module one : visual design and programming
This module addresses the visual of visual presentation: the
form of information.
Information is data that communicates. Communication is sensory and
cognitive. In our society, the visual sense is privleged. How does information
communicate visually? We need to develop aesthetic sensibilities, as
well as technical capabilities.
module two : the reference
The reference is the synapse of information age ecosystems. In
computer science, it means a pointer to a data structure. In academic
discourse, it means a citation to prior work. In hypertext, it means
the destination of a hyperlink. In collage, it means a
found image. In hip hop, it means a sample, perhaps looped. We live in
the age of
recombinant information, of cut and paste remix.
Collecting is a creative act. Collecting is
a means of structuring information by reference.
module three : dynamic information
Interactivity is the hallmark of the information age. Interactive
information responds to a person, or even a group of people. It
creates personal experiences. It can feel alive. Dynamic design
means design that changes it's shape, its contents, its meaning, its
presentation. We need to develop sensitivities to the contexts of
people's activities, and methods for evaluating how our interactive
creations affect them. We also need to develop programming chops with
JavaScript, and and understanding of the Document Object Model (the
DOM!), in
order to unlock the potentials of dynamic
design.
Meaning is the heart of communication. What do you intend, as
information creator, as a content provider, as an information producer.
What are your assumptions? How can we organize your collections of
media elements and ideas? Ontologies are the underlying
structures of information. Maps are spatial means for
organizing knowledge. What can we do to make presentation and
navigation meaningful, when collections become large?