These assignments were designed to use our observation skills, to observe people and the way they act in a particular environment. This was also an introduction into ethnography and to hopefully get an understanding of design – how design actually interacts works with the users rather than focusing on only the design of an object. This has made me think more on the importance of design I think if you are designing something in particular the designer should spend a lot of time researching and looking into the ways which people interact with the objects in that certain place etc looking at many factors in that environment as a part of producing a final more effective design (object).
Using design tools –
Design tools are a really good way of sorting out all those rushed note takeing jibberish I often find myself doing. I always find myself taking notes quickly onto a piece of paper which often comes out pretty messy and sometimes confusing, it’s a fast way of getting the information that I want to remember down so I don’t forget the only thing is it can be quite difficult to sort out or make total sense of when I go back to it. That’s why design tools are a good idea to keep your notes understandable and readable over time. In this case I’ve found it really useful this year in particular to do mind maps, it enables to use different relationship lines and channels, makes notes much clearer and can be really effective of remembering your thoughts and ideas quickly can also add little drawing Tools like Texts I could use templates to sort and write down mini do lists include time and date allow me to keep on top of my work. Poster tools can be very useful in the future for setting up shows and exhabitions of my jewellery designs, enables me to advertise can be quite cheap if I do it myself.
Observe and Record
I decided the bingo hall would be a good place to go to do some ‘observing’ so I got my friend and went on Friday , the end of the working week and typically the night you look forward to, go out let your hair down and do the things you like.
For my friend and I this wasn’t ether of our norm chosen places to go so needless to say we did feel pretty uncomfortable.
On the way in:
There was a group of 6-7 people all standing some smoking others just standing enjoying the chit chat, the atmosphere hear was rather up beat they all were smiling and lathing, it was like they had some kind of little spark excitement their body language was relaxed and engaging with the others around them as they as stood inward in a kind of circular shape. I got the sense that these people where defiantly regulars , that they didn’t come together they just know each other from going there each week and at the end of the week they enjoy bumping into the faces they recognise and socialise.I hoverer arriving felt myself at unease, walking through the door past the ‘regulars’ had made me feel pretty uncomfortable, now that I think back I can recall how the others had responded towards us, because I felt uncomfortable my initial reacting was just to walk in quick and by the mad that worked there with my head down, so wither they were actually smiling and greeting us as we entered I don’t know because I had allowed myself to miss it.
The feeling continued as I went to buy the tickets I felt lost neither of us had a clue what we were doing or what we were to ask for, whereas the others in front of us where walking in and going through the getting in procedure care free and quickly I might add. I was feeling confused and a tad stupid standing for a few seconds thinking what do we do? With my friend before we went to the desk. I got the sense that this was defenetlay a place for the regulars.
Observing the surroundings:
We got to a seat and sat looking around watching people that came in. I watched two middle aged woman come in both with their black trousers on and their long coats, they carried rather dressy handbags on their shoulder and both walked in and sat down as if knowing exactly where they were going to sit , what I found interesting is that they were both holding their books and their membership card on top, on show as it were like they had a sort of pride walking holding it knowing they where a part of something.
Ii observed more and realised people hear seemed to have their own seat talking to my friend about this she thought it was down to their superstition, looking into this theory we saw familiar little patterns around the hall, how people would change the colour of pens they use after different books, they didn’t just come with one but several and it wasn’t just the odd 1 or two it was everyone we could see, I wondered if this was one of the bingo rules, and how it became one in the first place is it a case of everyone else does so I will, a way of belonging more and being a part of the environment.
Another one of the first things I was going to look at was body language. This was the first thing I saw. This made me laugh as they were both sitting in the exact same pose, there concentrating and taking the bingo playing very sereis.
Although there was some variety in age my friend and I couldn’t help feeling too young, I wondered why we couldn’t just relax and let go. Though I think it is quite safe to say we didn’t fit into the look. Everyone seemed to dress similar, they dressed a kind of smart casual, smart jeans or black trousers with a plain top / jumper type, although clothes wise the style wasn’t particularly in, or really fancy as we looked around we seemed to notice that everyone had on their jewellery.
It was very everywhere I looked the women where wearing gold, necklaces were long gold thin and simple a few had pendants at the bottom, and they wore hooped gold earrings and several gold rings.
All these woman down left hand side simillare age wearing very simillar gold jewellery.
