Project 1 Initial Questions

jtirrell's picture

Post your questions about Project 1 in a comment.

Pan2's picture
questions

What programs will we be using for the data mapping? Or is it going to be up to us?

Also, what kind of data/subject matter would be "appropriate"?

Submitted by Pan2 on Wed, 01/09/2008 - 13:55.
jtirrell's picture
re:

You can use any program that is applicable to your purpose, including no computer program at all.

Your choice of subject matter is up to you, although I will give you feedback about your choice's feasibility.

Submitted by jtirrell on Fri, 01/11/2008 - 12:12.
CatTail1986's picture
Groups?

Are we working in groups for this project? If we decide to do it on our own, could we?

Submitted by CatTail1986 on Wed, 01/09/2008 - 13:56.
jtirrell's picture
re:

As the project page states, this is an individual project. We will do some activities in groups, but each student is responsible for his or her own project.

Submitted by jtirrell on Fri, 01/11/2008 - 12:14.
project 1 comment

I would like to know what parts of the project are going to be graded. What are some things you going to emphasize on?

Submitted by cloud586 on Wed, 01/09/2008 - 13:56.
jtirrell's picture
re:

The rubrics on the project page provide a scoring break down.

Submitted by jtirrell on Fri, 01/11/2008 - 12:15.
twykoff's picture
Question

In what ways can this project be done without using computer graphics?

Submitted by twykoff on Wed, 01/09/2008 - 13:56.
jtirrell's picture
re:

There are many ways to construct data maps without being proficient in graphic creation. You might look at some drafts from previous students to see some examples of data maps that are not CG dependent.

Submitted by jtirrell on Fri, 01/11/2008 - 12:17.
hmmmm

I have never heard of a data map so I am not exactly sure what it means or how it is useful. What kind of programs are used for a data map?

Submitted by matt33172 on Wed, 01/09/2008 - 13:56.
jtirrell's picture
re:

The project page provides examples of data maps. They may be constructed with a variety of computer programs, including no program at all.

Submitted by jtirrell on Fri, 01/11/2008 - 12:19.
physicschic's picture
Project 1 Questions

1. Is there group work involved in this project?
2. How much out of class time will be needed to complete this project?
3. Will an iTap computer be enough to complete this project?

Submitted by physicschic on Wed, 01/09/2008 - 13:57.
jtirrell's picture
re:

1. There are some group activities that we do in the service of our goals, but this is an individual project.
2. I don't have an answer for that: however much time it takes to complete. Knowing the timeframe that you have available and shaping the scope of your work appropriately is a component of this project.
3. An ITaP computer should be fine.

Submitted by jtirrell on Fri, 01/11/2008 - 12:21.
XxscxX's picture
Will you need to approve our

Will you need to approve our ideas before we begin working on the project?

Submitted by XxscxX on Wed, 01/09/2008 - 13:57.
jtirrell's picture
re:

I won't exactly approve your project idea, but you will give me a short proposal and I will give you feedback to help ensure that everyone is on a productive track.

Submitted by jtirrell on Fri, 01/11/2008 - 12:23.
er0l12's picture
are we going to be working

are we going to be working in groups?

Submitted by er0l12 on Wed, 01/09/2008 - 13:57.
jtirrell's picture
re:

As the project page states, this is an individual project. We will do some activities in groups, but each student is responsible for his or her own project.

Submitted by jtirrell on Fri, 01/11/2008 - 12:23.
BobbyM3's picture
What are some examples of

What are some examples of data maps designed/used by students in one of the past semesters?

What programs would be used to create such a map?

Submitted by BobbyM3 on Wed, 01/09/2008 - 13:58.
jtirrell's picture
re:

There are drafts from previous semesters on the project page under the "Applicable Links" header. You can use any programs you want in the creation of your map, or no programs at all. These choices are driven by your audience, context, and purpose.

Submitted by jtirrell on Fri, 01/11/2008 - 12:26.
aalbert's picture
comment on project 1

how much time do you expect us to spend on this project?

Submitted by aalbert on Wed, 01/09/2008 - 13:58.
jtirrell's picture
re:

I don't have an answer for that: however much time it takes to complete. Knowing the timeframe that you have available and shaping the scope of your work appropriately is a component of this project.

Submitted by jtirrell on Fri, 01/11/2008 - 12:26.
Girl's picture
You said you use student

You said you use student examples sometimes. Would that be the case for this project?

