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Oh,

I didn't realise. I haven't blogged here in ages...

I have finished scenarios, design languages and technology scenarios as well as organise my first regional meeting (this Saturday) for Ataxia UK.

That seems like it should have taken up more than one sentence but it hasn't....

Hello Blog

Hello.

I've submitted my dissertation :)

I have a working dishwasher :)

I don't know what I'm doing :(

...

I'll go to the gym later. Then have dinner. Then drive home (to Fife home). I'm going to the 'communication matters' roadshow in Edinburgh to see some AAC devices... from the websites of the companies that are coming, I feel a little uninspired.


SO now I feel like I've forgotten all about what I am doing. Sad day.

Trying to work out a scenario...

This isn't right... I think it would be more important for the scenarios to be all about the user, without the technology at all, just to highlight the problem.

It's also a bit unclear without any text... so I need to brush this up. I'm glad I didn't spend more time on them though, this is just good enough to begin to get a bit clearer what I need these to communicate...

So in 11 days I have...

Been in London, and written some Dissertation!

I have literally spent the last 5 days just on my dissertation, I now have some written (maybe 2 thirds to 3 quarters) but writing this much is actually more difficult than I thought it would be! Repeating myself, blending everything together into a mush and not making sense are all problems at the moment, but I'm looking forward to the point at which that I've covered everything, and just need to arrange it and polish it into something cohesive. I'm sure it'll be fine...

In case I haven't said before; my dissertation title is "the current state of design (theoretical and in practice) for people with Cerebellar Ataxia." Although it keeps changing - basically I'm covering a little product design and interaction design discussed through the condition and through design theory (such things as design for disability, inclusive and universal design) and discussing the way things work at the moment for a niche user group...

Something else.... Proloquo2Go AAC for your iPod

Relatively boring videos, and the application has the same accessibility issues as the ipod does normally - I'm thinking of fine motor control here. However, this is far nicer and cheaper (£80) than anything else.

Presentations and loopy flatmates.

Due to extreme stress and tiredness, my flatmate has lost her brain. We have discussed making the kettle work by remote control, and I beat her to saying "I need to pee". She is currently worried about exploding. But is not moving until the tea is finished (which was made via physical labour.)

In more interesting news, I have finally transcribed (?) a couple of my interviews for my dissertation, and have come to the realization that I'm likely to have over 20,000 words of research for this dissertation. I don't think this is a good thing. Although it will be when I pull it off.

I have my presentation tomorrow for my project plan / proposal. From speaking to everyone else who presented on Monday, I suspect I'll get an 'amber' light: mostly because my output of the communication concept is really unknown until I have 'completed' my research... but I am well focussed in all other aspects, so this doesn't really worry me.

What was really interesting was my interview with a principal speech therapist yesterday. She forms an integral part of a regional service that identifies, and has budget for, augmented and alternative communication devices for people with communication disabilities. (Obviously dead handy for my dissertation!) She was responsible for getting the touchscreen voice synthesizer into my Mum's hands, and it was great to have the chance to understand the way the service works. My initial opinion is that we are very lucky to have this service. Ideally there needs to be more budget so that perhaps there could be more time spent on the interim stages between clear speech and unintelligible. When it does come to unintelligible speech however, the service seems to be doing everything it can to maintain an (if indirect) dialogue between user and designer. This is something that really tied in with the identification of 'path to market' struggles by my design interviewee, so woohoo! This thing might get written!

Later.

Charity Meeting

So this afternoon was the first regional meeting for Ataxia UK in Dundee, the turnout was disappointing (only one person with Ataxia) however I think what is important to realize here is the practicality of achieving user centered design with people who have physical disabilities. This is something I discussed with my experienced designer friend on Tuesday - finding and achieving a channel to market with essentially isolated people, is. a. mission. The users are not passing your product on the shelves, and as today demonstrated, meeting up is also difficult; even when it is with a Charity.

I am now the contact for this region, and will be trying to arrange the next meeting. If nothing else this is a great opportunity to truly immerse myself in a user group, I just hope I have the intelligence to pull something relevant from it!

I am just polishing my presentation for this week, I've got my Grandfather's funeral tomorrow, so the presentation probably won't happen till Tuesday at the earliest (but then again I have another interview, this time in Auchterderan, in the afternoon.)

Life. I'm going to watch x-factor.