A Presentation Of Sorts

This week, we were tasked with setting up a small presentation of our experiments at our desks. Taking advice from Andreas on my table layout from last week, I changed my approach a little – including acrylic panels, wooden boards, and stands to elevate the look and feel of my work. To make things look more polished and easy to follow, I also created small booklets explaining the three experiments I've completed so far.

I think I’m quite pleased with the set up I have this week. Everything is split into sections, making things easier to follow. Theres also a proper flow (ish), so viewers know where to start and continue. In the future, I could work on putting my descriptions onto foam boards, or making my desk just a tiny bit neater. (i have way too many stuff)

Andreas' Thoughts

When I consulted Andreas, he remarked that he liked the titles of the experiments – each one had a poetic feel to it, guiding him along a journey of “Sonic Attunement”. In terms of the table setup, it was like night and day compared to the previous week, which I was glad to hear. The booklets explaining each experiment focused on the process, which was much appreciated.

Moving forward, it would be helpful to document the materials used in each experiment, as this translates my thought process more clearly to the viewer. The work is not simply the final product – instead, it is the way I present and document it that gives it meaning. Through videos, trials, sketches, and more, the documentation adds character and value to my project. After all, we're here to design; the end goal is not simply the product, but the process itself.

To nitpick on the tiny details, my booklet for Experiment 1 (Resonant Walkway Study) was too small, and the presentation was too abstract. To the average layman, they would not understand this experiment. Readability wise, the words could afford to be bigger as well.

Summing it up, Andreas noted that I could become a storyteller through my design practice, as the way I present things hints at an unfolding narrative. By feeding audiences small stories and glimpses into my experiments and concepts, my work becomes an expansion of traditional storytelling, making my project easier to relate to.

Looking at my tiny sound experiment, Andreas had some remarks. From an electronics point of view, it has some potential. However, producing and configuring these tiny sounds would take time; it might take 3, 6, 12 months to get my desired result.

I certainly agree with this. I haven't worked on it much yet, but I was already running into problems: what sounds did I want to produce? What materials should I use? How would I attach them to the gears?