FMP Evaluation
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- The author created an app called Autisnt and a visual campaign to bring e-learning and autism together. The app extends existing apps from Rubycube to focus on specific autism symptoms. - Research into autism symptoms among the target audience of 5-8 year olds informed the design of interactive scenarios and devices in the Autisnt app. - A visual campaign aims to enhance understanding of autism and common symptoms through knowledge sharing and a better perception of the disorder.
FMP Evaluation
- 1. FMPevaluation Duringthecourseofthisfinalmajorproject,Ihaveencounteredaplethoraofchallenges, acknowledgementsandpersonaldevelopments. Havinggonethroughajourneyofexploringdifferentpotentialtopicstobasemyprojecton,I settled withtheneuraldevelopmentaldisorder,autism.Myinitialreasonsfordoingsowerethat ofapersonalnature-mynephew possiblyhavingthedisorder(currentlyinthediagnosisprocess, andshowsalotofthesymptoms),whichtriggeredapracticaland visibleview intotheintriguing worldofthisdifficulty.Itwasthisthatallowedmetostickcomfortablytothistopic consistently(asIwouldreflectincorrelationtohisactions,viewpoint,aswellaslearnnew thingsfromthis),whichIknewwasvitalasitisasubjectmatterIwouldbelivingwithforagood while. Uponbeginningwithresearchintoautism (asthisisapivotalstartingpointtowardsdecipheringa succinctpurpose,targetaudienceandsetofdeliverables-a.k.athedesignprocess),Iquicklybegan toacknowledgeacommonsetofsymptoms,commonalitiesandstruggleswithinthisspecific schema.However,Ialsobegantoquicklycometotherealisationofaspecificniche,agapthatwas desperatelywaitingtobefilled-thatofassistivetechnology,anditsinteractionwithautism.Here weare,livinginatimethatcouldbedescribedasthepinnacleoftechnologicalmodernityand efficiency,andyettherewasnotany(apartfrom verylittle,pioneeringmaterial-e.g.topcliffe primaryschoolinBirmingham beginningtotestvirtualenvironmentsintheirspecialschool) informationpertainingtothedirectimplementationofelearningforautisticchildren.Having alreadydecidedthatitischildrenIwishtofocusonduetothisbeing aspringboardtoprevention inlateryears,IquicklybegantoconfirmIwouldaim tocreatesomethingthatwouldbeusedto helpchildrenintegrate(ideally)intomainstream schoolsbythehighschoolage,withthehelpof thisunimplementedworldofhelpwaitingtobediscovered.Contextually,thereisalotmore researchinthefieldthenactualimplementation,largelyexecutedbytheleadingbodyrelatedto autism-thenationalautisticsociety,whom Iquicklybegantofamiliarisewithduetotheir inevitableandpositivehegemonyinthefield.Thisresearchhelpedconfirm the positivecorrelation betweenelearningandautismsymptoms-typicallyintheform ofvirtuallearningenvironments (v.l.es),iPads,andtext-to-speechdevices. Withthesemainaspectstoe learning,theeconomicrealitiesofeachbecamequiteclear- comprehensivevirtuallearningsystemsweretooexpensivetobeintroducedonanintroductory (new phase-in)scale,andtext-to-speechdevicesweretooeffortfulintermsofthecorrelationof resources(equipment,training,etc.)toresults.So,theremainingoption-theuseofiPads,wasthe mostfeasibleduetotheircommonnature,theexistentinvolvementofthem intomainstream education,etc.ItiswiththiseconomicbackdropinmindthatIchosetocreateanappwithaseries ofinteractivescenarios/devicesforparentsandautisticchildren. Lookingintothesocialbackdropofmychosendirection,Icametorealisetheprevalenceofautism supportgroupsrunbyparents(netmums, severalFacebookgroups,e.g.childrenwithautism,
- 2. autism thinkers,etc.),alltight-knittedandchampioningabetterfuture/treatmentforautistic children.Thisthenveeredmetowardstwoadditions-addingparentstothee-learningscheme,and creatingavisualcampaignwiththeview topositivelyenhancingperceptionsofautism,also breedinganairofcommonunderstandingwithinthisfield.ThereIhadit-mybrief-creatingan app bringingthecohesionofe learningandautismtolife,andavisualcampaigntoview autism positively.FromthisIdecipheredmytargetaudience(parentsandteachersofautisticchildrenin primaryschool,aged5-8specifically,duetodatashowingsignificantskilllossaroundthisage. Withinthisresearchphase,Idiscoveredacompany(withinthissmallareaofimplementationI mentionedabove),namedrubycube-basedinAmerica;thiscompanydesignedaseriesofappstoaid autistic(aswellasADHD,andothercloselyrelateddisorders) symptomsviae-learning!Notonly wasIastoundedatthefactthattheseguysweredoingexactlywhatIsetoutto,butthefactthat itwasfromthe(graphicdesigner)founder,Pete,andhiswifejennysdaughterbeingautistic,that theydecidedtoopenupthisniche,madetheseguysallthemorepertinent.Iinstantlygotintouch withthem,beganliaisingandexplainingmyproject,itsreasoning,intentionsandmethod,andPete waseagertocollaborateduetohispassionandinvolvementwithautism.Thisledtothebeginning