Reflection

Reflecting on how the presentation/trial went, we came away with some really great feedback.

After having some conversations with the facilitators, and other tutors interacting with our stall for the first time, has created a few new sparks in potential areas we could further take this idea, and other elements we could add to enhance the experience that we are offering our customers.

Originally, just for the trial period, we thought of using the clothes frame - only because we needed something to test the hanging of the 'confession' onto. This created some really interesting discussions around this idea of 'airing your dirty laundry.'

We, as a group, think that this has some really interesting potential. After seeing what quite a few of the other groups are offering, we have realised that there are many other stalls offering soothing/anti-stress experiences and products. This could be a really interesting way of changing things up, and yet keeping that essence of confessions. This could also add quite a cool edge of humour back into the concept, which is something that we all enjoyed about the initial idea.

From here, we now have quite a bit more work to do. Almost feels like we need to back-track, and redo quite a bit of planning of the logistics of how this is going to look and work but will be very beneficial as we all feel this idea is stronger and actually quite a bit more attainable than the confessional garden.

Just a wee example of the type of feel that I have in my head for this new direction. Clean fresh sheets on the line, bright light, and the smell of washing powder as the stuff blows in the wind on the line!

Class Presentation

Today we put a prototype of our idea on display in the Museum building. Tables were set up and we displayed our model on the table, taped our poster up and had our interactive clothes line as a display.

The tutors came round and gave us feedback about: 

-Using sharpies - green, to go with the theme and make it easier to read

-Being dressed up to a garden theme

-Having a title of 'Confession Garden' obvious to people so they know what it is, making them want to interact

-Thinking about the structure (what it's made of and how much space we need). 

- Possibly creating a bamboo structure and leaving the leaves on

- Making rules so people have no names or slagging people off

- the idea of airing your dirty laundry out, washing line environment, still pegging up confessions

The facilitators also came round to ask what our idea was about to discuss things like storage, power requirements, space requirements and the health & safety issues.

We went around to explore other people's models and prototypes which was interesting to see what other people had come up with. It was definitely more successful and more inviting if people had something you could interact with or they had their actual product on display. People were less inclined to go up and ask about a stall if it was just drawings of their plan. 

Our display went well because by the end we had 8 added confessions which was a great result considering we felt people were intimidated by us watching them write. Before people came round we had 6 confessions already on display so people could read them but also be encouraged to add, rather than adding to a blank canvas. Everyone who came round read the confessions and some laughed as they could even relate to what was being said. 

We now realise we must have a set of rules in place for writing a confession as people did not take it seriously all the time, and names were mentioned as well as swearing or inappropriate comments. We believe that the participation will be ore serious as will the confessions when people are placed in our final environment. But the good news is people wanted to participate.

     

  

      

Prototyping

Met this afternoon after class to do a bit of making for Wednesday's class.

Talked through logistics of the actual making- what is actually going to be realistic, affordable, functional and look good aesthetics wise.

For next Wednesday, the main thing that we are wanting to test is the ethics of this project.
We want to test, by the responses that people will give in class, if we will need to implement rules or guidelines for writing the confession.

Anna made a really great point in class yesterday about how this process could be potentially harmful to someone by the confessions written, so Wednesday will be a good indicator of whether the people interacting with our stall will need guidelines.

We also aim to make a model as a demonstration of how our archway will look, and how it can be interacted with.

Week 5 Class Session

Today in class we met as a group and each discussed our top three adaptations of the confession wall idea. We discussed the plausibility of our new ideas and spoke about our favorites.

We lay the ideas out on the ground to get an idea overview. Instead of choosing just the one idea we took aspects we liked from several ideas to form a new one. Below are the pages we formulated our new ideas on in class.

We thought of several different ideas, one was a walk through dome with a tree in the center and fairy lights + foliage to form the dome. You could attach your confession on the inside walls and ceiling of the dome, but we realized it was a little ambitious and unrealistic. The idea we decided on was a walk through frame. The top of the frame would be criss-crossed with string (as seen in the drawings above) where the confessions could be hung. The walls on either side would be hung with drapes, foliage and fairy lights to form a tunnel. We are considering the idea of making it possible to attach confessions to the walls as well. The tags that the confessions are written on would be laser cut MDF in the shape of leaves. We are also thinking about creating a twitter hashtag where we can upload some of our favourite confessions so that people can read them and post their own. We could possibly display the twitter page on a TV screen at the event. 

To prompt people to think of what to write we thought about narrowing the 'confession' down to 'things you wish you could say', but we will test the two out next week. We have organized to meet up as a team tomorrow to create our scaled down model of how the stall could look.

Charlotte's Top 3 Ideas

These are my top three ideas. They all came from our group discussion during the week about expanding the idea of the confession wall. I really like the idea of people being able to come and participate in an experience that would be unique in the market. I also like the idea of making it feel like a really calm, positive thing to do because it will be during a very stressful time for students and maybe they all need something like this. I like the idea of incorporating nature because it would be great to have an environment that made the experience inviting to people when they see it

Emma's Top 3 Ideas

Below are my top three ideas to expand on the confession wall idea. They all have the same overall idea but expressed in quite different concepts. My personal favourite out of these three is 'The Wall of Flame' concept. I like it because it has a strong theme to it and could look really effective in the great hall. It also ties to the root of where the confession comes from which is a religious background and turns it into something fun and modern. It also links to the burning of secrets as a way to get over them and move on. The bottle cap candles would link in well and be an incentive to get people to participate with our instillation.

Jordan's top 3 ideas

Wishing Tree Research + Links

WISHING TREES:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wish_Tree

Yoko Ono - Wish Tree


Coin only Trees




Meiji Shrine in Japan - http://ten-thousand-trees.blogspot.co.nz/2008/02/meiji-shrine-wishing-tree.html



http://postsecret.com/
A website that posts secrets people have written in about, something like this could be used in our Market Place but with twitter. Live tweets displayed of people's secrets, if you private message on twitter. Then an account (e.g. yoursecrets) can post all of the tweets so they are anonymous