Discussion Leader — Reflection

I believe that the two readings I chose tied in well with the reading assignment for last week. Both brought up conversations about information architecture, and the J.D. Power article showed the struggle that can occur between aesthetics and usability.

The additional conversation regarding the architecture of the Alibris site (and its comparison to Amazon) helped me better understand design and architecture characteristics that lead to poor usability.

By taking a closer look at these three wbsites, I gained a clearer picture of what constitutes effective architecture and improved usability, and I hope the rest of the class also found it valuable.  If I were to have improved the discussion time, I think I could have prepared a predetermined list of questions about each website in order to get people talking.

 

Discussion Leader — Feb. 5, 2008

Readings:

Boyd, A. Bruce, N. (2008). What Goes into Good Web Design? A Report on the New ACS Web Site. Journal of Chemical Education, 85(1), 20. Retrieved February 3, 2008, from Research Library database. (Document ID: 1409985051).

This article covers some major changes the American Chemical Society made to their website. The articles highlights improvements in usability and findability, and explains some user resesearch approaches that helped understand what content to feature and how to organize it.

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J.D. Power and Associates Reports: Breaking Web Site Design Standards Can Prove Successful in Establishing Brand Identity. (18 July). PR Newswire. Retrieved February 3, 2008, from ProQuest Newsstand database. (Document ID: 1306207781).

This article reveals changes that car manufacturers are making to their websites in order to improve brand identities. An annual study by J.D. Power and Associates measures user perception of brand image on websites. The study also measures usability. The article focuses on Volkswagen, as the company’s site redesign greatly improved its brand identity but also saw a decrease in usability, according to the study.

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Power point:

Websites:

www.acs.org

http://web.archive.org/web/20060221182419/www.chemistry.org/portal/a/c/s/1/home.html

www.vw.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7s4nP4rkx-w

 

Term Project Presentation

Public Libraries and Digital Libraries

 

Discussion Leader — Post class reflection

After presenting Manovich’s five principles of new media, I think most of my two groups had a decent grasp of the first four principles. I probably could have provided a more thorough description of the fifth principle — cultural transcoding — with some solid examples to refer to. The examples used by Manovich to explain the first four principles were very helpful to my audience (and myself), but he doesn’t elaborate on point five in our assigned reading.

Overall, there were some good discussions of the first four principles in my groups.

The survey data from my additional reading raised a similar discussion among both groups about the next generation of media users/creators. Some felt that the next generation that enters the workforce may have a competitive advantage over older generations, as they begin to favor new media over more passive media at an early age.

 

Discussion Leader: Principles of New Media

Lev Manovich describes new media as having these five tendencies:

1. Numerical Representation. New Media objects are composed of digital code, and can be described mathematically.

2. Modularity. Media elements are represented as collections of discrete samples (pixels, polygons, voxels, characters, scripts), and keep their identity when assembled into larger objects.

3. Automation. “The human intentionally can be removed from the creative process, at least in part.” Automation occurs in varying levels of sophistication, from image editing to AI.

4. Variability. A new media object is not fixed; it can exist in different, potentially infinite, versions. Example: different versions of a Website or QuickTime video based on a user’s connection speed. Manovich adds that this trait fits with a post-industrial society that values individuality over conformity.

5. Cultural transcoding. New media consists of two layers: the “cultural layer” and the “computer layer”. These layers are influencing each other.

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Additional reading:

Svoen, B. (2007, April). Consumers, participants, and creators: young people’s diverse use of television and new media. Computers in Entertainment, 5(2), 1. Retrieved November 20, 2007, from ABI/INFORM Global database. (Document ID: 1369573171).

In Young People’s Diverse Use of Television and New Media, a study of 762 Norwegian youths focused on how respondents made use of media in their spare time. The study points out that while the young people mostly took on the roles of audience and consumers, new media is playing a larger role in building networks, promoting participation in society, and encouraging creative activity when compared to similar past studies.

PDF of presentation