A style/dressed up/valuble/will be passed on to releteves when the die
As we discussed this we both came to an understanding that this was generally their night out, a place and time they feel comfortable and enjoy themself. Their clothes might not be so glamorous its very seamy dress down smart like generally everyone else there, it’s as if they were staying in the guide lines to what was right to were hear, what everyone else wore maybe another way to fit in. We pictured the process they would go through before going here, they would look forward to it all day have their supper and get their bingo were clothes that they would have had pre ironed in their wardrobe, something a little different they were hear, and we could picture them going into their jewellery box and putting all their most expensive pieces on. The process of looking forward to that time they got to were those nice clothes and put on the jewellery they wouldn’t normally everyday, making the whole experience more enjoyable for themselves as they feel good about how they look.
When I look at how my friend and I are dressed were pretty alike, but definitely stand out hear I get the feeling that other people here would notice this to and probity know a lot of the faces in the place.
Jewellery- like mine its more big and chunky less valuble.
Makes a statment about what kind of click your in. Like the women and men at the bingo who all where their expensive gold.
- clothes are more brightly coltherd, more high street fashion, i was wering simular blue cardy. shows we have a lil click.
As I have seen a few people come in point across the room n then say oh hello followed by their first name but then sit down at their place and carry on their self, the sense of knowing the person from going hear not outside it, like they don’t know them that well as a friend. My friend and I got into a discussion of if we were to come in really loudly dressed with the big make up bit heels colourful clothes so out of the style there following hear that we would definitely attract attention. It wouldn’t necessary be a bad kind of attention just the kind that were standing out something there not used to and perhaps we may make a few of the older regulars threatened hear. Another thing we both felt that we just weren’t series enough about the game to be regular bingo goers, we what I found weird is that we couldn’t really get to talk differently somewhere I couldn’t go to with a friend simply because I want to just have a big gab with them but hear you can’t. Perhaps that’s why a lot of people hear feel so comfortable going alone.
Environment 2 Train Station
Compared to the bingo hall which was a place of acceptance and people coming together as a part of a community to socialise and enjoyment the train station was more of a pace people go to get somewhere else, transitions aren’t actually a place u go to meet people or socialise generally you go there to get the quickest due train possible to get you elsewhere. Watching people this became quite clear when I think about it does anyone actually enjoy being in a train station not really threes always the frustration that your train is late and god forbid u need to wait in the station an extra ten minutes.
Like the bingo hall , people at the stations do to follow the rules , fall into a certain click, as were only here to get home ect we don’t feel the need to engage with others or socialise therefore I think people have became unknowingly that little bit more hostel less friendly. Instead of buying tickets from the ticket box there are several ticket machines u operate yourself put the money in and use generally this was what everyone was using, people come in their self buy their ticket hear and stand alone looking up at the boards waiting on getting on the train there is no need to communicate with anyone, and the people that come in as little groups do exactly the same thing get there ticked and find a place to stand amongst there self making no acknowledgments of the people around them, it’s quite ironic and I get the image of these machines encouraging to not communicate as the majority of people hear use these machines and not the old fashioned so to speak ticked office where u actually engage with someone.
I was with my boyfriend and he had used the machine after he did I did this to. When I asked later why he had used the machine instead of the box office he replied he thought the train was due, but once we had got the tickets we noticed on the bored we were wrong the train wasn’t due for another 20min- a mistake on loss communication, if we were to go to the ticket box we and talked to someone we wouldn’t have made the mistake is it all just a communication barrier I wonder that Is taking part on the stress and hustle of everyone around us apprehension on in case they miss their train I wonder if there was more communication everyone would relax a bit and be less rush.
Crouded lots of people hear, not really talking, have no intention talking to people as likly not see them again.
In the station I don’t feel uncomfortable like I did in the bingo I think that’s because train station is just that thing for everyone a means of transport. I am used to travelling by trains hear but I wonder how someone who wasn’t would feel hear particularly a tourist/ someone new to the environment and doesn’t understand the language. I wonder if they'ld find it dawning and distressing if they’ld able to get much help in getting someone to communicate where thieve to be. I went to Barcelona in summer last year and had attempted to use the undergrounds this was really confusing It was so different to what I was used to and no one was there to tell us where I was to go. I remember when I finally did get my ticket still unsure if it would take me to where I wanted to go I had another hurdle to get past, it was there version of our put your ticket in the space take it and walk through the gate, needless to say I didn’t have a clue and felt really stupid when I had attempted like 3times and started to cause a cue behind me, even though the woman was telling me what to do, I just didn’t understand because it was different to me. I’m guessing people there and there analysing of me would have been strait on ‘tourist’.
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