Project Report 6
Digital Learning
Goals Articulation
The intention of this project is to develop my digital literacy! To push my edges and abilities with programs, information processing -and working creatively with this medium.
The method of design will be based around the principal of leverage- using minimum effort to maximum effect. Looking at the way I learn in order to maximise my time. I will be using the 80:20 rule in a way that will hopefully disseminate through this and my other outputs as this is an area I struggle with currently! Within this will also be the design and implementation of a professional web site. I want to find out if I can design a website based on permaculture principals, zones, edge etc. Designing the virtual space like a garden! The hope is also that the fruits of this project will become functional elements in my other project reports and my long term goals.
For my work in the current and future projects I would like to learn to compitently use programs that enable me to:
- Create impressive digital designs, both land-based and otherwise
- Upload and edit illustrations
- Create moving interactive mind-maps to show my thinking and linking!
- Edit video for uploading my documentation
- Back up my portfolio web site online somewhere other than weebly
These will all be detail features in my main design of the website. So they are elements that I will need to source, learn their properties and how to use them, and then find relative placing of them within my new website, the goal of which is to serve as an effective and impressive 'shop front' to what I do and an informative extension of my physical work. I am interested to find out if Zone and Sector analysis work within a website, the fertile edge between site and viewer, information and action, and the beneficial interactions within it.
Observe
There is a lot to do for this section so please check back soon.
elements to observe....
- A research list of websites that I like and draw inspiration from- look in detail at aesthetics, usability, tone and more
- A mind map of what I what I need my web site's key functions to be
- Looking into the 80:20 rule and write on my reactions to it and ways I can devise to be more efficient as I test out and create work with the tools I need. My limiting factor is time. I like doing computer stuff but I'd like to spend most time running around having fun of course, so this will be an important theory to gain proficiency in.
Boundaries
I am very interested to discover what fertile edges there are to work with technology and work with people. Where are the interconnections? Where are the energy flows and how can we create cycles of communication and exchange?
More interested in edge than area! Says Geoff Lawton...
I don't really have any time pressures, so using 80:20 that is how I can use pressures from outside to push these things to happen
More interested in edge than area! Says Geoff Lawton...
I don't really have any time pressures, so using 80:20 that is how I can use pressures from outside to push these things to happen
Resources
Now to look at the resources I can call on to help me within the goals articulation for this design....
I've installed and now running mac ports which means I can use ports, open source programmes...There are thousands available to download and use for free! I've downloaded gimpshop which is a program like photoshop which I can use to work on images, drawings and permaculture designs. I can begin learning my way around it and making my garden designs digital which I think can only be of increasing benefit to me.
I've set up an account on prezzi and spent a few minutes trying it out. I can really see some interesting things happening with this tool and the way I express my thinking processes for the diploma and beyond. On the right is my first attempt...I think it will get better!!!
I am doing some real in-depth permaculture design reading, for all these projects combined. Through this and taking notes I'll start to formulate some clear ideas about how to formulate a design for my website, and what design elements would be good to look at using in particular.
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I have also downloaded Inkscape which is a program that allows you to draw or digitalize your hand drawn work. My friend is an illustrator so I'm hoping to get some tutorials with this in exchange for babysitting! Knowledge of this program will be of great benefit for my PR6 the publication, and also any work I do for publicity or things in the future. Information boards for my public garden, for example!
I've got a website www.gatherrounddesigns.com from weebly. I'm using weebly because I already know my way around it and like the way it works. It's not live yet but I bought the name so I better get a wiggle on with the design! |
*Why open source? I have come to the decision of using open source software for a few reasons. It is free, of course, which is great, but being that it can be used by anyone and modified too means that there is a massive online community for support for basically any question you have about any part of the programming! Just type into the search engine. It makes far more sense to use these programs because you are very supported, even a beginner like me. And in turn you are supporting the open source movement.
After spending a lot more time using the internet on this diploma I am fully in support of open source because of it's function to draw together collective intelligence to make great things happen really fast! It's using communication technology to it's full potential for the benefit of the WHOLE and that is the important element of it for me. Here is a lovely ted talk about the potential of open source, it's applicable to any form of knowledge sharing. Open source working is inspiring and hopeful!
