Nobody raises the bar except you.

So here we are, at the end of the semester review for all you Junior BFA designers. It's been a long road, marked with surprises and moments sparked with inspirations. I knew we'd get here but how we'd get here was all together another discovery. But suffice it to say, I am glad you all have made it.

Photo with Team #1

I would like to end the last entry to this blog with this. Stephanie said during the last official day of class that everyone spent lots of hours on DSGD 186 because I've raised the bar.  But I would have to politely disagree.

Nobody can raise the bar except you and on your own volition. Anyone could've chosen to turn in a mediocre project and be content with a pretty average grade. But for those who chose to, decided to make that extra effort to strive for an "Asian F." But kidding aside, when you strive for excellence, then that usually is the outcome. I say usually, since there are always extenuating circumstances.

Nobody can motivate you, move you, stir you and push you but you and your core beliefs. So my hope for you is that you would somehow keep succeeding/failing forward.

During the class dinner, Long asked what do I get out of all this. I replied by saying all this will show in 2 to 3 years from now. When you all graduated, finding your place in this profession and you send me an email saying, "Hi Jeong. Do you remember me? I was in your class..."

Recharge during the break. Come back stronger. So you can suffer longer.  :)

Best project winning team, Vink!

DSGD 186 post dinner picture. V is for victory.

Guest review with designers from Facebook

The afternoon in class with designers from Facebook, sharing thoughts and critiquing students' work, was very refreshing and beyond what I expected. It was good to hear from one of the leaders in the industry, being down to earth and pragmatic in their shared thoughts and experiences.

I don't know what you took away from all this, but my hope for you was to realize how close all these things are happening around you everyday. You all are in the midst of a revolution/cultural change and, if you choose to, can be a part of this now/soon.

What I heard from the guests were all very salient and appropriate. We were limited by time, but you are not limited by resources available to you. I do realize not all of you will go into practice designing for interaction. However, the efforts from interaction design will always be something you will be exposed to everyday.

Focused, listening and learning from the guests for the afternoon

Introductions: Carol, Rob, Jasper and Rasmus

Guests listening, students presenting

Post critique Q/A

All eyes on the guests, which was better than when I am only in the front

Internships?

Thanks Rasmus!

Thanks Jasper, Rob and Carol!

Almost December means it's still November

So for your interactive prototypes, you can keep the slide size to 11x17 as an option. You are welcome to use the standard size, but by increasing the slide size to 11x17, you won't have to re-size all your design assets again. Kelvin and I had a short chat about this and this was a amicable/not-so-tedious solution.

Can't wait 'til Christmas?

Oh, and one more thing. On December 6, we will have a few guest reviewers coming from Facebook to review Project 2 and in progress of Project 3. They will be on campus from 4-6 on December 6. I will talk more about this coming Thursday.

Which leads us to what to prepare for Thursday. Your team should be ready to show whatever app you used to prepare for your interactive prototypes. Just the interactive prototypes. You will use your machines for this.

See you in class!

Final date is Friday, December 16, 2:45-5:00 PM.
If all teams are able to submit their projects and have final critique/presentation on Dec. 8, then we can watch a movie. But if I feel the projects are not quite ready, then you will turn it in Dec. 16 and we will have the final critique/presentation on that day.

If we do watch a movie, I am thingking

• Graves of the Fireflys
• Howl's Moving Castle
• The Simpsons Movie
• Evangelion: 1.11 You Are (Not) Alone

You are welcome to reply with your suggestions.

Everything will now be done in Shaolin style.

So much was anticipated for tomorrow. But much to your delight, we will hold class.  :)

Goku is the master. But then again, he was an alien.

I've uploaded a template called "Hand Gesture Icons" in the Course Materials. You can use this with your wireframes to indicate gestures related to your wireframes.

Hope you have completed at least 5 validations with users of your application. Through task analysis, the gaps in your application mental model was closed.

