Blog Post

Your Final blog post should be labeled “Final Project: [Name of your project]” and should include

1. A link to an explainer video (2-5 minutes) about your project. We will go over basic video recording/editing techniques in class. You MUST submit the video by 4pm on May 13 so we can watch it in our final class!
2. A link to an essay:
   • 1100 words if you’re also submitting a new (or newly iterated) prototype
   • 2000 words if you’re not developing a new prototype iteration
3. An MLA-formatted bibliography with at least four sources, and at least two sources from the class book list. I am currently adding additional resources more tailored to the SSIs you’ve chosen.
4. Optional: A new prototype.

Video (may be completed in groups)

The video should answer these basic questions:

1. What is your research question or research problem?
   • Prototype Example: Many seniors with mental and/or physical conditions have a hard time chewing food, and many seniors on a fixed income have a hard time affording new dental work. How might a new kind of inexpensive denture aid in the chewing process?
   • Research Paper Example: Many seniors with mental and/or physical conditions have a hard time chewing food. How might this issue play a role in the way seniors are represented and included in new dental developments? How might this issue influence seniors’ general role in society?
2. Why is this a significant, important, or relevant question or problem? How are diversity and/or inclusion related to this issue? Feel free to cite statistics to provide context.
3. What is the salient social identity (SSI) that you are exploring?
4. What is the technology you’re exploring?
5. [If you have a prototype] What is your prototype?
6. Who did you interview for this project?
   • Please show documentation (preferably video with sound, but images, audio, animations, etc. are also acceptable) for at least 1 person with your target SSI.
   • Please show documentation for at least 1 person who has some kind of technical or scholarly expertise on your prototype technology and/or target SSI.
7. How did they help shed light on your research question or research problem? Were there any surprises?
8. What are the next steps, if you were to continue the project?

Essay / Write-up (must be completed individually)

Please include the following points:

1. If you’re continuing your midterm project, please summarize your goals for evolving it, and explain how it has changed since the midterm.
2. Discuss the following (which can overlap with your video content):
   • Your research question/problem
   • The significance of the question/problem. You can cite statistics for context.
   • The SSI (salient social identity) you’re exploring
   • The technology you’re exploring
   • [If you have a prototype] What is your prototype?
     
3. Discuss the Persona Design Exercise you completed with a partner. Focus on the persona that your partner designed for your work. How did this exercise influence your plan to collect feedback from real people?
4. Please provide an overview of how you collected feedback from interviews and other types of “Inspiration” exercises discussed in the abridged Field Guide to Human Centered Design. You might want to refer to your group’s “Human Centered Planning” document to help answer this question.
   • Summarize, excerpt, and show documentation (pictures and/or transcript excerpts) for each interview. You should show documentation for at least 1 SSI and 1 expert interview.
   • How did each interview help shed light on your research question or research problem? Were there any surprises?
     
5. Please consider this semester’s lectures, external speakers, reading assignments (see previous class posts), and any other shared class materials (on the google drive or on this blog). Discuss any materials or class moments that influenced your own research for your final project.
6. If you were to continue working on your prototype, what would be the next steps in your work plan? What are the unsolved problems?
   
7. Please also include an MLA-formatted bibliography (Works Cited List) that cites as least 5 sources, including 2 books from the class book list. Please be sure to evaluate your sources for accuracy, objectivity, and potential bias; this NYU Guide may be helpful. You are also welcome to cite other articles previously used in class, and sources from the “Supplemental and Possibly Recommended Books” in the class syllabus.
   
8. Please also proofread your essay for grammar and spelling. If you need help on this, please visit the NYU Tandon Writing Center and/or ask a friend to help you. Grammarly and MentorMyWriting may also be very good( resources.