After spending a lot more time using the internet on this diploma I am fully in support of open source because of it's function to draw together collective intelligence to make great things happen really fast! It's using communication technology to it's full potential for the benefit of the WHOLE and that is the important element of it for me. Here is a lovely ted talk about the potential of open source, it's applicable to any form of knowledge sharing. Open source working is inspiring and hopeful!
Work for project four deadline starts here
In the past few weeks I have been building my available resources in terms of my knowledge and digital literacy. Much in the same way as I am collecting cuttings and cultivating seedlings for my garden, this is gathering the things I will require within my design of my web-site. (quite fun treating it as a physical place!)
I am putting in the work now so that I can obtain a better yield with less work later on...Catch and store energy
Here is an update of what I have been up to....
I am putting in the work now so that I can obtain a better yield with less work later on...Catch and store energy
Here is an update of what I have been up to....
Social networking
Here I observe and interact I'm learning my way around social networks I am creating a base from which to spread an impression of what I do and hopefully set up a perennial platform to obtain a yield. Be that of funding, connections, knowledge, and maybe even friendly interaction???! Hope to inform my remaining bad perceptions of the web....
I have also, by doing this pushed my edges and found that boundaries for this project are far further out than I thought in terms of the connections that can be made.
TWITTER!
I've been avoiding this, but have spoken to a few people and realized that no matter how you feel about it twitter is an amazing resource for creating online 'presence' of ideas. In essence, it can be a quick and prolific way of sharing valuable knowledge, of course, it has been used to share perhaps less valuable stuff also, but instead of knocking it, I'm going to get involved. The way it works means that the more you use it, and in a sense the more interesting and interested you are (by 'retweeting' others comments so building relationships -word used lightly!!) the more followers you'll get, radio 4 said you can't deny it is a fact that the #hashtag is a revolution. It's a way of linking that can create massive waves (or 'trending') very quickly. I feel if I am going to be looking at crowd sourcing this may be a beneficial site to go on every so often and build up a presence. Click below for my twitter account and, follow me why don't ya!
Here I observe and interact I'm learning my way around social networks I am creating a base from which to spread an impression of what I do and hopefully set up a perennial platform to obtain a yield. Be that of funding, connections, knowledge, and maybe even friendly interaction???! Hope to inform my remaining bad perceptions of the web....
I have also, by doing this pushed my edges and found that boundaries for this project are far further out than I thought in terms of the connections that can be made.
TWITTER!
I've been avoiding this, but have spoken to a few people and realized that no matter how you feel about it twitter is an amazing resource for creating online 'presence' of ideas. In essence, it can be a quick and prolific way of sharing valuable knowledge, of course, it has been used to share perhaps less valuable stuff also, but instead of knocking it, I'm going to get involved. The way it works means that the more you use it, and in a sense the more interesting and interested you are (by 'retweeting' others comments so building relationships -word used lightly!!) the more followers you'll get, radio 4 said you can't deny it is a fact that the #hashtag is a revolution. It's a way of linking that can create massive waves (or 'trending') very quickly. I feel if I am going to be looking at crowd sourcing this may be a beneficial site to go on every so often and build up a presence. Click below for my twitter account and, follow me why don't ya!
Facebook
I have been using facebook a bit more and trying to put interesting things on my wall, articles etc a bit more like my blog. When the time is ripe I will convert my profile with all the pictures etc to a Gather Round Designs profile, and make this public. This means that I can use the leverage of the 'friend' base I've built up over the years to get interest in my projects, specifically the children's book. It also means I am able to keep in touch with certain people but move away from the personal profile way of using Facebook which I am not massively happy with.
I have been using facebook a bit more and trying to put interesting things on my wall, articles etc a bit more like my blog. When the time is ripe I will convert my profile with all the pictures etc to a Gather Round Designs profile, and make this public. This means that I can use the leverage of the 'friend' base I've built up over the years to get interest in my projects, specifically the children's book. It also means I am able to keep in touch with certain people but move away from the personal profile way of using Facebook which I am not massively happy with.
Permaculture Global
This is a networking site for permaculture projects and people. I am taking small amounts of time to check in on it and look to make new connections (not gratuitously but people I am genuinely interested in) It's been nice to get a message here and there from people saying they like my website. These are people who may be the most interested in my projects, so good to keep involved here.