Submitted by Girl on Wed, 01/09/2008 - 13:58.
jtirrell's picture
re:

Yes, there are examples from a previous semester on the project page under the "Applicable Links" heading.

Submitted by jtirrell on Fri, 01/11/2008 - 12:27.
colgrunt's picture
Are we just giving facts

Are we just giving facts with this project or is there a purpose in a sense of persuasion or some sort?

Submitted by colgrunt on Wed, 01/09/2008 - 13:58.
jtirrell's picture
re:

As we will discover throughout the course of the semester, "just giving facts" is likely impossible. There are biases inherent in all acts of communication. It is probable, although not certain, that your persuasive intent will be less explicit in this project than in, for example, the Packaging and Promotion project. And of course, all acts of communication are driven by purpose, or else there is no reason to do them (they would be inherently purposeless).

Submitted by jtirrell on Fri, 01/11/2008 - 12:30.
bfawaz's picture
Should the design plans be

Should the design plans be formatted in such a way so as to complement the Data map directly similar to an executive summary, or will it be satisfactory to present it as its own standalone document?

Submitted by bfawaz on Wed, 01/09/2008 - 13:59.
jtirrell's picture
re:

For the purposes of this class, the design plans are a fairly standardized genre. We will discuss this in the coming weeks. Of course, in situations outside of this class, you may (and probably will) have to produce documentation that does something similar to what our in-class design plans do, but that uses different strategies. Such documents will have their own set of conventions and expectations dependent upon the situation. As such, you will not learn how to produce a ubiquitous design plan in this class—you will learn how to shape your work to suit the occasion.

Submitted by jtirrell on Fri, 01/11/2008 - 12:36.
Soho's picture
Why did you choose the

Why did you choose the examples of data maps you chose and do they reflect something that you expect out of us

Submitted by Soho on Wed, 01/09/2008 - 13:58.
jtirrell's picture
re:

I chose them because they constitute a fair range of data map possibilities. Their successes and failures are, of course, completely dependent upon the goals of the works themselves. Some of them are projects that you could complete in our timeframe, and some are not. You may want to look at the examples from previous students on the project page for more information.

Submitted by jtirrell on Fri, 01/11/2008 - 12:39.
glmaster's picture
examples

What specific things should we take from the examples you provided. I know there are things listed in the rubric section but I want to know how one of the particular examples is good and/or how it is bad.

Submitted by glmaster on Wed, 01/09/2008 - 13:59.
jtirrell's picture
re:

Objective assessments of quality such as "good" and "bad" are difficult to form without knowing the intended goals of an act of communication. We can certainly make judgments about why an act is or isn't effective from a particular standpoint, but we may not be part of the intended audience or in the intended context. When we analyze, we tend not to make objective assessments of good and bad (because such judgments are probably impossible); we assess how something functions in a particular context. What does it do and how does it do it? In this limited sphere, we can put forth judgments about contingent successes and failured.

There are student drafts available on the project page. We might look at them and discuss which ones did well, but even this is complicated by the fact that each one of those works has an audience, context, and purpose that is different from yours.

Submitted by jtirrell on Fri, 01/11/2008 - 12:46.
zmcnulty's picture
Question

How intricate of a data map are you expecting?

Submitted by zmcnulty on Thu, 01/10/2008 - 00:22.
jtirrell's picture
re:

I expect one that it exactly as intricate as is necessary to achieve the purpose that you define in your design plan, given the audience and context that you identify. One thing to keep in mind is the time frame that we have for this project. The scope of your work will be shaped by this material parameter.

Submitted by jtirrell on Fri, 01/11/2008 - 12:48.
aculp's picture
Is the final deliverable

Is the final deliverable limited to a still image, or are we allowed to create a more dynamic data map with flash or another similar program.

Submitted by aculp on Mon, 01/14/2008 - 00:39.
jtirrell's picture
re:

As the project page states, "A student's data map may be delivered in a print, digital, or other format, depending upon what is appropriate for a student's purpose. All projects must be organized, accessible, and professional."

Submitted by jtirrell on Mon, 01/14/2008 - 09:32.
Silento's picture
Audience

The rubric says our data maps should target a specific audience, what audience would that be?

Submitted by Silento on Wed, 01/16/2008 - 11:09.
jtirrell's picture
re:

As the project page states, the audience, context, and purpose are up to each student to articulate.

Submitted by jtirrell on Wed, 01/16/2008 - 11:42.