THESIS COMPLETE : MGD GRANTED

On May 4, 2009 my thesis research, Spatial Mapping and Navigation: physical and online environments, was presented to faculty, classmates, and guests. The final outcomes of the design investigations can be viewed on my portfolio website. For a complete PDF of the published document please contact me for the link.

This blog will remain as a permanent documentation of my graduate school experience, an experience that reshaped my thinking, modified my methods, and connected me to some of the most wonderful people that I am grateful to have met at this time in my life.

"We use the experience of the past,
in the present, to solve the future."
-Robert Downs, Maps in Minds

THESIS : Midpoint Review

Thesis oral presentations were this week (midpoint review). The expectation was to be 80% complete with thesis progress in regards to the research and making, the writing process precedes the review...if we pass. I passed! The following three posts show what was presented: the presentation format and three interactive studies.

I am incorporating a few studies from cognitive psychology and information sciences. My presentation, writing the final thesis document, and revisiting the investigations are the next steps in preparation for final review on May 4th. The map posted below outlines the presentation. The presentation design follows an overarching concept that is incorporated in all the investigations; "where I have been", "where I am", and "where I am going".

Spatial Intelligence, Cognitive Mapping, Personality Dimensions, Navigation, Mental Processing Structures, and Activity Theory are the areas of research I have used to inform my process. The investigations are interactive online experiences, exploring tasks that take place in an online environment informing one's decision in a physical environment. The content of investigation is walkable communities.

As mentioned before, I have worked with an overarching theme of "where I have been", "where I am at", and "where I am going", inspired by spatial intelligence and cognitive mapping. Each study involves a goal, motivation, behavior, specific information needed, and a mental processing structure for organizing information. The behavior and motivations are informed by a study done on personality dimensions and information searching behaviors. Each scenario portrays a specific user that would benefit from a walkable community. Together the interactive investigations align to form a perspective that moves from macro to micro.


Presentation Map

THESIS : Update

Now that I am weeks into the final semester of graduate school and only weeks away from presenting my thesis at orals (week of March 8th), I thought it would be appropriate to share an update on the progress. I have been reading several resources recommended to me by my committee, but I have found with each new source I read I get my wheels spinning a bit more. I suppose this is good to an extent, but it is time to start MAKING. I have been reading about various topics such as experience, emotion, spatial intelligence, and cognitive mapping...all of which tie nicely into my interests and thesis research. This weekend I edited notes and the concept maps I have done up to this point. Next step is to pull content and continue sketching spatial relationships for interaction.

THESIS : Fall Review

Yesterday was our final review. It was an 8 hour crit with all the faculty. We had to present the "Making Raleigh Legible" project (project 2) and the Water project. I will post about the water project later as it is being entered in a national competition for AIGA. We presented our projects in groups, then the second-years presented thesis thinking. This is the thesis thinking I presented.

THESIS : Long overdue update

My thesis research has progressed this semester. I have been able to somewhat articulate my interests in the form of diagrams and mapping, along with reading and writing. At mid-semester the proposal was due and my committee was selected. Meredith Davis is my chair and Kermit Bailey is an official committee member. Next week an official presentation to the entire faculty is required for final review purposes. It is there that I will outline my "making" and investigations for the holiday break and next semester.
The following posts will highlight my current work to date.