This is a networking site for permaculture projects and people. I am taking small amounts of time to check in on it and look to make new connections (not gratuitously but people I am genuinely interested in) It's been nice to get a message here and there from people saying they like my website. These are people who may be the most interested in my projects, so good to keep involved here.
Here is a method for linking all of these together, it's a share this button, and can link most of these networks together, enabling people to share my website with their whole network with the click of a button.
I got quite far with this but the code is at the limit of my understanding, so I'm going to get Daniel's help on this one!
I got quite far with this but the code is at the limit of my understanding, so I'm going to get Daniel's help on this one!
Programs
By using methods developed through my 80:20 research I have been able to get some learning of computer programs done efficiently. I discovered that I work well to tight deadlines...read about that in my appendix. I had a great speed introduction to using prezi as I had to get a presentation done very quickly for a deadline, (this I have discovered is a good position for me to be in to learn new skills without procrastinating)
By finding my way around these programs I am increasing my resources for when I make the design, creating a more effective site.
By using methods developed through my 80:20 research I have been able to get some learning of computer programs done efficiently. I discovered that I work well to tight deadlines...read about that in my appendix. I had a great speed introduction to using prezi as I had to get a presentation done very quickly for a deadline, (this I have discovered is a good position for me to be in to learn new skills without procrastinating)
By finding my way around these programs I am increasing my resources for when I make the design, creating a more effective site.
Gimpshop
Here is my first design aided by gimpshop and majorly aided by Daniel!! It's fairly basic, but I like it. Will try to use this for all my designs. I need to look at how to do an elevated view, and layers, that will be very impressive. It's not quick, but I think in many ways it looks better than a drawing
Here is my first design aided by gimpshop and majorly aided by Daniel!! It's fairly basic, but I like it. Will try to use this for all my designs. I need to look at how to do an elevated view, and layers, that will be very impressive. It's not quick, but I think in many ways it looks better than a drawing
Prezi
I had a great speed introduction to using prezi as I had to get a presentation done very quickly for a deadline, (this I have discovered is a good position for me to be in to learn new skills without procrastinating, see more in Appendix ) This is a great way to get a point across in a clear and creative way, I must decide what is the best subject to use it for on my website for maximum effect
I had a great speed introduction to using prezi as I had to get a presentation done very quickly for a deadline, (this I have discovered is a good position for me to be in to learn new skills without procrastinating, see more in Appendix ) This is a great way to get a point across in a clear and creative way, I must decide what is the best subject to use it for on my website for maximum effect
Backing up my work....
I also had a quick session looking at how I back up my websites. This is important as I'm not keeping up with backing up on my laptop...and I fell over and threw it down the road recently. So from a useful heads-up from dread ben I downloaded google chrome and looked through their applications. I settled on a personal web archive that saves shots of each page, this means the links and moving parts wont work but at least all my information will be backed up somewhere.
I also had a quick session looking at how I back up my websites. This is important as I'm not keeping up with backing up on my laptop...and I fell over and threw it down the road recently. So from a useful heads-up from dread ben I downloaded google chrome and looked through their applications. I settled on a personal web archive that saves shots of each page, this means the links and moving parts wont work but at least all my information will be backed up somewhere.
80:20
There are elements from my learnings from the book peppered throughout my projects, as it really has effected all of them! There is a little more journaling on this in my appendix and a summary of it to follow when I have worked through it.
There are elements from my learnings from the book peppered throughout my projects, as it really has effected all of them! There is a little more journaling on this in my appendix and a summary of it to follow when I have worked through it.
Evaluate
I have already learned a lot from quickly playing with these different elements. I wonder how they will go on to fit into my design...
Project report six starts here
So there's been a lot happened with this. Because of the crowd sourcing and the need to get a site up for the work I did in the pubs and someone wanting a reference to that to offer me more work I had to get a site up on line quickly. Without designing as much as I wanted. But I like this because it gives me an existing 'site' to work on and make changes to rather than designing from nothing. It also worked really well with my use of 80:20 which shows that what really pushes me to achieve quickly is having someone counting on me or waiting for me to do something.