ofaprofessionalrelationshipthatinvolveddiscussingresearch,gettingadviceondirection,to theneventuallyhavingaformofsponsorshipfrom thecompany,andsettingoutagreementsofthe involvementrubycubewouldhaveintheproject.Thisaspecttomyprojectwasveryusefulforme personally,asitstrengthenedmyskillsetinaprofessionalandindustry-relatedcontext.Thiswas fromfactorssuchasprofessionalliaison,settingoutmutuallybeneficialterms(e.g.Iwoulduse theirappsaspartofmyproject,andtheywouldgainexposureintheU.KfromthisifIdecidedto bringthistorealityandproposeittolocalcouncils/authorities/specialschools-(whichIvery muchintendtodo),learninghow muchtoincorporatethebrandingandmaterialofrubycube,how tocollaboratethiswithmymaterial,whilststillgivingmybrand(autisnt)sufficientgrounding, etc.Ithoroughlyenjoyedthisprocess.Ialsodecidedtocreateapairofhandbooksformyproject- toguideparentsandteachers(eachrelevanttotheirencounterswiththeirchild/student,i.e.the teacherhandbookdetailinghowtooutlineitinschools,economics,trainingneeded,etc.andthe parenthandbookwithhowtofollow thisup,eachdetailinghowtointeractandstimulatethebest theycanoutofthespecificallysymptom-tailoredmaterial). Intermsofthedesignindustryinrelationtomyproject,therewasnotawidearrayof modern/contemporarydesigninmychosenfield.Therewerecampaigns(ofamodern/aesthetically pleasingnature),buttheseweremoregeneric,aswellasafewpiecesofworkIcameacrossfrom students.Thesepiecesemployedmoderndesign,i.e.incorporatingastrongdesignprocess,via involvingthesymptoms/perspectivesofautism andintegratingthisintotheirdesigns(whichwas relevantformetotakeinspirationfrom).Howeverspecificallyintomyfield,therewashardlyany design/visualmaterial,duetothenew-foundednatureofthetopic,howevertheappdesignelement iscommonplace,andthegradualrefinementofasleek,modernaestheticwithinthisfieldhas definitelytakenplace,aswellastheincorporationofuserneedsandthisblendoffunctionand form,andsothisdefinitelyhelpedmewithmyappdesigns.
- 3. FromanevaluatorperspectiveIfeelthebiggeststrengthtomyprojectwasthebreadth,validity andpertinentnatureofmyresearch.Ilaidastrongfoundationbycreatingaclearunderstanding ofthecommonsymptomsofautisticchildrenwithinmytargetaudience,inordertotailortheapps aroundthis,aswellasrelatingfactorse.g.theprevalenceofbullying,etc.formyvisual campaign.IalsofeltIcohesivelyintegratedrubycubewithautisntbycreatingmyappsinthesame style,butextendingintosymptoms/factorsthatrubycubehadntyetdelvedinto-e.g.sensory overload,bullying,andmore.However,Imustbeself-criticalandhonest,IfeelIlackedquitealot onthecompletionofmybriefduetonotcompletingmyhandbooks.Theywouldhavebeenagood step-by-stepguidetotheusageoftheautisntappsandtheinteractionthattheyshouldinvolve betweenparents/teacherswithchild.From animprovementperspective,Ifeelthemainfactorsfor metoconsiderwastime-management(strictlyadheringtoplannedtimingsandconsistently workingtowardscompletion)asthishasbeenamajordownfallforme,and Imusthavepractical stepsimplementedformyownpersonaldevelopmenttohelpforfutureworkinglife,another factorforimprovementwasvisualrefinement(honing inonspecificvisualgenresi.e.infographic, photography,typographical,etc.)andstickingwiththese,marryingthem tomyinformation accordingly. However,thepositivefactoristhat 100% of(content,andagoodamountofvisualresearch/own visualdevelopment)researchwasdonetowardsthis,andasufficientcalltoactionwas incorporatedintomyvisualcampaign.Also,theappandvisualcampaignswereofahigher importancetomyprojectinrelationtotheirmotivesandIfocusedontheseheavily.Critically speaking,anotherdownfallwasthatIcouldhaveboughtmycampaigntolifemore-again, althoughtheresearchshowsIhadplannedthis,andhadthoughtofin-situideasofwhere,howand whyartworkshouldbeplacedincertainlocations/formats,thisshouldhavebeenvisualised,e.g. throughambientmediavisualisations,booksleevemock-ups,websitesuggestionads,etc. Overall,Icreatedabrand-autisnt,andallthatgoeswiththis(i.e.anaestheticidentity,tagline), partofahandbookrelatingtotheimplementationofautistice-learning,anextensionofapps fromacommerciallyexistentcompany,basedspecificallyonsymptom-relatedresearch,anda visualcampaignaimingtogiveknowledgeaboutcommonsymptoms,andgiveabetter understandingofautism tothemasses. Ithoroughlyenjoyedtheprojectandfeelithelpedmedevelopmassively,inthatrunningalarge- scaleproject,andwhatthisentails,wasadevelopmentalexperience(e.g.scheduling,branching offyetcohesivelybringing ittothecentralbrand,externallyliaising(rubycube,nationalautistic society,n.a.s.g.aandmore).Thisalsoincludeddevelopingmydesignskills,e.g.delvinginto illustrationformyappdesign,strengtheningmycopywritingskills,etc.whichIspecifically incorporatedintotheprojectwiththeintentiontoimprove,andincorporateintomyportfolioto setmeupforworkinglife.