Maia EngeliSchool of Interactive Arts and Technology

Simon Fraser Universityengeli@sfu.ca

The Flow of Ideas in Telematic Environments

Play, Portrayal, Poiesis, and Conceptual Design Schemes

Conceptual Schemes for the Flow of Ideas . Maia Engeli . DAC 2005 . 2/17

Overview

Setting the ground:telematics (domain)

architecture and layers of telematic design (methods)

play, portrayal and poiesis (indicators)

7 conceptual schemes and examples:carpettunnel

star/treecircles

memetics systemdensity

narrative space

Conceptual Schemes for the Flow of Ideas . Maia Engeli . DAC 2005 . 3/17

Telematics: Definition

“Telematics is a term used to designate computer-mediated communications networking involving telephone, cable, and satellite links between

geographically dispersed individuals and institutions that are interfaced to data-

processing systems, remote sensing devices, and capacious data storage banks. It involves

the technology of interaction among human beings and between the human mind and artificial systems of intelligence and perception.”

(Ascott, 1990, Nora & Mine, 1980)

Conceptual Schemes for the Flow of Ideas . Maia Engeli . DAC 2005 . 4/17

Telematics as the Cosmic Brain

“[The] future society is a revolutionary society in which dialogues outweigh and constantly

produce information. Due to the developing flow of information the old discourses break. Therefore there are no authorities in the

telematic society. Due to its networked structure it is totally obscure and steers itself

cybernetically.”

(http://www.wikipedia.org/flusser)

Conceptual Schemes for the Flow of Ideas . Maia Engeli . DAC 2005 . 5/17

Telematic Architectures

Methods of physical architecture can inspire telematic architecture regarding aspects of

structure, space, event, change, design methods, or complexity.

Architecture is culture and reflects culture

Architecture provides the setting for experiences, for “potential events” (B. Tschumi, 1995)

Architecture continuously studies and reflects the conditions of the present

Conceptual Schemes for the Flow of Ideas . Maia Engeli . DAC 2005 . 6/17

Humans + telematic technology

obscured paths and processes > cognitive overload

Design > richness + complexity > sophisticated experience

layers/aspects of design1) Structure2) Processes3) Interface4) Participation5) Orchestration

Telematic System

Conceptual Schemes for the Flow of Ideas . Maia Engeli . DAC 2005 . 7/17

Play, Portrayal, and Poiesis

3 Aspects to focus on to understand the developments and changing needs in telematic environments

Play and playfulness:computer games as multifunctional, multifaceted endeavorsgamelike interfaces and interaction: rules and restrictions

Portrayalreflectionthe internet’s huge ‘data bank’ is filled with digitized samples

Conceptual Schemes for the Flow of Ideas . Maia Engeli . DAC 2005 . 8/17

Poiesis / Production Data is the material from which- information- knowledge- ideas can be produced

Distributed constructionism: - discussing constructions- sharing constructions- collaborating on constructions(M. Resnik, 1996)

Conceptual Schemes for the Flow of Ideas . Maia Engeli . DAC 2005 . 9/17

7 Design Schemes

Conceptual frameworks, graspable by the users, that provide for efficient interaction with the contributing human resources and dynamically changing data repositories

Examples:Developed through a design methodology:

implementation and iterative improvements“Don’t solve problems, create solutions!”

Schemes:1) carpet, 2) tunnel, 3) star/tree, 4) circles,

5) memetic evolution, 6) density, 7) narrative space

Conceptual Schemes for the Flow of Ideas . Maia Engeli . DAC 2005 . 10/17

1) Carpet

patches, with ideas flowing from one to anotherit may or may not grow in its extensionsDreamscape: http://www.alterego.arch.ethz.ch/Communimage: http://www.communimage.ch/

Conceptual Schemes for the Flow of Ideas . Maia Engeli . DAC 2005 . 11/17

2) Tunnel

the tunnel only grows in one dimension: into depth, into timeit always needs the same amount of screen spaceGridcosm: http://www.sito.org/synergy/gridcosm/

Conceptual Schemes for the Flow of Ideas . Maia Engeli . DAC 2005 . 12/17

3) Star/Tree

a growing star/tree of nodes that align into storiesadditional paths through the nodes can tell other storiesfake space: http://space.arch.ethz.ch/ws98/

Conceptual Schemes for the Flow of Ideas . Maia Engeli . DAC 2005 . 13/17

4) Circles

a scheme the allows for relaxed browsing by “circling” around a themewebring: http://dir.webring.com/rweventspaces: http://caad.arch.ethz.ch/ws99/

Conceptual Schemes for the Flow of Ideas . Maia Engeli . DAC 2005 . 14/17

5) Memetic Scheme

an implementation of Richard Dawkins theory on memes a genealogical system for ideas, some survive, some die phase(x) http://space.arch.ethz.ch

Conceptual Schemes for the Flow of Ideas . Maia Engeli . DAC 2005 . 15/17

6) Density

virtual spaces that serve as containers for a growing number of storiesthe dimension of growth is the density of possible experiences [roomz]+[connectionz]: http://www.alterego.arch.ethz.ch/

Conceptual Schemes for the Flow of Ideas . Maia Engeli . DAC 2005 . 16/17

7) Narrative Space

Online worlds that provide the setting for the collaborative creation of experiencesi.e. MMORGs (Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games)

Conceptual Schemes for the Flow of Ideas . Maia Engeli . DAC 2005 . 17/17

Summary

Initial set of schemes most of which focus on asynchronous communication and the design levels of structure and

processes

Next Steps

Find or implement more examples for the different schemes

Identify further schemes and include synchronous communication, as well as aspects of the interface,

participants, and orchestration

Include more variety in the content

Develop schemes for smaller or non-visual interfaces(i.e. PDA, mobile phones, tactile interfaces, ...) and networks

that combine multiple technologies