So if something is worth doing it's worth doing poorly. I got started with twitter, and I got the website published, knowing not much really. I then got feedback on that from friends who are in the know about that sort of thing.
So if something is worth doing it's worth doing poorly. I got started with twitter, and I got the website published, knowing not much really. I then got feedback on that from friends who are in the know about that sort of thing.
My website
I have been told that I need to be quite explicit about who I am, what this site is for and what I do. "Everyone is a brand" I was told. The obvious negative associations aside I understand what this is trying to get to. I think that there are thousands of messages we get everyday, a lot of them misleading. There is no need to define a self, a one thing that you do but, intention is a good thing to be clear about, amongst the complexity we've created it helps to create connections quicker. I'm justifying my actions. I don't care. So I am going to work on clarifying this in my website. At the bottom of all the tangled strange things I do will be my ethic to make fruitful interactions.
Twitter!
Here as well I've been told that I need to be quite clear on what it is that I am interested in and share those links and ideas. Keep posting on my blog on website because that links it to twitter. Also to use the @ sign to quote people into my links will mean I draw more attention through connections. I like the DO Lectures strategy for using twitter and will draw on that. I think twitter seems crazy but I totally appreciate the implications of it and see it as a reflection of exponential patterns that can be seen in nature, networks of information that grow so rapidly, and through that I think it's pretty cool, look yo...
Yep, I'm using patterns of nature to describe my view of titter, it makes it not half bad. My thoughts and my life recently have been pointing towards the permaculture principal of ----Integrate rather than segregate------
Elements of an eco-system don't have snobbery, they don't make judgements about the other elements, they use what they can to do their job the best they can. And I think in this sense, and especially so for people who feel strongly that they have a job to do that, yes, on one hand we need to be careful about the stuff we engage with because it may not aid our process, but not integrating something into our journey because of our perceptions of it is not necessarily the most effective thing to do!
What I am taking about specifically is being flexible and open. I don't see any reason that ideas of regenerative connection to nature, to essence and awareness of the 'problems' that humans are creating at the moment cannot go together with ideas on business, new ways of socializing, technology and yes MONEY!!
I am interested by these things, whilst having a strong intention to create empowerment in people and connection to nature. And for a while I felt quite divided, thought I could only have one of these worlds. But I think, if I can find that balance point between both 'worlds' then I feel that the potential of any work, any offering can be far far more effective. I feel like elements of an ecosystem interact in a way that is not selfish, but selective, functioning in ways that are most suitable for beneficial interactions, because that is the only way to thrive. I think I should do that too, select to function with elements that are most suitable. I feel like I've moved on from guilt, and on from knowing I am a hypocrite to a place that is more useful, making conscious decisions but being easeful to do whatever will help me be most effective.
Right from looking at this, I've been inspired by the pattern, I want my design to be a nodal web designing the things I am going to do and how they connect to each other.
Into this I will put stimutants that will push me to get these things done...
Design
Following this reflection and evaluation I think I am going to change the goal. The goal is really to develop my abilities digitally so that I can create an attractive and effective on line presence that promotes permaculture and what I do and links me with others to be of benefit. I also want to be able to have these skills so I can share them with others. To set up a system and set of skills so I can spend as little time as possible making most productive use of the internet.
This pattern is about connections, each element has quite a few functions
Need to think about what functions I need to perform:
I guess there are certain people that I need to meet, can I use this to do that? I need to start directing people to my web site more so I am pushed to get it how I like it and get it seen.
This pattern is about connections, each element has quite a few functions
Need to think about what functions I need to perform:
- To show what I do. What do I do?! Design and illustrate, work with people, make theatre, promote ideas of permaculture.
- Needs to communicate how well I do these things and that I am available for work!
- Share my artistic ideas and inspiration
- To connect to people who may be of use to my pathway and me to theirs and so move closer to my ideals
- Disseminate ideas of permaculture through my particular way of working
I guess there are certain people that I need to meet, can I use this to do that? I need to start directing people to my web site more so I am pushed to get it how I like it and get it seen.
So taking all this into account, here is my design for digital development. Done on prezi of course! After the first few steps scroll around the prezi to explore it yourself!
Implement
I've already learned so much, but there are a lot of tweaks to do to make this a coherent whole. I will aim to get lots of feedback from people I know, also feedback will come from connections through the site and hopefully work one day too!
