This point of John's raises several design research issues that I believe
will be difficult to question correctly - let alone answer.
It is timely for such consideration, for the
Information(Knowledge) Age is now some 40 years old, is in its
exponential growth phase....
The Information Age, whilst being 40 years old is still 'On this side of
the glass' (Or LCD if you use one)
Work in computer interface design increasingly concentrates on 'TTG' or
Through the Glass technology. Early examples of this are known as VR. The
technology in its infancy, presented inadequate 3D models with inadequate
shading techniques to a dismissive public. The design community, with a
heightened sense of aesthetic, easily dismissed these crude
representations.
16 years on, one only has to view the current crop of X-Box and Playstation
II 'titles' to realise the arrival of believeable alternate 3D realities in
the home. Combining this with the new flat screen 3D display technologies
and we will shortly have VR at home.
Millions of dollars are spent in designing, creating and testing these
environments. Motion capture, scanning, model creation and scripting
scenarios are a major financial investment, not to mention the 3D display
technology. It might even be suggested that the virtual design community
will have a bigger financial impact than the real design community in the
near future, if not so already.
The questions now facing design research will surely have to change to
encompass this event. How can we evaluate the efficacy of design in this
unreal world? What represents good visual taste in a virtual killing field?
The major problem I have encountered in studying this new design 'black
hole' is lack of empirical evaluation. ie. it is next to impossible
comparing the creation of anything in this world with that of the real. If
we can only evaluate virtual entities - are our rseults
It might be argued that the Anglo Saxon design community can trace its
heritage from the Arts and Crafts movement, the Great Exhibition and
theories of craftsmanship with a knowledge of creation and manufacture. If
there are no requirements for this background - do we still need design
education?
I suggest so, but it is increasingly difficult to defend. As a student,
what training do I need to design the next best virtual scenario? What are
my design representations that I will use? (referring to an earlier post)
If design research was ever to have a beneficial impact on the practice of
design, it might be here in the virtual armageddons of the next generation.
Glenn Johnson
ID Mgr
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