After finding out that a potential student wanted to come to Middlesex University as a result of my website. I thought that I had better update some things.

I have now finished my product design dissertation, and am now just focusing on my final design project. My brief is looking to address the needs of older adults though social communication. I have been creating a lot of Bill Buxton style experience prototypes, and using my dissertation as a guideline to turn my late majority into early adopters.

I plan to be updating my ‘about my uni : Middlesex’ as this is just a little out of date, and it getting just a little too much attention! Middlesex are trying to create a better online presence, and I’m working with lectures to create a better ‘online’ brand. But working with large academic institutions is a little slow… (especially with SEO).  If you want to see some of the new facility’s check out the my Flickr Middlesex University Feed.

I’m also part of the crack marketing team for the graduating students. Everything is still being filled out, but keep an eye on www.pdeproduce.com, and the PDEMarket at the Trueman brewery on the 5 – 9 th of June.

I have now submitted my dissertation. Its been a long but fun journey. I would like to thank my six participants and Andy Bardill for help focusing down the topic. You can Dowload it here (1.9MB PDF)

The dissertation starts with a broad overview of emotional and experience design, this leads into my research area of Social communication. To test the academic theories of design in design. The end result is this practical design process which can be used during product design brief creation in an increasing complex world.

ABSTRACT-

In the last seven years, the understanding of product pleasure has greatly increased in academia. Currently the discussion has extended beyond just pleasure and has included the complete experience. While these frameworks exist there is little empirical research that this is what the consumers want, especially within an increasing complex world.

Current technologies have created a plethora of new social methods of interaction that have been activity adopted by the late majority. This fundamental shift in product adoption means traditional late adapters have embraced new products and services faster than traditional early adopters. This paradox of adoption is still under designed for, as current manufactures still don’t completely understand their users.

This dissertation will use a triangulation of user centered design methods focusing on the late majority. Comparing the results against a range of hypothesizes focusing on overall experiences and product adoption. The resulting research combines experience topologies with practical process, to create an iterative design framework that could be used to create better framed briefs.

After reviewing the internet’s and hearing Clive Grinyers podcast at InterSections 2007 InterSections 2007. I have never seen this concept before, even within Bill Buxtons apple overview from “Designing interactions”. Clive only has a short introduction about this concept.

“tangerine’s first project for Apple, where Jonathan Ive began to make his mark. This was one of three concepts based on different types of mobile working. Workspace was for intense, static activity with high feature levels and the ergo “Harley Davidson” keyboard.”

Its an interesting object, and would be great to see a Harley Davidson keyboard in the next iPhone. The short pop-out keyboard on the side seems like a great idea too. So Blog-o-Sphere.. dose any one know more about this concept?