Please print out your completed/revised scenario and low-res wireframes, in black and white, reflecting the revisions/feedback/epiphany and be ready to answer how you applied the learned learned lessons from your validations. And you should have at least 1 screen, preferably your landing screen for your application rendered with the appropriate details, iconography, color, typography, etc.

I expect more showing and less talking. I heard much description of what you intended to do without showing it. Hope this will be less of a case tomorrow.

So ready to come back home.

Thanks for enduring the FT session this afternoon.

Because posts without photos is like fish without water.

Elijah and Olivia on their way to preschool.

What is expected for this Thursday

1. Team name
2. At least 10 of 15 interviews complete
3. Start synthesizing your findings and report out WIP research progress
4. Send me a low res PDF so I can follow your team's research thus far.
5. Register and download Xcode 4
6. Your low res Project 2 PDF files are due at 2 PM sent to me via email 

Also, go to Apple's iOS Dev Site and register/log in. Your current Apple ID should work to log in, but you might need to register as a developer. Once that's done, you can download Xcode 4, free dev tool for iOS devices. The reason you want to do this is because it comes with iOS Simulator. You can launch this and get a general feel for how iOS behaves on the iPad. Do this now. Do not procrastinate. Do not pass go and collect $200. Okay, the last one is from Monopoly.

What? You never played Monopoly?

If FB doesn't hire you after they see this, I don't know what will.

Thanks for making the final Project 2 review possible. With some technical difficulties, as well as me being physically present wasn't ideal. But I feel everyone made the best of the given situation.

I hope this doesn't become a regular thing. Oh wait. We have to do this for 2 more classes.

Fine, my Nyan Cat could use a bit more work.

What are we, Asians? Stop with the "V" already.

Your PDF files are due Nov. 10. I know I will not be there, but you need a deadline. This is set so you can aim to finish any revisions. If you plan to submit revised PDF files, submit as low res, by 2PM on Nov. 10. Anything late then I will use your older files.

Your printed process books will be due Nov. 15 on the day of my return to the actual/physical classroom. Okay, don't get too excited.

Your last and final Project 3 is designing a video application for a tablet. We will use the iPad as our device used for this application. What the users can consume on this app is up to your team's research and decision. This app can view, and is not limited to, videos, movies, uploads, etc. Is it Hulu, Netflix, YouTube? Yes to all, if it it appropriate. Does the content have to be so entertainment related? Absolutely not.

We will convene at our usual class time, me being present virtually, of course. I will go over the project details again, answer any questions regarding this project. But I will not advise you on your personal life/FB status. Then we will divide you folks into teams.

Oh, and one more thing. When the team sends in the final revised Project 2 PDF, you are also to send in a PDF file of how you and your project team worked. Consider this a peer review. Please send this in individually, name the file with your "project team name - your name.pdf."

This should be constructive.

See you all next class session.

Occupy DSGD 186

Good evening. Considering it was our first time, teleconferencing using FaceTime went better than I had hoped. Thanks to Long for helping me do this.

Occupy Group Critique. BTW, you are using a photo when I was 230 lbs.

Thanks Mr. Jobs. Your magical tool made this all possible.

Now after our first remote crit session, occupying 4 hours of your time, I just want to thank you for bearing with me as I stay in India for another 10 more days.

Now that being said, I feel most of the groups are on track for the last part of the deliverable. You will be tying the user's experience around a scenario on how your main feature of the app is used. Using one of your persona, he/she will be in a situation your team created, and will address their needs by using you application. Each rendered screen should address and resolve what your persona does as he/she uses the application.

Please send your low res PDF files to me by 2 PM on Thursday.  I originally asked for high res PDF files, but upon further thought, std/low fidelity PDF should suffice. I will connect via FaceTime and participate/watch/listen in on your presentations.

Your printed process books are due Nov. 15.

Thanks for making today's critique fun. Finish strong, folks.