My next achievable steps are:
Write up core values and what I offer. Feed that into the website, do overall branding as a design company
Find out a way to put a footer on my emails of my website
Decide on specific visits and connections I want to make
Re-do twitter account to one that is just gather round designs, perhaps start a pintrest for things that inspire my work
Decide on a camera and start to learn more about gimpshop or photoshop
Finish 80:20 book and upload my notes on it
ask someone to help me with the share this button and setting up an email with my own domane name
Do some videos of your implementations of projects
The feedback I have had already about my website has been really useful and I need to get on and start really tweaking with the bones of it that I've already created. More on that soon, but you can find my website here
My next achievable steps are:
Write up core values and what I offer. Feed that into the website, do overall branding as a design company
Find out a way to put a footer on my emails of my website
Decide on specific visits and connections I want to make
Re-do twitter account to one that is just gather round designs, perhaps start a pintrest for things that inspire my work
Decide on a camera and start to learn more about gimpshop or photoshop
Finish 80:20 book and upload my notes on it
ask someone to help me with the share this button and setting up an email with my own domane name
Do some videos of your implementations of projects
The feedback I have had already about my website has been really useful and I need to get on and start really tweaking with the bones of it that I've already created. More on that soon, but you can find my website here
Resource list
Mac book
Camera
prezi
twitter
weebly
gimpshop
internet
Camera
prezi
weebly
gimpshop
internet
Development
Personal-I have come to some interesting conclusions about technology and the whole idea of spreading ideas of permaculture and conscious lifestyle. Essentially, it's up to the individual, but to use media wisely I think can be of good benefit, and I am on a journey of this. I find it very interesting. How to hold an idea of empowerment and creativity whilst communicating yourself in this way is very interesting.
Professional- It's been nice to take some pride in the things I do, and I think the more I make these things public the more I will feel like what I have to offer is ok to share, good to share. Maybe one day I will have a profession...? hahhahhaa
Project- This has been a great project because it's pushed me forward, feeds into my diploma and back into all the other things I am doing. I love documenting, this is clear. Any new ways to make that easier are good by me. I like going into depth with things to better look at life but I also wonder why I have such need to do this and could just get on with things. This project has been about getting on and getting it done and that has been a bit different for me. I like it. I am sort of wondering if any of this is still relevant to permaculture design. I really hope so. And I hope it will enable me to disseminate at least the basic ethics of it.
Personal-I have come to some interesting conclusions about technology and the whole idea of spreading ideas of permaculture and conscious lifestyle. Essentially, it's up to the individual, but to use media wisely I think can be of good benefit, and I am on a journey of this. I find it very interesting. How to hold an idea of empowerment and creativity whilst communicating yourself in this way is very interesting.
Professional- It's been nice to take some pride in the things I do, and I think the more I make these things public the more I will feel like what I have to offer is ok to share, good to share. Maybe one day I will have a profession...? hahhahhaa
Project- This has been a great project because it's pushed me forward, feeds into my diploma and back into all the other things I am doing. I love documenting, this is clear. Any new ways to make that easier are good by me. I like going into depth with things to better look at life but I also wonder why I have such need to do this and could just get on with things. This project has been about getting on and getting it done and that has been a bit different for me. I like it. I am sort of wondering if any of this is still relevant to permaculture design. I really hope so. And I hope it will enable me to disseminate at least the basic ethics of it.
Implementing...
I have found how to do a footer in my emails, was pretty easy. Here's mine
I have taken my feedback about my website and made it a lot more slick by looking at design websites for inspiration. I have completely re-designed it. I'm uncertain about whether it seems a bit serious now, but I do think I have achieved a lot more coheasion in summerising all my work under the heading of design. It may come in different forms but I now have a WHY that underlies everything I do. It is threefold:
I have a link from my website to a site called evernote, which helps me to order and share inspirational things I see that are worth remembering for my future and current design work. As my design will always be heavily aesthetic as well as functional this is a good tool for me.
I have started my twitter account again and re-designed it to only have stuff on it related to work. I'm not very good at using it to connect at the moment. Not many people want to follow me. Maybe it's because I seem too business-y