DP: Week 3

My focus this week has been on brainstorming functionalities for the family tree. Below are some key functions that I'm interested in pursuing further.

Function & Capabilities

Encouraging Direct Interactions:
As I've discovered in my research, second generation family members are more comfortable with indirect means of interaction. When direct interactions do occur, they're often very situational. Although I'm creating an online system, there's definite opportunity to inspire individuals to get off the computer and initiate direct interactions.

Luckily, the nature of this system is that it's organic. It requires some participation from family member because it's never complete and always evolving. As humans we relate everything to ourselves. I believe our natural instinct to want to find patterns in almost anything is enough to inspire interaction.

Advance Search:
Family members need to be able to search and explore content based off of their interest and themselves. I pulled an image of Jonathan Harris's "Universe" project below to help articulate this idea because it's searching capabilities is quite impressive. Whatever you choose to search becomes your center of the universe while content related to it begins to circle around.

In regards to the family tree. When we're presented with data, we'll immediately relate it to ourselves and try to find connections. If the connection is non-existent, but there's opportunity for a possible relationship then at that point we'll attempt to seek out that information to complete the thought.

Universe by Jonathan Harris

Timeline of Events:
Because our lives are tied to the places in times in which we lived through it's important to be able to see the relationship between one's life and what was occurring nationally. Jessie and I explored this concept once before in our Union Station timeline (image below). Union Station in the 80's was abandoned, in aligning the timeline with national events, it helped to form a more comprehensive story that instance in time.

Union Station Time with Jessie Ren

A Map of the Mind

Schedule Revision
I tried to create a pretty thorough schedule in the last round, but in the version below, I've accommodated for the senior show poster.