected:
Alex Turnbull
- ‘Unspeak’ book and blog by Steven Poole: Formed the basis of the questioning of truth. Shocked as to the way media supports government agendas and uses this ‘unspeak’ language. It’s not something that ever stops – it’s always evolving and changing.
- ‘Leaders understand the power of words’ by Robert Millward: Passionate speakers use emotional language to convey positive messages and move people. They must back up their words with action; otherwise these great words are empty.
- Internet language research: Censorship – Chinese censorship, second biggest language on the internet, yet it is so heavily censored. Government tracks down
- Watched ‘Inconvenient truth’, ‘Chasers War on Everything’, ‘The Daily Show’. Thinking about experiments and surveys.
- ‘An Inconvenient truth’ – Al Gore discusses the use of ‘fluffy language’ in relation to environmental issues. People with vested interests in oil companies etc, try to position global warming as a theory rather than fact.
Nadia Hisheh
- Also discussed Chinese censorship – Green guide article ‘The Great firewall of China’
- Discussed Media communication theories: Discussed the different theories on how the media affects people – Bullet, uses and gratifications, reinforcement, agenda setting, open text.
- Borrowed ‘1984′, ‘Envision: Persuasive writing in a visual world’ and ‘No Logo’.
- ‘Spin: from tactic to tabloid’: Defines the meaning of spin and the history of the term.
- ‘Ethics of image manipulation’: Images can be used to manipulate as well as words – what does the combination of image and language manipulation do? Might not want to go off on this tangent, but could be useful.
- ‘Methods of media manipulation’: Describes the methods by which the media can manipulate the truth and manipulate its audiences.
- Currently reading ‘Negative News and the sleeper effect of distrust’ – discusses whether the tone of the news affects public distrust of government.
- ‘Death Sentence’: Discusses the use of public language – in similar way to ‘Unspeak’, but it focuses on how using ‘unspeak’ terms diminishes the language to being less meaningful.
Research methods:
- Hands-on research – talking to people, observing people’s reactions, social experiments
- Case study research – what instances in history can we learn from?
- Reflecting on the research we have already completed – there is not much more we feel we can learn from research papers, as this is a research gap. No-one has focused specifically on the area that we want to know more about.
Possible outcomes:
- Research document outlining process and findings of social experiments
- Campaign-type collateral to raise public awareness and knowledge
- Development of an online presence to gain a forum for discussion and to start a community
- Other outcomes could exist to meet our goals
Item 5: Discuss work to be completed as a result of the meeting
Further research: Look into the key terms we defined earlier. Learn about each of the terms to gain a better understanding. From there we will determine what further research must be completed.
Research methods: We have some initial ideas about what research methods we might employ, however, we intend to use Monday’s meeting as a springboard for coming up with new ideas. We will hold a meeting shortly thereafter.
By tomorrow: Each put together notes on an abstract and statement of purpose and combine before the meeting. Complete the further research as outlined above.
